Jardines de la Reina, Cuba Diving
Jardines de la Reina (AKA the Gardens of the Queen) is a hidden Caribbean gem. After years of travel restrictions, it’s now legally accessible to American scuba divers! This incredible area has been a protected marine park since 1996, so dive sites feel like a blast from the past in terms of the environment’s health and beauty.
Keep reading to learn about our top 5 reason to visit and dive Cuba’s mesmerizing Jardines de la Reina Marine Park!
#1 – Friendly Goliath Groupers
Interacting with marine critters is the holy grail for many divers. Whether it’s a dolphin, octopus, or even a cleaner shrimp, it’s humbling to share a moment with an animal living beneath the waterline. The goliath groupers in Jardines de la Reina are so accustomed to living in protected waters that they swim right up to divers, often playfully bumping into them. They just want your attention!
Some veteran dive guides even seem to be recognized by some of the area’s massive groupers. Noel, who has been leading dives in the area for many years, appears to be reuniting with old friends when he descends among the goliaths.
Noel’s keen underwater photography skills are a treat for everyone onboard when he provides his photos from the week for download – many of the best shots feature divers and goliath groupers posing together, documenting a memory from a fantastic dive.
If interacting with unique marine life is on your bucket list, Cuba’s beautiful Jardines de la Reina Marine Park is a must-visit destination.
#2 – Sharks, Sharks, and More Sharks
Diving with sharks is always a blast. In Cuba, Caribbean reef sharks patrol the reefs on nearly every dive, and silky sharks often hang out at the surface near the tender during descents and ascents. In fact, it’s uncommon to have a dive without at least a few sharks present – depending on the site, they may be more concentrated on the reef or toward the surface. There’s no better safety stop than one spent in a cloud of energetic silky sharks!
As with the groupers, living in the protected waters of Jardines de la Reina allows them to show a lot more personality than sharks living in other areas. They’re highly inquisitive, which provides the opportunity for excitingly close encounters and excellent photo opportunities.
This huge population of sharks is also a stellar indicator of our next point…Jardines de la Reina’s reefs are shockingly healthy! As you might suspect, large predators like sharks and groupers require quite a bit to eat.
#3 – Healthy Reefs
A major benefit of Jardines de la Reina’s extreme remoteness is its bounty of healthy reefs. Many divers assume they have to fly all the way to the Coral Triangle for reefs of this quality, but Cuba proves that there’s no need to travel so far.
From towering pillar corals in the shallows to tiny button corals of every fluorescent color at depth, Jardines de la Reina is a colorful playground for divers. The sheer amount of coral coverage alone makes for a beautiful scene as you descend onto each reef.
Vibrant corals, an enormous fish population, and the abundance of predators like sharks, morays, and groupers are all great evidence that this ecosystem is thriving. Divers can find something to admire in every direction. Prolific biodiversity ranging from tiny nudibranchs to massive schools of tarpon offers something for every diver.
#4 – Fascinating Reef Topography
Many of the area’s dive sites are a relatively similar type of reef (sloping wall meeting a sandy bottom in the ~70’ range), but each site has its own unique formations. Canyons, caves, overhangs, drop-offs, and small pillars give character to different sites. Many of the canyons and caves that divers visit are large enough to actually go inside.
In the caves, divers with sharp eyes are likely to spot lettuce sea slugs. Nurse sharks are also frequent visitors to cave entrances, and they tend to be pretty tolerant of divers getting close if approached slowly. Tarpon and groupers are notorious for spending time in and around unique canyons and overhangs. Playing chicken with a huge tarpon as you swim along a canyon is a very memorable experience.
On some of the deeper sites, swim-throughs and dramatic canyons are great places to put your buoyancy skills to the test. You won’t find vertical walls in Jardines de la Reina, but you’ll find just about everything else!
#5 – Crocodile Encounters
Where else in the world can you get in the water with a crocodile? This incredibly unique snorkeling experience occurs in the mangrove channels of Jardines de la Reina, and it’s a high-adrenaline adventure. Plus, the photo opportunities are incredible.
It’s technically not a “diving” highlight since a tank isn’t needed, but it’s just too exciting not to mention! The water is incredibly shallow where the crocodile resides in the mangroves, so snorkeling offers the most ideal up-close-and-personal time with this toothy marine park resident. Travelers who are more faint-of-heart can still enjoy watching the crocodile from the tender.
This adventure is offered nearly every day as a surface interval activity instead of returning to the mothership between dives.
How to Book a Legal Cuba Diving Trip
Check out All Star Avalon! All passengers on the trip participate in the Blue Sanctuary Program, which is what makes the travel legal under US law. This involves participating in fish surveys and sitting in on presentations about the marine park and its inhabitants while onboard. Guests tell us all the time that being a part of the program is an enriching and fun aspect of the trip! Contact us to book your space.
