Cayo Diablo - Fajardo & East Coast
Cayo Diablo is a genuinely excellent spot, especially for newer divers or anyone looking for a relaxed, colourful Caribbean dive. We've done it many times and it always delivers on the promise of a pretty reef with plenty of activity. The depth stays between 5 and 18 metres, making for long bottom times and plenty of light reaching the corals. What we really love about Diablo is the sheer number of small reef fish. You'll see schools of Spanish grunts hanging out under ledges, colourful parrotfish crunching on coral, and we almost always spot several yellow jacks darting around. Keep an eye out for the loggerhead turtles too – they often cruise by on the reef edge. The coral itself is healthy, with some nice stands of elkhorn and pillar coral. It's a gentle drift, usually, making it easy to just relax and watch the reef unfold. For a straightforward, vibrant reef experience on Puerto Rico's east coast, Cayo Diablo is a solid choice.
- Location
- Fajardo & East Coast, Puerto Rico, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 18.360000, -65.510000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 5-18m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Arrecifes de la Cordillera Natural Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Fajardo & East Coast
The warmest water temperatures in Fajardo & East Coast occur in January, averaging 27.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.1°C (air: 24.7°C)
- February: 27.1°C (air: 24.4°C)
- March: 27.1°C (air: 24.7°C)
- April: 27.1°C (air: 25.3°C)
- May: 27.1°C (air: 26.5°C)
- June: 27.1°C (air: 27.1°C)
- July: 27.1°C (air: 27.3°C)
- August: 27.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- September: 27.1°C (air: 27.5°C)
- October: 27.1°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 27.1°C (air: 26.3°C)
- December: 27.1°C (air: 25.4°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Fajardo & East Coast
- Airplane - 16m (wreck)
- Bajo Amarillo - 20m
- Carlos Rosario Wall - 14m (wall)
- Cayo del Agua - 20m
- Cayo Diablo
- Cayo Lobo - 15m
- Culebra, Puerto Rico - 14m
- Culebrita South Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- Culebrita West
- Devon’s Drop - 15m (wall)
- El imperio
- Escambron
- INDEPENDENCE SERVICE - 20m (wreck)
- ISLA NENA - 12m (wreck)
- Lana's Cove - 12m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cayo Diablo
- Black Beard Sports - ["PADI"]
- Culebra Divers
- GypSea Charters
- Scuba Dogs
- Sea Ventures Dive Center - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Fajardo & East Coast
Home to 511 recorded species including 399 reef fish, 40 hard corals, 16 sharks & rays, 12 other, 10 whales & dolphins, 9 seagrass & algae.
Notable Species
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma bifasciatum) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Bicolor Damselfish (Stegastes partitus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowhead Wrasse (Halichoeres garnoti) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Sharpnose Pufferfish (Canthigaster rostrata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Cayo Diablo
Based on average water temperature of 27.1°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories