Question: diving in Varadero, Cuba

[disco1999]

Book through your hotel, do it ahead of time, like upon arrival day, there could be up to 2 days delay for your first dives. The day of your dive, the bus will usually pick you up between 8 and 10am and take you to the dive center to pick any missing items, price is always 70cuc all included, no matter where you dive and no matter if you bring your gear or not.
If the sea is rough:
you'll be taken to southern Cuba in the bay of pigs (2 hours bus drive) and dive from shore, the bay is always calm.
if not, you'll dive northern Cuba (20mins boat ride).

I've done both and them and you'll want to go the the Bay of pigs, weather will decide. No extra cost, you can postpone for the next day hoping for rough sea if you don't want to go northern Cuba.

If you think of diving more then 1 day, don't hesitate to book them all at once and you'll save cuc'$

My advice is to save space for your luggage space, bring you only reg and mask, don't bother bringing the rest, their equipment is fine enough.

 

[NFLFan92]

thanks disco ... I received an e-mail from Barracuda as well saying basically the samething you posted. Were there any particular dive sites you went to that you would recommend besides the Bay of Pigs?

 

[disco1999]

I haven't done a lot of dives in Cuba, I appreciated the bay of pigs for the impressive cliffs with corals. Diving near Varadero will take you to a marine park where military vehicles and vessels were dumped.

 

[Charlie999]

All the rental tanks I saw at barracuda were yoke style

Hi

I'm going to Cuba next week and taking my regs which are a DIN fitting. Being new to diving am I right in saying that all tanks can rake both fittings? All the ones in my dive school were adjustable by removing a small screw in collar.

Charlie

 

[sammy631000]

Most Cuba dive shops are set up for International fitting (i.e. yoke style). You are correct that they can use an allen key to remove the yoke adapter so you are able to use your DIN fitting, however, sometimes they are reluctant to do so (perhaps lazy, or don't want the extra wear and tear...take your pick).

I also have a DIN fitting setup, however, I invested in an 'yoke adapter' for situations where dive centre staff unable or unwilling to switch over tank. It also makes sense to have your OWN allen key; one less excuse for them not to set up your preference .

Additonal Information: Note that DIN fittings are the norm for cenote diving in Cuba e.g. Bay of Pigs area has couple good cenotes- try dive shop at Playa Giron hotel. Also expect to be using the taller aluminum tanks for dive locations with long boat trips to sites e.g. Punta Frances- Isla de Juventad (likely an extra 4kg for average person with 3mm fullsuit); also domestic air flights to the 'Isla' have a 20kg bag restriction, compared to 25kg on international flights to Cuba, expect to get dinged an exta $10cuc for overweight (in cash).
.

 

[Jiheme]

Hi, last year I had 2 dives with Baracuda at Varadero.
The bus took me at the hotel around 8:30 and took us to the dive center in town.
whan everybody was equiped we took the bvus again to go to a shore near the airport's area. the 2 dives were from the shore.
The reef was great. not spectacular but great. Lot of fishes (muray, angelfish, parrotfish...)

I'm going back to Varadero next june and I'll do some dives for sure. The major difference will be that now I have my own gear