The Scuba Shop SXM

Based on the waterfront in Sint Maarten, The Scuba Shop SXM is a PADI Five Star Dive and Eco Center where diving comes wrapped in a genuine conservation ethic. Its "Dive with a Purpose" philosophy runs through everything, and through PADI's Adopt the Blue programme the team turns everyday diving into citizen science, education and hands-on marine care. With an onsite training pool, classroom, retail shop and its own dive boat, it's a full-service home for divers of every level.

Courses and diving

Four PADI instructors lead a deep menu of 29 courses and activities. You can go the conservation-minded route with PADI AWARE Fish Identification, Sea Turtle Awareness and the Underwater Naturalist course, sharpen your skills with Drift Diver, capture it all as a Digital Underwater Photographer, or try something different with PADI Mermaid. There's an Open Water Referral path too, plus two-tank morning dive trips.

The surrounding waters offer varied diving at moderate depths, meaning easy, relaxed outings across well-established reefs of soft and hard coral. Expect barracuda, parrotfish, angelfish, moray eels, stingrays, spotted eagle rays, turtles, lobster and both nurse and reef sharks. It suits conservation-curious divers and anyone chasing macro critters, with English and Dutch both spoken.