Scuba diving locations in Cuba:

• Maria la Gorda, in the westernmost part of Cuba in the Pinar del Rio province, is a remote and beautiful location which is one of the least developed and most natural parts of Cuba. The configuration of the bottom is scaled, allowing multilevel diving.

• Cayo Largo, off the southern coast of Cuba, has its diving is based out of Playa Sirena and contains some practically untouched beaches and coral reefs in addition to tunnels, steep walls, ridges, hillocks and mountains of coral reefs.

• Playa Giron, east of the Bay of Pigs on Cuba's south shore, features mainly shelf diving in addition to peculiar deep caves in the area. The top attractions here are the sheer drop offs close to shore that are riddled with swim-throughs and make great shore dives.

When to scuba dive in Cuba:

Warm temperatures all year, but the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November. There's also the land crab migration around April and May each year.

Local standards for gear:

The best scuba diving spots in Cuba:

The best spots to snorkel in Cuba:

• The Bay of Pigs features terrific coral formations.

• Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo las Brujas are among the best snorkeling sites.

• Jibacoa Bay situated in an isolated gorgeous bay, bounded by green hills, at the north coast of Cuba. One of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba, an ideal spot for nature lovers.

Fun scuba Facts:

Country data:

Administrative details

• Currency: Cuban peso (CUP)
• Population: is about 11,000,000 (2009)
• Time Zone: (GMT-5), Summer (GMT-4)
• Main languages spoken: Spanish ## Diveable overseas territories:

Cuban diving federations:

Federacion Cubana de Actividades Subacuaticuas (FCAS) is a member of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS)

Local diving laws and regulations (and PADI-equivalent certifications):

PADI is not authorised in Cuba because of the dispute with the US, but the Cubans have adopted the Canadian ACUC system, which is a CMAS accredited authority, which the first two levels generally corresponding to PADI OW and PADI AOW.