On the Water · Diving
Diving and snorkeling in Puerto Rico
36 dive sites from the Parguera wall to Mona, with depths in feet and meters, who dives them and the reserves' rules, and which coast is divable when a swell runs.
Waves at the buoys now
- San Juan buoyOff San JuanNo reading yet
- Arecibo buoyOff AreciboNo reading yet
- Rincón buoyOff RincónNo reading yet
- Ponce buoySoutheast of PonceNo reading yet
- Vieques Sound buoyVieques SoundNo reading yet
Station readings, not conditions at a beach. From CariCOOS, NOAA buoys and the National Weather Service.
Which coast is divable
In a winter north swell the north and west shore sites close and divers go south or east. Today's colors come from the buoys above.
Summer, usually: North good · West good · South good · East goodThe season's usual pattern, until the buoys answer.
| Coast | Winter (Nov–Mar) | Summer (Apr–Oct) |
|---|---|---|
| North coastSan Juan, Vega Alta, Aguadilla, Isabela | Often closed | Good |
| West coast and the Mona PassageRincón, Mayagüez, Desecheo, Mona | Varies | Good |
| South coastLa Parguera, Guánica, Ponce | Good | Good |
| East coast and the islandsFajardo, Humacao, Culebra, Vieques | Good | Good |
The season columns are 787daily's reading of these sources: the north and Rincón's shore calm in summer and closed by big surf in winter, the south and east the winter fallback. 787daily's reading.
Why, coast by coast
North coast
- Long-period north swells, typically in winter, bring High Surf Advisories and high rip-current risk to north- and northeast-facing beaches, with seas of 6 to 10 ft and some events to 11 ft. Operators move dives when conditions are bad
Shore sites here flip with the season: calm in summer, big surf in winter.
West coast and the Mona Passage
- UnconfirmedWinter surf at Tres Palmas can reach 20 ft with strong rips, and snorkeling there is not recommended
- UnconfirmedAt Desecheo's Yellow Reef the north side is sometimes not divable; the south side is the alternative
Rincón's shore sites flip with the season like the north coast's: calm in summer, big surf in winter.
South coast
- On the Parguera wall: "calm, no currents" in April 2025
- Little to slight current on the wall
A winter fallback when a north swell closes the north and west.
East coast and the islands
- Culebra's currents are generally mild
A winter fallback when a north swell closes the north and west.
Today's colours come from the buoys above. A northerly swell of 6 ft or more at the San Juan or Arecibo buoy closes the north shore dives: NWS San Juan's High Surf Advisories for north swells came with seas of 6 to 10 ft, and operators move dives when it is bad. Rincón's shore closes in the same swell, so the west says check. No source gives a line for the south or the east, so 6 ft or more there says check, never closed; under 6 ft a coast reads good, and a coast with no fresh reading says check. Buoys: north 41053 and 41121, west 41115, south 42085, east 41056.
787daily's reading of the sources: no single source says it, but the south coast (La Parguera, Guánica) and the east (Fajardo, Culebra, Vieques) are where divers go when a north swell closes the north and west shore sites. No published month-by-month swell record for dive sites was found.
When the water is best
Sources (9)
- St. Thomas Source, reporting NWS San Juan alerts (opens in a new tab), press, Dec 12, 2022
- Islands.com (read through a search summary) (opens in a new tab), unconfirmed, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- Aquatica Underwater Adventures (opens in a new tab), operator, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- Undercurrent reader review (opens in a new tab), dive log or listing, Apr 2025
- Puerto Rico Day Trips (opens in a new tab), press, Oct 12, 2026
- Culebra Divers FAQ (opens in a new tab), operator, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- Aquatica Underwater Adventures (opens in a new tab), operator, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- SSI blog (opens in a new tab), press, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- Rincón Diving & Snorkeling FAQ (opens in a new tab), operator, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
Swell and wave forecasts
What to read the night before a shore dive: the wave model's maps, a forecast for your beach, and the official marine forecast.
| Forecast | What it gives | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| CariCOOS wave model maps (SWAN) (opens in a new tab) | Significant wave height, peak period and swell height on maps of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with close-ups for each coast. | Twice a day (00Z, 12Z); 120 hours on the island grid, 72 on the close-ups |
| CariCOOS sea-state point forecasts (opens in a new tab) | A forecast for one spot from the CariCOOS wave model and NOAA's WaveWatch III, side by side. | Not stated |
| CariCOOS breaker height forecasts (opens in a new tab) | The highest breakers expected at each beach, 5 AM to 8 PM, as a coloured flag a day. Experimental: NWS gives the official rip-current forecast. | Not stated |
| NWS San Juan coastal waters forecast (opens in a new tab) | Seas in feet by marine zone, with each swell's direction, height and period. The link opens the north coast (AMZ712). Every zone (opens in a new tab). | Not stated |
| NWS San Juan beach forecast (opens in a new tab) | The weather service's beach forecast for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, rip-current risk among it. | Not stated |
Sources (6)
- CARICOOS Wave Model: Wave Forecast Maps (opens in a new tab), no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- CARICOOS Wave Model: Sea State Point Forecasts (opens in a new tab), no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- CARICOOS Wave Model: Breaker Height Forecasts (opens in a new tab), no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- NWS, Coastal Waters of Northern Puerto Rico out 10 NM (opens in a new tab), no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- NWS San Juan marine zones (opens in a new tab), no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- NWS San Juan, Experimental Beach Forecast (opens in a new tab), no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
Dive sites
No dive shop publishes its sites' coordinates, so each dot marks the area or town, never the mooring. Depths are as the sources give them; a site page shows every figure and who said it.
Depth, level, reserves and season
| Site | Depth | Entry | Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North San Juan, Vega Alta | ||||
| Escambrón Marine ParkPuerta de Tierra, San Juan | To 40 ftTo 12 m | Shore | No card needed | |
| Cerro GordoVega Alta | 0–33 ft0–10 m | Not stated | Not stated | |
| Northwest Aguadilla, Isabela | ||||
| Crash Boat piersCrash Boat Beach, Route 107, Aguadilla | To 35 ftTo 11 m | Shore | Open Water | |
| El NaturalAguadilla | To 40 ftTo 12 m | Shore | Not stated | |
| Old Sugar Mill PierAguadilla | 40–75 ft12–23 m | Not stated | Not stated | |
| Rompe Olas BeachAguadilla | 0–33 ft0–10 m | Shore | Not stated | |
| M/V AmbarOff Aguadilla (distance not published) | 136–150 ft41–46 m | Boat | Technical | |
| Shacks Beach cavernsShacks Beach, Isabela | Not published | Shore | Not stated | |
| West Rincón, Mayagüez | ||||
| Tres Palmas Marine ReserveRincón; the main entry is Steps Beach (Playa Escalera), off Road 413 | Not published | Shore | Not stated | |
| Tourmaline ReefOff Punta Guanajibo, Mayagüez and Cabo Rojo | To 33 ftTo 10 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Desecheo Mona Passage | ||||
| Desecheo IslandMona Passage, west of Rincón (many sites) | Not published | Boat | Open Water | |
| CandylandDesecheo, leeward side | 40–80 ft12–24 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Yellow ReefDesecheo | Not published | Boat | Not stated | |
| Las CuevasDesecheo | Not published | Boat | Advanced | |
| Mona Mona Passage | ||||
| Isla de Mona and MonitoAbout 45.7 miles off the west coast (many sites) | Not published | Liveaboard | Advanced | |
| Carabinero WallIsla de Mona | 20–500+ ft6–150+ m | Liveaboard | Advanced | |
| Southwest La Parguera, Guánica | ||||
| La Parguera WallOffshore from La Parguera (Lajas) to Guánica (many sites) | 55–1,500+ ft17–457+ m | Boat | Advanced | |
| Black WallLa Parguera wall | 60–200+ ft18–61+ m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Efra's WallLa Parguera and Guánica wall | 0–160 ft0–50 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Fallen RockLa Parguera wall | From 65 ftFrom 20 m | Boat | Advanced | |
| ChimneyLa Parguera wall | 55–70 ft17–21 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Old BuoyLa Parguera wall | To 60 ftTo 18 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Steps and MojarraLa Parguera wall | 60–70 ft18–21 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Guánica WallOff Playa Santa and Ensenada, Guánica | 45–100+ ft14–30+ m | Boat | Not stated | |
| South Ponce | ||||
| Isla Caja de MuertosOff Ponce | Not published | Boat | Not stated | |
| East Fajardo, Humacao | ||||
| Fajardo reefsAround the small cays off Fajardo (many sites) | 15–80 ft5–24 m | Boat | No card needed | |
| SandslidePalominito, La Cordillera | 15–80 ft5–24 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Cayo DiabloLa Cordillera, off Fajardo | To 50 ftTo 15 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Palmas del Mar reefsOff the Palmas del Mar marina, Humacao | 28–120+ ft9–37+ m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Culebra Culebra | ||||
| Culebra's reefsAround Culebra and its cays (many sites) | 30–80 ft9–24 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Canal Luis PeñaBetween Culebra and Cayo Luis Peña | Not published | Boat | Not stated | |
| Cayo LobitoCulebra | Not published | Boat | Not stated | |
| Cayo RatónCulebra | Not published | Boat | Not stated | |
| Impact ReefCulebra's west coast, reached from the ferry dock | Not published | Not stated | Not stated | |
| Vieques Vieques | ||||
| Vieques south-shore reefsVieques' south shore (many sites) | 40–100 ft12–30 m | Boat | Not stated | |
| Mosquito PierNorth coast of Vieques, Isabel II side | To 40 ftTo 12 m | Shore | Open Water | |
Show all 36 sitesShow fewer
No site fits all of those. Clear a filter to see more.
The gauge's needle sits at the deepest published figure: sea blue to 60 ft (18 m), amber to 130 ft (40 m), red past it. The level's dot: green is open to a new diver, amber asks for advanced, red for technical. A dash means no source we found says it.
Snorkel, dive shops and the rules
- From the beach or a boatSnorkel spotsHow hard the entry is, whether it suits a family, and when to go
- Who takes youDive shopsAgencies, nitrox, prices with their dates, and which shops may be closed
- The law underwaterReserves and spearfishing rulesWhat each protected area allows, Law 147's fines, and Reg. 7949's spearfishing rules
- Before and after you diveSafety and water temperature911 then DAN, flying after diving, jellyfish days and the water by month
Researched for 787daily on 18 Oct 2026 from operators' pages, DRNA's regulations, NOAA, PADI and dive logs; 10 dive shops' own pages were read that day.