The Atlantic Princess wreck lies just in front of Dreams Dominicus La Romana resort in Bayahibe. This former cruise ship ran aground on the beach in 2008 and was supposed to be sunk as artificial reef later that year, but never did. Then one day in May 2009, the boat sunk by itself in a shallow location.
Unfortunately, because of the shallow depth, the wreck got damaged by storms and the top is now destroyed completely. What’s more, there are lots of loose parts that can make penetration dangerous. Nonetheless, it remains a great wreck to explore from the outside.
Lots of marine animals can be seen around the Atlantic Princess wreck. Seahorses, nudibranchs, blennies, pufferfish, trumpetfish, boxfish, and rays. The coral is magnificent and thriving, with branching and staghorn coral nurseries.
The Atlantic Princess is 30 meters/100 feet long and 9 meters/30 feet high. It rests in just 12 meters/3 feet of water, making it accessible for divers of all levels. Diving in the Dominican Republic is great year-round, but keep in mind that the hurricane season runs from June to October.