Getting away from the cold: winter diving in Puerto Rico
Anybody and everybody who’s trying to get away from the cold ends up here. We get a lot of clients from New York, Boston and Virginia in the winter, and they’re just happy to be in warm weather for a few days.
It’s cold for us. Not for you.
If you want to laugh: as locals, this is cold for us. You’ll see people here in jackets and hoodies every now and then. Visitors find the weather just perfect.
It’s almost like we have summer all year round, and the dress code, quote unquote, can be shorts and flip-flops. On the coast it can drop to about 64 or 65°F, and at night in the mountains about 60, but as soon as the sun comes out, it warms up. The water stays around 80°F all winter. Our conditions by month page has the details.
Closer than you think
Puerto Rico is part of the United States, so if you’re a U.S. citizen flying from the States you don’t need a passport. Bring the same ID you’d use for any domestic flight. From New York it’s about a 4-hour nonstop.
Only have 3 days?
Why not scuba dive? Go hang out with the marine life. Just leave enough time before your flight home. Our When can I fly? timer helps you plan it, and the shore dives are the easy place to start.
Never been diving?
If you’re not sure you’re going to like it, do Discover Scuba. You get in the water, blow bubbles and see if you like breathing underwater.
If you’re a water person, you know for a fact you’re going to use it later on and you really want to do it, just go for the certification.
The sun is the one that gets you
Some people forget that the sun is what’s going to affect you the most. The temperature is nice and everything is comfortable, but you can still get sunburned.
Coming with someone who doesn’t dive?
On a shore dive, they’re more than welcome to hang out at the beach under the palm trees while we’re doing the training or the tour.
If the north swells mess up the plan
We don’t control the weather, and we don’t force dives. Winter swells hit the north coast, so if we can’t make a plan B work, we usually tell people to go to the other sides of the island. Our guide to scuba diving in Puerto Rico explains which coast to pick.
And even if diving isn’t doable, just a few days hanging out, chilling and de-stressing works for a lot of people.
Trying to get out of the cold? Tell us when you’re coming.