Cuba Diving

Diving in Cuba's Gardens of the Queen

Jardines de la Reina Marine Park (Gardens of the Queen) is home to the the third largest reef in the world. The park’s Blue Sanctuary sustainability management program has resulted in limited access by man.

As a protected environment, underwater creatures including six species of sharks and numerous colorful corals – some of which once thought to be lost – have been able to thrive and flourish. Fish grow to adulthood, including goliath grouper and tarpon, among many other species. Only accessible by scuba diving liveaboard, Jardines de la Reina is one of the top dive liveaboard destinations in the world.

It is legal for Americans to travel to and dive in Cuba under our Blue Sanctuary program. Divers tell us that Cuba’s Blue Sanctuary program provides an exceptional liveaboard diving experience closer to home.

Gardens of the Queen Diving Highlights

Diving in the Gardens of the Queen is an extremely unique experience. Due to the area’s lack of human habitation, as well as its many years as a protected marine park, reef health is notably superior in Jardines de la Reina compared to other Caribbean dive destinations.

Long term marine park protection has also allowed many species to grow to maturity, which, otherwise, tend to struggle under human interference. A prime example is the area’s famously friendly population of goliath groupers, which are fished to dangerously low numbers in other places. Many divers who visit the Gardens of the Queen are shocked by the amount of personality displayed by these fish, which act almost like underwater puppies!

These huge groupers, as well as the abundance other large predators such as tarpon and sharks, are an excellent sign of the health of Cuba’s reefs. Shark fanatics are sure to enjoy the numerous Caribbean reef sharks on the reef as well as groups of silky sharks at the surface.

Legal Travel to Cuba

Traveling to Cuba is now completely legal for US citizens, as long as US regulations are followed. This involves participation in an OFAC-authorized program and documentation to keep after returning from the trip. Fortunately, it’s a simple process that is bundled right into trips on All Star Avalon. Non-US citizens joining All Star Avalon trips must also follow the same program onboard.

Blue Sanctuary, which qualifies as a Humanitarian Project, is our OFAC-approved sustainability management program for divers visiting Jardines de la Reina. Each passenger on All Star Avalon participates in the program through educational/conservation activities throughout the trip. These include taking part in daily fish surveys, sitting in on presentations, and learning about the marine park throughout the week onboard.

Jardines de la Reina Marine Park

Positioned fifty miles south of mainland Cuba and covering approximately 684,000 hectares, Jardines de la Reina Marine park went under protection in 1996. Since then, it has become a safe residence for thousands of marine and topside species. From charismatic goliath groupers to the remarkable American crocodile, many animals prone to struggling in other environments are able to thrive under these protected waters.

Commercial fishing and permanent human habitation are not permitted within the park boundries, so the 230+ small cays, massive mangrove forests, and reefs appear largely unfazed by human intervention. In fact, the number of divers in the park is limited, so exploration in Jardines de la Reina truly is a special opportunity for anyone wanting to experience a unique Caribbean liveaboard diving destination.

Expericne All Star Avalon

Cuba Underwater Photography

For many of the countless potential photo subjects in Jardines de la Reina, a wide-angle lens is a must. Close encounters with goliath groupers, sharks, and tarpons (often in large schools) offer amazing opportunities for high-energy shots.

A macro lens also comes in handy for the area’s variety of small critters including lettuce sea slugs and numerous crustaceans among other interesting life.

Cuba Shark Diving

One of the most exciting parts of visiting the Gardens of the Queen is getting to experience shark diving at its finest. Two species, Caribbean reef sharks and silky sharks, are spotted on most dives.

Reef sharks are generally seen patrolling the reef itself, whereas silky sharks are often spotted in groups near the surface. It’s not uncommon to spend safety stops with the silkys before climbing back into the tender.

Marine Life in the Gardens of the Queen

The healthy ecosystem of the Gardens of the Queen is home to an incredible variety of marine creatures, from tiny nudibranchs to imposing goliath groupers and everything in between. The marine park’s strict rules against fishing have created a safe haven for the many animals living in its boundries – so much so that some species, especially the resident goliath groupers, actually display a more “friendly” behavior here than in other dive destinations.

Large Marine Animals in Cuba

Large animals in Jardines de la Reina are the main attraction for most visitors. Goliath groupers, abundant silky and Caribbean reef sharks, and large schools of tarpon are certainly eye-catching. Under the marine park’s protection, these species are thriving and present on most dives – so don’t forget your wide-angle lens!

Though they aren’t found on dive sites, American saltwater crocodiles are another incredible large animal in Jardines de la Reina. They make excellent photo subjects for travelers who are brave enough to snorkel with them during surface intervals in the mangroves.

Macro Life in Cuba

For divers with a keen eye, there’s no shortage of fascinating little critters to see in the Gardens of the Queen. Lettuce sea slugs are abundant, as are plenty of small crustaceans. Also, due to the relatively unexplored nature of the area, it’s not uncommon to come across an unidentified nudibranch species!

Snorkeling in the mangroves is another great way to spot macro life underwater in the Gardens of the Queen. The mangroves act as a nursery for countless species, so many fish can be seen in their juvenile form here.

Top Dive Sites in Jardines de la Reina

Five Seas
Cueva del Pulpo
Snapper Head
Caballos
Pepper Farms
Farallon
Pipin

When to Dive Cuba

Thanks to the relative stability of the area, Cuba is an excellent dive destination year-round. In Jardines de la Reina, water temperatures range from the mid 80s in summer and rarely fall below the high 70s in winter. There are no major seasonal migrations to plan travel around, so critters to be seen don’t tend to vary much from one month to the next.

Jardines de la Reina Diving Conditions

Diving in Cuba is generally very easy. Divers enjoy nice visibility, minimal currents, and comfortable water temperatures. Most dive sites max out at approximately 75 feet of depth, though there are a few sites that reach nearly 100ft.

Gardens of the Queen liveaboards offer a unique diving experience, designed to make the most of this marvelous destination. All dives are done from large tenders, which navigate through the mangrove channels from the mothership out to dive sites 10-15 minutes away. Usually, two dives are done before returning to the mothership – this leaves time for a topside excursion during the surface interval between dives.

Many dives are treated as “drifts” in that divers are dropped in at one mooring and picked up at another. The light currents make covering the distance between moorings a relaxing activity. Divers simply follow along with the guide and get back onto the tender after a safety stop.

How to Travel to Cuba

For travelers joining a trip on All Star Avalon, travel to Cuba is very simple. All necessary documents are provided before travel, and there is a weekly American Airlines flight from Miami to Camaguey (CMW), which is the easiest airport for getting to and from the dock.

All Star Avalon boards in Jucaro, which is approximately 3 hours from Camaguey by bus.

There are also flights straight into Havana (HAV) from several US cities. A bus transfer from Havana to Jucaro is approximately 8 hours.

Gardens of the Queen Eco-Adventures

Jardines de la Reina offers, arguably, one of the most shocking topside adventures in the world. Travelers on All Star Avalon have the chance to snorkel with the fascinating, and endangered, American crocodile!

Additionally, passengers often spend surface intervals walking along remote beaches, hanging out with the area’s endangered jutia population, feeding iguanas, exploring lagoons and mangrove channels, and more.

Cuba Land Tours

No Cuba vacation is complete without a visit to its famous capitol city, Havana. Historic sites, local art, and delicious food and drinks are all just a few minutes’ drive from each other.

Below are a few of the possible activities included in a Havana land tour…

Classic car ride and workshop visit
Hemingway’s house
Meals at locally owned paladares
Cuban cigar and rum tasting
Walking tour of Old Havana
Cuban rum mixology class

The license required to tour mainland Cuba differs from the one needed to join the liveaboard, so we don’t arrange Havana tours in-house – however, we work with an agent who specializes in legal land-based travel in Cuba, and we can put you in touch with her to make a reservation. Contact us to find out more.