Maria De La Gorda, The Best Scuba Diving in Cuba
Maria de la Gorda, it’s a very beautiful place. It is the top diving center in Cuba. It consists of miles of pristine beaches, a world class diving center, an a few hotels and shops. The center is located in the Parque Nacional Peninsula de Gunanahacabibes, almost at the westernmost tip of the island. It is a remote destination and this not only adds to the adventure of visiting this amazing place, but it also assures you that the scuba diving is amazing. Very few people get to dive in these waters, so the fish and wildlife are much less fearful and the beautiful seafloor is undisturbed by humans.
Getting to Maria de la Gorda
Taxi
Maria de la Gorda is a considerable distance from Havana and since it is located in a national park, there are no casas. You would have to stay in a hotel. It is located 4.5 hours from Havana (350km) and the cost of taking a taxi there would be about $150. If you want to book a taxi to get to Maria de la Gorda, you can check out the taxi reservations page. We strive to offer the lowest costs taxi services in Cuba.
Bus
If you are in Vinales, there is also a bus excursion, from Vinales to Maria de la Gorda.
The prices are as follows:
– The Bus + Box Lunch approx 41 CUC
– Bus + Lunch approx 45 CUC
– Bus + 1 Scuba Dive (without equipment) approx 65 CUC
Depart: 7 am (3 hour by bus) Return: 5 pm (arriving Viñales 8.00 pm) Departs from: Vinales 7:00 am return 8:00 pm
Duration tour: Full day Reservation: You can book the tour to Maria La Gorda on location through the hotel reception or your casa particular or by contacting us at the following link (casas.bestcubaguide@gmail.com)
Accommodations in Maria de la Gorda
In Maria la Gorda there is only 1 hotel (Hotel Maria la Gorda). The facility is managed by the Gaviota Group, which is a state run hotel and services company. If you are planning to make a reservation at the Maria la Gorda Hotel you would have to either do it online or by contacting us at (casas.bestcubaguide@gmail.com). She can also make reservations for the bus transfer from Havana to Maria la Gorda, which might be cheaper than taking a taxi, and might be cheaper than the prices listed above, for Vinales transfers.
Summary
Maria de la Gorda is about diving. If you have a passion for diving and want to experience scuba diving in Cuba, then this if for you. There is honestly not much else to do in Maria de la Gorda. The beach is beautiful, but the hotel is nothing to write home about, the nightlife is non existant and the restaurants are not inspiring. But honestly, that should not matter at all. This is a diving destination, and that is what they do well, and that is what is important. It’s not the most convenient place to get to from Havana, but if you love to dive, then you know that the best places are sometimes the most difficult to find.
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Hi, all your articles are so interesting and with the appropriate sense of humor ! Thank you very much for all your information and tips. I’m found of scuba diving and I read that Isla de la Juventud is also a good spot for diving. Have you ever been there or heard about it?
As for Maria la Gorda, how much is the night in a single room?
Thanks in advance for your kind attention
Hi Annabelle!
I have never been to Isla de la Juventud for scuba. The main issue is that Isla de la Juventud is difficult to get to. It is an island that is south of Cuba. You can only get there by plane, leaving from Havana. It is not a common tourist destination. The scuba is good because it is distant from the main Cuban island and it does not receive many visitors. Some people online say that the reef is not so good anymore. Some people say that it is still great. Honestly, I am not an expert, so I could not tell you exactly.
There is some info here about the challenges of Isla de la Juventud. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-cuba/cuba/diving-in-cuba-isla-de-la-juventud-or
My advice would be to check out the Bay of Pigs (Playa Giron). This is a very nice area and is secluded from many tourists. There is a dive center in town, and there is a small hotel (Hotel Giron) near the center. It will be much more affordable and easy to get to.
http://www.cuba-diving.de/DIVE-CUBA/DIVING_PLACES_CUBA/South_Coast/PLAYA_GIRON_/hauptteil_playa_giron_.html
The dive center and the hotels in the Bay of Pigs area are rather old and some people do not like them. The reef is in ok condition. Here are some reviews. https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g2053537-d273662-r244760840-Hotel_Horizontes_Playa_Giron-Playa_Giron_Matanzas_Province_Cuba.html
The rooms start at about 100$ CAD per night : http://www.cubahotelreservation.com/hotel.asp?hotel_code=SCTHORGiron
You can also rent a cheap casa in the nearby town for about 30$ USD per night.
Maria la Gorda will be another option and it is more famous. It is a bit further from Havana. The room rates start at 77$ CAD per night. Info here: http://www.hotelmarialagorda-cuba.com/room_rates.asp
I hope this all help!
Mario