Bahamas

Diving in Bahamas (Exumas & Eleuthera)

33 sites84 species24–31 °C20–30 m vis

Photo: mike sember / Pexels

The Bahamas (Exumas & Eleuthera) offers world-class wall diving, pristine coral reefs, blue holes, historic wrecks, and high-speed drift dives. The Exuma Cays are a 200 km chain of ~365 cays stretching southeast from Nassau, while Eleuthera is a 177 km long, narrow island to the northeast. Highlights include the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, Devil's Backbone wrecks, and the thrilling Current Cut drift dive.

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park was established in 1958 — the first marine reserve in the wider Caribbean and one of the oldest in the world.The Exumas have the only tidal blue holes in the world — underwater caves that fill and empty with the ocean tides.The swimming pigs of Big Major Cay (Exumas) are believed to have been left by sailors or survived a shipwreck, becoming a global phenomenon.Thunderball Grotto was a filming location for two James Bond films: Thunderball (1965) and Never Say Never Again (1983).Eleuthera's Current Cut is one of the fastest drift dives in the Caribbean — currents can reach 10 knots (18.5 km/h).The Train Wreck at Devil's Backbone (1865) was a barge carrying a steam locomotive that sank en route to Cuba. Train wheels are still visible.Pink sand beaches: Eleuthera's famous pink sand comes from microscopic foraminifera with pink/red shells that mix with white coral sand.

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Places on this map (19)

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Conditions

Water temp

24–31 °C

Visibility

20–30 m

Depth

5–30 m

Current

Moderate

Best season

November to May

Month	Summary
Jan	Coolest water (24-25°C), best visibility (80-100ft+), calm seas, excellent for shark encounters.
Feb	Similar to January, with continued great visibility and calm conditions for diving and shark sightings.
Mar	Water starts to warm slightly (24-26°C), visibility remains excellent, still prime for shark encounters.
Apr	Pleasant water temperatures (25-27°C) and consistent clear visibility, fewer crowds before summer.
May	Water continues to warm (26-28°C), good visibility. Peak month for coral spawning, a unique underwater spectacle.
Jun	Warm water (27-29°C), start of the wet season, potential for afternoon storms, variable visibility.
Jul	Warmest water (28-30°C), summer conditions with occasional storms and good but not peak visibility.
Aug	Peak warm water temperatures (29-31°C), higher chance of afternoon storms and hurricane risk. Good for warm-water diving.
Sep	Still very warm (28-31°C), hurricane season continues, more variable visibility but less crowded sites.
Oct	Water starts to cool slightly (27-29°C), hurricane risk decreases, visibility improving towards peak season.
Nov	Transition to dry season, water (26-28°C) getting cooler, visibility improving significantly, start of peak diving season.
Dec	Cooler water (24-26°C), excellent visibility (80-100ft+), calm seas, prime conditions for shark encounters and overall diving.

Dive Sites (33)

Amberjack Reef

15–15m · Intermediate

Reef · Sharks

Angelfish Blue Hole

18–18m · Advanced

Blue hole · Caverns · Currents

Austin Smith Wreck

18–18m · Advanced

Wreck · Artificial reef

Barracuda Shoals

10–10m · Beginner

Reef · Fish schools

Black Tip Wall

20–40m · Advanced

Wall · Sharks

Cave Rock

15–15m · Intermediate

Caves · Swim-throughs · Sharks

Cobia Cage

15–25m · Intermediate

Artificial reef

Crab Cay Blue Hole

20–40m · Advanced

Blue hole · Caverns · Currents

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Marine Life (84)

must-see

Bull Shark

must-see

Caribbean Reef Shark

must-see

Splendid Toadfish

must-see

Nurse Shark

must-see

Southern Stingray

must-see

Spotted Eagle Ray

must-see

Green Sea Turtle

must-see

Hawksbill Turtle

must-see

Nassau Grouper

must-see

Loggerhead Turtle

must-see

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

must-see

Great Hammerhead

+72more species in the app

Dive Shops (18)

Epic Diving

★ 4.9Moderate

Diving in Bahamas (Exumas & Eleuthera)

Explore the map

Conditions

Dive Sites (33)

Amberjack Reef

Angelfish Blue Hole

Austin Smith Wreck

Barracuda Shoals

Black Tip Wall

Cave Rock

Cobia Cage

Crab Cay Blue Hole

Marine Life (84)

Dive Shops (18)

Epic Diving

Stuart Cove's

Grand Bahama Scuba

Clearwater Dive Shop

Chub Cay Divers

Andros Diving

Miller’s dive shop

Only Blue - Diving Dreams: Scuba Diving & Snorkeling Center on San Salvador Island in The Bahamas

Minns Water Sports

Made in Water Excursions - Snorkelling, Underwater photos and Diving in Bahamas

Dive Guana

Sunn Odyssey Divers

Dive Exuma

The Dive Shop at Cape Eleuthera

Valentines Dive Center

Ocean Fox Scuba Diving & Fishing Charters

Eleuthera Outdoor Center

Brendals Dive Center & Water Sports / Harbour View Cart Rentals

Guides

Top 10 Dive Sites in the Bahamas: Exumas & Eleuthera Guide

Diving the Bahamas: Complete Guide to Exumas & Eleuthera

Bahamas Dive Conditions: Seasons, Visibility & Water Temps

Safety

Bring Bahamas (Exumas & Eleuthera) underwater