Reefwander
A hawksbill turtle swims over a coral reef in the Cousteau Reserve off Guadeloupe.

Guadeloupe · Guadeloupe · Reef · Wall

Tour du Petit Îlet

A full lap of the islet, shallow or deep

Area photo: Antoine Cupial · CC BY-SA 4.0

A circuit around the small islet that can be started from either La Piscine or Jardin de Corail and run at whatever depth suits the group, on a drop-off descending to 40 m. Beginners and experienced divers dive it alike. The rock carries Neptune's-brain corals and sea feathers, with turtles, green moray eels, batfish and barracuda along the way.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Tour du Petit Îlet: typical dive to 40 m (to 130 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit40 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

16.1675° N, 61.7894° WPublished position for this site.

The dive

The tour begins at one of two moorings — La Piscine or Jardin de Corail — and works around the little island from there, which is why the same dive can feel different depending on where the boat ties up. The drop-off descends to 40 m, but the circuit can be run at any level on it, so depth is a decision the guide makes on the day rather than something the site fixes.

Along the way the rock carries a multitude of corals, Neptune's brains among them, with sea feathers standing off the harder ground. Sleeping sharks are part of what the circuit turns up, along with turtles and green moray eels, while batfish and barracuda work the open side. Beginners as well as experienced divers can do the circuit in complete safety; only the depth changes.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
  • Barracuda
Month-by-month season rating for Tour du Petit Îlet
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodFairFairFairGoodPrime

Season follows Guadeloupe: Dec–May is the dry season with the calmest water; Aug–Oct brings hurricane risk and the heaviest rain.

Questions divers ask

Can beginners dive the Tour du Petit Îlet?+

Yes — beginners and experienced divers can both do the circuit in safety. The drop-off descends to 40 m, but the tour can be run at shallower levels, and it starts from either La Piscine or Jardin de Corail.

Sources

  1. Tour du Petit Ilet — Scubago — Scubago

More dive sites in Guadeloupe

Cousteau's bust at 12 m in the reserve he asked for

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Coral garden

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Green turtles gather here after dark

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Two platforms, 15 m and 30 m, on one rope

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Sand slope

Sand, sponges and coral, with a wall dropping to 40 m

to 40 mintermediate

A circular bottom feature at 20 to 25 m

20–25 mintermediate

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