St. Lucia's waters are ideal for scuba diving or snorkeling during your Caribbean vacation

The crystalline waters that gently lap against the sandy shores of St. Lucia offer the perfect place for scuba diving and snorkeling. Both expert divers and beginners alike will enjoy the warmth and clarity of the water, along with the abundance of marine life. Exploring the wonders of the Caribbean Sea is a perfect addition to your vacation on the island of St. Lucia.

The underwater world of St. Lucia is a wonder to behold. Snorkeling and scuba diving allow you to observe various aquatic animals like sea horses, frog fish, batfish, and other exotic and delightful creatures. Dramatic coral walls that begin only a few feet from shore drop off steeply into the ocean. Snorkelers and divers can swim right up to the animals, though it's recommended that they do not touch the ocean's wildlife. St. Lucia has some of the most scenic underwater settings in the Caribbean, and you can experience it all while vacationing on the island.

St. Lucia's Dive Sites

St. Lucia is a diver's paradise. The warm, clear waters surrounding the island are home to various forms of marine life, including a vast coral reef formation, sea turtles, octopus, and a multitude of exotic fish species like peacock fish and needle fish. There are plenty of amazing places for diver's to explore, such as shallow platforms with sandy gullies in the middle of low coral spurs, and breathtaking vertical coral walls that plunge into the ocean depths well past the depths of safe diving. You only have to go about 10 yards out into the water to reach the coral, which is an extraordinary ecosystem submerged in about 20 to 140 feet of clear blue water. For a unique and unforgettable experience, visit one of the eerie underwater shipwreck sites.

Divers can choose from a variety of dive sites. Here are some of St. Lucia's best dive spots:

• Now a protected marine park off the southern shores of St. Lucia, Anse Chastanet is known as one the most dramatic places for diving on the island. The Anse Chastanet reef, located at the southwestern part of the island, is in relatively shallow waters, about 25 feet down, and can be accessed directly from Anse Chastanet beach. The further out into the water you go, the deeper the coral formations. The reef wall falls away from about 20 feet down to about 140 feet, and continues on from the bay until it reaches Grand Caille, which is near the harbor of Soufriere. Many divers consider the waters of Anse Chastanet, with its distinguishing features like caves and some of the most diverse marine life in the Caribbean, to contain some of the best diving spots in the region.

• For some of the best wall and drift dives on St. Lucia, divers should head for Anse La Raye. Located behind a shallow reef wall, this dive site contains several interesting formations like gigantic boulders at the slope of the wall. Located about 50 feet beneath the ocean surface, Anse La Raye Coral Gardens has a spectacular arrangement of sponges, both hard and soft corals, and an assortment of fish.

• The Coral Gardens are situated at the base of the majestic peaks of Gros Piton. Above and beneath the surface, the Coral Gardens are a wondrous sight to behold. Five finger corals are located under about 15 to 150 feet of water.

• Fairy Land is located at Anse Chastanet, which is a plateau that slopes from about 40 to 60 feet into the ocean. The corals and sponges here are clean because of the strong ocean currents, making them excellent subjects for underwater photography.

• Caribbean Travel & Life magazine named The Key Hole Pinnacles one of the top"10 Best Dive Sites." This elaborate and awe-inspiring formation of coral reef rises from beneath the waves, playfully piercing the ocean surface.

• One of St. Lucia's most popular wreck dives is the Lesleen M Shipwreck. The Lesleen M is a 165-foot freighter that was purposely sunk by the Department of Fisheries in 1986 in order to make an artificial reef. The ship sits upright in about 60 feet of water close to Anse Cochon on the island's west coast, a few miles to the south of Marigot Bay.

• One of St. Lucia's coral wall dive sites is named Superman's Flight, in honor of a scene from the Superman II movie that was filmed on the island. The wall drops to depths of 1600 feet and has excellent visibility due to the crystal clear waters in this area. Divers can enter the water here at the base of Petit Piton.

Dive Shops on St. Lucia

Many hotels offer scuba diving facilities and snorkeling equipment. There are also a number of independent dive centers offering short boat dives, night dives, and a variety of scuba courses. Here are some the dive equipment providers on St. Lucia, many of which also rent equipment for snorkeling:

• Buddies

• Caribbean Dive Center

• Dive Fair Helen

• Eastern Caribbean Diving

• Endless Summer Cruises

• Frogs Diving

• Island Divers

• Marigot Beach Club & Dive Resort

• Oasis Marigot Ship n Shore Vacations

• Scuba St. Lucia

Best Places For Snorkeling

Renowned as one of the best snorkeling sites in the Caribbean, St. Lucia features gorgeous locales for aquatic exploration. The island's natural beauty is further magnified by its underwater world. All you need is a mask and fins and you're ready for your afternoon snorkeling excursion.

For the best snorkeling on St. Lucia, head to the waters in front of the Anse Chastanet beach. The Anse Chastanet Reef is the perfect haven for snorkelers because it is buoyed off for snorkeling safety, so no boats are allowed in the area. There is a plateau on the reef that reaches from 5 to 25 feet deep, and at its end, falls away from 20 to 140 feet into a coral wall full of amazing sea life. Photographers favor the reef as one of the most picturesque sites in St. Lucia.