La Caleta
Bayahibe · Dominican Republic
La Caleta is a shallow protected bay east of Santo Domingo that doubles as an outdoor museum of Dominican maritime heritage, holding two intentionally sunk wrecks — the Hickory and the Limón — draped in tube sponges and black coral. Currents are gentle, making it the definitive warm-up dive for the region, yet the structure of the wrecks and the surrounding reef patches support surprisingly rich fish life including large grouper, Spanish hogfish, and schools of blue tang. The nearby Padre Nuestro cave system, accessible by short boat transfer, adds a geological dimension with its subterranean halocline layers and cave shrimp.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 28 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually gentle
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
12 to 22 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
24 to 30°C
shorty
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 |
| Vis (m) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 20 |
| Current | Still | Still | Still | Still | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Gentle | Still | Still |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Bark Anole
Last confirmed Mar 6, 2026 · 24 records
Very likely
Most dives
Common Stout Anole
Last confirmed Jun 23, 2026 · 43 records
Very likely
Most dives
Blue Tang
Last confirmed Jan 10, 2026 · 4 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Cuban Green Anole
Last confirmed Apr 10, 2026 · 8 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Gray Kingbird
Last confirmed Mar 10, 2026 · 9 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Nassau Grouper
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Queen Angelfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear