Cuba may be famous for cigars, rum, and dancing but also offers world-class diving destinations along its long coastlines. Thanks to a lack of tourist activity here, beautiful reefs and marine life thrive – making Cuba an ideal dive destination.
Jardines de la Reina Marine Park lies to the south of Havana and boasts stunning cliff-faced walls, caverns and swim throughs that are home to some breathtaking marine life such as reef sharks. Reef sharks and an array of marine creatures can also be found here.
Isla de la Juventud
Isla de la Juventud is one of the smallest Caribbean islands, yet offers some of Cuba’s best diving opportunities. While this beautiful tropical island is best known for its cigars and legendary rum, its long and picture perfect coastline features impressive coral reefs teeming with marine life – perfect conditions for scuba diving.
Jacques Cousteau once noted that Cuba’s reefs contained more fish than anywhere else on Earth! Situated in the Gulf of Ana Maria, which features deep marine waters dotted with caves, lava formations and underwater walls; Cuba is abundant with marine life including reef sharks, barracuda sharks, whale sharks and schools of fish teeming in this region.
Jardines de la Reina region is the premier liveaboard diving spot in this part of the Caribbean and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making for a once in a lifetime scuba experience. Tourism numbers are restricted each year in order to ensure its incredible marine landscape remains undamaged while providing an unspoiled habitat for marine life.
There are three primary ports from which dive safaris depart this part of Cuba: Jucaro Port for Jardines de la Reina dive safaris; Trinidad or Cienfuegos can host Canarreos Archipelago adventures; while Havana International Airport serves Canarreos Archipelago dive trips; however, for most dive tour operators this will provide transportation directly onto a boat for diving adventures – often included as part of your overall price.
Boca de Caldera
Cuba offers incredible diving sites with spectacular coral reefs, tropical fish, caves, tunnels and sunken wrecks to delight divers of all experience levels. Experienced divers can explore these captivating dive spots as much as newcomers; their clear waters offer excellent visibility which make this an ideal location for diving beginners as well as experienced divers alike. Furthermore, many dive centers in Cuba provide all of the gear you need so there is no need to bring it yourself!
Havana offers some incredible diving spots, with Boca de Caldera being one of the premier dive sites. To reach it from a rocky shore, divers must swim 200 meters before entering a small cave at five meters depth to descend further and find yourself at its first wall which serves as a wonderful natural habitat for various marine life species. Another amazing diving location in Cuba is Jardines de la Reina or Gardens of the Queen Marine Park where commercial fishing is banned but nevertheless homes many types of marine animals and plants.
Isla de la Juventud is home to caverns, tunnels and dramatic wall dives; as well as home to turtles, barracuda and eagle rays – making this site one of Cuba’s premier diving locations and well worth a visit for anyone interested in exploring its underwater world. There are even spectacular wrecks like Cristobal Colon which sunk during the Spanish-Cuban War in 1898 that visitors can visit here as well!
La Mula
Cuba may be best known for its cigars and legendary rum, but it also boasts stunning beaches and amazing diving opportunities. Scuba diving in Cuba gives divers the opportunity to explore tropical coral reefs while encountering diverse marine life; wreck dives or colorful cave dives provide plenty of diving fun too.
Jardines de la Reina Marine Park (also known as Gardens of the Queen) in Cuba offers some of the best opportunities for scuba diving, including sugar-white sand beaches with vibrant coral reef life that would rival that seen in Finding Nemo, and an assortment of shark species.
This marine park offers excellent opportunities for snorkelling, and the ideal way to experience it is on a liveaboard cruise. That way you will make sure that there are no other boats around when visiting.
Diving in Cuba offers an extraordinary diving experience because you’ll have access to areas not easily reachable from shore thanks to marine parks’ Blue Sanctuary sustainability management program, which limits access to certain areas, giving the coral and marine creatures more of a chance at flourishing within this protected environment.
There are a variety of diving sites nearby, such as Cueva Azul and Yemaya, that provide diverse experiences. At Cueva Azul you can dive into a cave filled with beautiful coral formations and silver glassfish shoals; at Yemaya there’s a vertical wall where tarpon and other fish reside; both offer their own distinct adventures!
Cayo Coco
Cayo Coco, one of Cuba’s largest cays, offers stunning resort amenities – an international airport directly on the island and several unique hotels – as well as offering incredible beach and marine life exploration experiences.
Cayo Coco Reefs are world renowned for their diverse marine life and crystal-clear waters. As one of the premier diving destinations in the Caribbean, divers can enjoy exploring underwater caves, spectacular fauna and colorful coral reefs. November to April tends to be ideal times for visiting as its weather remains comfortable and dry.
However, there’s still plenty to see and do throughout the year. The Rocarena Climbing Center provides a fun and exhilarating activity for anyone wanting to test their strength and endurance on interconnected ropes, bridges and climbing challenges; all participants wear safety harnesses for added protection.
Cayo Guillermo boasts many activities on land for visitors to enjoy, such as horseback riding, kayaking and snorkeling. Playa Pilar in Cayo Guillermo is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba and was named after Ernest Hemingway’s cabin cruiser “Pilar.”
Cayo Coco may host an international airport and resorts, yet is only home to a limited local population. Instead, most residents work as hotel employees or work related businesses related to tourism; May-November is considered the optimal time for visiting this beautiful island as prices tend to be more reasonable and crowds tend to decrease; but be mindful that Cuba is located within its hurricane belt so be prepared for potential rain showers during these months!
Banco del Este
Scuba diving in Cuba is world-class and can be enjoyed all year long, thanks to its tropical climate, stunning water visibility and abundance of marine life. Experience everything from long drop-offs to coral reefs on an Cuba liveaboard cruise – the best way to truly appreciate Cuba’s underwater treasures.
Cuba, the largest Caribbean island, offers stunning coastlines of white sand beaches and unparalleled scuba diving opportunities. A typical liveaboard cruise usually lasts one week and visits various locations, providing ample time for diving.
Cuba is a fascinating island nation above and below waterline, boasting an intriguing culture and history that sets it apart from other Caribbean destinations. When combined with breathtaking natural scenery and amazing marine life, this should be on everyone’s bucket list!
Jardines de la Reina Marine Park is one of Cuba’s premier locations for scuba diving, boasting an abundance of marine life due to no commercial fishing allowed here.
Ojo del Megano, an underwater cave located near Limassol in Cyprus, offers another top spot. Here you’ll be able to spot fish such as barracuda, red snappers and hogfish as well as, potentially, stingrays or whale sharks (if safe!).
Pipin Reef, one of Cuba’s premier diving locations, boasts an abundance of spectacular marine life that makes for breathtaking scuba diving experiences. Here you will find grunts patrolling along the edge of the abyss; silver tarpon swimming 10 inches away from your mask; reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) passing just inches beneath the seabed – these and many others await divers here!
