Cuba - Lonely Planet [58]
Possess a current diving certification card from a recognized scuba-diving instructional agency (if scuba diving).
Be sure you are healthy and feel comfortable diving.
Obtain reliable information about physical and environmental conditions at the dive site (eg from a reputable local dive operation).
Be aware of local laws, regulations and etiquette about marine life and the environment.
Dive only at sites within your realm of experience; if available, engage the services of a competent, professionally trained dive instructor or dive master.
Be aware that underwater conditions vary significantly from one region, or even site, to another. Seasonal changes can significantly alter any site and dive conditions. These differences influence the way divers dress for a dive and what diving techniques they use.
Ask about the environmental characteristics that can affect your diving and how locally trained divers deal with these considerations.
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The Bahía de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs; see boxed text,), on the south coast of Matanzas, offers the island’s most accessible diving with a plunging 35km-long coral wall located within about 50m of the shore. There are also a number of freshwater or saltwater cenotes (sinkholes) here, providing unique diving opportunities for the curious and the brave.
Cuba’s longest (and the world’s second-longest) coral reef sits 1.5km off Playa Santa Lucía on the north coast of Camagüey province, making this another mecca for divers from around the globe. The pièce de résistance here is the underwater shark-feeding show that takes place off nearby Playa Los Cocos.
Guajimico in Cienfuegos province is a large campismo (with dive outfit) that offers good, cheap accommodation and in excess of 20 diving sites about 20 minutes away by boat. The area is renowned for its coral gardens.
The big north coast resorts of Varadero, Cayo Coco and Guardalavaca all have well-organized, professional dive centers that run trips to nearby reefs. Varadero boasts El Neptuno, a Russian ship purposefully sunk in the 1940s; Cayo Coco has La Jaula with a profusion of gorgonians; and Guardalavaca offers La Corona (The Crown), a colorful coral wall.
Cuba’s best wreck dive is the Cristóbal Colón, off the coast of Santiago de Cuba province, a Spanish warship sunk by the Americans in 1898. It is accessible from dive sites in Chivirico and Parque Baconao.
In all, you’ll find more than 30 dive centers across Cuba, managed by Marinas Gaviota (www.gaviota-grupo.com), Cubanacán Náutica (www.cubanacan.cu) or Cubamar (www.cubamarviajes.cu). Though equipment does vary between installations, you can generally expect safe, professional and often multilingual service with these operators. Environmentally sensitive diving is where things can get wobbly, and individuals should educate themselves about responsible diving (see boxed text, opposite).
Dives and courses are comparably priced island-wide, from CUC$30 to CUC$45 per dive, with a discount after four or five dives. Full certification courses are CUC$310 to CUC$365, and ‘resort’ or introductory courses cost CUC$50 to CUC$60. Because of the US embargo laws, Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certification is generally not offered in Cuba; instead, you’ll likely receive American Canadian Underwater Certification (ACUC) credentials.
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CYCLING
Riding a bike in Cuba is the best way to discover the island in close-up. Some decent roads, wonderful scenery and the opportunity to get off the beaten track and meet Cubans eye-to-eye make cycling here a pleasure whichever route you take. For more mellow pedalers, daily bike rental is sometimes available in hotels, resorts and cafes for a going rate of approximately CUC$3 to CUC$7 a day, but don’t always bank on it. The bigger resorts in Varadero are more reliable and will often include bike use as part of the all-inclusive package. Alternatively, if you’re staying in a casa particular, your host