Introduction

We only made a limited amount of dives in Guadeloupe, but all of them around the small Pigeon islands, in the Réserve Cousteau. It is here that Commander Cousteau made his famous underwater movie The World of Silence, and those sites are said to be the best of Guadeloupe. There are five diving centers in less than 50 meters, and of course all divers visit the same spots, which are close to each others. For this reason, it is quite common to start the dive on one site, and surface from another one. No hotel is located in the close vicinity. Of course, apart from diving, Guadeloupe is offering a wide range of activities including sightseeing, snorkeling and the usual beach stuff.

Travel facts

Diving type

Destination

easily accessible

bargain destination

Diving level & type

for beginners

for advanced divers

shore diving

liveaboard

Diving Characteristics

pelagics

lots of fish

lots of corals

interesting underwater scenery

Other activities

attractive natural spots

gastronomy

night life

beach

snorkeling

Infrastructures

• diving center
  

  Archipel Plongée
  Archipel Plongée (diving center)
  telephone : (590) 98 93 93

  fax : (590) 98 99 28

  address : plage de Malendure
  97125 Bouillante
  Guadeloupe

  email : plongee@archipel-plongee.fr

  internet : www.archipel-plongee.fr
  rating : 4 / 4 stars

  comments :

  The staff is friendly and efficient. However, you will have to bring yourself your tank from the dive center to the boat... If only a small trolley was available... The map below can be found on the web site of the diving center.

  
  

Diving Sites

• 

  Jardin de Corail
  
     [(site n°5)] 

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 18 m

  visibility : excellent
  description :
  
  An easy dive on a bottom covered with corals. We were especially surprised by the excellent condition of the corals, which seems very healthy. While many reef fish were seen, no pelagic were spotted.
  
  
• 

  Pointe Barracuda
  
     [(site n°1)] 

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 38 m

  visibility : very good
  description :
  
  Gentle slope from 3 to 38 meters. Many soft corals, and lots of fish - it is easy to notice that this dive site is located in a protected area! Among others, angelfish, butterfly, angelfish, surgeon-fish, jackfish, a black spotted white moray eel and two turtles that were playing with us underwater for at least five minutes.
  
  
• 

  Sources d'Eau Chaude
  
     [(site n°3)] 

  rating : 3.0

  depth : 23 m

  visibility : very good
  description :
  
  On the coral reef, on the east side of the islet, small hot springs are found at a depth of 20-23 meters. Also a lion-fish and very small shrimps...
  
  
• 

  Tour de Petit Ilet
  
     [(site n°7)] 

  rating : 2.0

  depth : 20 m

  visibility : very good
  description :
  
  Swimming around the islet at an average depth of 20 meters is pleasant, although part of that would be done in the current. A gentle slope, with a scenery of stones and sand... and of course corals. Lobsters, a crab, a moray, schools of reef fish, trevally, snappers, angelfish, butterflyfish, triggerfish and lizardfish can be seen during this easy dive.