Wreck
down to 12 m
Atlantic Princess
A 30 m former passenger liner at 12 m, sunk in 2009, with seahorses and nudibranchs on the surrounding reef.
- Open Water
- Rays
Bayahibe & Catalina
Diving in Dominican Republic
12 documented dive sites, 9 of them for Open Water divers. Known for stingrays and barracuda.
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Water
- 26–31 °C
- Levels
- Open Water, Advanced
- Nearest airport
- LRM
When to go
Pick a month: the diving season, from published sources, and the typical weather.
Pick a month
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Bayahibe & Catalina in October
Good season- Sea
- 31 °C
- at the surface
- Air
- 31 °C
- 24 °C at night
- Rain
- 150 mm
- one of the wettest months
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- on average
The warmest water of the year.
Typical weather, not a forecast: averages for 2021–2025 (air, rain, wind) and 2023–2025 (sea), data from Open-Meteo (ERA5 / Copernicus, Météo-France). Covers an area of roughly 10 to 25 km around the destination.
Dived all year in generally calm seas; best Dec–Apr (dry season). Jun–Nov is hurricane season, when strong winds can make the sea choppy and reduce visibility.
Dive sites in Bayahibe & Catalina
From the easiest to the most demanding. Levels with a dashed outline are estimates we are still verifying.
Open Water friendly
usual dive down to 18 m9 sitesReef
down to 18 m
El Peñón
A shallow reef called the most fish-rich area in Parque Nacional del Este, where turtles and nurse sharks are sometimes seen.
- Open Water
- Nurse sharks
Reef
down to 9 m
Magallanes
A calm reef in a small cove, no deeper than 9 m, home to sea urchins, seahorses, blennies and eels.
- Open Water
- Seahorses
Wreck
down to 12 m
Matthew's Wreck
The remains of a sailboat among reef and sand patches at about 12 m, with cleaning stations and small reef creatures.
- Open Water
- Lionfish
For Advanced divers
usual dive down to 30 m3 sitesMarine life
When the big encounters happen, month by month.
Reported here, season not documented yet:
- Stingrays
- Barracuda
- Lionfish
- Moray eels
- Nurse sharks
- Reef sharks
- Dolphins
- Manatee
- Turtles
- Eagle rays
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus
- Seahorses
- Squid
Where is Bayahibe & Catalina?
- Nearest airport
- LRM
Bayahibe & Catalina: frequently asked questions
- When is the best time to dive Bayahibe & Catalina?
- The best months to dive Bayahibe & Catalina are Dec–Apr. Dived all year in generally calm seas; best Dec–Apr (dry season). Jun–Nov is hurricane season, when strong winds can make the sea choppy and reduce visibility.
- Is Bayahibe & Catalina good for beginner divers?
- Yes, partly: 9 of the 12 dive sites we document are suited to Open Water divers, including Atlantic Princess, Guaraguao and La Tortuga. The others need more experience or a higher certification.
- What is the water temperature in Bayahibe & Catalina?
- The water is usually between 26 °C and 31 °C over the year.
- What marine life can you see in Bayahibe & Catalina?
- Divers regularly see stingrays, barracuda, lionfish and moray eels.
- How do you dive Bayahibe & Catalina?
- The nearest airport is LRM.
About this page
Seasons and marine life come from the sources below. Site levels and depths marked as estimated come from our original catalogue and are being checked one by one. Conditions change: always confirm with a local dive centre.
Your next dive is somewhere out there.
Find my next dive tripPhoto credits
- Sunlight and bubbles in deep blue water, Sarah Lee, Unsplash License, on Unsplash