Liveaboard Diving in Jardines De La Reina
What To Expect On a Jardines De La Reina Liveaboard
Liveaboards to Jardines De La Reina, or 'Gardens of the Queen', will sail guests in comfort through the warm, clear waters surrounding Cuba to some of the best diving spots in the Caribbean. Cuba liveaboards commonly feature all the mod cons expected these days of a contemporary dive boat, including air conditioned cabins, warm water showers, and a friendly crew on hand to ensure this is a liveaboard diving safari not to be forgotten. Departing from Jucaro Port, divers will enjoy 7 days of spectacular underwater experiences, visiting pristine reefs teaming with beautiful marine life, in an undisturbed natural environment which has been preserved immaculately.
Jardines De La Reina Underwater
The turquoise waters of Jardines De La Reina have great visibility, with all the features of a tropical underwater paradise. Diving as part of a live aboard cruise will allow guests to log multiple dives per day if they so wish, in order to make the most of the time available. There are dives and sites here for all levels, some with calm gentle waters and others with steep drop offs and exciting swim throughs. The area is blessed with a startling array of animals - constant visitors include Turtles, Eagle Rays and Silky Sharks. The coral formations forming the backdrop of many dives are a treat themselves, with many varieties of hard and soft corals. Sighted commonly is the unique Hammerhead Shark, which for many divers is a highlight, and so you must remember your camera!
Dive Sites Of Jardines De La Reina
Once the crew aboard your liveaboard dive boat has assessed the general level of the group, it's likely they'll discuss itineraries and custom make the dive trip so it suits the whole party. The following are dive sites commonly visited during most liveaboard trips:
Pipin is a beautiful reef with a depth ranging from 15 to 24 metres. It is exceptionally healthy, supporting a wide range of life including Eagle Rays, Turtles and many Shark species.
Farallon is a unique site consisting of a giant coral mountain, with 4 separate tunnels running through it. The sunlight becomes concentrated in the tight spaces, displaying all the different colours of the corals in their full glory.
Vicente is well known among liveaboard staff for it's fabulous visibility, which is commonly over 40 metres. Here you'll find great examples of black coral, and also the elusive Hammerhead Shark.
Black Coral I and Black Coral II are, like Vicente, and as their names suggest, famous for their black coral colonies rarely seen elsewhere. There's a healthy population of reef sharks here too, gliding effortlessly amongst huge numbers of tropical reef fish. Stingrays are often seen on the sandy bottom which lies at a depth of approximately 30 metres.
Tips For Divers
Liveaboard diving in Jardines De La Reina has conditions and sites for all experience levels, and the majority of operators will only request an open water qualification and sometimes even no minimum logged dives. That said, it's a good idea to bring your certification and log book to help the crew assess individuals' comfort. Divers can rent equipment on board most of the time (please check this first), but are of course welcome to bring their own. Tanks and weights are normally included. The national language of Cuba is Spanish; English is widely spoken in the tourism sector. There are 2 Cuban currencies to be aware of. The Cuban Convertible Peso is what you as a tourist will be using most often, and what money exchanges will dispense to you. It cannot be purchased abroad, and so it's best to change cash at the airport. US dollars are accepted but with a very high fee, and so it's safer and cheaper to bring Pound Sterling, Euros, or Canadian Dollars. The other currency is the Cuban Peso which tourists are unlikely to use much, although it's always useful to carry a small amount, for taxi rides, local shops and the like. ATMs can be found fairly easily in the large cities, but are scarce and temperamental elsewhere. It's therefore a good idea to have enough money before you board the liveaboard boat. Credit cards are normally accepted, however this can't be relied upon - especially US based cards.
Getting to Jardines De La Reina
The most common port for Cuban liveaboard dive tours leaving for Jardines De La Reina is Jucaro Port which is around a 5 hour drive from Havana. Liveaboard operators will normally start the tour in Havana and include the transfer, and so it's generally not necessary to arrange transport to the harbour.Havana has an international airport, and with the exception of the US, serves a wide range of overseas destinations all over the world.
