Jardines de la Reina — "the Gardens of the Queen" — is a 150-kilometre archipelago of mangroves and reefs off Cuba's southern coast, protected as one of the Caribbean's largest marine reserves since 1996. Access is strictly permit-controlled and limited to a handful of liveaboards per year, which is why the place feels like a time machine. Reef shark populations here are what the Caribbean used to be like everywhere — abundant, large, and unbothered by divers. Silkies, Caribbean reefs, and resident American crocodiles in the mangroves round out the cast.
The year at a glance
- Water
- 24–26 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- low
- Water
- 24–26 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- low
- Water
- 25–27 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- low
- Water
- 25–27 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- low
- Water
- 26–28 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- moderate
- Water
- 27–29 °C
- Viz
- 20–35 m
- Sea
- moderate
- Rain
- high
- Water
- 28–30 °C
- Viz
- 20–35 m
- Sea
- moderate
- Rain
- high
- Water
- 28–30 °C
- Viz
- 20–35 m
- Sea
- moderate
- Rain
- high
- Water
- 28–30 °C
- Viz
- 20–35 m
- Sea
- rough
- Rain
- high
- Water
- 27–29 °C
- Viz
- 20–35 m
- Sea
- moderate
- Rain
- high
- Water
- 25–27 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- moderate
- Water
- 24–26 °C
- Viz
- 25–40 m
- Sea
- calm
- Rain
- low
Signature dive sites
The sites you'll hear about in every briefing.
- 01
Pipin
Caribbean reef shark feeding site, iconic encounter.
- 02
Vicente
Wreck that attracts silky sharks on safety stops.
- 03
Mangrove crocodile site
Shallow snorkel with habituated American crocodiles.
What you'll see
Top species with their April status.
Silky Shark
Saltwater Crocodile (American Crocodile)
Tiger Shark
Getting there
Gateway
Fly into Jucaro departure (Havana HAV or Holguin HOG). Visa: Tourist card required for most nationalities.
Best months
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Nov, Dec
Avoid
Aug, Sep