Diving on Statia is excellent. Over two hundred shipwrecks are thought to litter the water off the west coast of the island, now crusted with coral and teeming with fish, though only a handful of these are accessible to divers. Some of the top dive sites (including "the Supermarket", where two coral-covered shipwrecks lie 60ft down and just 150ft apart) are just minutes from shore, and divers can expect to see turtles, stingrays and puffer fish, and perhaps even the rare flying gurnard. Snorkelling is good, too, with many ruined buildings and some of the wrecks lying in shallow turquoise waters just offshore.

Operators include Dive Statia (tel 599/318-2435, ) and Golden Rock Dive Centre (tel 599/416-2541, ). Rates are normally US$50/80 for a one-/two-tank dive and US$25-30 for a snorkelling trip, with equipment being extra. A resort course for first-time divers costs around US$85 and (if there are three or more takers) a full certification course taking four or five days for US$350. Bear in mind that prices normally drop significantly if you visit the island as part of a package that includes diving. For example, seven nights' accommodation and ten dives can cost as little as US$500 per person based on double occupancy. Check the websites of the dive operators and hotels for the latest deals.