Desecheo, Mayagüez
Desecheo Island
Mona Passage, west of Rincón. An overview of the area's sites.
- Depth
- Not published
- Entry
- Boat
- Boat only. Landing is forbidden: the island refuge is closed to the public because of unexploded military ordnance (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
- About 12 miles (a 35-minute boat ride) off the west coast (Afar)
- A 35-minute boat ride from Rincón (PADI blog)
- Level
- Open Water and up
- Open Water or higher, age 13 and up, comfortable diving to 100 ft; boat-diving experience recommended (Aquatica Underwater Adventures)
What's down there
- 24 dive spots (PADI blog)
- 20 scuba dive sites (Afar)
- A 2003 review called all of its Desecheo sites shallower than 70 ft (Undercurrent reader reviews)
- The law lets DRNA place mooring buoys at sites including South Gardens, Candlestick and Yellow Reef (Law 57 of 2000)
Named sites
- Candyland
- Yellow Reef
- Las Cuevas
- Also named, with no details published: Pesones (Dos Pezones), Crab Alley, Aquarium, Mars (Undercurrent reader reviews)
- Also named, with no details published: South Gardens, Candlestick (Law 57 of 2000)
When to go, and when not to
Season
- Visibility excellent year-round (PADI blog)
Hazards
- Unexploded ordnance on the island: no landing (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Emergency numbers and the jellyfish days: diving safety.
Reserve and rules
Inside the Desecheo Island Marine Reserve. Damaging coral, anchoring off the buoys, or fishing or diving in a reserve without the DRNA Secretary's authorization can cost $500 to $10,000 a violation (Law 147).
- No fishing of any kind within half a mile of the island (DRNA Fishing Regulation)
- Half a nautical mile around the island is a marine reserve (Law 57 of 2000)
Who dives it
- Taino Divers, Rincón Site checked
- Aquatica Underwater Adventures, Aguadilla Site checked
- La Casa del Buzo, San Juan Not verified
- Juliet Sailing and Diving, Liveaboard Not verified
- A $20 per person marine park fee, collected by Taino Divers in 2021. Who sets the fee is unconfirmed: no DRNA permit for individual divers was found. (Afar)
In the 787daily Guide: Desecheo Island, with today's conditions.
Sources
Sources (7)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desecheo refuge (opens in a new tab), official, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- DRNA Fishing Regulation (Reg. 7949) (opens in a new tab), official, Nov 2010
- Law 57 of 2000 (opens in a new tab), official, Mar 10, 2000
- Afar (opens in a new tab), press, Mar 29, 2021
- PADI blog (opens in a new tab), press, Feb 11, 2026
- Aquatica Underwater Adventures (opens in a new tab), operator, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
- Undercurrent reader reviews (2003 and 2006) (opens in a new tab), dive log or listing, no date; checked Oct 18, 2026
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