Diving in Anguilla

Sunken wrecks; a long barrier reef; terrain encompassing walls, canyons, and hulking boulders; varied marine life, including greenback turtles and nurse sharks; and exceptionally clear water—all of these make for excellent diving. Prickly Pear Cay is a favorite spot. Stoney Bay Marine Park, off the northeast end of Anguilla, showcases the late-18th-century El Buen Consejo, a 960-ton Spanish galleon that sank here in 1772. Other good dive sites include Grouper Bowl, with exceptional hard-coral formations; Ram's Head, with caves, chutes, and tunnels; and Upper Flats, where you are sure to see stingrays.

Anguillian Divers. This is a full-service dive operator with a PADI five-star training center. The five-dive packages are a good deal, and they offer open-water certifications, too. Meads Bay, AI2640. 264/497-4750. www.anguilliandiver.com.

Shoal Bay Scuba and Watersports. Single-tank dives start at $50 and two-tank dives at $90 at this highly rated Padi Dive Center. They run up to five different dives daily. Daily snorkeling trips at 1 pm are $25 per person. West End, The Valley, AI 2640. 264/235-1482. www.shoalbayscuba.com.