Top 10 Dive Sites in Cuba

Diving in Cuba is an unforgettable experience that attracts visitors from many parts of the world. Cuban seabed has more than 500 areas recommended for diving, an underwater paradise with hundreds of shipwrecks, thousands of kilometers of coral reefs, caves and cliffs with a great wealth of marine fauna.

It is among the most important diving destinations and has the second largest coral reef in the world. For this reason, it has more than 30 international diving centers throughout the country with certified instructors and equipped with everything necessary. So, you will be able to rent the equipment and also receive courses.

The Cuban archipelago has favorable conditions for diving, the water temperature is warm and stable, oscillating between 24º C and 30º C. The transparency is optimal, with visibility between 20 and 30 meters. Its weather is warm tropical, seasonally humid and with maritime influence.

Its coral formations are located a few meters from the coast and are very well preserved, which makes it one of the main destinations in the world for snorkeling lovers.

Continue the reading and discover some of the best diving sites in Cuba. Follow us and discover some of the best diving sites in Cuba.

María La Gorda

The María La Gorda International Diving Center is located in the Peninsula de Guanacabibes, biosphere reserve in the south of the province of Pinar del Río. It is among the best diving sites in Latin America with a seabed in excellent state of conservation. It is possible to stay there because the site has a complex of quite comfortable cabins.

It has more than 30 dive sites with calm waters and great visibility. Ideal for contemplative diving and underwater photography.

It is famous for the Black Coral and you can also find remains of old sunken Spanish galleons, caves, cliffs and a great variety of fish.

Among the best sites are:

The Coral Negro (Black Coral) Valley: The largest area with this type of coral in Cuba.

El Bajo Yemaya: A wall that ends in a cave where up to 12 meters can enter.

Mobbie Dick: Whale-shaped rock structures at a depth of 30 meters.

Salón de María: A cave 20 meters deep.

There are also El Paraíso Perdido and El Jardín de las Gorgonias.

Cayo Largo

Cayo Largo is a small island to the south of the Canarreos archipelago in the vicinity of the Isla de la Juventud.

It has a high biodiversity where iguanas, turtles, flamingos, pelicans, sponges, mollusks stand out, as well as a great variety of fish and a very well preserved coral reef.

Its beaches are among the best in Cuba with very fine white sand. Its transparent and calm waters allow visibility to more than 30 meters.

There is an International Diving Center and an equipped Marina that has specialized divers. Courses are offered there, so both expert and beginner divers are welcome. It has more than 30 dive sites including Aquarium, Cayo Sigua and Cayo Blanco.

Isla de La Juventud

At the western end of the Isla de la Juventud is the Punta Francés National Marine Park. There is one of the best areas for diving in Cuba, El Colony. A protected marine area of 6 km of coastline between Punta Pedernales and Punta Francés. In this area there are more than 50 diving sites with great biodiversity, marine caves, tunnels and coral reefs with a high degree of conservation.

In the place is the Colony Hotel and its International Diving Center equipped with what is necessary for your expedition. They have accumulated experience of many years and many international events have been held there.

It is said that this beautiful island in its time was frequented by pirates such as Francis Drake and Henry Morgan, which is why at another time it was also called Pirate Island.

Among the most interesting sites are, Cueva Azul, Túnel del Amor, Pared de Coral Negro, Cueva de los Sábalos and Cueva del Pirata.

Cienfuegos

Cienfuegos is a beautiful city located in the bay of the same name, on the southern coast of Cuba. Its historic center was declared a World Heritage Site in 2005 by UNESCO.

In the province there are 3 important international diving centers:

Faro Luna and Whale Shark Diving Centers, both located on Rancho Luna Beach.

These sites are located 20 kilometers from the city of Cienfuegos with spectacular seabed and a horizontal visibility of 25 meters. Between them there are around 40 dive sites with sunken ships, tunnels, channels and vertical walls; but without a doubt, within its coral reef, “Notre Dame” stands out, a 6-meter-high coral formation.

Internationally certified courses up to expert level are offered there.

Some of the recommended spots are: La Corona, El Laberinto, Camaronero III, Notre Dame, La Patana, Cable Inglés and Rancho Luna.

The third diving center in the province is Guajimico,

The Villa de Guajimico is located on the southern coast of Cuba between the cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad. It is a beautiful place with a great wealth of flora and fauna, surrounded by several caves and trails.

In the aboriginal language, Guajimico means “Place of the Fishes”. And it really is like that, in its seabed there are more than 15 diving sites with a great variety of fish and corals. Diving courses are also offered.

Playa Ancón, Trinidad

Located 12 kilometers from the Colonial City of Trinidad on the Ancón Peninsula are Ancon and Maria Aguilar Beaches with good visibility for diving and snorkeling. There is a wide variety of well-preserved coral species up to 5 meters high.

There are 3 dive areas with more than 20 sites including coral reefs, shipwrecks, walls and tunnels. The most distant of them reaches Cayo Blanco, a beautiful place.

Main diving spots: Deep Tunnel, El Laberinto, El Camino de Tritón, Paraíso de las esponjas and La Pared de Neptuno.

Península de Zapata

On the southern coast of the province of Matanzas is the Zapata Peninsula. It is home to the most important wetland in the Caribbean, declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and a Ramsar site. Area well preserved and with great endemism.

Its coast is the ideal place in Cuba to practice cave diving, with several flooded caves, cenotes and tunnels. It has more than 30 dive sites around the Bay of Pigs rich in fish, corals and wrecks. On its coast are the diving centers of Playa Larga, Punta Perdiz, Playa Girón and Caleta Buena.

Recommended sites:

Cueva de los Peces: A natural pool almost 70 meters deep rich in fish. It communicates with the sea through a tunnel. It is halfway between Girón and Playa Larga.

Punta Perdiz: Site with tunnels and walls and a beautiful coral reef. Rich in fish and with good visibility.

Caleta Buena: Abundant fauna with a great barrier of black coral.

Jardines de la Reina (Queen’s Gardens)

Jardines de la Reina is a paradise for diving. An almost virgin place located in the southern region of the provinces of Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey. An archipelago of small keys with wonderful seabed and great diversity. A protected area that can only be reached by boat.

It has one of the largest and most varied coral reefs in the Caribbean area. It is an impressive environment for its state of conservation with shallow waters and excellent visibility. It has a wide variety of fish including groupers, rays, tarpon and several species of sharks.

In its white sands the four species of sea turtles existing in Cuba spawn and there are also a large number of mollusks and crustaceans in the area.

There is a diving center in Cayo Caballones and a small floating hotel. There are also several liveboard diving cruises in the area, fully equipped belonging to the Avalon and Agressor fleets.

Jardines del Rey (King’s gardens)

It is located in the region to the north of the central area of the Cuban archipelago. It is part of the second largest coral reef in the world (about 400 km), which goes from Varadero to Santa Lucia in Camagüey. It was declared by the International Maritime Organization as a Protected Sensitive Marine Area (PSSA) and has dozens of dive sites.

The Jardines del Rey archipelago is made up of several islets and some are linked to the island of Cuba by a road over the sea and its main attraction is the beautiful beaches that exist there.

It has spectacular places for diving and snorkeling with crystal clear waters and a variety of corals from only 10 meters deep. There are also plenty of fish, gorgonians and sponges. Among the fish there are Groupers, Reef Sharks, Permits, Tarpon, Snappers, Pacualas, Groupers and Barracudas.

There are equipped diving centers in Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Las Brujas.

Varadero

It is one of the most famous and best beaches in the world and also with conditions for diving. It has more than 30 dive sites that include shipwrecks, corals of various species, caves, tunnels, and a rich marine fauna.

With the largest Marina in Cuba and several diving centers throughout the peninsula, it has what is necessary to practice this specialty, including several certified instructors and courses are also offered.

Recommended sites: Cayo Piedras Marine Park with several sunken ships and an airplane, Hoyo Azul (Blue Hole) 70-meter-deep cave, Coral Beach and Cayo Blanco.

Santa Lucia, Camaguey.

The beach is about 20 km long and has a well-preserved coral reef, remains of sunken ships and a wide variety of fish. It has around 40 dive sites and is one of the few known places where you can swim with bull sharks.

Undoubtedly, the Cuban archipelago is one of the best places for diving in the Caribbean. In addition to the aforementioned sites we can add the eastern part of the Havana coast as well as Cayo Levisa, Guardalavaca and Santiago de Cuba.

So, if you are a lover of diving, nature and the beauty of the seabed, Cuba is a destination par excellence, we only recommend that visitors follow the instructions of their guides for obvious safety reasons and not damage the environment so that other travelers can enjoy these spectacular views as much as you do.