Best St Croix dive sites in US Virgin Islands in 2024
- Salt River Canyon
- Cane Bay – The Wall
- Frederiksted Pier
- Butler Bay Shipwrecks
- Sandy Point
- Davis Bay
St. Croix diving offers some of the best dive sites for USVI diving for both amateur and professional divers alike. It might just be the greatest variety of diving on offer. Where else can you dive a reef, shipwreck, pier, and wall. . . all in the same day?
But first, here is a map of St Croix dive sites in the US Virgin Islands to help plan your St. Croix diving adventures.
Many of the best dive sites are right in front of Villa Margarita or within a 10-15 minute boat ride from our next door marina at Salt River. And we offer FREE storage facilities for all your scuba gear, so you can travel without getting the crazy baggage fees.
Best St. Croix Dive Site Videos for 2024
Check out these amazing videos of great scuba dive sites in St. Croix, and then plan your own scuba adventure for diving in St. Croix in 2024!
Salt River Canyon East Wall
The East Wall mooring is in 40 feet of water, the back of the boat usually hangs in 1,000 feet. This is one of the best dive sites, with lots of pelagic and tropical fish. There are two types of black coral present, the green and pink ones. Lots of grouper, snapper, eels, conch, lobster and crab are found here, as well as tons of sponges soft and hard corals. Usually there is very clear water.
This is a also a very historical site. Columbus landed here on his second trip to America in 1493. He had 17 ships with him and it was the first recorded bloodshed between Native Americans and Europeans (.pdf). Columbus took some of the capture Indians back with him to Europe.
This site is also one of the oldest geological areas in the Caribbean. Separated from the West Wall by a chasm several thousand feet deep, the East Wall is usually the “fishiest” dive on the North Shore. You’ll see lots of hogfish, snapper and horse eye jacks swimming off the wall, meanwhile the sponge and coral-encrusted slope is covered with schools of black bar soldier fish and striped grunts at 60 ft. Parrot fish, groupers and large angel fish are visible throughout the dive, and occasionally you’ll see spotted eagle rays or black tip reef shark lurking off the wall.
It’s certainly one of the best dive sites St. Croix USVI, where you can “Dive the Wall” and right off the shore from Villa Margarita. This is scuba diving in St. Croix at its best!
Salt River Canyon West Wall
Mooring in 20 feet of water with sheer drop off wall. There are lots of canyons and groves to go through. You’ll see many pelagic as well as eel, snapper, jacks and groupers. There are some really big stingrays in the area. It’s great for novice divers as well as advanced divers, and it’s probably the most requested boat dive of all St Croix dive sites USVI. It’s a steep and ruggedly-textured outlining on the western edge of Salt River Canyon. St. Croix Diving Wall: the ultimate experience for diving enthusiasts.
Also known as “The Pinnacles”, the geological formation with its maze of swim-throughs, cuts, ledges, overhangs, and recesses suggest that it was once an above ground waterfall. Schools of creole wrasse and yellowtail snappers can be found off the edge of the wall, while the deeper realms are inhabited by jacks, permits, barracudas, angels, green morays, and rays gliding by the pinnacles. Simply spectacular! A must for USVI diving and USVI dive charters.
Gentle Winds
This dive site is named after a condo complex on the beach there. It is a gem of St Croix dive sites and marks the beginning of a mile-long stretch of spur-and-groove reef. The large, thriving coral fingers, separated by narrow sand chutes, bottom out into a sandy plain at 60 feet, making it a perfect second dive and training site for those working to improve their navigational skills. The great diversity and density of hard and soft corals are unmatched anywhere else. Look closely to find scorpion fish, flat worms, lettuce sea slugs, lobsters, and flying gurnards nestled among the breathtaking coral heads or camouflaged on the sand.
It’s right next door to Villa Margarita, so one of the most convenient dive sites in St Croix.
The Pinnacle
Sea mount that tops off at 90 feet. You can usually see swimming reef sharks and big jacks, as well as black coral. Recommended for advanced divers only.
Rust-op-twist
This dive site is named for a former Danish sugar plantation and a one time home to a shrimp farm on shore. The pipes for the deep water intake are still visible underwater. This area has the deepest water closet to shore in the Caribbean. Two moorings can be found on this wall site. Known for its colorful tube and rope sponges, sea fans and gorgonians, the gradual sloping reef has innumerable ledges and crevices that often shelter orange spotted file fish, juvenile burr fish, clinging crabs, slipper lobsters, and lizard fish. Following the pipeline downward, which makes for an easy navigation tool, you can observe the wonder of sea anemones and purple shrimp interacting, while hovering above the frequent flounder sunning on the top of the coral encrusted pipeline. There are probably more black durgons here than any other area, and it is a good site for encountering turtles.
It’s a great place to see lots of reef sharks. Years ago they were attracted to all the waste pumped out from the shrimp farm, and amazingly enough seem to have somehow passed on this memory to new generations even though the shrimp farm closed 30 years ago!
The Pavilions
A beautiful wall dive east of Cane Bay with lots of hard and soft corals, schools of Atlantic spade fish, groupers, elephant ear sponges and black coral. A plateau with sand and coral, which is great for beginner and advanced divers. South of the mooring in 35 feet of water is a sandy arena rimmed by coral and decorated with yellow headed Jawfish and spaghetti worms, creating an ideal habitat for nurse sharks and spotted moray eels. The wall itself is decorated with colorful sponges, whips, and sea plumes, typically hosting schools of Creole wrasse, triggerfish and every species of butterfly fish. Watch for the rare pipefish and seahorses — read more here (pdf). This dive is known for its abundance of marine life. One of the best dive sites St Croix USVI.
Cane Bay – The Wall
Probably the most popular beach dive sites in St. Croix as well as boat dive. It is accessible from North Shore road at Cane Bay Beach. After a 200-yard swim to the wall, it drops over 2,000 feet. You’ll find beautiful wall dive along with great coral gardens just before the wall in 30 feet of water. Sometimes you may see reef sharks out in the blue, as well as black coral, pelagic and well as tropical fish. It’s one of the best St Croix shore diving experiences.
The Wall is part of the Puerto Rican trench, which is the 2nd-deepest trench in the world. Pretty amazing! Here you’ll see lots of stunning corals, including black coral, which create a garden of sorts that which can be viewed at around 30 feet. This is a great place to see small Caribbean reef sharks, as well as large schools of black durgon, blue tangs and lots of damsels swimming in the waters over the reef. Teeming with tropical fish and wildlife, there’s also a good chance you’ll spot some of the green sea turtles which rest and eat off the reef.
The beach here is also a great place to chill out in between and after your dives. If you are shore diving at Cane Bay, make sure to enter and exit the water at the boat ramp due to the shallow reefs that run on either side. Swim straight out from the boat ramp, and drop down when you please. This wall starts in about 30 feet of water straight out from the boat ramp. Reaching this ledge is an easy kick-out dive from the beach. Here you’ll see 2 mooring balls which mark the beginning of sand chutes which direct divers to the wall.
You can go also east for a deeper profile, or west for a shallower dive. Don’t miss the underwater carousel horse straight out about 100 yards in 25 feet of water. A unique diving in St. Croix experience.
Here are some good Cane Bay St Croix Dive site reviews. Always check for the latest updates for 2024 conditions.
Guide to Scuba Diving Cane Bay St Croix 
TripAdvisor review of Cane Bay dive site in St Croix
TritonsRealm review of Cane Bay shore dive
Cane Bay dive sites best scuba diving in St. Croix at Cane Bay shore diving in St. Croix Moray eel at The Wall Cane Bay
The Wall at Cane Bay – North Star
This site is named after the sugar plantation on the shore. There is a vertical drop off starting at 25 feet and plunging down to 2,000 feet, with schooling fish everywhere. At 60 feet embedded upside down in the wall rests a large Danish Anchor. Another anchor lies flat on the shelf itself. The wall takes the form of a sequence of huge coves, which means some part of the wall is always being illuminated by the sun, allowing the diver to see under numerous crevices and overhangs, and highlighting the colorful sponges and gorgonians. All Top Ten St Croix dive sites offer the underwater photographer great opportunities, but the lighting on this site has produced some spectacular shots, macro and wide angle.
This is one of the most dramatic walls dives on the island which can also be a good shore dive when conditions are calm. This site is known for hawks-bill turtles, and an occasional reef shark moving along the wall. Large schools of Horse-eye Jacks can also be seen. On top, you will run into your schools of Blue Tangs, along with many other species of tropical fish. Villa Margarita guests seem to really enjoy this as one of their favorite St Croix dive sites.
North Star is a popular St. Croix shore diving experience. But from the shore it can be a little bit of a challenge to find. To locate it, look for a small patch of grass along the water’s edge that divers use for parking. That grassy patch is located between River Road, locally known as “The Beast,” and Cane Bay, where the Sweet Bottom Dive Center is located. A short narrow path cut through the brush along the shoreline provides access to the site.
Entry begins along a rocky shoreline with lots with coral rubble, and the dive site is marked with a mooring ball along the wall about 100 yards from shore. Because the first 50 feet of this shore dive is rocky and only knee-deep, it’s best to wear thick diving boots for protection. The surf is typically knee to waist high, but larger swells can create unsafe conditions at this site.
The mooring ball is slightly west of the shoreline entry along the wall in about 30 feet of water. Descend near the ball and then go a bit west-northwest. At this point the wall takes a 40-foot vertical drop that ends in a small sandy ledge, and in 80 feet on that ledge is an old anchor which is from the 1600s. You’ll also find a large crevice at the base of the wall there to explore which is populated by green moray eels. All in all, one of St. Croix’s best shore dives!
When people say “St. Croix diving Wall“, this is what they mean. So if you’re planning a scuba diving trip in 2024, this is definitely a St. Croix diving “bucket list” must-do. Any 13,000-foot drop-off must be a top USVI diving / USVI dive charter priority.
Davis Bay
A great wall dive where you often see larger sharks, such as tiger and black tip. The shallows have been ruined by hotel construction and hurricanes. This wall dive is an easy kick-out one that can be done by shore from Carambola Beach, but it requires one to hike from the parking lot to the water with gear. It’s one of the best St. Croix shore diving spots because it is a shorter swim out and offers both spur and groove reefs, as well as the wall. Normally there’s a few smaller sharks patrolling the edge of the wall.
It’s a top St. Croix shore dive, but Davis Bay also makes for a easy boat dive since the mooring sits right on the edge of the wall in 25′ of water. There are lots of cuts and mini canyons on this site, and after about 65′ the wall turns to sand and slopes out to the deep blue. The cuts on this wall make for great homes for spotted lobsters and an occasional nurse shark. This site is also a good area to see Southern Stingrays on top of the wall moving along the sand. A solid St. Croix scuba diving experience.
WAPA
This dive site is located on Long Reef across from the Water and Power Authority plant (WAPA). It has sloping coral with sand chutes between them, and is a good place to see lobster and nurse sharks.
Eagle Ray
Located just outside of Christiansted harbor entrance, with mooring in 28 feet, it features gentle slope big coral heads in sand. You can usually spot some eagle rays feeding here. It’s a great dive site for beginners as well as advanced divers.
Scotch Banks
Here you’ll find a flat sandy submerged mountain top east of Christiansted harbor. Mooring is in 25 feet of water, and the wall is 15 yards east and starts at 40 feet and drops to over 1,000 feet. On the top of the wall there are lots of pillar coral surrounded with barred soldier fish and grunts. Off the wall you’ll spot barracuda, angel fish, elephant ear sponge, horse eye jacks and once in a while eagle rays, manta rays and even whale sharks.
Dive the Fredricksted Pier – a top St. Croix diving experience!
Many divers that will tell you THIS is the best dive site in the Caribbean. Fredericksted Pier is a classic St. Croix shore dive, as well as a terrific beginning night dive! The old pier was chosen as one of the best macro dives in the world. Although torn down after suffering severe hurricane damage, several structures from the original pier are still standing. Called Dolphins, these huge pillars are bathed in spectacular corals and sponges. The new pier structure is a beautiful spot to see coral beginning its new life.
This is also best place for diving in St Croix to see Sea Horses! You’ll find lots of unusual fish and sea life such as bat fish, frog fish, various eels, living shells, and Caribbean lobster call this spot home. Huge schools of tang are a common sights, as well as sea turtles. This is an exciting photo dive, and unquestionably one of the Best St Croix dive sites USVI you should not miss!
Important note: when Cruise Ships are in port, DHS (Department of Homeland Security) does not allow diving on the Pier until the ship departs. Luckily not many cruise ships go to St. Croix, but it’s still worth taking account for in if you plan to dive the Pier.
The Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) also warns everyone to stay at least 400 feet away when swimming or diving near the cruise ship pier. Keep in mind these vessels in port routinely test their engines and this could be dangerous to anyone swimming or diving nearby. And check the 2024 St. Croix cruise ship schedule to properly plan your diving.
Bottom line: this should be on your bucket list for St. Croix shore diving! And a priority for St. Croix diving & dive charters.
Here you can read professional scuba diving reviews of Diving the Fredericksted Pier in St Croix.
And here is PADI’s review of Fredericksted Pier dive site.
PADI Guide to Diving the Fredericksted Pier St Croix USVI — read in pdf
Diving Fredericksted Pier — read in pdf
USVI diving liveboard – St Croix liveaboard — read in pdf 
— check with Juliette Sailing and Diving
Divernet.com’s Fredericksted St. Croix dive site review — read in pdf
Learn more of Frederiksted Pier history and specs.
Butler Bay Shipwrecks
Some good USVI wreck diving awaits you here. A fantastic dive site with 5 shipwrecks within a quarter-mile of each other located in Butler Bay. These five distinct wrecks clumped together on St. Croix’s northwest tip can be done in one dive — if you move fast, but it’s probably better to take it easy and see them over two dives. The Rosaomaira (photos) is the deepest at 110 feet, the Wreck of the Coakley Bay (photos) sits in about 60 feet, and the Northwind (photos and more photos) — once used as a prop in the 1980s television movie Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story— is in about 20 feet. These wrecks are located a couple hundred feet from each other.
The “Shallow Shipwrecks” include the Suffolk Maid, Virgin Islander, Agiers Habitat, and Northwind wreck. This dive will take you to depths of 40-65 feet. Armageddon (video) is the wreckage from the previous Frederiksted Pier that was destroyed in hurricane Hugo in 1987. Its remains were loaded on a barge and deposited here, sunk in 100 feet of water just south of the other shipwreck sites in Butler Bay.
The mooring for this site is at Truck Lagoon, which was created by the Hess Oil Company dropping a number of old trucks into the Caribbean. Mostly all that remains now are their chasses.
This is some great St. Croix wreck diving not to be missed, and the site also make for nice night dives. They can be done as a shore dive if you’re a strong swimmer, otherwise better to take a dive boat. A nice USVI diving experience for sure.
Chubbs Hole
Chubbs Hole dive site is a sharp 15-foot ledge that is located in 30 feet of water a short boat ride north of the Frederiksted Pier. This ledge offers many small caves and holes for lobster, nurse sharks, eels, and turtles to hang around. Starting on the edge of Butler Bay, the ledge extends south around Mill Point and towards shore close to Cowboy Beach on the west end.
Swirling Reef of Death
Don’t be fooled by this dive site’s name. This reef site is just minutes south of the Frederiksted Pier and offers some of the calmest water on St. Croix. The mooring area presents some great photo opportunities because of the nice coral reef patches surrounded by white sand. Very picturesque!
If you head west, you will hit a drop off that will take you down to about 100 feet before turning back to sand. This is a great area for healthy corals and sponges along with a great variety of tropical fish and turtles.
Sandy Point
Sandy Point is a federally-protected turtle nesting beach, so you can probably figure out what you might see on the reefs a quarter-mile off shore. With this area being left undeveloped, the Sandy Point reefs are some of the healthiest reefs on St. Croix.
Little Cozumel
Discovered by Dive Experience, this dive site has a small wall starting at 40 feet and is vertical to 72 feet. On top you’ll find lots of soft and hard coral, as well as seahorses. There are nice sloping reefs with a large abundance of lobster. Both green and spotted eels live here, and around the 50 foot range you’ll witness very beautiful corals with tons of fish life.
Craigs Canyon
This site has a deep canyon with a 40-foot sand bottom about 20 feet across. There are lots of over hangs and lobster, file fish, Durgons and eels. You’ll find soft and hard corals in abundance here. A nice St. Croix dive.
Sleeping Shark Hole
This dive site boasts a large coral overhang where one to four big nurse sharks hang out. A beautiful sloping reef down to sand shoots.
Love Shack
Perhaps named after the B-52 song? In any event, here you can discover big sand shoots and large coral heads. There are lots of lobsters, crab and small nurse sharks, making it a very nice dive.
Cormorant
Very nice sloping coral formations can be found here, and it’s also good for viewing small tropicals.
Twin Anchors
Here you can can enjoy in about 45 feet a very large 200-year-old anchor from the old Danish days of St. Croix, probably from the sugar plantation days. It’s over 8 feet in length. In addition, another anchor in 55 feet is lodged in the corals and covered in coral. There is plenty of healthy corals and lots of tropical fish to be observed here.
White Horse Reef
This site boasts two small reefs nearly breaking the surface, causing many boats to sink here over the years. Consequently, you can find a broken cannon, pieces of old wood, nail and chain from very old boat. New boats have also hit this reef, so you might find their remnants as well. A nice shallow dive.
St. Croix dive resorts
Looking for good St. Croix dive resorts? Unfortunately there are no dedicated diving resorts here. Villa Margarita is a great option because we are literally just 3 minutes from where scuba diving boats leave at Salt River Marina for the most popular boat dives. And we’re only 7 minutes from some great Cane Bay shore diving, or 20 minutes to dive the Fredricksted pier.
The closest you’ll find to “St Croix dive resort” might be one of the following options:
Carambola Hotel and Resort on the north shore. Has an on-site scuba shop and shore diving. When the Sweet Bottom Dive Center is working at the resort, it approximates a St. Croix dive resort. Call first to see if the center is operational. They offer shore dives from the on-site Carambola beach shore diving, as well as dive charters and dive boats.
St. Croix Dive Resorts prices — read in pdf
St. Croix Dive Resorts reviews — read in pdf from Scubaboard.com
St. Croix Scuba Diving Resorts details — read in pdf detailed offerings and price list from Sweet Bottom Dive Center
Tamarind Reef Hotel — possible option as a STX dive resort
Buccaneer Beach and Golf Resort — possible option as a St. Croix dive resort
Best St. Croix Scuba Diving Reviews
St. Croix Scuba Diving Reviews — from DiveLogs — download the pdf
Reviews of Scuba Diving in St. Croix — from Yelp — download the pdf
St Croix Scuba Diving Reviews — from TripReport — read in pdf
Best St. Croix Dive Shops USVI — as ranked by Yelf — download the pdf
St. Croix Scuba Diving Prices — download the pdf
Best St Croix Snorkeling spots USVI — download the pdf to read offline
Best USVI Diving guides
Best Diving in the US Virgin Islands — download the pdf
Best Dive Sites in the USVI — by DiveZone — download the pdf
Best USVI Diving — by ScubaDivingMagazine.com — download the pdf
The Complete Guide to Diving in St. Thomas USVI — download the pdf
Best USVI Diving — by Scuba.com — download the pdf
Overview of USVI Diving — by DiveAdvisor — read in pdf
Best USVI Dive Sites — by YachtVacations.com — read in pdf
USVI Dive Charters
Here are resources if you’re looking for good USVI dive charters, either in St. Croix or for broader USVI diving experiences.
St. Croix Liveaboard Diving – Juliette Sailing and Diving — read about St. Croix liveaboard diving packages — download the pdf
USVI Diving and USVI dive charters – Swan Charters St Croix — read about USVI dive charter prices — download the pdf
USVI Dive Charters St. Thomas-St John — Morningstar Charters — read about USVI dive charter prices & itinerary — download in pdf
St Thomas USVI Private Dive Charters – St Thomas USVI Diving — read about St Thomas private dive charters, prices and schedules — download the pdf
St. Croix Diving Resources for 2024
Download the St. Croix dive sites map (pdf)
Diving in Buck Island Reef National Monument: an amazing dive experience, complete with an underwater trail. Find out more on the official Buck Island National Park Service website here. Meanwhile, here is a dive site map for Buck Island:
PADI: Here is the official PADI website, full of lots of useful information about scuba diving in St Croix. You can earn PADI certifications of all levels while on St Croix from Beginner through Open Water Advanced Diver and Deep Diver. Here’s a listing of available PADI scuba diving courses in St. Croix .
St. Croix Dive Sites FAQ (frequently asked questions)
Which US Virgin Island has the best scuba diving?
With over 100 dive sites, St. Croix has by far the best scuba diving in the US Virgin Islands.
What are the best dive sites in St. Croix?
- Salt River Canyon
- Cane Bay – The Wall
- Frederiksted Pier
- Butler Bay Shipwrecks
- Sandy Point
- Davis Bay
St. Croix offers a wide variety of dive site types, and they are close enough together that you can do a few in a day. Try to experience a variety of dives sites, like:
- a Wall
- a Reef
- a Wreck
- a Pier
- and an underwater national monument (Buck Island)
How many dives sites are there in St. Croix?
There are 72 moored dive sites in St Croix US Virgin Islands, the largest collection in the USVI. There are also many other possible shore dive sites.
Is St. Croix good for diving?
St. Croix diving is world-class. With over 100 dive sites, St. Croix ranks #1 in number and variety of diving.
What’s the best month to dive in St. Croix in 2024?
December through March are the best months. Summer is also great but visibility may drop a bit, while autumn is the rainy season so you will often get overcast on some days but still good diving.
Is there night diving in St. Croix?
Yes, the most popular night dives in St. Croix are: The Canyon at Salt River, The Wall at Cane Bay, Frederiksted Pier, Butler Bay shipwrecks, and Davis Bay.
How long are boat rides to dive sites?
Boat trips to most St. Croix dive sites take 15-20 minutes, while the longest may be 30-40 minutes if you boat is leaving from the other side of the island (ie. from Frederiksted to the North shore sites).
How good is St. Croix diving visibility?
Visibility in St. Croix diving can vary throughout the year. Visibility is >100 feet the winter & spring and 70-80 feet in the summer due to some plankton (but this also brings in the Manta Rays!)
Are there any PADI-certified scuba diving courses in St. Croix?
Yes, a number of St. Croix dive shops offer PADI courses and certifications.
Can I dive without certification?
Yes, dive shops her offer introductory doves for beginners and people without certification.
Is St. Croix shore diving good?
You’ll find a large choice of excellent sites for shore diving in St. Croix. Consult online or the local dive shops.
Here’s a good video for tips on shore diving in St. Croix USVI:
Scubadiving.com – Best Scuba Diving in The USVI
St Croix Dive Resorts
Books on Diving in St Croix and USVI
Diving and Snorkeling Guide to U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John (Amazon, 1992)
Lonely Planet Diving & Snorkeling US Virgin Islands
Dive Into a Romantic Escape (romantic novel, 2021)
Videos on Dive Sites in St Croix
2021 TRAVEL | Diving the St. Croix Wall 😮
Explore The Shallow Wrecks In Butler Bay (Part 2 of 3: Shipwreck Scuba Diving St. Croix)
Scuba Diving St. Croix (US Virgin Islands)
Pushing the Limits of Scuba Diving… (St. Croix Wall)
Scuba Diving St. Croix’s Most Diverse Site! (Frederiksted Pier Underwater Family Travel Vlog)
Why St. Croix Must Be Your Next Scuba Diving Destination
Photos of the Best St. Croix Dive Sites
Now you know the best dive sites in St Croix USVI, let’s go diving in 2024!
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