Scuba in Cuba

[Pegger]

We've been to Cuba twice, Holguin and Cayo Coco and not to eager to go back soon.
Vacations are very cheap for Canadians and I'm sorry to say, most Canadians are cheap and that's why there are so many of us there.
I dove with Blue World (Holgun) and George was very good, however in Cayo Coco the dive master was down right dangerous. Much of the waters are overfished and I wasn't impressed with the abundance of marine life. The people seem very disgruntled and not eager to serve. We made friends with a few Cubans and learned that some drive hours from home leaving their families for a week at a time to work at these resorts for very little pay, no wonder their disgruntled!!
The best diving in Cuba is on the west side of Cuba (caribbean side), where I've read it's world class.
What is worth mention is their Cigars, they can't be beat!!

Regards,

 

[finbob]

Pegger: As a fellow Canadian who lives very near you, I go to Cuba quite often. May I ask where in Cayo Coco and with whom did you dive with in Cayo Coco? Any recommendations?

Thanks, Finbob

 

[drdaddy]

drdaddy: Delighted to hear you are engaged in cutting-edge missionary endeavours. Cuba has one of the best medical operations globally. Their physician/patient ration is excellent. Their physicians train for 6-years and are sent around the world serving other struggling nations (Latin America/Africa in particular). In fact, I believe Havana is one of the largest med schools in Latin America, certainly responsible for training other nationals. Where they are limited is with the high tech. Of course, medicine is free in Cuba --- Hope that helps.

Thank you FinBob,

It's always hard to sort through the political stuff. I have read that Cuba has regularly sent their physicians to other countries for medical relief work. As far as physician/patient ratio - I'm not sure about this. A lot of times countries will start calling everyone "DR" (nurses, pharmacists, PA, etc), even our own country has "threatened" to do this. But the difference between the level of training between a physician and a nurse practitioner is "lightyears". Sometimes, we have also found that the training between physicians from different countries and schools is also just as varied.

But back to the subject - as a diver, I'm always interested in diving wherever I go - so it's good to hear they have "good air" in Cuba!!!

I really appreciate all the good information that is coming out of this thread.

 

[Pegger]

Hi Finbob,

We stayed at the Hotel Iberostar Daiquiri in Cayo Coco. Not a bad hotel for Cuba. I would rate it a 3+ star when compared to other Caribbean destinations we've been to. We have become all-inclusive junkies!
The name of the dive shop that I used is not the same name that the Daiquiri advertises now on their web site. They advertise a dive school now where as when we went (almost two years ago), I had to go to the next resort down the beach. (to the left if walking from the rooms).
Sorry I can't remember the name but they did snorkelling as well and they were a fairly big operation. The boat we were in kept loosing an engine either on the way out or on the way back. They would then try to fix it for the next day and it would be good for a short time, then fail again. This turned a half hour trip into an hour. The water temp. was about 78f and after a 50 min. dive I was frozen. I wouldn't wear anything less than 5mm next time.
Sorry, no recommendations as I was only there once at that spot.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[RTee]

FinBob...I think the name of the dive center in Cayo Coco is Marlin. I also stayed at the Iberostar in Oct 2009 but that dive center was closed for the quiet season...so we did all our diving with the dive center associated with the Melia hotel in Cayo Guillermo...the Green Moray. Depth range from 40 to 100 ft and water temp range from 82 - 84F. All dives were done fairly close to the dive center...which meant fairly short boat rides.
In terms of hotel, I had no quams with the Iberostar (nice room and good food) but if I was going there again to dive, I would probably attempt to stay at the Melia which seems nicer but more importantly be really close to the dive center.

 

[finbob]

Appreciate the info, thank you - finbob

 

[Pegger]

Current water temp. is 77 F. Too cold for 3mm

Regards,

FinBob...I think the name of the dive center in Cayo Coco is Marlin. I also stayed at the Iberostar in Oct 2009 but that dive center was closed for the quiet season...so we did all our diving with the dive center associated with the Melia hotel in Cayo Guillermo...the Green Moray. Depth range from 40 to 100 ft and water temp range from 82 - 84F. All dives were done fairly close to the dive center...which meant fairly short boat rides.
In terms of hotel, I had no quams with the Iberostar (nice room and good food) but if I was going there again to dive, I would probably attempt to stay at the Melia which seems nicer but more importantly be really close to the dive center.

 

[akirawut]

I understand that the Cuban border officials will refrain from stamping your passport if you ask them to...

 

[TMHeimer]

Just a couple of cuba observations. Good snorkelling tour (before I was a diver) after a bus ride from Varadero. Nice reef. Upon leaving the resort with a waitress who be-freinded us, we visited her house, with the cement floor and water (no hot, ever). She was considered upper class. We ran into two typically fearful "communist" problems same journey. I know folks bicycle around the country, but it is good advice to stay in the resort, as it's just like those elsewhere. I'm sure dive tours are all "safe" from Fidel and Co. Customs also when you leave--just like the old USSR. Medical school, and all college I've been told, is free. Those doctors made $14 a day--same as the guy who sweeps their office. Beautiful, tropical communist prison. I think the travel ban for Americans should be lifted--actually, I believe the ban is not on travel, but on spending any money there. This, of course, eliminates almost any form of travel. The U.S. takes heat for Cuba's economic woes--"it's THEIR fault". The U.S. can trade or not trade with whoever it likes--just like any other country can. Whatever economy they did have 20 years ago went down with the hammer and sickle.

 

[damage]

I understand that the Cuban border officials will refrain from stamping your passport if you ask them to...

They put a small sticker on your boarding pass after you pay the taxes in the airport when leaving the island, the passport is not stamped when you arrive or when you leave.