Paradise Reef - St. Kitts
Sandy’s Plateau really shines with its expansive hard coral gardens. We’re talking big formations here, lots of elkhorn and pillar coral, rising up from the seabed. It’s not a super deep dive, topping out at 19 metres, which gives you plenty of bottom time to drift along and just soak it all in. Visibility often hits 23 metres, so you’ll see those coral structures stretching out ahead. Our favourite spot is that small overhang in the shallows. You’ll often find it packed with grunts, a shimmering curtain of silver fish that just hangs there, sometimes for an entire dive. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff too, particularly around the bases of those corals. We’ve had great luck spotting drum fish, slender filefish, and even the occasional octopus tucked away. It’s a gentle drift, perfect for anyone who loves just cruising over healthy reef and enjoying the wide-angle views of the coral landscape.
- Location
- St. Kitts, St. Kitts & Nevis, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 17.354800, -62.853500
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Sandy Point Reef
Best Time to Dive in St. Kitts
The warmest water temperatures in St. Kitts 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: 25.1°C)
- February: 27.1°C (air: 24.8°C)
- March: 27.1°C (air: 25.1°C)
- April: 27.1°C (air: 25.7°C)
- May: 27.1°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
- July: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
- August: 27.1°C (air: 27.9°C)
- September: 27.1°C (air: 27.9°C)
- October: 27.1°C (air: 27.6°C)
- November: 27.1°C (air: 26.8°C)
- December: 27.1°C (air: 25.9°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in St. Kitts
- ALBERTINA - 6m (wreck)
- Anchor Point - 18m
- Anchors Aweigh
- Big Rock Market - 20m
- Camps Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- CHARLES L BROWN - 40m (wreck)
- Charles L. Brown, wreck - 26m (wreck)
- Chien Tong, wreck - 24m (wreck)
- CHRISTENA - 22m (wreck)
- Coconut Tree Reef - 3-12m (reef)
- Coral Nursery - 16m (reef)
- Customs House - 25m
- Diamond Rock - 24m (pinnacle)
- Double Wreck - 19m (wreck)
- DUNDALK - 4m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Paradise Reef
Marine Life in St. Kitts
Home to 393 recorded species including 318 reef fish, 27 hard corals, 11 other, 7 whales & dolphins, 7 sharks & rays, 6 crabs & lobsters.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) - Hard Corals
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophyllia natans) - Hard Corals
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Blackfish (Melichthys niger) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Hogfish (Bodianus rufus) - Reef Fish
- Angelfish (Holacanthus tricolor) - Reef Fish
- Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Paradise Reef
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