If you've never heard of this small, undiscovered Dutch island in the Caribbean, it's only because it's a well-kept secret. St. Eustatius (Statia in the local jargon), once the busiest port in the Caribbean in the eighteenth century, is now a sleepy island where time has stood still. Sint Eustatius is not your average Caribbean island, imagine the Caribbean some 25 or 30 years ago and you come close.

The reefs around St. Eustatius flourish in a protected marine park. Under water you will experience what a large part of the Caribbean must have looked like years ago. Most of the 36 official dive sites are located in the two reserves that cover much of the northern and southwestern waters. The eye-catching volcano “the Quill” dominates the island with its impressive crater and is responsible for the enormous amount of lava flows and blocks below the surface. These ancient lava labyrinths are now completely covered with coral and sponges. Combine these reefs with a large number of historic dive sites and more recent sunken wrecks and you have a diver's paradise where no two dives are the same!

Scubaqua Dive Center

Located on the ocean in a beautifully restored former West Indie Company warehouse, Scubaqua offers a two tank dive in the morning, as well as a third dive in the afternoon. They dive in small groups (max. 6:1) and before each dive they give you a detailed briefing about the dive site and plan. All the dives they do are guided dives. But they will not limit your sense of freedom. Custom diving Scubaqua style means they give the experienced diver the dives they want, but they also give the inexperienced diver the extra attention they need. Dives are 'limited' by the no-decompression limits, often exceeding 70 minutes. For those who are nitrox certified, they offer nitrox for free. After the dives there is no better place to sip a cocktail and watch the sunset on their veranda. And with a bit of luck you can even see baby Turtles coming out on the beach!