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Diving Cuba

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the westernmost island of the Greater Antilles. Spanish is the official language.

November to April is the dry season; May to October the rainy season. The East coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November. In general Cuba experiences one hurrican every two years. The best time to go is between December and April, although prices will be higher then. The average water temperature is 25 oC. In the colder months you may need a 5 mm wetsuit, but 3 mm is generally enough in summer.

Diving Dive Operators Books to Take Your Comments

Dive map of Cuba Cayo Coco Varadero Cayo Largo Maria la Gorda Bay of Pigs Holguin


The Diving

Cayo Largo
"The diving was excellent and I saw a proliferation of sealife. There were Eagle rays, Giant Barracuda, large French Angels, big Hog Fish and a multitude of other species. A large Bull shark was seen by another group although I unfortunately missed that! There were some good deep wall dives with a variety of soft and hard corals The barrel sponges were enormous and every dive was enjoyable (I did about 5 days). The school on Cayo Largo was Padi registered and the mini bus picked me up at my hotel."
Mick Hatswell
Cayo Coco
"Fantastic...we enjoyed every day. The condition of the reef is brilliant, warm blue green water, great visibility and plenty of proof that the Cubans respect this fantastic natural resource and are doing plenty to take care of it. We saw abundant life and the biggest grouper I have ever seen.
Accommodation is clean and comfortable and the food is varied and delicious. The Camaguey Archipelago is especially scenic and we enjoyed many sunsets with the Flamingos who after a few days, actually ignored us allowing some great photos.
The local Cuban scuba personal (at Cuba Blue Diving Centre) are much nicer than the Cubans of Florida who have taken capitalism to new lows.
Local Cubans ensure the diving is something special. They are professional and offer great value. All the international organisations are represented and the total experience left us feeling connected and thoroughly exhilarated by the experience. We now realise it was the absence of the American Influence that allowed us to enjoy the place the people and the beautiful diving.
"
Mick and Fiona
Holguin
"We dived in Cuba last year during a 3 week stay and it was the best we have experienced so far. It has the 2nd biggest reef in the world only beaten by Australia, (so the instructors informed us). And we saw loads of everything, including reef sharks and a big grouper that was a good metre across.
The cost of each dive was about £15 with our own equipment. And it was from the beach onto a hard boat for about 15 to 20 minutes off shore. PADI is not well represented on the island but I believe this is due to the political situation with the yanks. But all instructors we met were very experienced and friendly. This was from the North East side of Cuba.
Options on accommodation are very limited, and fully inclusive seems to be the most popular. The Cubans are rationed with their food, so don't expect restaurants or burger bars: practically everything is hotel based. The hotel next to ours actually had FREE diving every day. so consider this carefully when booking. It was a downer for us to pay £15 each every day when the rest of the divers on the boat paid nothing! The reef is around the Holguin area which is also where the airport is. E-mail is quite rare in Cuba although I did find an address of a marina in Holguin that claims to have an international diving school there, although we never used this school, it might give you some more info: marvita@ip.etecsa.cu
We paid about £1,300 each for a three week stay, (obviously two weeks would be less) and I promise everyone who goes to Cuba will agree it is an experience of culture they are unlikely to ever forget.
"
Steve and Bev
Varadero, Up the Coast from Coco Cayo
"My Wife and self went to Cuba 2 years ago and stayed in Varadero. The diving was good (where we were, sometimes current would stir up the sea and reduce vis a little) lots of wreckage from ties with USSR (military stuff). Marine life was good. We went to Bay of Pigs one day for no extra cost and that was on par with any where. Supervision was very good, particularly for any novices who were looked after with tender care. We are experienced divers in a group of 6 and the least experienced came first which we accepted. The diving appears to be state owned and instructors fear for their jobs, I think. "
Tom Watson
Bay of Pigs
"Fabulous 30 m swim through. Small coral gardens at 6 m then drop off down a fantastic coral encrusted wall with Tuna, Barracuda etc. etc. swimming around close by. Absolutely superb diving with 30/40 m vis, fabulous wall dive, lots of big marine life about in large quantities, quality corals. "
Tom Watson
Maria la Gorda

Rating: 3 stars

"Not great - some good rays and lobster, but reefs quite dead, not many varieties of fish. I will stick to indo-pacific rather than Caribbean in future! Doesn't live up to East Africa/East Timor/Fiji"
Gemma Steel, 2006
"Amazing coral gardens ! "
Justine, 2007

Cuba Dive Operators

Recommend a dive operator or list your diving company on this page.

Green Moray International Dive Center

Hotel Meliá
Cayo Guillermo
Ciego de Avila
Cuba
West Indies

"There is a dive centre on the beach at Cayo Guillermo and it seems to me that their prices are similar to the UK. I paid $35 USD for one dive (my first ever). This included boat fees, an escort and kit hire. "
Barbara Mardell
Maria La Gorda Hotel/Dive Centre

Rating: 2 stars

Pinar Del Rio
Cuba

"Dive operator attached to hotel - dangerous instructors! Too big for their boots, too macho, literally jumped in and swam down before anyone else left the boat, no mention of buddy checks - very friendly, but seriously would not recommend a beginner to go here if you don't know what you are up to! Good boat - platform for entry/exit etc"
Gemma Steel, 2006
"Equipment a bit leaky but friendly staff."
Rodrigo Sala, 2008
Cayo Largo

Cayo Largo
Cuba

Playa Sirena

Cayo Largo
Cuba

Blue Diving

Hotel Jardines Los Cocos
Cayo Coco
Ciego de Avila
Cuba
Tel: +53 33 308179
E-mail: cubacon@enet.cu


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Your Comments

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