Cuba dive options close to Havana?

[localdivah]

I'll be in Cuba for 9 days, but will only have 5 days outside of Havana. My primary purpose to be there for those 5 days will be to dive, but I'll have a non-diving travelling companion, so I need to find a base location not too far from Havana that offers cultural and architectural variety but also very good diving.

Originally, my dive options were:

• Cayo Coco
• Jardines de la Reina (South)
• Maria La Gorda (2 hrs from regional airport or 5 hrs by car)
• Cienfuegos
• Isla de Juventud
• Bay of Pigs

However, I think most of those are either dive-specific locations (ie. Maria La Gorda and Jardines de la Reina) or too far away from Havana to spend just 4-5 days.

Can anyone recommend a location/area that is:
* 3-4 hrs by bus/train from Havana or a short, inexpensive (let's say <$100 USD) flight
* Diving representative of Cuba -- meaning, I wouldn't think I was just doing another dive in the Caribbean
* Not in the typical touristy areas like Varadero, yet still popular with the independent traveler crowd (the "Lonely Planet" crowd) meaning that there is some tourism infrastructure (I've read that Cienfuegos, for instance, no longer allows casas particulares (private homes to rent rooms))
* Good variety of topside activities for the independent traveler

 

[scubamickey]

Trinidad is an option. I think the bus ride was about 4 hours and it's on a tourist only bus so it's air conditioned too. There are many casa particulares there and the history and culture is rich.
There's a dive shop at the hotel next to Trinidad del Mar resort on the peninsula.

I've heard good things about the diving at Isla de juventud. But I never inquired about the airfare.

I would stay away from Cienfuegos. It's a pretty town with lots of history but it's not a place I would stay. Crazy stuff goes on there.

 

[PaulChristenson]

http://www.ibike.org/cuba/ofac/cuba-travelto.htm

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1097.html

http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/

 

[localdivah]

Thanks Paul -- well past that.

Trinidad may be a little inconvenient, dive-wise -- I believe that Playa Alcon is the nearest diving, which is still 10-15 km from Trinidad. But, that may not be that tough so I should be able to get by.

I have a few days in Habana as well - has anyone done any diving near there as a day trip?

 

[pablovi]

There are 72 dive sites in the province of Habana.

http://www.varadero-travel.com/divingsite_11.html

I don't know how good they are, because I've never dive there.

In that link is the address of the 4 dive operators in that Province, in Cuba all opperators belong to the goverment, so you can't choose which one to go to, if you want to dive a certain site you must choose that operator. Also bring all your equipment, most of the store have only very general equipment.

More Links:

http://www.varadero-travel.com/scuba_diving_cuba.html
http://www.cuba-diving.de/DIVE-CUBA/DIVING_PLACES_CUBA/diving_places_cuba.html

Cuba is believed to be the last part of pristine caribbean.

Regards, and enjoy your trip.

I've lived in cuba before i was certified so I never dive there.

 

[scuba_guy62]

I've been to Bahia des Cochinos (Bay of Pigs..sp) on a day trip from Varadero and thought the diving was quite good. You get a Cozumel style wall a few fin kicks from shore without any current. Not sure about the area as far as non diver or infrastructure for hotels etc. I have also been to Cayo Largo which is in the same archipellago of the Isle of youth and the diving was pretty good but the island has only a few hotels and not much else. From what I have heard and read...the Isle of youth may be your best bet. Almost all of the people who work on Cayo Largo come from the Isle of youth and they are quite proud of it. Castro I think was imprisoned on the island for a time and it seems to have some colonial style architecture. Hope this helps. Have a great trip and remember about the money situation (U.S. Dollars not a good option any more)

 

[nipi]

Scubamickey is right. Trinidad sounds like the place for you. Ancon is not that far from the centre at all. The sites are all a short boat rides away. You could also stop at Cienfuegos and dive at Faro Luna en route. Diving's not as good as MLGorda but there's not much else to do there. Near Havana on the n. coast, you're struggling unless you venture to Varardero or Cayo Levisa - I have done a couple at Marina Tarara half an hour east of Havana & they're in my top 10 worst of all time. You could also try Marina Hemmingway to the east of Havana but I haven't dived there.

 

[scubamickey]

From Playa Ancon to the city center is about a 10-15 minute cab ride. Problem is finding a ride

We wondered around for 30 minutes one day looking for a ride back to the hotel. Finally found a local who had a friend who had a brother with a jeep. He took as back for $5. Very entertaining, in a sad and pathetic sort of way.