Beautiful Havana and exotic islands, Cuba itself and diving in Cuba are very popular among tourists from all over the world, because the coastline in this country is 5700 km, there are about 4200 islands, and there are thousands of places for underwater tourism. In addition, the tropical climate and an average water temperature of 26 ° C allow you to dive under scuba diving in a suit with a thickness of only 3 mm at any time of the year.
Features of diving in Cuba
Cuba is known for the attractive underwater landscapes of its coasts, because almost all of them are overgrown with real coral forests, where you can find many tropical fish, crustaceans, sponges of starfish. There are different types of turtles, as well as a mammal such as a sea cow, which is under threat of extinction.
Speaking about diving tours in Cuba, it should be recalled that in this tourist country there are 7 resorts of international level, as well as 39 international diving centers. Prices for one dive vary depending on the place and set of services provided, and start from 35 euros (about 2.5 thousand rubles). Note that after arriving in Cuba, at least 24 hours must pass before a tourist is allowed to dive, due to the acclimatization to the tropical climate.
From Havana to Cocos Island in Cuba
Diving in Cuba begins already with Havana, where tourists fly to the airport. Near the capital of Cuba, there are three areas that are available for underwater tourism:
- Hemingway Coast (Marina Hemingway).
- Blue Reef
- Eastern beaches (playas del Este).
In all these places there are corresponding diving clubs, where amateurs can rent the necessary equipment and costumes and hire an instructor. Depending on the level of preparation of the tourist, dives from 5 to 35 meters in depth are available for him.
In the east are the famous beaches of Varadero. Diving in Cuba in Varadero is also quite popular among tourists, however, if you follow along the coast, you will find the islands of St. Mary (Santa María), Guillermo and the island of Cocos (cayo Coco - Cayo Coco). You can get to the last island either by car, because it is connected to the main island, where the capital is located, the Pedraplen road, and by plane, since there is an international airport on this island.
The named islands are a real paradise for diving. At depths of 10 to 30 meters near the coast, there are many tropical species of medium-sized fish, such as palomete, and large fish such as barracuda. Visibility in water reaches 20 meters. One of the recommended diving tours to visit is La Haula (Cage). This place is famous for the fact that at its bottom there are many corals that resemble skeleton trees, as well as the presence of a large number of colored sea sponges.
Saint Lucia
The presence of sharks off the coast of Cuba is a common occurrence. So, near the beach of St. Lucia there are a lot of bull sharks, reaching a length of more than 3 meters, which although they do not attack humans, they can nevertheless be dangerous because their hunting spots coincide with the places where people swim.
St. Lucia Beach is one of the best diving sites, which owes its popularity to the second longest coral in the world. Its length is about 36 km. There are 35 different places to dive, among which Mortera is especially popular, where at a depth of 27 meters there is an old Spanish fortress and a sunken merchant ship of the 19th century.
Guardalavaca Diving
On his ship in the 15th century, Christopher Columbus sailed to the province of Holguín, where Guardalavaca Beach is located (Guardalavaca - the literal translation from Spanish for this name means "take care of the cow"). Here in the center for scuba diving Eagle Ray (Eagle Ray) offer diving tours under the water of the Old Bahamas Canal to a depth of 40 meters. In the waters of this channel there is a vertical wall, the height of which varies from 20 to 40 meters, with black corals growing on it. This coral is considered semiprecious and is used to make amulets and various ornaments.
Jardines de la Reina
Christopher Columbus also gave the name to the Jardines de la Reina archipelago, which in Spanish means “Queen's Gardens”. The archipelago is located in southern Cuba and includes about 250 islands with unspoiled flora and fauna.
The seabed around the islands of the archipelago has been forming for thousands of years. It is filled with corals and has stepped slopes. In the zone of the archipelago at a depth of 17 meters there is a small cliff Farayon, which is pierced through with tunnels going to the seabed and ending in white bottom sand. The tunnels themselves are 10 meters high and 3 meters wide. Their vertical arrangement, as well as the purity of the water, allow the sun's rays to penetrate to great depths. This place is considered a paradise for diving in Cuba. The club that organizes diving around the cliff of Farayon is called Avalon.
From Ancon Peninsula to Lunar Ranch
Returning again to the main island of Cuba, diving in Cuba can be taken in the province of Santiago de Cuba. This city has been listed on the Heritage of Humanity. It is located a few kilometers from the coast, where up to 40 different types of corals grow.
Ancon Peninsula is also famous for its diving tours. Here is the diving center of Cayo Blanco. The coast of the island is simply cut with tunnels, reefs of various sizes, among which beautiful tropical fish swim .
Professionals and lovers of underwater tourism can also take a trip to the waters of Guajimiko. The name of this place in the language of the aborigines means "fishing place".
Finally, Lunar Ranch Beach. For underwater tourism, this place is famous for the fact that several fishing vessels that have already been overgrown with seaweed and corals have been specially sunk in its waters, creating a magnificent underwater landscape. The transparency of the water of the Moon Ranch allows you to take beautiful and clear photographs, and in the winter months of the year you can meet a whale shark.
Pork bay
Cochinos Bay or Pig Bay is located in the west of Cuba's main island. This is a great place for diving, since the bay is surrounded on all sides by mangroves, and its waters are full of various species of tropical fish and other marine life.
In the Bay of Conchitos, you can immerse yourself in the water directly from the shore. Its main attractions are the flooded ship in Punta Perdiz and a vertical wall that can be seen even from the coast. There is also an underground lake called Cueva de los peses - a fish cave. Here diving enthusiasts will meet many colored species of fish and stalactites of various sizes.
Long island
Cayo Largo or Long Island is opposite Pig Bay, although it is not visible from it. The coastal zone of the island is divided into three parts:
- The coast closest to the island allows you to dive, swimming between the long coral mountains at a depth of 20-30 meters.
- The western part of the coast of the island is known for its coral labyrinths.
- The northeast coast of Cayo Largo is famous for its vertical underwater walls from 15 to 200 meters high, which are covered with black corals. Many species of colorful tubular sponges live here.
Maria la Gorda Beach in Cuba
Diving in Cuba is also popular in the waters of Maria la Gorda beach. This place is known throughout Latin America due to its magnificent bottom, which is formed from a strip of land plunged into the ocean, and changed its shape as a result of the effects of the currents of the Gulf of Mexico.
The dive site is located on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, whose waters have retained a magnificent biosphere, as well as shipwrecks of the 18th century. Here you can enjoy underwater landscapes from a depth of 5 meters, since corals are already visible at this shallow depth. From May to June, many turtles crawl out onto the sandy beach of Maria la Gorda to lay their eggs, and from August to September, whales approach the beach.
Lewis Island
Concluding the trip to the famous places for diving in Cuba, we should mention the island of Lewis, in the coastal waters of which you can find parrot fish, famous for its colorful scales, the colors of which vary even within the same species. This fish is famous for the fact that during its life it can change its gender several times.
Also in the waters of the island of Lewis there are many trigonias - living fossil mollusks that appeared in the Triassic period, i.e. about 245 million years ago. These mollusks have a closed asymmetrical shell, from which a kind of mini fin comes out. This appearance makes the trigonium look like a cheburek.