Scuba Diving in Cuba
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the westernmost island of the Greater Antilles. Cuba offers some of the best diving packages to divers of all levels of expertise and is truly one of the world's best places to dive.
The country Cuba gets its name from "Culturally Unbelievably Bloody Amazing" and Scuba from "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", the types of diving and equipment, need for course and certification.
Cuba’s insular platform, of around 26,190 square miles or 67,831 square kilometers in area, has excellent scuba-diving spots throughout all the archipelago.
Scuba diving in Cuba is being developed on the basis of preserving the underwater ecosystems. Modern equipment is available for divers, and sites are located in the most beautiful natural areas of the insular shelf, many of which have been declared protected areas.
Cuba's warm 24C/76F (yearly average) waters are clear and pristine with hardly any coral destruction or pollution, making it ideal for a diving holiday. The average visibility is 30 to 40 metres, and Cuba's diving holiday makers will delight in the underwater paradise unveiled before their eyes - home to 50 species of coral and 200 species of sponge! Pillar, staghorn, elkhorn, spectacular gorgonians, sea fans and plume worms are all there to be seen, as are barrel and tube sponges, sea urchins, spiny lobsters, coral shrimp and crabs on the seabed ensuring a fascinating variety.
Cuba is a wonderful destination for scuba divers of all levels. You can visit all of Cuba's great dive sites including: Maria la Gorda, El Colony in the Island of Youth, Bay of Pigs, Cayo Largo, Cayo Levisa, Varadero, Rancho Luna, Jardines del Rey (Cayo Coco), Santa Lucia, Guardalavaca, Santiago de Cuba, Jardines de la Reina.
If you have never scuba dived before, or if it's been quite some time since you last did, many Cuban diving facilities/centers offer instructors that can help you brush up on all the basics. Usually, after orientation and education sessions, you can start small, scuba diving in shallow waters. At Cuban dive centers, beginners can often qualify to get in the water by combining a couple hours of class with sessions in a pool.
For foreign visitors, Cuba scuba diving is one of the most enjoyed watersports choices. Pristine coral reefs, clear Caribbean waters, and an abundance of curious sea creatures are just part of what makes diving in Cuba such a joy. Cuba boasts thousands of miles of coastline, which lends itself nicely to those looking to plan Cuba diving holidays.
The scuba diving resorts that Cuba offers are getting more and more plentiful each year, and with facilities that meet all the modern demands, you can bet that safety and fun are the two primary objectives. Both novice and experienced divers will find scuba diving in Cuba to be highly rewarding and memorable.
The Cuban government, which is embracing the country's tourism industry more than ever, has declared a number of the country's best dive spots as protected areas. This means you can enjoy an environment that is most definitely well-suited for the cause.
Cuba diving holidays are easier to plan than ever. Various Cuba vacation packages feature scuba diving as a major component, and they can help you find the best destination for your Cuba scuba vacation. Generally, you can arrange to go diving in Cuba at one of the many Cuban beach resorts if you haven't arranged your expedition before arrival. Most of these resorts are all inclusive, though you will usually have to pay extra for scuba diving.
Scuba diving in Cuba can be enjoyed year round, as the water temperatures vary little from month to month. Diving in Cuba is a fairly affordable endeavor, even should you decide to dive more than one day.
Rates can be significantly lower during the Cuba "off-season", which generally runs from mid-April through December.
Diving is available all around the archipelago at an extensive range of dive sites, where you will find some of the richest corals of the Caribbean.
The reefs form fissures, chimneys walls and canyons and are filled with over fifty species of coral and over two hundred species of sponge including rope, tube, vase and ear sponges. In August, September and November you may be lucky enough to see whale sharks.
More dive sites are being discovered each year and most sites are only a short boat trip from the coast. Diving is perhaps best in southern Cuba at the Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen) and the surrounding area, but getting there takes a lot of forward planning. Almost as good and easier to get to is the Isle of Youth and Maria la Gorda, both in western Cuba.