Scuba diving holidays in Cuba

Just 10 mins from any of Cayo Largo hotels, is Avalon Dive Centre on its own jetty, and next to the turtle sanctuary. A BSAC, SSI, ACUC and CMAS accredited dive centre, it is operated on behalf of Cuban Government by reputable Italian firm, Avalon.

On the southern side of the island, there is a small jetty that is also home to the dive boats - large, purpose built day boats that have plenty of deck space for your kit. Powerful engines will transport you quickly to the dive sites around the island.

Below palm trees on the beach next to Club Amigo Atlantico hotel, and minutes away from Brisas Guardalavaca Hotel sits Eagle Ray dive centre. BSAC accredited and well equipped with new ScubaPro equipment, this friendly dive centre run very professionally.

At the northern end of the Caribbean Coast of Cuba, situated on the fringes of Punta Frances National Marine Park, Colony is probably the most popular dive resort in Cuba with divers from all over the world.

Just on the edge of Havana City lies the international port and marina, Marlin Marina Hemingway. Home to mega-yachts and small water craft alike, this purpose built marina offers a good selection of restaurants and facilities at the head of the moorings.

Situated on the main resort strip in Varadero is the Marlin Marina Chapelin, a purpose built yachting marina, and home to the range of water craft for watersports excursions.

Perfect for divers with non-diving families, consider the marina at Tarara - approximately 20 minutes from the city centre, this dive centre has modern marina with everything non-divers need while they have been abandoned on land!

Smaller than the other dive centres in Varadero, this acts as a departure point for more advanced diving as Nitrox (EAN) is available here. It is also mooring point for the numerous dive boats, reducing congestion at the other marinas.

Situated in downtown Varadero you will find, right on the beach, Barracuda Varadero. A BSAC, SSI, ACUC and CMAS accredited dive centre, this is the centre for inland excursions for cave diving, trips to the Bay of Pigs and other destinations.

Shark's Friends is situated in the grounds of the 4* all-inclusive hotel, Be Live Brisas Sta Lucia. Home of the famous Bull Shark dives, great quality wrecks, awesome reef and wall diving from the beach make this a perfect base for your diving holiday.

This is a wreck of a tugboat, and sitting upright on the edge of the wall, it is massaged by gentle current. Therefore, it is well covered with corals, despite being a relatively new wreck.

A wall that drops 15 metres down and teeming with lovely fauna of lobster, octopus, crab and coral fish. The site itself is located 35 metres under surface level and surprises visitors time and time again with the charming beauty of its small living gems.

Just a short trip in fast boat away, gentle currents make this an excellent drift dive, the majority of the reef sits at 18 metres, at the end of the drift the sea bed drops off to 30+ metres looking down on coral gardens and giant morays.

This is a coral barrier with blooming fauna mainly made up of small coral fish, a wide diversity of coral and gorgonians. Sea fans are the main feature of this site that despite being the closest to the surface still manages to surprise with its beauty.

At a maximum depth of 14 metres, don't be drawn into a false sense that this will be a disappointing dive. Bright sunlight filters down into the water, and the whole dive is in perfect visibility and daylight.

This dive site offers a healthy reef and coral garden at approximately 8 metres, gorges and channels in the reef edge, a tunnel through the reef edge to the wall, and a drop off down to below 50 metres in places. Something for everyone!

Minutes in the fast boat takes you to the outer edge of the reef, away from the more gentle sites sitting on the inside of the offshore reef system. This site does not disappoint - current is plentiful enough to make this a good drift dive along the wall.

This place has a living coral bottom with sponges, gorgonians and all kinds of tropical fish of all sizes and shapes. The site's main attraction however are the numerous colonies of rare black coral, an amazing world inviting you to admire its beauties.

At 15 metres maximum depth, this is a stunning dive site for a second dive, or perfect for those learning or intent on getting great photos. 10 minutes away from the beach by fast boat, you drop into a huge coral garden, absolutely teeming with life.

A deep wall, but on the inside of the offshore reef. Dropping down beyond 30 metres, with fascinating rock formations bedecked with plentiful hard and soft corals, this is a great dive.

15 minutes by fast boat from the beach is this spectacular reef formation. With underwater topography that has a prehistoric feel to it, rocky outcrops that are almost like a dinosaurs' armour plating drop down from 8 metres to 35 metres at maximum depth.

Serviced by Marlin Marina Hemingway, this is a great dive site. Don't forget your passport though when diving from here, as Marina Hemingway is an international port. 15 minutes by fast boat, and you are over the dive site.

This diving site is in fact a chain with massive links that span the entrance of the Bahamas Channel from East to West. Numerous kinds of different invertebrates have made their home here, you will greet them all whilst swimming at a depth of 40 metres.

A semi-circular formation resembling the shape of a crown the fantastic seabed found here is made up of big gorgonians and corals with a wide variety of sponges and an extensive range of medium to large tropical fish of all colours and shapes.

Situated on a private marina some 20 minutes from the city centre is Marina Tarara - a perfect place for the non-diving members of your group to spend the morning on the soft sandy beach, complete with showers, a cafe and toilets.

Leaving the dive centre, this dive site is approximately 10 minutes by fast boat. Dropping off into the clear waters on top of the reef (8-10 metres deep) as you descend you are more than likely to spot Giant Grouper, up to 6' in length.

With her bows at 5 metres, and her stern section resting at 26 metres, the Nuevo Mortera is a wooden cargo ship lying in the estuary to the inland saltwater port, Nuevitas, on the Atlantic coast of Cuba.

An awesome dive on the outer wall of the offshore reef. Deep, dark, atmospheric and stuffed to the brim with schools of large snapper, spadefish, jacks and barracuda. With the floor dropping off dramatically below 50 metres, this is a great wall dive.

Originally used as a coastal patrol boat, this 110 metre Soviet destroyer was retained by the Cuban Navy when the Russian navy left Cuba and sunk it as an artificial reef in 1996, she sits in clear waters, upright and intact a short trip from the marina.

The dive site is awesome - only 20 or so metres at maximum depth, with the top of the reef sitting at 8 metres (perfect for the safety stop at the end of your dive), you forget that you are in close proximity to the capital city within seconds.

At a maximum depth of 16 metres, this site is one of many that are perfect for the newly qualified diver, or indeed the experienced diver looking for something that is relaxing, yet delivers a great dive.

Dropping down the shot line to 23 metres, you will be on the deck! The superstructure extends up above your heads, so even for those who are limited to 18 metres depth, there is still an opportunity to experience a big wreck in open seas!

With amazing facilities for families & children and fun activities for everyone from each age group to do, the vibrating Be Live Brisas Santa Lucia sits in one of Cuba's most beautiful and isolated beaches, with great opportunities for marine exploration.

Surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and enjoying a grand setting facing a beautiful strip of the Guardalavaca beach, the Blau Costa Verde is a fabulous 4* All Inclusive resort that caters for the whole family, with activities for everyone to enjoy!

The 4* deluxe Blau Varadero resort offers guests with fun and entertaining Cuba holidays in a privileged section of the stunning Varadero beach strip. The Blau resort promises unforgettable Cuba holidays for the whole family in a great beach location.

The Breezes Bella Costa is a simple yet popular resort on Cuba's beautiful Varadero beach resort. Teaming with activities and things to do for everyone; this resort offers good value for money holidays in Varadero, where no family member will get bored.

The lovely 4-star Brisas Guardalavaca resort in Cuba's enchanting eastern province in Holguin, offers guests with a great and lush background in which to enjoy relaxing holidays in sheer tranquility and pure seclusion.

The Brisas Trinidad del Mar is a fabulous beach resort in Trinidad perfectly situated to enjoy the best of both worlds: culture and sun. The resort boasts its very own stretch of sunny beach while remaining close to the heart of downtown Trinidad.

Offering travellers with great 3* Cuba holidays in the blessed Guardalavaca beach resort, the Club Amigo Atlantico is suited to all kinds of travellers looking for great value, friendly service and good entertainment.

El Comodoro Hotel and Bungalows is the place to enjoy Cuba holidays in Havana in a refined, quiet and exclusive business area while being only 15 minutes away from the heart of downtown Havana. The hotel offers comfortable accommodation and great service.

This comfortable beachside resort accounts with one of the best and better equipped scuba diving centres in Cuba as well as a good range of facilities to make every guest's experience an enjoyable and unforgettable one.

The exotic and rustic Horizontes Cayo Levisa is made up of scattered wooden beach huts, positioned in prime beachfront locations amidst the splendour of a virginal, untouched and secluded island.

Standing in a secluded and calm environment surrounded by lush landscape, the Hotel Rancho el Tesoro is a quaint retreat for basic Cuba holidays in Isla de la Juventud amidst beautiful natural surroundings.

Boasting an amazing location right at the heart of Trinidad city, the Iberostar Grand Hotel welcomes guests to its 5* luxury holiday retreat with added local charm and plenty of local flair to give the most authentic Cuban experience possible.

Standing out as one of the biggest (with a total of 814 rooms) and newest hotels in the lovely Varadero beach strip, the Iberostar Laguna Azul is a fabulous 5* All Inclusive resort combining good service, great entertainment and a wide range of facilites.

The astonishingly fabulous Iberostar Varadero is a grand resort offering unforgettable experiences to those staying at their resort during their Cuba holidays. Expect fun activities, top 5* service and attentive staff that make you feel right at home.

The picturesque Isla de la Juventud Villas are situated in a woodsy, countryside location offering guests a cosy and relaxing environment with villa-style blocks that lie close to the river and yet are not too far off from Nueva Gerona's city centre.

Sitting on a lovely hillside location in the World Heritage Site of Trinidad, the Las Cuevas hotel, the

Often described as Santiago's best, the Melia Santiago offers discerning guests with a breath of fresh air in a modern hotel equipped with all international standard facilities and services you would expect from a 4* hotel.

Boasting unique and refined taste from the 1900s, the glamorous Mercure Sevilla Havane is a grand hotel located right at the heart of Old Havana's historic centre, within easy access to all of the area's main sites and museums.

The elegant and timeles NH Parque Central majestically rises at the heart of Old Havana boasting magnificent views of the Central Park and the imposing Capitolio. This luxury hotel offers 5* service across its 2 sections; a colonial one and a modern one.

The Occidental Miramar is quite possibly one of Havana's most luxurioius and well-equipped five-star hotels, offering plenty of dining and entertainment options with a wide range of facilities that go from a large swimming pool to tennis and squash courts

Submerge in a world of lavish touches and sheer elegance, at this beautiful Varadero resort providing top notch luxury Cuba holidays in a privileged stretch of the famed Varadero beach strip.

The beautiful and spectacularly luxurious Paradisus Rios de Oro Resort and Spa is an luxurious oasis of peace and calm in Cuba's beautiful Guardalavaca beach resort. Oozing romance and enchantment this resort offers unforgettable Cuba holidays in paradise

Offering great value accommodation in the pristine, uninhabited and virtually-deserted Cayo Largo, the Playa Blanca Hotel provides travellers of all ages and backgrounds with modern facilities and a great base from which to explore the wonders of the key.

The Playa Pesquero is a deluxe 5* hotel in Guardalavaca and the pride of Cuban tourism entities. Having received a blessing by Fidel Castro himself the inauguration of this hotel established a new set of standards for Cuba's hotel industry.

The ultra-romantic Sandals Royal Hicacos is a deluxe hotel welcoming couples over 18 years old . This romantic resort oozes beauty and simplicity in a secluded area of Varadero Beach. Top 5* service is provided at the hands of friendly staff.

Enjoying a peaceful and paradisiacal location on Cuba's longest key, the Sol Cayo Largo is a secluded 4* resort providing guests with isolation and romance in an idyllic setting. Top service is provided at the hands of friendly staff.

An eclectic and fun resort for all, the Sol Rio de Luna y Mares offers travellers of all ages and interests with active Cuba holidays in a privileged beach location overlooking the pristine shores of Playa Esmeralda.