Scuba Diving in Cuba
Untouched reefs, sharks and wrecks for curious divers
An independent guide to the island's best dive regions, how Cuban dive centers work, when to go and how to plan the trip.
Cuba, the Caribbean's quiet giant for divers
Scuba diving in Cuba feels like stepping back to how the Caribbean looked decades ago. The island is the largest in the region, with more than 5,000 kilometers (over 3,000 miles) of coastline and more than 4,000 islands and cays scattered around it. For most of the last sixty years only a trickle of visiting divers reached those reefs, and large stretches of the coast have never had heavy fishing, mass tourism or big coastal development.
The result is diving that surprises even well-traveled divers: steep walls that fall into deep blue water a short boat ride from shore, forests of black coral and sea fans, big groupers and tarpon, and in the Jardines de la Reina marine park, sharks on almost every dive. Water stays warm all year, and visibility on the south coast walls is often excellent.
Cuba is also a different kind of trip. Dive centers are mostly run by state tourism companies, supplies can be short, and the travel rules depend on your passport. This guide covers the diving first and the planning right after it, so you can arrive ready for both.
Imagine a quiet white-sand beach at the far western tip of the island, a dive boat waiting at the pier, and dozens of wall dives only minutes away. That is an ordinary morning at María la Gorda.
Cuba still has places where the diving is the main reason to be there. Pick a base on the sheltered south coast and you can dive two or three times a day with very few other boats around.
Where to stay for divingCuba's top dive regions
Six areas worth planning a trip around
Diver's tip
Pack like there is no dive shop
Spare parts, batteries, sunscreen and even basic medicine can be hard to find in Cuba. Bring your own mask, dive computer and regulator if you can, plus spare O-rings, a save-a-dive kit and enough cash for the whole trip, because Visa and Mastercard cards no longer work on the island.
Blackouts and fuel shortages have become common, so leave slack in your schedule: a boat that cannot get fuel one morning often runs the next. Our Cuba travel guide for divers covers money, entry rules and getting around, and the Cuba dive safety page explains insurance and the hyperbaric chambers.
Dives you will remember
From shark encounters to wreck penetration and freshwater cenotes, Cuba packs a wide range of diving into one island. Swipe through a few highlights.
What makes diving in Cuba different
Three things set Cuba apart from the rest of the Caribbean. The first is protection. Cuba has set aside a large share of its coast as national parks and marine reserves, and the best known, Jardines de la Reina, limits how many divers can visit each year. Commercial fishing is banned inside it, and that shows: sharks, goliath groupers and huge schools of snapper are the normal view rather than a lucky one.
The second is how quiet it is. Outside Varadero and a few resort strips, you may share a site with only your own boat. Many of the best dive bases, such as María la Gorda and Punta Francés, sit far from cities and are reached by long drives or boat transfers. That remoteness is part of why the reefs look the way they do.
The third is the way the industry works. Almost every dive center belongs to a state tourism company, prices are fixed per dive or package, and you cannot always book online. Our page on Cuba dive centers explains what a dive day looks like, what to bring and how to reserve.
Is Cuba good for beginners?
Yes, with the right base. Varadero, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo and Guardalavaca have shallow reefs, calm conditions most of the year and resort dive centers that run discovery dives and entry-level courses. Shore diving at the Bay of Pigs is also gentle, with sandy entries and coral starting a few meters out. Jardines de la Reina and the deep walls of María la Gorda and Punta Francés are better once you have some experience and are comfortable with depth and blue-water descents.
Plan the rest of the trip
Before you book, check the best time to dive Cuba for your chosen region, look at the places to stay near the reefs and read the short guide to Cuba's history and culture. It makes the island, and the people you meet on the boat, much easier to understand. The photographers behind the pictures on this site are listed on our photo credits page.
Plan your Cuba dive trip
Four steps from first idea to first giant stride.