Guadalavaca Beach - Diving Holiday Destination

Guadalavaca Beach (Cuba)

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. Cuba neighbours the Yucantan Peninsula of Mexico to the west, Florida to the north, the Bahamas and Haiti to the east and Jamaica to the south. Cuba features more than 300 beaches and three large mountain ranges.

There are excellent beaches on the mainland and on offshore cays, a few developed, many untouched, though access may be difficult. Cuba has an extremely strong Latin culture, superb Spanish colonial architecture in Havana, Santiago and other cities, communist political history and leader Fidel Castro, lively people, many styles of music including salsa and son, dancing. There is a large tourism industry, many mid-range hotels in resorts, some in cities but also some smaller more charming inns, some famous restaurants and bars. Endless activities, watersports, scuba, hiking, boat trips, fishing and inland tours.

For those more interested in watersports, Cuba sits on the world's second largest coral reef, largely virgin territory.

The reefs and walls of the Cuban maritime platform offer to divers of all standards, some of the best diving in the world. Cuban waters are pristine with very little pollution or coral destruction and and provide an underwater paradise of more than 50 species of coral, 200 species of sponges together with dozens of species of tropical fish. Many sites include diving to wrecks and caves on the marine platform.

Cuba is very aware that safety is a priority for divers and never dive with more than 5 divers per dive master. There are currently 10 recompression chambers in Cuba, manned at all times by highly qualified doctors. The safety record in Cuba for divers is one of the best in the world.

Holguin Province has close to 50 beaches covering 20 miles of coastline, and they are amongst the most picturesque in the Caribbean; with warm, turquoise waters that are very calm due to protection offered by the nearby coral reefs. The beaches are bordered by thick vegetation, which is home to 12 wildlife refuges.

Guardalavaca Beach is shell shaped and over half a mile (almost a km) long, and is near to several sites of archeological and nature interest. It has excellent hotel infrastructure, mainly being all-inclusive resorts as Cuba still has food rationing for locals, so out of hotel eating isn’t really available. It has an offshore area around 11 miles (18km) long which contains 40 scuba diving sites.

Climate

Year round sunshine and average temperatures of 25°C (80°F) make the Caribbean a good place to visit at any time of year. In theory diving is possible all year, although there is a risk of hurricanes around October and the rainy season (June to October) can blow dives regularly. The dry winter season is from November to April. If you want to a chance of seeing a whale shark, November is the best month to visit.

Dive Facts

Water temperature:
Sea temperatures vary from around 22°C (72°F) in December to 29°C (84°F) in July.The average water temperature is 25 oC.

Visibility:
20 to 40 metres (65 - 130 feet) can be expected at most sites.

Suit:
3mm shortie or full length wetsuit is generally enough in summer, In the colder months you may need a 5 mm wetsuit.

Dive Attractions

Types of diving: Reef Diving , Wall Diving, Sunken Ships & Cave Diving

The seabed is irregular and complex, forming high hillocks, caves, small valleys and cliffs with vertical sides which in some places descend gently to form terraces covered with Common Sea Fans, other gorgonians and coral. Many species of colourful fish live here.

There is a huge variety of marine life in Cuba including nurse sharks, barracuda, tuna, snappers, parrotfish, jacks, and even whale sharks (best seen in November). The reefs in Cuba are filled with over 50 species of coral, and over 200 species of sponges. Cuba is quickly becoming a preferred site for diving for both beginners and expert divers alike

Diving Sites Include:

Canto Bonita: See Lobsters, Octopus, Crabs and Coral Fish up to 35m.

Casa Coral: 10m deep with several coral specomens and colourful fish.

La Cadena: Deep 40m dive see lots of invertibrates.

Pretty Song: 35 meters, In the area there's a wall dropping from a depth of 15 meters, abounding in lobster, crab, octopus and myriads of coral fish.

The Chain: 40 meters, There is a chain with massive links that spans the entrance channel from east to west. The area has a wide variety of invertebrates that have made it their habitat.

Other

Language: Spanish

Currency: Cuban Peso(The currency most used by visitors to Cuba is the Cuban Convertible Peso).

The electric current in general use is 110 volts, 60Hz, Some hotel facilities also have 220 volts

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