Jardines de la Reina Cuba, Central Cuba

Explore uninhabited waterscapes via tour, where you can dive among some of the most complex coral island systems in the Caribbean. This famous diving spot has been heralded as being the third-longest barrier reef in the world and offers divers an inside look at this fragile ecosystem. Jardines de la Reina is an untouched 120 km stretch of lush mangrove forest and is located 80 km off the southern coast of Cuba.

These lands have remained untouched since the day that Columbus named the area in honor of the Queen of Spain. Since then, Jardines de la Reina has been made a protected marine park, the largest protected area in Cuba and can only be accessed through state-owned touring companies. And with these protected waters, where even commercial fishing is illegal, the waters are teeming with schools of brightly colored fish and a thriving coral reef system.

A booked tour with the state-owned touring company will get you 7 days and 12 dives among this untouched natural beauty, where you will stay aboard a floating hotel along with other like-minded divers. You will not only get room and dive equipment, but you will also receive meals and drinks while onboard.

But don’t let all of these qualities scare you away if you’re a beginner diver, as the diving experience is so regulated (in order to protect and preserve the livelihood of the marine life) that you are equipped thoroughly with every dive. This makes Jardines de la Reina a renowned dive spot among the world’s divers.

As you can only access these pristine waters housing fascinating marine life via state-owned touring companies, there are only, on average, 350 divers per year. But the experience is one that you won’t likely forget, as you are treated to one of the best protected and largest barrier reefs in the world and all the aquatic life that call it home.