Just 33 kilometers long, Aruba is 27 kilometers north of Venezuela and 130 kilometers from Colombia. Part of the Lesser Antilles Island chain, it is also a portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and when you visit, you'll see that the architecture has been heavily influenced by Dutch preferences. With warm, sunny weather all year round, clear water, and abundant marine life, Aruba is a fantastic place for a vacation, for divers and non-divers alike. There are at least 30 named dive sites around Aruba - here are seven of the most popular reefs to help you begin planning for a holiday you won't soon forget.
Cabez Reef
Located just off Seroe Colorado, Cabez Reef features a maximum depth at just 15 meters, but strong, steady currents restrict it to experienced divers only. Here, you'll find fish that enjoy this current - amberjack, rainbow runners, and barracudas are abundant. Watch for stingrays as you drift above the sandy bottom.
The Cross
A ten foot tall underwater memorial monument surrounded by hard coral formations and soft coral that waves gently in the undulating current, The Cross is a great place for a drift. Depths here are between 20 and 60 feet.
Lago Reef
The deepest dive site Aruba has to offer, Lago Reef features gorgeous deep water gorgonians, fantastic sea anemones, and magnificent sponges, all of which create an impressive backdrop for colorful marine life of every shape and size imaginable. Maximum depth here is 120 feet.
Commandeurs Reef
A beautiful slope that begins at 40 feet and drops away to meet the ocean floor at a depth of 90 feet, Commandeurs Reef features magnificent leaf and sheet coral formations. This site is an outstanding one for viewing larger fish, including snappers, runners, barracuda, and jacks, as well as groupers and grunts. Smaller reef fish including angelfish, butterfly fish, and others are well represented at the site as well.
Mangel Halto Reef
Mangel Halto Reef features a steady slope that begins at a depth of 15 feet and eventually makes its way to the ocean floor at a depth of 110 feet. Beautiful brain corals, vase and tube sponges, sea anemones, and deep water gorgonians are just a few examples of the life you'll find here - look for sea horses and octopus, and of course, enjoy the company of countless tropical fish. This is a very nice multi-level site all divers will enjoy, plus it is easily accessible from shore.
Sponge Reef
An outstanding site for encountering sea turtles, Sponge Reef comes by its name honestly. Here, you'll find multitudes of purple vase sponges and little basket sponges, along with bright yellow tube sponges and even huge orange elephant ear sponges, along with plate and leaf coral formations, all of which combine to make this one of the most fantastic dive sites you might ever see. Be sure to take your time - there are lots of surprises to be found among the sponges and coral!
Skalahein
Another very nice multi-level dive site, Skalahein features depths between 15 and 100 feet and offers a gradual slope covered with magnificent coral and colorful sponges of every kind. Not only are there plenty of fish here, you'll also find sea horses and other rarely seen creatures as you make your way from one coral formation to the next. Those who dive deep will be treated to the sight of brightly colored gorgonians that contrast beautifully with the blue water of Aruba.
Whether you're planning to come to Aruba just to dive, or if you're planning to visit during Carnival, which lasts from the beginning of January until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, be sure to take some time to explore the island's lighthouses, caves, and national parks. Accommodations of every level are available, and the beaches are fantastic. Bring your favorite dive buddy along for what could just be the vacation of a lifetime!