| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 22/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 43 |
| Copyright: Other |
Diving
Paradise in the Caribbean for serious divers
CUBA is a less developed dive destination than other islands in the Caribbean but that is one of the attractions for serious divers keen to explore virgin sites.The best scuba diving on the island is off the south coast, in particular an area called Jardines de la Reina which is a 5hr boat ride from shore. As the site is so far from land, it offers some excellent marine life, including big fish, and extremely good visibility.
Other recommended dive sites off the south coast are the Isle of Youth, Maria la Gorda, Guajimico and Cayo Largo. As the south coast of Cuba is just the other side of the Cayman Trench, Hayes and Jarvis product manager Rob Sanday said the diving is not dissimilar to diving in the Cayman Islands.
“There are some big walls with amazing drop-offs and although the wildlife is scarce in shallow waters, there is a lot of variety deeper down,” he said.
Although the diving off the north coast is less spectacular, a number of dive centres have sprung up in Varadero, the island’s main holiday resort and in Santa Lucia, Guardalavaca and Cayo Coco further along the coast. Several of these offer four to five-day learn-to-dive packages or single dives for beginners. UK operators believe Cuba is not a destination for novice divers, however. In fact, most specialist dive operators recommend it only for those with plenty of experience.
Goldenjoy Holidays diving consultant Yvonne French said: “Cuba is not a destination for holiday divers but for serious divers who know how to plot a route and stick to it. The dive facilities in Cuba are not as good as on the other Caribbean islands, and the instruction is so laid back that the dive masters often don’t even get in the water with their clients, so we recommend it only for experienced divers.”
However, operators acknowledge that dive centres in Cuba are improving and Regal Holidays said it may start offering learn-to-dive packages there in the future.
Regal Holidays product manager Andreas Elia said: “At the moment we don’t advise people to go to Cuba if they are novice divers because we think there are better places in the Caribbean to learn, but several new dive centres have cropped up and more Europeans are becoming involved in the dive industry over there so that may soon change.”
Swimming with the fish:a number of dive centres have been set up in the popular beach resort of Varadero
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Cuba
Hayes and Jarvis: features the UCPA Village in Guajimico, which costs from £609 for a week full-board, including flights, plus £155 for a five-day dive package of two dives a day. The operator also offers the all-inclusive Beaches Varadero from £745 for a week, with diving thrown in.
Regal Holidays: offers some of Cuba’s top dive destinations, including Cayo Largo, Jardines de la Reina, the Isle of Youth and Maria la Gorda. Nine nights full board on Cayo Largo costs £919 including flights and 10 dives.
Goldenjoy Holidays: has diving in some south coast resorts, including the Isle of Youth and Cayo Largo. A week on the Isle of Youth starts at £659 half-board, including flights. Diving costs £25 a day for two dives.
Captivating Cuba: offers diving in Guajimico and Santa Lucia, from £455 for a week half-board including flights and 10 dives a day with instruction.