Sint Maarten's diving is built around two distinct sub-areas: Little Bay and Philipsburg, together covering a broad range of reef, wreck, and artificial reef sites. Most diving is boat-accessed and the majority of sites suit beginners, though intermediate divers find rewarding territory at places like Mike's Maze and HMS Proselyte, where maze-like swim-throughs and historic wreck structure add complexity. Warm water year-round supports a dense and well-observed fish community: French Angelfish, Rock Beauty, Nurse Shark, Great Barracuda, and Spotted Eagle Ray are among the signature encounters. Conditions favour the drier months from December through April.
2 areas
18A compact collection of reef and wreck dives with strong fish life, from historic frigates to artificial structures colonised by angelfish and nurse sharks.
15Beginner-friendly boat reefs off Point Blanche, with Nurse Shark, Spotted Eagle Ray and rich angelfish encounters across every site.
Monthly water temperature across Sint Maarten's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperature stays warm throughout the year, rising to its peak during late summer and early autumn, then easing slightly through the cooler months without ever dropping to uncomfortable levels. The best-months data points clearly to December through April as the prime window, when calmer, clearer conditions prevail. Summer months tend to be quieter, likely reflecting seasonal weather patterns that can affect visibility and surface conditions.
2 operators
Water temperature around Sint Maarten ranges from about 27°C in January to 30°C in September, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 27–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in Sint Maarten year-round.
Fin maps 33 sites in Sint Maarten (31 scuba diving sites and 7 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both), organised into 2 areas.
Across Sint Maarten's dive sites, January, February, March, April, May and December are most often reported as the best months to visit.
The reefs here support a well-documented and varied community. French Angelfish, Rock Beauty, Queen Angelfish, and Foureye Butterfly Fish are seen across nearly all sites, while Great Barracuda and Nurse Shark are very commonly encountered. Look out also for Spotted Eagle Ray, Whiptail Stingray, Spotted Moray, and Caribbean Spiny Lobster. Indian Lionfish are present and very frequently observed.
The majority of sites in Sint Maarten are rated for beginners, including popular spots such as Charly Shoal, Coralita, Moonscape, and Frenchmen's Reef. Most of these are boat dives with manageable depths and calm conditions within the Man of War Shoal Marine Park. Intermediate divers are catered for at sites like Mike's Maze and HMS Proselyte, which offer more complex topography.
Little Bay holds the larger share of sites and includes a mix of reef, wreck, and artificial reef dives such as Mike's Maze, Coralita, Lucy's Barge, and Indigo Bay. Philipsburg's sites include notable dives like HMS Proselyte, a historic British frigate with wreck, reef, and wall topography, and Isabella Reef, which suits intermediate divers. Both sub-areas are served by boat access.
The vast majority of dive sites in Sint Maarten are accessed by boat, with shore entry available at a small number of locations including Indigo Bay. Two operators, The Scuba Shop and The Dive Shop, cover the area. Booking through either will give access to the full range of sites across both Little Bay and Philipsburg.
