Diving and Snorkeling Puerto Rico (Diving & Snorkeling) [Paperback]

Steve Simonsen (Author)

Book Description

Series: Diving & Snorkeling | Publication Date: October 2000

One of the Caribbean's most inviting destinations, Puerto Rico offers unspoiled diving in crystal-clear waters. Jump into easy dive and snorkel sites around Culebra and Vieques, the "Spanish Virgin Islands." The Parguera region boasts breathtaking vertical wall dives, while legendary Desecheo Island offers brilliant sponge gardens and migrating whales. Above water, Puerto Rico has something for everyone, from lush tropical rainforest and glowing phosphorescent bays to the rich cultural attractions and vibrant nightlife of San Juan. This book describes 54 of Puerto Rico's best dive sites, with full-color photos throughout.

You'll get specific information on:

• Dive site depth range, access and conditions
• Common and hazardous marine life
• Topside activities and attractions
• Diving services and accommodations
• 12 easy-to-read maps

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Lonely Planet’s "Diving & Snorkeling Puerto Rico" offers all the information you’ll need to have a great time both in and out of the water. Find chapters on what you should know before you go, vital information on certification which includes the Pisces rating system for dives and divers, as well as the scoop on activities and attractions in the area. Each of the 54 dive sites is described in detail including location, depth range, access and expertise rating.

About the Author

Steve Simonsen was first certified as an Open Water diver in 1978. He is a certified diving instructor for NAUI, PADI and SSI. Steve’s colorful Caribbean images have appeared in numerous books, magazine, newspapers and exhibits. Steve, along with his divemaster wife Janet and their son Jesse, runs Marine Scenes, a stock photography agency based year-round on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Steve teaches photography classes and presents educational slide shows and can be found most days diving and photographing the colorful reefs around St. John.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 2nd edition (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0864427832
• ISBN-13: 978-0864427830
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,584,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > Travel > Caribbean > Puerto Rico

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Duped and Had, July 12, 2006

By 

Daniel "D." (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diving and Snorkeling Puerto Rico (Diving & Snorkeling) (Paperback)

My first reaction to this book was one of excitment, this came from my first perusing the pictures. I was, however, severly disappointed when I actually got into the information that the book contained. The first quarter of the book is devoted to a breif and very lacking overview of Puerto Rico. Although not that useful it didn't hurt. However, there were two things that really bothered me about the book. First was that almost all of the dive sites listed need a guide. The second was that despite the fact that it claims to be a snorkel and dive guide book there is virtually zero snorkel information and of the few sights mentioned only 3, I believe, were actually not seemingly impossible to get to. In fact, my old budget travel guide for puerto rico had over three times as many snorkelnig sites, with, as I was dismayed to see, a lot of sites that were not even included in the SNORKEL and dive guide. How a guide on underwater adventure can be outshown by a general travel guide is beyond me but it is. Do not buy this book if you are planning to mix dives with snorkel and are looking for an all inclusive, it just doesn't have the info. Also, as I said most of the dives require a guide which makes the information in the book rather pointless as the guides will know where the great sites are and a quick conversation can lead you to your next guide and site. This, it seems is probably what the guy who wrote the book did, just went from guide to guide. The main dive areas are well know on the island and you aren't really getting any information that you couldn't just by being here get yourself. My vote, Not worth it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Diving ifno for Puerto Rico, January 26, 2003

By 

"hpaziii" (Venbezuela) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diving and Snorkeling Puerto Rico (Diving & Snorkeling) (Paperback)

It covered most of the island with greta details and information. it is a shamed that it di not cover mona Island the best dive site in PR. Also, it lacks enough info on shore dive in the island. But overall it gives you enough information to keep you wanting to go back to Puerto rico to dive.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beats the internet!, September 5, 2007

By 

Giordano Bruno (Wherever I am, I am.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Diving and Snorkeling Puerto Rico (Diving & Snorkeling) (Paperback)

One previous reviewer suggests that if you are on the ground (or in the water) in Puerto Rico, you won't need this book, you can just "ask around". This is surely true. The chief use of such a book is for planning a visit to Puerto Rico; that is, you use the book at home and perhaps leave it there. The pictures are enticing, the information is well-indexed and quickly comprehended, and I found nothing incorrect in the one usage I made of the guide. I had one day free in a business visit to San Juan, I used to book to decide that Fajardo should be my starting point, I snorkeled at sites around the offshore island of Palominos, and I had a superb experience. No doubt the same info could have been found elsewhere, but this book allowed me to feel confident in my choice.