Scuba Diving in Los Roques Venezuela.
Hundreds of kilometers
of Venezuelan coast line and its Caribbean Islands with Los
Roques as number one.
Excellent conditions to practice scuba and snorkeling
for everyone, beginners - experienced - and professionals.
Also for those who
want to learn diving with scuba gear we offer Basic Diver, Open Water Diver and
special such as compass and rescue diving. Licensed by NAUI / FVAS (Federation
Venezolana de Actividades Submarinas) and SSI Instructor you can obtain a worldwide diving license to rent diving gear
and to practice scuba diving.
All the diving
operation in Los Roques is guided and supervised by our NAUI / SSI Open Water Instructor.
The equipment: We use 12 liter
aluminum tanks with standard US valve fittings. If you don't want to carry all
you diving equipment with you, we provide Cressi Sub regulators and BCD's and
lead belts.
You should bring your own
ABC-gear with you to Los Roques.
Los Roques, the Archipelago of
LOS ROQUES, situated 85 miles north of Caracas
and 100 miles East of Bonaire, is the oldest and largest National Marine Reserve
in all of the Caribbean.
The archipelago is comprised of 950 sq. miles of warm
azure waters, strewn with 350 islands, islets, reefs and spectacular pure white
talcum soft beaches.
Diving in the Los Roques archipelago is the very essence of
a diving adventure. This is the kind of diving once found in the Caribbean 20
years ago, yet almost non-existent today. It is a paradise of secluded and,
until now, unknown reefs, alive with the unfettered wilderness of nature. Huge
amounts of marine life, walls of soft corals and sea whips descend to more than
200 ft. through a kaleidoscope of tropical fish. Along the flanks of submerged
mountains, snappers, groupers and jacks gaze while barracudas cruise in precise
formation and stingrays lurk on the sandy bottom. A wide variety of dive sites:
shallow reefs, perpendicular drop-offs, pinnacles, caves that harbor sharks and
crustaceans of every type, hide in cervices among forests of sponges, all sites
reminiscent of everything from the Galapagos to Bonaire. Los Roques indeed
provides the most unique, remote and greatest of all Caribbean underwater
adventures.
Prices:
-
Each dive per person all incl. $35.-
US including dive permits, tank and lead.
-
2 immersions per day all incl. $65.-
US including dive permits, tank and lead.
-
Night dive per person all incl. $40.-
US including dive permits, tank and lead.
Dive
packages with a minimum duration of 3 days have a discount of 10%. Discount
for groups of more than 4 persons please ask for quotes!
Online Scuba diving reservation and prices! Instruction
and certification:
-
Passport diver
duration 2 days $170.- US
-
Advanced Diver NAUI
duration 3 days $200.-
US
-
Open Water Diver
duration
3- 4 days $300.- US
-
Compass, stress and rescue diving
duration 4 days $250.- US
-
Introduction Dive
with dive master guide pr. day $85.-
US
Rental
prices for equipment:
-
All equipment: BC,
Regulator, wetsuit, boots, mask and fins $20.- US
-
Regulator and BC $
15.- US
-
Regulator $
8.- US
-
Light equipment $
10.- US
-
Wet suit / fins /
mask $ 5.- US
-
Lead with belt $
5.- US
-
Tank $ 5.- US
-
Tank air refill $
5.- US
Daily departures
from Gran Roques or from the sail boat where you are accommodated:
Leaving: 9:30 in
the morning, 12.00 midday, 2.30 in the afternoon and 19.00 hours for night dives.
Trips to Cayo de Sal
and Boca de Cote is a full day trip including 2 immersions with departure at 9:30 in the
morning.
Dive
Sites:
The
reefs are healthy and, in sheer numbers and diversity of fish, Los Roques looks
more like an Indian ocean reef than a Caribbean one.
Boca
del Medio.
Depth:
30-70 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
With
many different diving spots to go and the most incredible encounters with vivid
corals, all kind of fauna, big schools of Barracudas, rays and Nurse sharks
makes a visit to this part of the park something to remember.
Francisqui:
Depth:
45-70 feet.
Skill level: Novice.
Easy diving in shallow waters up to
30 feet deep.
Dos
Mosquises.
Depth:
45-180 feet.
Skill level: Advanced.
Features splendid reefs,
Turtles, and is the
site of the biological research station.
Nordisqui.
Depth:
20-70 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
Has formations of coral stones and canals with a few shipwrecks. Just north of
Gran
Roque you find some of the most fantastic caves
ever seen under water, enjoy big Groupers and Rays.
La
Guaza
Depth:
30 to 140 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
The rock spire tops out at 30 feet, dropping to 60 feet on the inner side, and
sloping to 140 on the open-ocean side. Covered with cup corals, encrusting
sponges and sea rods, it's a gathering point for fish as diverse as queen angels
and red lipped blennies, smooth trunkfish and black grouper.
Rock
formation with a can see the most wide selection of Groupers, and big Pelagic
fauna on a crystal clear water at only few minutes from Gran Roque.
Piedra
Ahogada.
Depth:
60-140 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
Similar
to La Guaza, beautiful at night, often visited for big Barracudas, Turtles,
Eagle Rays etc.
La
Buceadora.
Depth:
45-80 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
Close
to the other two but different for the kind of fauna and flora, and here you
find big schools of Tarpons.
Madrisqui.
Depth:
45-70 feet.
Skill level: Novice.
Ideal
for a discovery dive or taking those fantastic photos of the beautiful soft and
hard corals with its very rich fauna of every species.
Solapa
de Rabusqui.
Depth:
30 -70 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
After a
15 minutes ride by boat from Gran Roque you find this underwater cave formation
with the most amazing surprises. Big fishes like giant groupers and some sharks
can be seen in only 30 feet of water.
Cayo
Sal
Depth:
150 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
All three sites are located at the west end of Cayo Sal. They include a
current-swept mini-wall from 60 to 150 feet and a series of small caves at 90 to
100. There are fish aplenty from clouds of tiny fairy bass lets to big cubera
snapper. Spotted eagle rays on the steep reef slope are always to be seen.
Boca
de Cote
Depth:
45-70 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
The reef between two small islands stretches like a net to catch the nutrients
and juvenile fish flowing out from the lagoon. This explains the presence of so
many fish including orange-spotted filefish, several varieties of blennies and
massive schools of snapper. The area has some of the best dives spots and a 2
immersions dive is done with a lunch break in between.
Boca
de Sebastopol
Depth:
30-140 feet.
Skill level: Intermediate.
An opening in the reef to the south east. It is rarely visited but an
arrangement can be made with the dive master and guide. The area has some of the
best dives spots and sharks are often frequented here. See sharks mating in
the month of June, a fantastic site.
Los Roques Reef Profile.
The lagoon acts as a nursery for all manner of fish life and is home to
abundant (Bututo) conch. Tidal changes and current wash nutrients and juvenile
fish out into open water, attracting manta rays and eagle rays, and fueling the
growth of big gorgonians.
Outside the ring of islands there is a narrow ledge of
shallow reef filled with Stag horn and Elk horn corals that breach the surface
at low tide. The drop-off begins anywhere from 25 to 45 feet with sloping reefs
of brain and star corals. The reef slope can be anywhere from 45 to 70 degrees,
and as it goes deeper, the slope is dominated by plate corals, orange elephant
ear sponges and black corals. On many sites, you will also find mini-walls,
small reef caves or reef-crest pinnacles. In the summer months in the summer
months of August to October there a days with absolute calms and a fantastic
dive can be done on the barrier reef to the east. ask the dive master.
The slopes can be swept by brisk currents or none at all, depending on time,
day and conditions. If there is current, just ride with it. The dive boat
follows the bubble trail and picks divers up when they surface.
Scuba diving in Los Roques
National Park, Venezuela
Season: Jan - Dec
7 Days
Tour Prices Single Person Price $995
Double Occupancy Per Person Price $995
Best scuba diving week at Los Roques National Park, the most clear waters on the
second biggest coral reef in the world, up to three dives per day including
night dives, caves, walls on the best possible conditions.
Day 1:
Depart from Maiquetia International Airport in Venezuela to Los Roques National
Park. Check out dive. Lunch Afternoon dive, Dinner.
(B) (L) (D)
Day 2:
After breakfast boat ride to 1st dive, 1 more dives during the day. Some sailing
and sport fishing available.
(B) (L) (D)
Day 3:
same as day 2 with different dive destinations
(B) (L) (D)
Day 4:
Same as day 3 with different dive destinations
(B) (L) (D)
Day 5:
Same as day 4 with different dive destinations
(B) (L) (D)
Day 6:
same as day 5 with different dive destinations
(B) (L) (D)
Day 7:
Sailing, fishing or just relaxing as we can not dive the same day we fly, back
to Maiquetia International airport at 4:oo pm
(B) (L)
For more details contact us through:
yachts@explore-yachts.com
Read article: Rodale's Scuba Diving. Plus: World-class Venezuela.
February 1995. (quotes from Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine, and In-Depth Consumer
Magazine)
Scuba diving Los Roques
"a new world-class destination";
"the kind of drop-off diving that sends a thunderbolt through your
stomach"; "more fish than I've ever seen in one place before";
"reefs are free of exploitation as I've found in 20 years of Caribbean
diving"; "magical wild, untamed diving, fish up the ying-yang";
"healthy reefs were packed with life"; "schools of fish on every
dive"; "caverns as large as St. Paul's Cathedral"; "action
packed diving to thrill the most jaded diver". "Los
Roques By far, the best new diving destination in the Caribbean".
Explore Yachts
also offers trips to other islands, Isla Las Aves and the exclusive
Island of
Orchila! among others.
Treasure
Diving expeditions is the best trill there is. Trips are arranged every 2 years
to different parts of the Caribbean.
Contact
Explore Yachts for further information!
In cooperation with Ecobusos (Gran Roques)
Online Scuba diving reservation and prices!
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