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With untouched and unexplored coral reefs, sunken ship wrecks and exotic marine life, Cuba's underwater world is any diver's fascination. Cuba has many interesting diving options to choose from, with the Atlantic Ocean to the North and the Caribbean Sea to the South.
Cuba's pristine dive sites are spread over 3,250 miles of coast including keys and islets. Within one of the largest and least explored coral reefs in the world, divers can experience caves, tunnels and a phenomenal range of seascapes, which is the home of dozens of sunken Spanish galleons surrounded by barracudas, rays, whale sharks, turtles, tarpons, damsels, drums, bigeyes, moray eels, parrot fish, snappers, tiger fish, gobies and wrasses.
The main area is located around the Colony hotel, 45 km south Nueva Gerona, Isle of Youth, the biggest island of Cuba. Other diving centers are located in Maria la Gorda, north of Pinar del Río, Varadero beach, Cayo Largo, Cayo Coco, Ancon beach, Faro de Luna, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, Santa Lucia beach, Camaguey and there are virgin areas around Marea del Portillo, Pilon, Niquero, Granma, in the eastern region.
In Cuba, the diving sites do not only offer miles of coral barrier, it also offers shark habitats, wrecks in Playa Santa Lucia and underwater cliffs of more than 3 000 feet on the open sea near Key Largo.
A unique attraction in the Varadero beach area is Marino Cayo Piedras del Norte Park. There are transparent water, bright colors, and shoals of diverse fishes, and corals that seem to be sculptured and hand-coloured.
Main dive Sites in Cuba
1: Los Canarreos Archipelago
Los Canarreos Archipelago has 56 designated dive sites at Puertosol Colony International Scuba Centre and Cayo Largo del Sur.
2: Guanahacabibes Peninsula
Guanahacabibes Peninsula provides access to more than 50 dive sites from María La Gorda International Scuba Centre.
3: Havana
Havana has 72 scuba sites available through four international diving centres. Immersion area is more than 100 kilometres long and three kilometres wide. Some 20 kilometres east of the city lies a coastal belt of white coral sand.
4: Santa Lucia
An extensive coral reef just off this beach resort has 34 designated dive points and numerous shipwrecks.
Varadero
Has more than 25 diving sites. Especially popular is the Cayo Piedras del Norte underwater park, where old yachts, frigates and planes have been deliberately sunk for recreational exploration.
Playa Girón
The top attraction here is the sheer drop off the island's underwater platform.
Northern coast of Holguín
More than 20 dive sites are located just off Esmeralda and Guardalavaca beaches.
Ancón Peninsula
This area's two well defined dive sites are Ancón and Cayo Blanco de Casilda.
Santiago de Cuba
Scuba centres operate out of Baconao Park (Sigua and Bucanero) and Guamá municipality. Site of the Caribbean's best preserved sunken ship, the Spanish warship Cristóbal Colón.
Cienfuegos
International jet-ski competitions are held here every year, as are occasional speedboat competitions.
Jardines del Rey
In Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo, coral reefs offer attractive underwater landscapes.
Highlights of Cuba's underwater world
Much treasure lies beneath the unpolluted waters of the Cuban archipelago, which offers through-water visibility of 30 to 40 metres. Home to more than 500 varieties of fish, crustaceans, sponges, mollusks and coral, Cuba's ecosystem is one of the most treasured in the Caribbean. And the wrecks of several 17th- and 18th-century Spanish galleons carrying valuable cargo provide treasure-hunting of a different sort.
Spectacular canyons and caves harbour natural treasures galore. You can see eye to eye with angelfish, blue chromis, squirrelfish, snook, groupers and more. You can gaze in awe at tortoises, sharks, blue marlin and swordfish. Or visit coral gardens that rival any on earth. And take home memories to brag about.
Discover ship wrecks...
There are various sunken wrecked ships touching the floor of the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean Sea surrounding Cuba, all fascinating and awaiting exploration.
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