Puerto Rico offers many Scuba Diving and snorkel Adventures for both experienced and novice divers. Desecheo Island, 15 miles west of Puerto Rico offers many diving opportunities; from Reef Diving to Underwater Cave Diving. With 100 ft. visibility, this part of Puerto Rico offers spectacular underwater views of marine life and natural reef formations..

The islands of Mona, Monito and Desecheo are located off Puerto Rico's western coast. Three world-class destinations to visit on your diving vacation. The Island of Mona is a cavernous Caribbean “Tipui” rising from 22,000 feet underwater to a flat plateau atop 200-foot cliffs. A few white-powder beaches enhance the otherwise dry cacti terrain. Considered by many to be the Galapagos of the Caribbean, Mona stands alone in its wildlife complexity, both above as well as underwater. Large iguanas roam freely while red-footed boobies and whitetailled tropic birds fly overhead.  Click Here for a video tour of Mona Island by Jose Rafols, a good friend and professional diver.

Underwater, fallen boulders create arches, crevices and tunnels, and vertical walls plummet 90 degrees into the abysmal depths of the Mona passage, the second deepest channel in the world. There are no rivers or runoffs and, apart from the small manned natural resources station and lighthouse, there is no human development. Visibility easily exceeds 150 feet. On the other hand, seas and winds can be higher than normal and the currents strong, but for the experienced diver, these minor inconveniences should not distract from exploring this beautiful side of the Spanish Caribbean.

Monito lies just three miles from Mona. There are no beaches here, and diving is done close to shore beside huge fallen boulders. As in Mona, large schools of pelagics and mid-water fish darken the rays of the sun and during the winter months, humpback whales frequent the area. Sharks are scarce.

Desecheo is the closest of the three to Puerto Rico’s mainland, just 20 miles away. A wildlife preserve, Desecheo has been left to follow its natural course. Undisturbed coral formations as well as a large variety of reef fish and pelagics reward those with a more adventurous spirit willing to make the one-hour boat ride out.

Want to see more underwater pictures? Visit Carlos Croque's Underwater Picture Page. Carlos is a NAUI certified professional diver with over 10 years of experience diving around Puerto Rico. Carlos and Property Resources will be happy to assist with your diving vacation plans.