Maria la Gorda Cuba - questions.....

[Nettie-NZ]

I'm off to Cuba next year and I'm hoping to get 2 or 3 days diving in while I'm there.

I'm after somewhere with decent diving that I can just chill for a few days - e.g just an eat drink sleep dive routine :blinking:.

At this stage I'm looking at Maria la Gorda but I guess I haven't ruled out Playa Largo or Playa Giron as possible options

It would be great to hear from people who have dived there.

Anyway some MLG questions please for anyone who can help.
First off - who did you choose to book through? I've tried to get in touch (email) with Cubaism - the people who have the villa maria la gorda .com - Diving and Scuba in Cuba website, but several days later and still no reply. It could be just 'es Cuba' or do you have other recommendations on ways to book.

Do they have Nitrox? I'm guessing no, but I'm curious.

Should I book/pay for a dive package before I go or wait until I get there? How many dives a day would be normal? Do they regularly go out for night dives?

The food at MLG doesn't get great reviews. Should I prepay for meals (I'm guessing this is the buffet option) or decide when I get there?

Thanks!

 

[oldmaninthesea]

Hi
I can't comment on Maria La Gorda but Cayo Largo might suit you for a few days.

"I'm after somewhere with decent diving that I can just chill for a few days - e.g just an eat drink sleep dive routine

."

Good but not great diving, certainly good enough for a few days. There are 4 resort hotels on the island and one dive shop all run by the Cuban government. A very easy low key vacation. All inclusive resorts, ie; eat and drink as much as you want as long as you don't mind limited choice of food and drink.
Here is a link to a video my friends made last year at Cayo Largo.
https://vimeo.com/34695856

 

[cleung]

I stayed at Maria La Gorda for 3 nights (two mornings of diving). Booked through WOWCuba (just do an online search for them) and they even arranged the local transfers out and back from Havana. The rooms were nice as well as the beach. The food was a joke and yes, it's a buffet - no other options there.

They have these cows that roam free in the back and sometimes they moo into the night. The diving, even in a recognized biosphere, was average Caribbean. Divemasters were not as safety oriented as in other countries. We did two deep dives back to back which is a real no-no.

 

[VivaCaribe]

I have dived Maria la Gorda several years ago, and plan to return in a few months. I found it to be good diving on Caribbean scale and Ive been all over those parts. If you get on Undercurrent.org's useful site, see a February 2002 review of the diving and operation at Maria la Gorda. The hotel and food are fine but ordinary. Great birding nearby. I think it's better than Isla de la Juventud, probably the other good Cuba area, aside from Jardines de la Reina.

Cayo Largo, I have not been there. There is a fresh report with some details and a link to a lot of video in the just-out Undercurrent Chapbook.