Suppose you happened to read our previous newsletter. In that case, you likely already know that Martinique – the verdant, volcanic Caribbean island known as the “Island of Flowers – has just as much beauty below its waves as it does above them. Look past the French churches, the charming boutique resorts, and the mountainous vistas out to the sea. From bustling reefs filled with colourful corals to hidden shipwrecks, diving and snorkelling in this UNESCO-recognized Biosphere Reserve is first-class. With warm, clear waters all year round and a dramatic underwater landscape, Martinique’s stunning underwater world is just begging to be explored.
Luckily, plumbing these cerulean depths is eminently accessible thanks to Martinique’s robust selection of diving tour operators. Beyond being safety experts, these companies blend keen ecological knowledge and seafaring know-how with respect and commitment to sustainable tourism. If you want to go deeper on your next trip to Martinique, you can’t go wrong with these five incredible diving teams:
Abaca Dive
Location: Les Trois-Illets
Offering tours from your choice of catamaran or speedboat, Abaca Dive curates excursions designed to give you a complete picture of Martinique’s amazing subaquatic splendour. Abaca operates two half-day departures each day, encompassing popular dives at sites like Rocher du Diamant and more secluded affairs at the wrecks of St Pierre and Nahoon, which abundant fish and corals now make their secretive home. This PADI-certified diving centre also offers helpful three-hour training courses. As much as you’ll love spending time in the water with Abaca, some divers may find it hard to leave the boat: they’re comfortable and stocked with plenty of snacks, allowing you to enjoy the lazy pleasure of a Caribbean cruise mid-excursion.
Boucaniers Diving
Location: Sainte-Anne
Family-owned and operated Boucaniers boasts a spacious boat with room for up to 38 divers. Located next to Club Med des Boucaniers just steps from the water, this oceanside diving centre is renowned for its passionate and thoroughly accredited staff. Boucaniers offers one-on-one introductory diving courses for beginners, ensuring you get the full attention of your instructor as you take your first foray into the deep. Once you’re ready to venture out, Boucaniers has a variety of exploration packages to more than 14 sites in the south of Martinique. Swim through trenches and glide past graceful stingrays on a customized dive package that suits your experience level and appetite for adventure.
Canopee Bleue
Location: Les Anses-d’Arlet
Eco-responsibility is the motto at Canopee Bleue, who operate their tours from the decks of Martinique’s first electro-solar boat. The strikingly blue, impressively stable boat cuts quite an impressive figure; instantly recognizable even far out on the horizon! Snorkelling, freediving, and scuba diving are all available from Canopee Bleue, who also offer excursions from the shore if you’re the type that gets seasick. Supervised dives are available for those with limited diving experience, ensuring landmarks like Diamond Rock and Burgos Point are viewable to all. Turtles, sponges, moray eels, and more await you even at beginner-friendly spots, making Canopee Bleue a perfect choice for wildlife enthusiasts.
Diving is a Journey (DIAJ)
Location: Le Carbet
At Residence Madi-Créoles, in the heart of the Albert Falco Reserve, Diving is a Journey (DIAJ) wields over 35 years of experience to help you discover the natural heritage of Martinique. An inter-generational collective of 23 divers, DIAJ operates an electro-solar diving centre, with the sun as the sole source of energy and zero direct or indirect carbon emissions. DIAJ specializes in exploring the waters around Martinique’s iconic Mount Pelée. Snorkelling, wreck diving, and children’s dives are just a few of the options with DIAJ, but night diving deserves a particularly strong endorsement. Depart at sunset with a party of other like-minded adventurers and see the underwater world of Martinique (and its inhabitants) in a new light – that is to say, with no natural light at all! It’s a thrilling look into Martinique’s ecosystem at its most active.
Natiyabel
Location: Sainte-Anne
Concluding our round-up, we return to Sainte-Anne for an authentic twist on diving excursions, far removed from the hotels and relative bustle of larger diving centres. Natiyabel specializes in personalized, small-group dives using Nitrox canisters. The name Natiyabel translates to “Nature is beautiful”, and the centre certainly lives up to that creed: beyond diving, Natiyabel also offers hiking and kayaking. Visitors are empowered to craft an excursion itinerary that combines the best of land and sea and can do so completely guilt-free. Natiyabel is extremely active in local conservation and cleanup efforts. When their professional instructors aren’t teaching new divers, you’ll likely find them contributing to coral restoration initiatives!
Ready to dive in? Visit https://www.martinique.org/en to start planning your underwater odyssey in the French Caribbean.
