How deep is the Antilla shipwreck?

The Antilla wreck off Aruba reaches about 55 to 60 ft, or 17 to 18 m, at its deepest parts. The upper parts lie about 15 ft, or 5 m, below the surface. You snorkel above the hull or join a guided scuba dive around it. The damaged wreck is unsafe to enter.

Can you swim to the Antilla from the beach?

Don't swim out from the beach. The wreck lies about 0.7 km, or 0.4 miles, offshore. Boat traffic and chop make a boat trip the practical way to reach it.

How much does an Antilla shipwreck tour cost?

For $63 per adult, you get 2.5 hours on Arusun with snorkel gear and snacks. Banana Adventure costs $65 per adult with a light lunch and requires at least 2 adults. You pay $900 per private boat for up to 10 people with Malmok Charters.

How long do you spend at the Antilla wreck?

Malmok Charters gives you 45 minutes at the wreck on its 3 hour private trip. Delphi's Dolphin catamaran stops at the Antilla and Boca Catalina in about 3 hours. On Arusun, you spend 2.5 hours sailing and snorkeling at the wreck and Boca Catalina.

Why did the Antilla sink?

The Antilla's crew deliberately flooded the ship off Aruba to prevent Dutch capture. A crewman opened valves to let seawater in while others set fires aboard. It happened on the day Germany invaded the Netherlands. Nobody died in the sinking, and heavy swells broke the hull apart later.

Things to do in Aruba › Places › Antilla shipwreck

Antilla shipwreck

Boat access · Up to 60 ft deep

Checked October 21, 2026 history from Wikipedia and Willem Submerged; wreck conditions from dive operators; wildlife guidance from the Aruba Tourism Authority; map from OpenStreetMap; tour prices from Viator

The Antilla is a sunken German cargo ship off Malmok Beach on Aruba's northwest coast. You reach it on a snorkel boat or a guided scuba dive. A guided Seabob tour also takes you there with an underwater scooter. The deepest parts lie about 55 to 60 ft, or 17 to 18 m, below the surface. You can snorkel above it when sea conditions allow the stop. In clear water, you see the hull and its fish from the surface. An Arusun sail costs $63 per adult with snorkel gear and snacks included. You spend 2.5 hours on that trip. Sea conditions determine whether the boat stops at the wreck.

Today: Airport wind at 1 a.m.: 10 mph from the east. Meteo Aruba has sheltered water at about 1 ft today. 2 ships in port today, with room for about 5,246 passengers. Book the boats a day ahead.

A schooner off Malmok, seen from the shore

The wreck

Antilla shipwreck: depth and access

What it is	the Antilla was a German cargo ship operated by Hamburg America Line. Its own crew deliberately sank it during the Second World War.
Where	you find the wreck in Malmok Bay off Aruba's northwest coast. It lies about 0.7 km, or 0.4 miles, offshore.
Depth	the deepest parts sit about 55 to 60 ft, or 17 to 18 m, down. Its upper parts sit about 15 ft, or 5 m, below the surface.
Size	the ship measured about 400 ft, or 121 m, long. Storms later broke the hull apart.
How you get there	you join a snorkel boat or a guided scuba dive. A guided Seabob tour also takes you there with an underwater scooter. Don't swim out through boat traffic and chop.
Time in the water	on Palm Pleasure's morning sail, you get about 30 to 45 minutes to snorkel at each stop. With Malmok Charters, the Antilla stop lasts 45 minutes.
Conditions	you need to allow for surface chop in strong trade winds. Boat crews change or skip sites when the sea requires it.
Inside the wreck	you stay outside the hull. Age and damage make the wreck unsafe to enter.
Rules	you leave coral and sea life where they are. Taking either off Aruba is against the law.
Cost	you pay for the boat trip or guided dive. Arusun costs $63 per adult with snorkel gear and snacks included. Malmok Charters costs $900 per private boat for up to 10 people.

Which boat

Snorkel sail, $63 per adult Choose Arusun for 2.5 hours with snorkel gear and an open bar. You arrange your own ride to Palm Beach.
Sail with lunch, $65 per adult On Banana Adventure, you sail for 3 hours with a light lunch included. You need at least 2 adults to book.
Seabob, $120 per adult You use an underwater scooter on a tour lasting 2.5 hours. Hotel or port pickup and drop-off are included. This option covers ages 12 to 88.
Private boat, $900 per boat Malmok Charters takes up to 10 people for 3 hours. You arrange your own ride to the Island Cabana Hut.

Map

Where is the Antilla wreck

Antilla wreck: 12.6021° N, 70.0577° W Directions in Google Maps Apple Maps OpenStreetMap

How to get to the Antilla

On a snorkel sail For Arusun, you meet at Aruba Watersports Center between the Hilton and Barceló. You check in 30 minutes before departure. Red Sail uses the pier between the Hyatt and Barceló and also asks you to arrive 30 minutes early.
On a private boat You meet Malmok Charters in front of the Island Cabana Hut. The trip takes 3 hours and includes 45 minutes at the wreck. You arrange your own ride to the meeting point.
On a Seabob With Seabob, hotel or port pickup and drop-off are included. You confirm your location with the operator to arrange the pickup time. The tour takes 2.5 hours, and its last stop is the Arashi Beach Shack.
On a scuba dive For JADS, you book the Thursday trip at 9 a.m. You board at Hadicurari Pier behind the Marriott hotels for dives at Arashi Reef and the wreck. Dive sites change with ocean conditions.
From the beach Don't swim the roughly 0.7 km, or 0.4 miles, from shore to the wreck. Boat traffic and chop make that crossing a poor choice. You reach it on a snorkel boat, a Seabob tour or a guided dive.

Under the water

The Antilla and its marine life

The ship afloat

The archive photo shows the Antilla before it sank. This was a cargo ship about 400 ft, or 121 m, long. You snorkel over a hull that storms have since broken apart.

Sea turtles

The photo shows a sea turtle at the wreck. Keep at least 2 m away and let it pass. Don't feed or chase turtles.

Garden eels

The photo shows garden eels on the sand at the Antilla. Coral and tube sponges cover the wreck itself. You watch from outside the hull because the metal has broken apart.

Schooner off Malmok

The photo shows a schooner off Malmok. You can visit the Antilla on Jolly Pirates' schooner from MooMba Beach. On the afternoon sail, you also snorkel at Boca Catalina.

Tours and prices

Antilla shipwreck: tours and prices

These tours include the Antilla in their routes. You pay per adult for a shared trip or per boat for the private charter. Snorkel gear is included in every option below. Review counts add Viator and Tripadvisor together.

Catamaran snorkel sail	$63 per adult	Arusun Catamaran Sail with Snorkeling in Aruba 2,663 reviews, 4.8 · You arrange your own ride to the meeting point. · on Viator ↗
Catamaran with light lunch	$65 per adult, 2 or more	Banana Adventure Catamaran Shipwreck Snorkel and Turtle Swim 224 reviews, 4.8 · You need at least 2 adults to book. Pickup covers addresses within the service area. · on Viator ↗
Snorkel sail with buffet	$107 per adult	Half-Day Snorkel Sail Tour with Caribbean Lunch 847 reviews, 4.8 · You pay extra for hotel transfers. · on Viator ↗
Guided Seabob tour	$120 per adult	Antilla Shipwreck Seabob Tour 221 reviews, 4.9 · You must be between ages 12 and 88 to book. Food is not included. · on Viator ↗
Private snorkeling boat	$900 per boat, up to 10	3 Hours Private Boat Includes Snorkeling & Swim with turtles 40 reviews, 5.0 · You meet at the Island Cabana Hut. Hotel pickup is not included. · on Viator ↗

The catch: Sea conditions can change the route or remove the wreck stop. Ask what happens to your booking if the Antilla is skipped.

From the desk

I'd book Arusun for a short sail if you can arrange your own ride to Palm Beach. For at least 2 adults wanting lunch, I'd put you on Banana Adventure at $65 per adult. Both routes depend on sea conditions at the wreck.

The story

How the Antilla sank

The Antilla's crew sank the ship to keep it from Dutch capture, on the day Germany invaded the Netherlands.

1
A cargo ship
The Antilla was built in Hamburg for trade between Germany and the Caribbean. It was named after Antilla in Cuba.
2
Refuge at Malmok
Captain Ferdinand Schmidt brought the ship to Aruba when war broke out. It lay at anchor off Malmok with three other German freighters. Its 3,000 tons of sulfur went ashore at San Nicolas.
3
The boarding order
Germany invaded the Netherlands and the Dutch government ordered German ships seized. Marines reached the Antilla at 3:10 a.m. The captain refused to lower the gangway, so boarding waited until 5:00 a.m.
4
The crew's sabotage
A crewman opened the ship's valves to let seawater in. Other crew members set fires aboard. The marines took all 35 crew prisoner.
5
The wreck breaks apart
Nobody died in the sinking. Dutch divers found the hull intact afterward. Heavy swells later broke it in two.

Tours

Tours to the Antilla shipwreck

Snorkeling tours

You can join Arusun for 2.5 hours or Delphi's Dolphin catamaran for about 3 hours. Both stop at the Antilla and Boca Catalina.

Catamaran and boat tours

You can pair the wreck with a light lunch on Banana Adventure. Red Sail's lunch and snorkel sail takes 4 hours and includes a buffet.

Private boat charters

Malmok Charters gives your group a private boat for 3 hours. You pay $900 per boat for up to 10 people with snorkel gear included.

Parasailing and water sports

You use a Seabob underwater scooter to visit the wreck with a guide. The tour takes 2.5 hours and includes hotel or port pickup and drop-off.

Good to know

Know before you go

Sea conditions

Strong trade winds can bring chop over the wreck. Your crew changes or skips sites when conditions require it. Ask what that means for your route before you board.

Outside the hull

The wreck has broken into pieces and is unsafe to enter. Stay outside, even on a guided scuba dive. On a dive, come up along the descent line: the site has boat traffic.

Children

Arusun costs $35 per child ages 5 to 11 and is free for children ages 0 to 4. You must accompany and supervise children on that sail. For Red Sail, you must tell the operator about children who cannot swim so it can arrange mandatory life vests.

What to bring

Bring a towel and sunscreen for Arusun. You get snorkel gear on Arusun. Aruba bans sunscreen that contains oxybenzone. For Red Sail, you wear your swimsuit under your clothes.

Wildlife

Keep at least 2 m from sea turtles and don't chase them. Don't feed underwater animals. Taking coral or shells off Aruba is against the law.

Booking and refunds

You get a full refund on any tour in the price table if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. Banana Adventure takes bookings of 2 adults or more at $65 per adult. The private charter costs $900 per boat for up to 10 people.