Antilla Wreck, among the best dive sites in Aruba, is a Caribbean's largest shipwreck, measuring over 400 feet in length. During WWII, a German freighter was scuttled in shallow water off the coast of Aruba in 1940. The dive site is suitable for both novice and experienced divers, and the best diving season runs from December to May. The wreck, which is located on the port side, breaks the surface from a maximum depth of about 60 feet. Hundreds of blue tangs will eat bread from your hands at the stern of the boat. On coral, there are more flamboyant fish than on any other reef.

What you'll see: The massive shipwreck has large compartments in the center where the explosives used to sink the ship were stored. Because of the large areas, you can safely penetrate the wreck, and this is an excellent opportunity to obtain your wreck certification. Because the ship has been submerged for so long, an entire ecosystem has developed on the steel. The ship's skeleton is now covered in beautiful tube sponges and large coral formations, as well as a plethora of tropical fish.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 400 feet, or roughly 122 metres
• Location: Opal 58, Noord, Aruba
  

Pedernales Wreck was an oil tanker that was sunk by a German submarine during WWII. The submarine that made up the Pedernales wreck was built in Monfalcone, Italy, and sailed under the British flag. It was severely damaged in a thwarted attack while stationed at Aruba in 1942. During the war, the US Army cut the wreck into three pieces and destroyed the centerpiece, resulting in the Pedernales wreck.

Because it is in uniformly shallow water, this site is ideal for beginners. Because of the shallow dive, you'll have plenty of light to capture the perfect shots. Beginning photographers enjoy this dive site because there is little current but plenty to see on this wreck.

What you'll see: Despite the fact that the ship was sunk during WWII, many of its items remain in place. Divers can explore the ship and see cabin sections with washbasins and toilets, as well as a pipeline system. Many large groups of angelfish, damsel fish, moray eels, and other critters have taken up residence on the wreck.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 10m
• Location: off the shore of Palm Beach, Aruba

The Debbie II wreck, which was purposefully sunk in 1992 to serve as an artificial reef, is another popular dive site in Aruba. It was scuttled in 70 feet of water directly in front of high-rise hotels, making it extremely accessible for divers and a great dive site for a dive day.

As one of the best dive sites in Aruba, this reef is well-known for its massive lobsters and stingrays that take their daily "siesta" while waiting to be photographed. Giant barrel sponges in purple, orange, and green can be found all over the place. Nurse and reef sharks, possibly eagle rays, turtles, and a plethora of fish, including snapper, angelfish, grunts, anemones, and grouper, can all be found in and around the wreck.

What you'll see: The 120-foot fuel barge is covered in leaf and brain coral growths. There are sponge-covered areas and a few sea fans poking their way through the habitats. There are schools of fish, lobsters, rays, and turtles everywhere. If you like sea horses, you should keep an eye out for them at this dive site.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 21 metres/70 feet
  
• Location: Curaçao, Aruba

Jane Sea is one of the most exciting and best dive sites in Aruba. The Jane Sea Wreck is a massive concrete freighter that sits nearly 30 meters underwater and is a must-see for advanced scuba divers. Prepare to be amazed as you explore this massive freighter and interact with large schools of angelfish, as well as barracudas, manta rays, and turtles. The Jane Sea Wreck is a dive site you should not miss because it is only a 50-minute boat ride off the coast of Aruba. The site is surrounded by a coral reef and has massive cargo grips that draw divers.

With its incredible depth and strong current, this dive site is not frequented by many divers, but if you are up for the challenge, this wreck dive is well worth it. If you are a novice diver and want to try this spot, make sure to perfect the ropes of scuba diving such as breathing and diving better, maintaining buoyancy control, and other things that will keep you safe underwater.

What you'll see: The deep dive and strong currents attract a variety of sea creatures, including barracuda, manta rays, and other rays. The Freighter is also covered in coral growths, has a large cargo hold that can be explored, and is surrounded by an abundance of diverse marine life.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 24m
• Location: Jane sea, Aruba

Tugboat Wrecks is located in about 80 feet of water off the cruise ship port and is home to a variety of creatures such as French angelfish, moray eels, and octopuses. Stingrays and dotted eagle rays can sometimes be seen in the area.

It is also surrounded by a gentle reef slope that is covered in spectacular coral growths and offers plenty of opportunities for macro photographers to put their skills to the test.

What you'll see: The coral reef is home to a large number of angel fish, surgeon fish, clown fish, and fish anemones. Moray eels, octopus, frogfish, moray eels, and other creatures can also be found. Bring your torch and take your time exploring the nooks and crannies of this reef to see the full spectrum of color that lives there. You might also see some rays or garden eels if you look at the sand.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 80 ft
• Location: lying in a sheltered and shallow bay on the island's southwestern coast, Aruba

Five Fingers Reef is about 4.5 kilometers south of Coral Bay and is reachable by four-wheel drive vehicle or a short walk. Super low-lying coral formations that you can drift snorkel in picturesque Coral Bay; just watch your fins because the coral is very shallow!

The five parallel reef fingers extend from the beach to about 200 meters offshore. Home to a plethora of colorful reef fish and other marine life, including turtles, which are abundant here. In fact, Five Fingers Reef is arguably the best spot near Coral Bay for swimming with turtles on the Ningaloo Reef. As the water around the reefs here is shallow, calm and brimming with marine life right close to shore, Five Fingers Reef is the perfect place for children and beginner snorkellers.

What you'll see: There are many sea turtles hiding among the soft and hard corals on this coral reef. There are also plenty of eels, crabs, and shrimp hiding among the coral. The strong current also attracts larger pelagic fish, and if you look out into the blue, you might see a couple of rays swimming around.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 91-100ft/ 28-30m
• Location: near south of Coral Bay, Aruba

Airplane Wrecks is another fantastic dive site in Aruba that you won't come across very often. This one-of-a-kind dive site features the wrecks of two planes that were deliberately sunk to create an artificial reef. Hurricane Lenny split the DC-3 in two and dragged it to 80 feet of water in 1999. Other parts of the DC-3 can be found on a reef at a depth of 45 feet. This dive site is an exciting opportunity for any diver to see coral reefs growing on manmade objects that used to soar from the sky.

S-11 was sunk in 2004 and is still intact, with the exception of a shattered nosecone that allows easy access to its interior. Some marine life has been able to seek refuge as a result of this. Have your diving camera handy and capture the stunning corals bordering the planes. An underwater drone would also make it easier to capture those sea creatures that are hiding in the nooks and crannies on the film.

What you'll see: Aside from the unusual sight of planes lying on the seafloor, these metal structures have become somewhat overgrown with coral polyp colonies. Entire ecosystems have formed, and you can easily swim around the planes, taking your time to observe the bat fish, angelfish, eels, crabs, shrimps, and other creatures scuttling around.

• Type: Airplanewreck
• Depth: 61-70ft/19-21m.
• Location: Sonesta reef just off the coast, Aruba

Divers who enjoy coral reefs should pay a visit to Mas Bango Reef. This location is an amazing, beautiful, and well-preserved sloping reef with hard and soft coral covers surrounded by sand. It is located in the southeast corner of the finger reef and provides a thrilling experience for both experienced and novice divers. It slopes down to 130 feet at a depth of only five feet, where you can enjoy 5 islands of coral with plenty of mas Bango fish, which attract large fish such as big jacks, tuna, and barracudas. The reef here is exceptional, beautiful, and well-preserved, and it is home to seahorses and turtles.

What you'll see: In the deeper parts of this dive site, you'll see a lot of Mas Bango fish, tuna, and barracudas swimming around in the blue. There are many shrimps, crustaceans, and other invertebrates hidden away in the coral reef. Angel fish, surgeon fish, anemone fish, and other reef fish can be found swimming around the reef as well. The vibrant colors and clear water make this an excellent location for macro photography.

• Type: Reef
• Depth: 5- 130 ft
• Location: Mas Bango reef, Aruba

The JADS dive center sank the Kappel boat in 2009 on a sandy patch of sea next to the Mangel Halto reef, creating this dive site. At a depth of 35 to 45 feet, it serves as an ideal wreck site for novice divers, with green moray eels, arrow crabs, juvenile fish, and a variety of underwater species visible on the dive. Because the wreck is so shallow, there is plenty of light for photographers to capture the underwater beauty without the need for massive lights or expensive camera technology.

What you'll see: Because the boat has only been underwater for ten years, the coral growths have only recently begun to form. Soft corals, which grow faster, have taken over certain sections of the boat, providing a safe haven for many sea creatures. Angel fish, damsel fish, eels, and even a sea turtle can be found swimming around.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 35- 45 ft
• Location: Mangel Halto, Aruba

The Star Gerren, one of the best dive sites in Aruba, is another German cargo shipwreck that went down in 2000. It was originally known as the Santa Maria until 1994, when it was relocated to Belize City and suffered an engine failure. The wreck has grown to be 300 feet long and is now upside down in 63 feet of water. This wreck will appeal to both experienced and inexperienced divers, as there is plenty to see from the surface as well as deeper down. It is a less well-known shipwreck than Antilla and receives fewer visitors.

What you'll see: The Star Gerren, like many other wrecks around Aruba, has attracted a diverse range of fish species. There are schools of barracuda to be seen, as well as a variety of reef fish hiding in the ship's skeleton. The upside-down hull creates a cave-like environment for dark-dwelling creatures, which can be seen using a torch.

• Type: Shipwreck
• Depth: 45 - 70 ft
• Location: about four kilometers west of the Holiday Inn Resort and the beach of Hadicurari, Aruba