Diving in Ocho Rios
Why dive here
Ocho Rios offers some of Jamaica's richest diving, with 361+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, bull sharks, eagle rays, nurse sharks and seahorses. Water sits around 27°C.
Ocho Rios diving isn't about deep drifts or roaring pelagics. It’s about a relaxed Caribbean pace, getting a little closer to the small stuff. We love the feeling of just drifting over the gentle slopes, spotting creatures you might miss elsewhere. It’s ideal for those days when you just want to take it easy and truly observe. The North Coast reefs here, surprisingly close to Dunn's River Falls, are mellow. You’ll find some lovely gorgonian gardens, and we’ve spent hours just watching the Midnight Parrotfish going about their business. Keep an eye out for the unusual residents; we’ve had some fantastic encounters with Opossum Pipefish tucked away in the seagrass, and the Shortnose Batfish are always a treat, shuffling along the sandy patches. Our favourite sites often involve poking around the smaller crevices for things like the Dubious Cerith or the tiny Mouse Cone snails. Visibility is usually solid, around 20 metres or so, making it easy to just relax and explore. It’s not the most dramatic diving, but it’s consistently enjoyable, especially if you appreciate the subtler side of reef life.
Ocho Rios Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Ocho Rios
Ocho Rios Dive Sites
26 dive sites in Ocho Rios
101
Alright, so you’re in Ocho Rios and looking for something a bit different than the usual reef dive. The 101 wreck is a barge, beached just off Port Esquivel back in '76, and it's a solid, easy dive. We're talking shallow, like a metre deep, making it perfect for snorkelers, freedivers, or even just a relaxed surface interval swim if you’re doing multiple dives nearby. While it’s not some grand galleon, the structure has become a home for all sorts of critters. You'll spot small reef fish darting in and out of the metalwork, maybe a crab tucked away, and often a few colourful sponges clinging on. It’s a nice, simple exploration, ideal for getting comfortable in the water or just enjoying a chill afternoon.
ADD EXPRESS
The ADD Express, sitting upright at 30 metres off Ocho Rios, is one of our favourite wreck dives in Jamaica. This former Antilles Cement Company freighter went down in 1982, and it's aged beautifully. We love descending onto the bridge, with its wheelhouse still largely intact, before making our way down the cargo holds. The main deck is still very accessible, letting you poke around a bit without needing serious penetration skills. You'll often find big green moray eels tucked into the dark corners and plenty of schooling snapper hovering over the bow. The sheer size of the prop is always impressive, too. Our top tip? Get there early. The site can attract a few boats, and having it to yourself for a morning dive just makes the whole experience feel that much more special. Visibility is usually good, often 20 metres or more, making it a perfect spot for divers comfortable at depth and keen to explore a proper wreck.
APOSTOLOS ANDREAS
We love the Apostolos Andreas for its sheer scale, a truly massive wreck broken into pieces but still impressively large. This isn't your typical small Caribbean wreck; she’s an old motor vessel, built in 1937, and ran aground back in '67. You’ll spend most of your dive just taking in the sheer amount of crumpled steel, great sheets of it, twisted and contorted. It’s shallow, only 5 metres, which means you get fantastic light penetration, really highlighting the rust-coloured hull against the bright blue. Visibility is usually excellent here. Even with the historical context, what really gets us is how the reef has taken hold. Schools of snapper dart through the shadows beneath the larger sections, and you’ll spot parrotfish grazing on the coral growth. Our favourite part is navigating through the larger open areas where the hull has collapsed in on itself; it feels like exploring a submerged industrial playground. It’s an easy, relaxing dive, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to take their time soaking in the atmosphere of a grand old ship transformed into a vibrant artificial reef. You'll want to take a wide-angle lens for this one.
BREEZIN THRU
Breezin Thru, sitting pretty at just 16 metres, is one of our favourite yacht wrecks in Ocho Rios. She’s not huge, but there’s enough here to keep you poking around for a good long while. We love finning over her deck, seeing the way the light filters down, illuminating schools of tiny silversides that dart in and out of the broken superstructure. It feels like you’re snooping around someone’s abandoned boat, but underwater. You’ll find plenty of resident critters too; nurse sharks sometimes nap under the deeper parts of the hull, and we’ve spotted moray eels peeking from shadowy corners. Keep an eye out for big parrotfish grazing on the algae-covered metal. This site is perfect for a relaxed dive, especially if you’re into exploring nooks and crannies without worrying about deep deco limits. We’d suggest going in the morning; the visibility tends to be better before any afternoon chop picks up.
CARRIE BUCKHAM
The Carrie Buckham isn't your typical Caribbean wreck dive. We're talking about a tugboat, scuttled in just three metres of water, right in Ocho Rios Bay. It’s an ideal spot if you're looking for something different, especially on a surface interval or if you want a relaxed, shallow exploration. We love how accessible this wreck is. You can practically snorkel it, seeing the entire structure from above. Below the surface, the tugboat's small size means you can really get to know it, poking your head into the wheelhouse or checking out the engine room if you’re comfortable. It’s become a home for all sorts of reef fish; look out for sergeant majors darting in and out of the superstructure, and we’ve often seen small barracuda lurking in the shadows. For photographers, the natural light at this depth is fantastic, painting the wreck in blues and greens. It's a genuinely charming little wreck, perfect for a slow, easy dive without any deep-water stress.
CAYMAN 2200
The Cayman 2200 wreck in Ocho Rios is a favourite of ours for a reason. It’s not a deep dive, only settling at 10 metres, so you get plenty of bottom time to really explore the old barge. Sunk back in ’75, it’s been down there long enough to become a proper part of the reef system. We’ve finned through schools of sergeant majors darting in and out of the hull’s open sections, and watched parrotfish methodically munching on the coral growth. What we love about this site is how accessible it is. You can practically snorkel the entire thing, but dropping down gives you a better appreciation for its scale and the way the light filters through the structure. Look for the small moray eels peeking from crevices – they’re almost always around. It’s a perfect spot if you’re newer to wreck diving or just want a relaxed dive with plenty to see without worrying about depth or deco limits. Our tip? Go in the morning; the water often feels calmer, and the light is fantastic for photos.
CAYMAN TRADER
The Cayman Trader, resting just off Ocho Rios, isn’t about depth, it’s about accessibility and history. This 91-meter carrier, deliberately sunk in 1977, now sits in barely two meters of water, making it perfect for snorkelers, freedivers, and even first-time divers getting comfortable. We love drifting over the main deck, the sunlight dappling through the water, illuminating the ghostly remains of cargo holds and superstructure. You can easily spend an hour finning back and forth, spotting schools of sergeant majors darting through portholes and the occasional barracuda lurking in the shadows. What makes the Cayman Trader special for us is its sheer scale so close to the surface. You get a real sense of its former life as a working vessel. We often find ourselves peering into the engine room, now a haven for juvenile snapper, or tracing the outline of the bow, covered in soft corals. It's an easy, relaxed dive, ideal for those days when you want to take it slow and really appreciate the details of a wreck without any pressure. Our best tip? Go early in the morning before the day boats arrive; you'll have the old girl almost entirely to yourself.
Devil's Reef
Devil's Reef often gets overlooked for some of the flashier sites, but for us, it's a quiet standout near Ocho Rios. We love its gentle slope from 10m down to 25m, perfect for an extended intermediate dive without feeling rushed. Keep your eyes peeled in those overhangs – we've often spotted yellow stingrays tucked away, and the occasional moray eel peeking out. The visibility here, typically 20m plus, lets you really appreciate the big, sprawling colonies of massive starlet coral, and the intricate patterns of lettuce coral blanketing the reef. It’s an excellent site for macro enthusiasts, too. We’ve spent whole safety stops just watching mimic blennies darting around, and trying to spot the tiny dwarf gobies and Papillate clingfish on the coral heads. We always recommend an early morning dive here before the boat traffic picks up; it feels like you have the whole reef to yourself. For divers who prefer a relaxed pace and a chance to really observe the smaller, often-missed residents, Devil’s Reef is our pick.
EAGLEWING
Eaglewing is one of those dive sites we keep coming back to in Ocho Rios, even if it's not the deepest on the menu. This isn't some deep, mysterious wreck; the top of the old plane is only two meters down, making it perfect for newer divers, snorkelers, or anyone who just wants a long, relaxed bottom time. The plane itself is a former C-46 cargo plane, ditched back in the 70s, and it’s surprisingly intact for something that’s been on the seabed for so long. We love finning slowly over the fuselage, poking our heads into the old cockpit, and imagining its last flight. The light plays beautifully through the wings and the fragmented interior, illuminating schools of sergeant majors that dart through the structure. Look closely among the coral growth that's started to encrust the metal – you’ll often spot juvenile drum fish, tiny morays peeking from crevices, and all sorts of colourful nudibranchs. It's a fantastic spot for photographers too, especially on a sunny afternoon when the visibility is at its best and the colours really pop. Don't expect dramatic currents here; it’s usually calm, making it a truly peaceful dive.
EDGEWOOD
Edgewood isn't your typical Caribbean wreck site. No deep plunge into the blue here. Instead, it’s a shallow schooner, resting at a mere 5 metres. We love it because it’s a living testament to the sea’s power to reclaim, and it’s perfectly suited for those looking for a long, relaxed dive, or for honing their wreck skills without the pressure of depth. What you'll find is a wooden vessel, slowly disintegrating, its ribs exposed like a skeleton on the seabed. Sunlight pierces the surface, illuminating the structure, creating a beautiful interplay of light and shadow. The wood itself is a mosaic of greens and browns, completely encrusted with sponges and small corals. Look closely, and you'll spot juvenile snapper darting in and out of the timbers, and if you have a keen eye, the occasional tiny porcelain crab clinging to an anemone. Our favourite detail is the way the sand has drifted through the hull, giving it this ghost-ship feel. We'd suggest going on a calm morning; the visibility really pops then. It’s a gentle exploration, a quiet dive, full of small wonders.
Golden eye
Golden Eye, off Ocho Rios, is a relaxed dive site. We found a gentle slope, good for those looking for a less challenging dive. Keep an eye out for southern stingrays resting on the sand, and we often spot nurse sharks tucked under ledges. It's a solid choice for a second dive or if you're getting back into the swing of things.
HMS TEXAS
The HMS *Texas* isn't your average Caribbean wreck dive, and that's why we love it. At 32 metres, it’s a proper deep dive, best suited for those comfortable with their buoyancy and keen for some penetration. The ship, an old trawler converted for patrol duty in WWII, went down in a collision in 1944. You can really feel that history as you descend, the light dimming to reveal its substantial structure. What you get is a wonderfully broken-up wreck, a testament to its age and the forces of the sea. We've pushed into the engine room, which is often surprisingly accessible, and that's our favourite part. You’ll weave past huge schools of sergeant majors and snapper that practically obscure the hull in places. Look closely, and you’ll spot moray eels tucked into crevices, their heads poking out to observe you. The visibility can be excellent here, sometimes pushing 30 metres, making the scale of the wreck truly impressive. We’d suggest going in the morning before any potential afternoon chop picks up.
Ocho Rios Dive Centres
2 dive shops and operators in Ocho Rios
Ocean Wildlife in Ocho Rios
361 species recorded in Ocho Rios
Ocho Rios Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Ocho Rios, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
05:52
Sunset
18:29
Daylight
12h 37m
Golden Hour
18:00
First light (dawn) at 05:30 · Last light (dusk) at 18:52
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:42 | 17:51 | 11h 9m |
| Feb | 06:36 | 18:08 | 11h 33m |
| Mar | 06:17 | 18:17 | 12h 0m |
| Apr | 05:52 | 18:24 | 12h 32m |
| May | 05:35 | 18:33 | 12h 58m |
| JunLongest | 05:32 | 18:44 | 13h 12m |
| Jul | 05:40 | 18:47 | 13h 7m |
| AugNow | 05:50 | 18:35 | 12h 46m |
| Sep | 05:56 | 18:11 | 12h 16m |
| Oct | 06:01 | 17:46 | 11h 46m |
| Nov | 06:13 | 17:31 | 11h 18m |
| DecShortest | 06:31 | 17:34 | 11h 3m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Ocho Rios.
Where to Stay near Ocho Rios
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Marine Protected Areas near Ocho Rios
27 protected areas near Ocho Rios - please respect local regulations when diving
Portland Bight Protected Area
Portland Bight Wetlands and Cays
Negril Environmental Protection Area
Negril Marine Park
Ocho Rios Marine Park Protected Area
Palisadoes- Port Royal Protected Area
Palisadoes- Port Royal
Black River Protected Area
Bluefields Bay
West Harbour-Peake Bay, Clarendon, Game Sanctuary
Montego Bay Marine Park
The Long Island, Clarendon, Game Sanctuary
Showing 12 largest of 27
Getting to Ocho Rios
Tinson Pen
Kingston
Montego Bay
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