Culebra scuba diving guide: all you need to know

While Culebra island are the smaller islands of the Puerto Rican archipelago, it is a paradise for scuba divers. The marine life variety is incredible, making Culebra a perfect place for beginners and experienced divers. In this Culebra scuba diving guide, I will tell you everything you need to know to have the best under water adventure possible. This blog post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

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How to get to Culebra?

There are two options to go to Culebra. The first one is by plane and the second one is by a ferry. 

If your are considering the options to go by plane, you can have a ticket from San Juan airport to Culebra. The ticket is around 200$. So, it will add up to the cost of the trip, if you are on a budget. Plus, depending on where you spend the night and how is your physical condition, it might still need to rent a car. This island have pretty steep hills and it can get tiresome. But, it is totally possible to do it. We did not want to rent a car for the two days that we were there. So we walked all the way from our room to the dive shop. 

The best option, in my opinion, is to go by a ferry. Even more so if you are planning to visit mainland Puerto Rico. You can buy your tickets in advance through the City Experience apps or directly at the ferry terminal. I recommend that you by your tickets a couples of days in advance, with the apps, because the interesting departure times sellout very quickly. The price for a one way ticket from Ceiba is 2.25$. It is the most affordable option available. But, you need to know that, if you are not a local, you cannot bring your car to the ferry. 

​Which dive shop to choose ? 

You should totally go with one of the local dive shops, the Culebra divers, for the best underwater experience. If you and your party are not certified divers yet, that’s not problem. You can do your dive certification with them or if it’s your first dive and your not sure yet, you can totally go for a padi discover scuba diving program. Then, you will learn the scuba dive basic concepts, while accompanied by dive masters. If you have your certification, you’ll find that they offer dives fit for every level divers. Plus, they offer very unique experiences, like fluorodiving. 

Should I book in advance ?

If you’ve never dive before you should book in advance. The main reason is because, you will need to check with your doctor for any medical conditions that might prevent you from diving, before your trip. For safety reasons, the personnel will ask you to fill out a medical form.

They will ask about heart conditions, eg asthma, spinal injuries, etc. So, be prepared and ask your doctor in advance if he can write you a letter saying if you can dive. Because, if you don’t have a medical clearance and they have doubts about your safety underwater, they will not let you try. But, if you are in good health and are a confident swimmer, you’ll be ready to go! 

​P.S. don’t worry, you will receive a full refund if you contact them 24h prior to your day of reservation on a regular day and 72h in advance during holidays.

What dive trip to choose ? 

If you have your open water diver certification, go with the Morning 2-tank dive trip for the best experiences. You will have more time to sharpen your scuba skills while visiting two dive sites. Of course during these dive, you will be under supervision at all time. After the first dive, the personnel usually gives useful tips to practice during the second dive. I really liked it and, since I was in my first dives, I found that it really helped me get better faster. 

Then, if you’re an advanced diver, I highly suggest that you try the fluorodive. This tour is not available at many dive shop in Puerto Rico. Therefore, if you would like to give it a try and are comfortable with night dive, this might be the only place you can experience coral fluorescence.

What can I expect ? 

You will meet with your team around 7h AM to get ready for your dives and receive a small briefing from the personnel. Once you get one the boat, you will visit two different sites that are in shallow water. As a result, you will have longer dive time. 

With the right weather conditions, you can expect crystal-clear waters, bright white sand and vibrant coral reefs. The peak season to dive in Culebra is from December through may. Consequently, the best conditions are during these months. I dove in early may and I got the chance to see many thing, such as multi-color sea slugs, sea turtles, varieties of soft corals, a bunch of tropical fishes and stingrays. I really had fun at both dive sites, and since they bring you at two sites that are quite different,  you will get to check some species off of your list!

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