Having Fun with Scuba Diving in Antigua
If you are searching for a vacation spot where you can enjoy sunny warm beaches with scuba diving facilities, you need to look no further, because the place youre looking for is certainly Antigua. Situated in the centre of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Antigua is just adjacent to the north of equator, and provides warm waters and stunning dive sites. The nearby islands of Antigua include St. Barts, St. Martin, and Montserrat. Antigua is the largest of the British Leeward Islands, and is 14 miles long and 11 miles wide.
Except for the hurricane season, Antigua has blissfully warm waters all year round. The place offers clear dive locations, great scuba diving tour operators and services, and is overwhelmed with physical and natural beauty. There are a great number of hotels and resorts that provide luxurious accommodation, even in the low budget arena. The place also offers a large number of scuba diving schools and tours, depending on your skill level.
The water around Antigua is unmatchable. As it is surrounded by very well preserved coral reefs, walls, and shipwrecks, the water is very clear and the underwater visibility ranges from 40 to 150 feet. The southern and eastern coasts of the island are surrounded by shelves, which make it a great spot for diving or snorkelling, especially for less experienced divers.
Skilled divers can go to many other diving spots, with the most admired being the ledge at Sunken Rock, situated on the southern shore of the island. The dive depths may vary from 25 to 80 feet. The majority of the diving spots are situated near Antigua, and can be reached in just five minutes. Nevertheless, there are some diving locations that could take up to 40 minutes to reach. The wreck of Andes is a well-liked spot in Antigua, where a merchant ship sank. With ample of tropical marine plants and underwater life, you can enjoy a lot while underwater.
It is possible to sign up for a range of scuba diving courses or tours while on the island. If you are a beginner and have not yet learnt anything prior arriving on the islands, it is an excellent idea to sign up in a one day course which is short, yet intensive enough to educate you all you need to know for basic dives.
The instructors are highly professional and will teach you all the proper techniques and theory, along with the important safety tips before they let you go under water. Furthermore, they also make sure that you are well prepared to go under water before they issue you any equipment.
If you are a professional diver, you can enrol for either daily dives, or three or five day packages, with or without equipment rental charges. For entry on the island, you must have a return ticket, but if you are resident of the Unites States or Canada, or carry a British passport, you do not need a visa to set foot on the island. In any case, you just need to prove that you have the finances to cover your stay and lodgings charges. Moreover, you also need to guarantee them that you will leave sooner than your six months are up, as that is the highest stay allowed on a visit visa.
Thus, if youre thinking to spend your vacations scuba diving and spending time relaxing on the striking beaches, then Antigua is the accurate location for you.