The Caribbean is one of the world's top diving regions — 4,000+ marine species, year-round 26-29°C water, 30+ meter visibility on best days. **Bonaire (ABC Islands)** — Diver's nirvana - Entire coast is a marine park since 1979 - 86 marked shore dive sites — drive up, dive in - Klein Bonaire uninhabited island — pristine reef - Visibility: 30m+ year-round - Best for: independent divers, marine biology, photographers **Cayman Islands** — Wall diving capital - Bloody Bay Wall (Little Cayman) — 1,800m vertical drop just 6m from shore - Kittiwake wreck (Grand Cayman) — purpose-sunk 76m USS ship - Stingray City — interact with wild southern stingrays - Visibility: 30-50m **Belize** — Mesoamerican Reef (2nd largest) - Great Blue Hole — 124m wide circular sinkhole, stalactites - Hol Chan Marine Reserve — nurse sharks, eagle rays - Lighthouse Reef atoll - Snorkel from San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) **Roatán (Honduras)** — Bay Islands - Wall diving along Mesoamerican Reef - West End and West Bay — most dive shops - Cheap PADI courses ($250-400 Open Water) **British Virgin Islands** — Wreck diving - Wreck of RMS Rhone (1867) — sunk in hurricane, 25m, intact - The Indians — pinnacles, swim-throughs - Painted Walls — colorful sponges - Snorkel: The Baths Virgin Gorda **Bahamas — Long Island** — Deepest blue hole - Dean's Blue Hole — world's deepest at 202m - Bimini — bull sharks, hammerheads - Andros — barrier reef + 100s of blue holes **Cuba — Jardines de la Reina** ("Gardens of the Queen") - Marine park since 1996 — pristine, restricted access - Caribbean reef sharks, goliath groupers, manatees - Liveaboard only **Dominica** — Critter diving + Champagne Reef - Champagne Reef — volcanic gas bubbles up through reef - Soufrière–Scotts Head Marine Reserve - Best dive at Toucari Bay - Whale watching adds during winter (sperm whales) **Saba** — Pinnacle diving - Underwater pinnacles rising from the deep - Diamond Rock, Tent Reef - Smallest marine park, most protected **Curaçao** — Shore diving + Tugboat wreck - Tugboat wreck — 5m deep, snorkel-friendly - Mushroom Forest reef - Klein Curaçao day trip **Top snorkel spots (no certification needed):** - Trunk Bay, USVI (underwater trail) - Buck Island, USVI (reef + sandy beach) - Buccoo Reef, Tobago - Tobago Cays Marine Park - Stingray City, Cayman - Klein Curaçao - Saona Island, DR - Champagne Beach, Dominica - Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos **Cost guide:** - Open Water PADI: $400-700 (Roatán cheapest, Cayman most expensive) - 2-tank boat dive: $100-180 - Shore dive Bonaire: $25-40 (tank refill + equipment) - Liveaboard week: $1,500-3,500 - Snorkel rental: $10-15/day **Safety:** never dive within 24h of flying. Check insurance covers diving (DAN insurance recommended).