Are you looking for some interesting and unique diving destination to spend your summer vacations at? If you are still searching for an appropriate place, then I suppose you haven’t considered Cuba.
With 110,861 square kilometers, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. It is located in the northern Caribbean, to the south of the Bahamas, east of Mexico, west of the Haiti and north of the Jamaica.
Cuba’s nature is incredible. The island is decorated with unique plants and trees. No other place in the world is gifted with such splendid nature.
The main island of Cuba, with set of coral reeves and tiny islets, possesses unbelievable flora and fauna. These islets, surrounded with coral thickets, represent huge interest for fans of scuba diving due to excellent conditions. There are no strong sea currents here. The quiet and warm water is so transparent, that it is possible to see everything on the distance of 30 meters. Great visibility and favorable weather are your constant companions in almost all the diving areas.
As the island shelf is rather close to the surface, and the climate of Cuba is almost tropical, the water temperature is 75,2-83,3 degrees by Farenheit (24-28,5 degrees on Celsius) all year round. The waters, surrounding the island, are ideal for any type of scuba diving – researches of reeves, day and night dives on depth of 130 foots (40 metres) in coral gardens, where you can find a set of attractive places: caves, vertical walls, tunnels, underwater slopes, narrow channels, remains of the ships, etc.
Contrasting colors cause invariable delight, abounding with coral formations, which are a habitat of 500 kinds of fishes, 200 kinds of sea sponges, a big variety of molluscs and Crustacea, jellyfishes and seaweed.
Scuba diving in Cuba will be one of your best deeds in life. Cuba offers you a wide variety of diving destinations with amazing underwater views.
The Gardens of the Queen with 33 diving destinations: The chain of the islands at the southern coast of the province of Sego de Avila is surrounded with sea currents and a rich coral reef – home for numerous claw-shaped ones. This is the only place in the western part of the Caribbean sea, where turtles still come to postpone eggs. Flower and brain-shaped corals can be observed much in this place. They involve a considerable quantity of bright coral fish, such as fiber-fish, soldier-fish with black strips, grumblers, shafts. In deeper waters it is possible to find turtles, sharks, blue marlins, tunas and sword-fish.
Kayo Koko with 20 diving sites: Kayo Koko is often named a huge natural aquarium or a natural paradise. Many visitors claim, that it is difficult to find other place in the Caribbean Sea where they can see so many beautiful species of fish. While diving in Kayo Koko you’ll come across red fish-parrots, grumblers and amber fish, royal and other kinds of angel-fishes, anemones and prickly lobsters.
Maria La Gorda with 39 diving places: The remote enclave, located in the western part of the island, on the peninsula of Guanaakabibes, is world-famous reserve of biosphere. This district is known for its legends about pirates, the truthfulness of which proves to be true anchors, old guns and other treasures lying at the bottom of the sea.
Santa Lucia with 35 diving destinations: Santa Lucia is one of the best and longest beaches on Cuba. It is located at the northern coast of the province of Kamaguej, where numerous coral formations closely approach the coast. The territory intended for scuba diving, lasts from cape Maternillos to Kajo Sabinal, and includes remains of old shipwrecks. You need some 5,6 minutes to reach the nearest coral belt. It contains crests in the height of 33 foots divided by lower sandy sites.
Trinidad with 21 diving places: Trinidad beaches are the best ones at the southern coast of Cuba. The underwater world in this area is gorgeous: colonies of corals, sandy crests to 16 foots in height, tunnels and a sandy bottom. Here, it is possible to find congestions of the Black coral, a big variety of sea sponges, branchy and plumose jellyfishes, simple fanlike and tropical fishes.
Varadero with 32 diving destinations: Varadero is the best-known resort in Cuba. It is stretched along the northern coast of the Peninsula de Icacos, in the northern part of the province of Matanzas. The diving territory lasts from the Matanzas bay to the western edge of the archipelago of the Gardens of the Queen. The territory is rich in coral formations and wide variety of fishes. The two most popular places on this resort are the Blue Chasm; an underwater cave of 230 foots in diameter, located among reeves of the Cadiz bay and the sea park, which occupies a territory of 2 square miles and exhibits a motor boat, a frigate with guns, a transport plane and several shipwrecks.
Havana with 72 diving sites: Havana is the capital of Cuba, a beautiful coastal city. There are four international centers of scuba diving in Havana, occupying territory in 62 miles at length and almost in 2 miles at width. It is possible to find remains of the shipwrecks here. Some of these sunk ships have been declared to be a part of the national historical heritage.
Ale of Koloni with 56 diving destinations: This destination is known for its bewitching legends about the buried treasure. The waters are rich in unique fish and sea-plant species. Ale of Koloni is a great diving spot not only for professional divers but for beginners as well. You shouldn’t dive too deep in the waters of Ale of Koloni to admire “the buried treasure”. The shallow places are not less entertaining and gorgeous.
There are numerous scuba diving classes held at almost all Cuba diving spots. With the help of experienced and watchful divers you’ll learn the tricks of scuba diving in a rather short period of time. Later on, you’ll be given a certificate of diver, which means that you will be able to dive at any of the above mentioned places.
As you see, there is a great deal of hidden sights in Cuba’s waters. Each of you is gifted with a chance to dive in the wealthy waters of the island and admire the treasures of this huge natural aquarium.