Programs offers can include day and night dives at underwater caves, tunnels, channels, coral reefs and sunken ships near the scuba-diving centres that are located on all of Cuba's coasts. Endorsed by prestigious international organizations as BSAC, the centres have a solid infrastructure of services.

Scuba-Diving Centres

Pinar del Río

The María La Gorda International Scuba-Diving Centre is in a scuba-diving area that extends along the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, a biosphere preserve. It is considered one of the most unspoiled natural areas in Cuba. In its clear water, you can see sea sponges and coral-including the largest colony of Black Coral (Antipathes salix) in Cuban waters.

María La Gorda: Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Sandino, Pinar del Río

Cayo Levisa is one of the small cays in the Los Colorados Archipelago, off the northern coast of Pinar del Río. On its seabed, there are many varieties of coral, sponges, medium-sized and large tropical fish, and sunken ships dating from the 17th and 18th centuries that are both easy to get to and of archaeological interest.

Cayo Levisa: Costa Norte, La Palma, Pinar del Río

Havana

Cuba's capital is ideal for those who want to combine the city's attractions with scuba diving. Its scuba-diving centres are in a diving area a little over 60 miles (100 kilometres) long. In deep water, you can see Blue Marlins (Makaira nigrencans), Tunas, Stoplight Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) and Swordfish.

La Aguja: Hemingway Marina, 5ta Avenida y 248, Santa Fe

Playa Tarará: Vía Blanca km.18, Playa Tarará, Habana del Este

Copacabana: Copacabana Hotel, Avenida 1ra e/ 60 y 70, Playa

Isle of Youth and Cayo Largo del Sur

The Colony is an important scuba-diving area in the Francés Point Ecological Preserve, southeast of the Isle of Youth. Here, you can see many species of fish, including Morays (Gymnothorax spp.) Snappers (Lutjanus spp.), Grunts (Haemulon spp.), Tarpons (Megalops atlanticus) and Jewfish; sunken ships; deep channels; coral; gorgonians; sponges; caves; and passageways.

Colony: Carretera Siguanea km. 42, Isla de la Juventud

Cayo Largo del Sur is at the eastern tip of the Canarreos Archipelago. It is a paradise of unspoiled beaches and shallow water where coral formations; gorgonians; Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.); tube, basket and branch sponges; tunnels; and steep underwater walls abound. The pristine underwater landscapes and marvellous contrasts bring scuba divers back over and over again.

Cayo Largo: Special municipality of the Isle of Youth

Matanzas

The diving area at Varadero, Cuba's most famous beach resort is extensive and filled with coral formations, caves, channels and passageways. It has a great diversity of fish, coral, well-developed gorgonians and sponges.

Barracuda: Cuatro Palmas Hotel, Avenida 1ra y 59, Varadero

Acua: Avenida Kawama no. 201, Varadero

The Bay of Pigs area, south of Matanzas Province, offers multi-level open-sea scuba diving and scuba-diving spelunking in flooded caves. The area is noted for its great variety of coral, Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.), tropical fish and sunken war matériel from the US Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961.

Octopus: Playa Larga, Zapata Peninsula, Matanzas

Playa Girón-Caleta Buena: Playa Girón, Zapata Peninsula, Matanzas

Cienfuegos

There are two scuba-diving centres, covering an area around 3.5 nautical miles long. The extensive coral formations in the area consist mainly of Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and Brain Coral (Diploria spp.), Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.) and gorgonians. Other attractions include sunken ships, coral channels and many species of fish: Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), Barracuda (Sphyraena spp.), Groupers (Epinephelus spp.), Snappers (Lutjanus spp.), Grunts (Haemulon spp.), Angelfish (Pomacanthus spp.), Bermuds Chubs (Kyphosus sectatrix) and Blue Tangs (Acanthurus coeruleus)

Faro Luna: Faro Luna Hotel, Carretera Pasacaballos km. 18

Cienfuegos Whale Shark: Rancho Luna Hotel, km. 16, Cienfuegos

Trinidad

There is a scuba-diving centre on the Ancón Peninsula, just outside the city of Trinidad. Throughout the area, as far as Blanco Cay, the narrow insular shelf has a sandy bottom with patches of coral and ridges up to 16 feet (five meters) high, tunnels, channels and other features. There are around 40 species of coral, plus sponges of a wide variety of colors and shapes.

Cayo Blanco: Ancón Peninsula, Trinidad, Sancti Spíritus

Jardines del Rey Archipelago

The Coco Cay scuba-diving area, off the northern coast of Ciego de Avila Province, has a wide range of seascapes, clear water, excellent sand and captivating ribbon-like coral formations. The coral reef extends for more than 20 miles (32 kilometres) in depths that range from six and a half to 131 feet (from two to 40 meters). The greatest attraction here is the diversity of fish. In addition, there are many sponges, gorgonians and species of coral.

Scuba Cuba Coco: Tryp Cayo Coco Hotel, Ciego de Avila

Jardines de la Reina Archipelago

This world-class resort is off the southern coasts of Ciego de Avila and Camagüey Provinces. It has an impressive seabed and scuba-diving areas that extend for around 43 miles (70 kilometres) and contain many coral formations. Large fish, Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) and other marine turtles live in the deeper areas. Here, too, you can treat yourself to a real adventure and go scuba diving with sharks.

Avalón: Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, Ciego de Ávila

Santa Lucía

This scuba-diving area runs from Maternillos Point to the Sabinal Cay area, paralleling more than 12 miles (20 kilometres) of beaches that are protected by one of the most extensive and best-preserved coral formations in the tropics. Here, there are many sunken ships, including the Nuestra Señora de Alta Gracia, the Mortera and the Pizarro. On the seabed-which contains ridges up to 33 feet (more than 10 meters) high-you can see an enchanting tapestry of different species of coral and enormous gorgonians.

Shark's Friends: Brisas Santa Lucía Hotel, Playa Santa Lucía, Camagüey

Guardalavaca

This scuba-diving area is 11 miles (18 kilometres) long. The seabed is irregular and complex, forming high hillocks; caves; small valleys; and cliffs with vertical walls that in some places descend to form terraces covered with gorgonians, Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.) and coral. The formation called Coral Garden and the man-made Underwater Park-which contains tanks and pieces of artillery-are the most unusual attractions.

Eagle Ray: Club Amigo Atlántico Hotel, Playa Guardalavaca

Coral Reef: Brisas Guardalavaca Hotel, Playa Guardalavaca

Marea del Portillo

The Marea del Portillo scuba-diving area is in the Caribbean Sea south of the Sierra Maestra Mountains in eastern Cuba. Its seabed features high hillocks separated by narrow channels, which form caves and tunnels-a favourite habitat of sponges, colonies of Black Coral (Antipathes salix), gorgonians and soft coral. Here, too, you will find important patrimonial treasures: ships from Spanish Admiral Cervera's fleet, including the Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus), that were sunk at the end of the 19th century during the Spanish-Cuban-America War.

Albacora: Playa Marea del Portillo, Pilón, Granma

Santiago de Cuba

The scuba-diving area contains gigantic gorgonians; Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.); sponges; a seabed carpeted with coral formations that include everything from reefs near the coast to impressive walls; and various species of fish, crustaceans and mollusks. Several ships from Spanish Admiral Cervera's celebrated fleet that were sunk at the end of the 19th century during the Spanish-Cuban-American War also lie on Santiago de Cuba's seabed.

Bucanero: Bucanero Hotel, Carretera Baconao km.12, Santiago de Cuba

Sigua: Carretera Baconao km. 40, Santiago de Cuba

Sierra Mar: Sierra Mar Hotel, Carretera Chivirico km. 60, Santiago de Cuba

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