Guaranteed departures for 4 or more people! Please inquire today to begin the booking process.
Cuba Scuba Diving Tour
Our Cuba Scuba Diving tour is the first of it's kind itinerary for US based divers. Come explore the Caribbean's most vibrant reefs and experience the highlights of Cuba above and below the surface
Designed to include time in the historic city of Havana, this 7-day/6-night Cuba scuba diving tour visits some of the best dive sites of the southern coast around the Bay of Pigs and Cienfuegos with a bonus visit to the charming town of Trinidad. Reef dives, wall dives, wreck dives and Cenote dives are all possible on this varied Cuba scuba tour. Over 17 species of coral inhabit these waters along with a multitude of tropical fish. Water clarity is outstanding and water temperatures range from 72 to 82 degrees depending on the time of year, with the warmest temperatures found in July and August and the coolest in December.
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Itinerary
Day 1
Saturday - Havana, Cuban Marine Specialist, City Tour
Arrive in Havana no later than noon in order to have time to explore the city. After meeting you at the airport, we take you to lunch and give a brief orientation of Cuba and the tour.
Our first stop then is to a local science foundation that is at the heart of Cuba’s conservation programs. We meet with a marine ecosystem specialist to learn about the Caribbean Sea and the species of corals and fish we will encounter. This is an excellent learning opportunity and a chance to interact with one or two Cuban marine specialists.
Next up is a walking tour of the old city of Havana. The narrow streets replete with Spanish colonial buildings provide a fascinating insight into the history of this world-renowned city, once larger than New York.
In the late afternoon you check into your Casa Particular (Bed and Breakfast) or Hotel, settle in and a bit later we head out for dinner.
Day 2
Sunday - Cultural Exploration of Havana
We start our day with a visit to a colorful neighborhood in Jaimanitas, known as Fusterlandia where the famous artist, Jose Fuster has his studio and has also adorned the neighborhood with Picasso-like mosaics. From here we return to our scientific institution for another lesson about the marine geography and current conservation efforts of the Caribbean ecosystem of Cuba.
After lunch in paladar where we learn more from the owner about the challenges of operating a private enterprise in Cuba, we board a ferry for a short ride across the Havana harbor to the suburb town of Regla. This is a center of the Afro-Cuban religion Santeria and home to the beautiful Church of Regla where the Black Virgin watches over mariners. It’s also a great place for views of the Havana waterfront. After visiting the church and local municipal museum, we return to Havana Vieja on the ferry and have time to wander the streets a bit more to admire the stunning architecture.
We return to our accommodations and then join together for dinner.
Day 3
Monday – To Cienfuegos and Faro Luna Dive Center
We leave Havana early and drive about three hours southeast to Cienfuegos and beyond to the Faro Luna Dive Center. With a number of excellent dive sites, a boat takes us to today’s dive location. There are grottos and labyrinths of channels. Numerous corals, marine plants and animals make this dive a highlight. There are some named features as well as several sunken ships. On the walls are coats of corals including flat and column shaped as well as gorgonians and sponges. We may see barracudas, snappers, grunts, grouper, angelfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish, and many others of different colors. There are also lobsters, sea anemones, morays and possibly eagle rays.
After our dive we head to a nearby privately-owned paladar for a feast of seafood on the water. Then it’s a short drive to the beautiful Cienfuegos Botanical gardens, once part of Harvard University, where we spent about an hour with a local guide enjoying an easy walk to learn about the history of the place and some of the plants.
In Cienfuegos we check into our Casa Particulars for the night and enjoy dinner together in town.
Day 4
Tuesday - Guajimico to Trinidad
We drive east 40 minutes to Guajimico, an indigenous term meaning ‘Place of the Fishes’ which it certainly is. There are several wall dives to choose from and we’ll do a morning and early afternoon dive, with lunch in between. Highlights should include similar fauna to what we saw at Faro Luna, plus undoubtedly some surprises.
After our second dive we drive another 45 minutes to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Trinidad, one of Cuba’s most beautiful colonial towns. After we check into our Casas for the evening we have a short walking tour to get oriented. We also visit the studio and home of the local renowned artist Yudit Vidal Faife. Tonight’s dinner is on your own.
Day 5
Wednesday – Trinidad to the Bay of Pigs
We drive west to one of Cuba’s best scuba diving in the Bay of Pigs. These are shore dives at two different sites. We likely start with a shallow water dive that leads to a wall dive and sunken ship. The water visibility is usually excellent. Then, we head to a nearby cenote to descend into dark waters and a very unique ecosystem including blind fish that spend their lives in this deep sinkhole.
After a morning and afternoon dive, we continue to the nearby hamlet of Playa Larga to spend the night. Here we meet with one of the rangers from Zapata National Park to learn more about the Park system in Cuba, and specifically the marine environment in the Park and the Bay of Pigs.
Day 6
Thursday – One more dive and return to Havana
We enjoy one more dive in the morning within the Bay of Pigs. After this we start our drive to Havana. We stop for lunch on route, and as we near the city limits, we stop to visit Finca Vigia, Hemingway’s home and now museum. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the life and this legendary author.
Another 30 minutes and we arrive in Havana with time to explore a few more streets of the old city, or visit Mercado San Jose to pick up souvenirs made by local artists and craftspeople.
Later in the day we check into our Casas for the night and then enjoy a festive farewell dinner.
Day 7
Friday- Transfer to the airport for flights home
Dates & Rates
| Dates | Adult (USD) | Child (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 01, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024 Guaranteed departures for 4 or more people. Tiered Pricing listed below | $2,390£0€0$0$0 | $2,390£0€0$0$0 |
Supplementary Information
Dates: Guaranteed departures for 4 or more people! Please inquire today to begin the booking process.
Tier Pricing:
- 4 guests: $3,190
- 5-7 guests: $2,740
- 8+ guests: $2,390
Tiered Pricing Explained
Our trips are budgeted for full or near full sign-ups which enables us to offer trips at the lowest possible price. Because of numerous fixed costs, it is more expensive to operate a trip for a small group. Therefore, on some of our trips, in order to avoid having to cancel a trip, we have a “tier-pricing” system to avoid canceling a trip with a low number of sign ups. We have found that most people also prefer this alternative to having a trip cancelled. Thus, you will note on our trip prices there may be different price for 4-7 people versus 8-16, etc. We may initially invoice you at the higher tier price, and refund the difference depending on the final group size.
*Christmas departures have a supplemental cost ($300 per person) due to our increased prices for accommodations.
Single Supplement: $500
If you are traveling solo and prefer private accommodations (pending availability) you may elect to pay the single supplement fee. If you are traveling solo and wish to be paired up with another solo traveler of the same gender in order to avoid the single supplement fee, please let your Adventure Consultant know at the time of booking. We will do our best to find another traveler to pair you with, however if there is not another solo traveler of the same gender willing to share on your trip, you will be charged the single supplement fee.
Up to 16 spaces available on each tour (depending on the number of solo travelers and available accommodations)
Minimum age: 12
**Note: We can guarantee trips for 2 with a supplement of $300 per person on trips between May 1 and December 15.
Included:
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Experienced English-speaking guide(s)
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Specialized activity guides based on activity of trip (kayaking, biking, hiking, etc.)
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Specialized equipment needed for activities such as kayaks, bikes (TREK bikes), helmets, paddles, personal flotation devices, etc.
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6 dives with local certified instructors, as noted in itinerary (for custom trips we can add/subtract dives and number of days, as desired)
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Private pre-tour orientation meeting
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Cuba Unbound hand-crafted itineraries including: carefully chosen people-to-people activities, personal visits and presentations with experts in a variety of fields and topics, and access to exclusive experiences
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Accommodations as noted in the itinerary
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All meals as noted in itinerary
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Certification of travel to Cuba under the U.S. Department of Treasury general license
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Small group size (Custom tours for 2, group tours are 12-18)
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All entrance fees to include events and activities
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All in-country ground transportation
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Clean drinking water available at all times
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Gratuities for specialized guides and presenters, luggage handling, restaurant staff, and activities throughout tour
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Cuba Visa (a $80-120 value)
Not Included:
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Round-trip air to/from Cuba
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Additional equipment such as dive lights, computers, cameras, etc.
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Taxi transport to the airport at the end of tour ($25-$30 for 3 people and luggage)
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Guide gratuities and scuba instructor gratuities (other gratuities for drivers, servers, and such are included)
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Personal expenses such as souvenirs, gifts, alcoholic beverages, additional entertainment outside the standard itinerary, and incidentals
Reviews
FAQ & More
Can US citizens legally travel to Cuba?
Yes, you can travel to Cuba as a US citizen! Although, the United States is the only country that restricts its citizens from traveling to Cuba for touristic reasons, however, the U.S. does allow travel to Cuba under one of 12 permitted travel categories. Of these categories, most of our travelers are traveling under either "Support for the Cuban People" or "Educational People-to-People" travel.
For more information on Cuba travel entry requirements, please see here.
What is a Casa particular?
This is something you'll hear in Cuba a lot. A casa particular is a private accommodation or private homestay in Cuba, very similar to a bed and breakfast, although it can also take the form of vacation rental. On ROW's Cuba Unbound tour, you can expect to stay in a mix of traditional hotels and casas particulares, making for a full and authentic visit to Cuba. For more information on casa particulares, read our blog post here.
What are the diving conditions?
Diving conditions off Cuba’s Southern coast are generally calm with excellent visibility ranging from 45-130 feet.
Water temperatures range from around 72 degrees fahrenheit in December to 84 degrees fahrenheit in July
Most dives are wall dives, though coral gardens and wrecks may be possibilities too. Dives will be a combination of boat dives and shore dives.
What marine life am I likely to see?
In addition to some of the healthiest coral in the Caribbean, Cuba’s waters are also home to variety of sponges, and around 700 species of fish and crustaceans, including morays, goliath groupers, barracuda, snappers, red hinds, grunts, parrotfish, squirrelfish, triggerfish, rays, batfish, queen triggerfish, queen angelfish, surgeon fish, lobsters, crabs, shrimps, turtles, reef sharks, nurse sharks, rays and even the occasional whale shark, which visits the area from November to February.
What certification do I need to dive in Cuba?
Any internationally recognized Open Water certification is sufficient for diving in Cuba. Please do not forget your certification card and log book!
Can non-divers join this tour?
Absolutely! Contact us directly for more details.
Can I drink the Water in Cuba?
Generally it's best to drink filtered tap water or bottled water. In an effort to reduce the use of single-use plastic, we encourage you to pack a wide-mouth water bottle with a filter built in. There are many brands available.
Is ice safe to have in my drinks?
If you are getting a drink at a hotel bar, or other bar establishment, the ice is most likely made with filtered or bottled water, so should not cause any issues.
Can I eat salads in Cuba?
Cubans pride themselves on proper hygiene and food handling. The restaurants we use on our tours are very good and eating any salads or raw vegetables that are served is fine.
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