Aruba 365
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Aruba 365
One of the Caribbean's largest wreck dives off Aruba
The Antilla is the most famous shipwreck in Aruban waters, a 400-foot German cargo ship that lies on its side off the northwest coast near Noord and the Malmok shore. When the Netherlands was drawn into the Second World War in 1940, the captain scuttled the vessel rather than let it be seized, and it has rested on the seabed ever since, earning the nickname the Ghost Ship.
Decades underwater have transformed the wreck into a thriving artificial reef. Its hull and holds are now encrusted with coral and sponges and crowded with tropical fish, making it one of the largest and most rewarding wreck dives in the Caribbean. Parts of the ship rise close to the surface, so even snorkellers can see sections of the wreck and the marine life that swarms around it.
The clear, relatively shallow water suits divers of varying experience, and the site is a fixture on local dive trips, including the Antilla shipwreck dive. Snorkellers often visit on boat tours that pair it with nearby reef spots such as Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach.
Book a guided dive or snorkel trip, choose a calm-water day for the best visibility, and bring an underwater camera for the coral-covered hull and the fish that shelter in it.
The Antilla is a 400-foot German cargo ship that lies on its side off Aruba's northwest coast. Its captain scuttled it in 1940 rather than let it be seized in the Second World War, earning it the nickname the Ghost Ship.
Yes. Although it is a famous scuba dive, parts of the hull rise close to the surface, so snorkellers on boat tours can see sections of the wreck and the marine life that swarms around it.
The wreck is reached only by boat, on organised dive and snorkel trips. Many tours pair it with nearby reef spots such as Boca Catalina and Malmok Beach off the northwest coast.
Yes. Decades underwater have turned it into a coral-covered artificial reef crowded with fish, and the clear, relatively shallow water makes it one of the largest and most rewarding wreck dives in the Caribbean.
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