KALIOPE (PART OF)

Best months: Dec–Apr

Protected Area

Boca de Nigua

Why dive here

With 173+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, humpback whales, orcas, sea turtles and sperm whales - KALIOPE (PART OF) offers some of Bayahibe & La Romana's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 27-30°C, warmest August, September, October.

Best timeDec–Apr

WetsuitA 3mm shorty or thin full wetsuit

Marine lifeBarracuda, Humpback Whales, Orcas, Sea Turtles and Sperm Whales · 173+ species recorded

Water27-30°C · warmest August, September, October

CharacterWreck dive · max 2m

StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

The Kaliope, or at least the accessible section of it in the shallows, is a fascinating bit of history. She’s a big girl, over a hundred metres long, and what you get here is the very top of her superstructure, poking out just barely below the surface. We love that it’s essentially an artificial reef that’s been built by accident, courtesy of Hurricane David in ‘79. You’re really just scratching the surface of this wreck, literally, but it’s a brilliant spot for an easy, shallow dive or even extended snorkelling. We’ve spent hours here just bobbing over the collapsed deck plating, watching schools of sergeant majors dart through the mangled metalwork. Expect to see plenty of juvenile fish – it’s a nursery. Look for damselfish defending their little patches of algae on the rusty bulkheads. The light plays beautifully on the twisted steel, especially mid-morning, giving it a surreal, almost sculptural feel. It's a great spot for macro photography too, if you're patient.