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CUBA SCUBA DIVING HOLIDAYS
By saying Caribbean one means the whole of the Caribbean Sea and its islands (historically the Western Indies) as well as all the coastal area surrounding it.
It is, in fact, a small appendix of the Atlantic Ocean, albeit much calmer thanks to the Small Antilles which provide a natural embankment.
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. Just south of Florida, it has a sub-tropical climate which makes it a really interesting destination. Discovered by Columbus, it was “re-discovered” by Hemingway a few centuries later: he fell in love with the place to the point of buying a place on the Havana’s heights.
Despite all efforts to made towards industrial development, Cuba remains a mainly agricultural country whose main crops are sugar cane, tobacco, pineapple and coffee.
Now more than ever Cuba is one of the busiest tourist destinations in the Caribbean, with beautiful white beaches and a sea dotted with a really peculiar variety of coral environments.
S. LUCIA
With a virgin vegetation stretching over 20 km of beaches and a coral reef (one of the largest ones in Cuba) which is home to the widest selection of marine fauna, S. Lucia and its Diving Shark's Friends offers divers the chance to experience the strong emotion of feeding a shoal of sharks off their hands.
West of S. Lucia are Cayo SABINAL, Cayo ROMANO and Cayo CRUZ, which together make an extraordinary natural reserve and provide a safe home to the largest flamingo settlement in the Caribbean. In the western area is the Baia Nuevas Grandes with the “Isleta”, a sheltered natural reserve where, if you are lucky, you might come across the Manatì, a prehistoric mammal on the brink of extinction. |
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GEO-DIVE IN CUBA
Working together with local operator Cubanacan Viajes, Geo-Dive offers holiday packages for keen divers who want to enjoy the beauty of Cuban seabed as well as the charm of the country and its inhabitants.
Of all the programmes offered by local operators, we have selected only those offering a high level of quality and reliability.
In fact, as well as the programme consisting of spending one or more weeks at the well established tourist resort of S. Lucia, which includes a series of dives organised by the “Shark’s Friends” Diving Centre, Geo-Dive also offers to “Tour” options which give divers the chance of combining wonderful dives in the uncontaminated Cuban waters with sightseeing with family and friends who do not dive.
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THE DIVING IN CUBA
Laying on a very large continental platform, Cuba has the most fascinating seabed in the Caribbean.
The diving area around the island is around 70,000 sq km and includes a myriad of small islands and rocks shielded by the largest reef on the Caribbean.
Waters are almost always calm and clear and have an average temperature of 24/28°, which makes diving possible all year long.
Thanks to the width of the reef which surround it as well as to the neighbouring archipelagos, consisting of some 4,000 small islands, currents are never strong in Cuba and the average horizontal visibility in its waters is no less than 40 m.
Bold colours and bizarre submerged formations are typical of Cuba’s seabed, which is home to some 500 species of tropical fish and 200 kinds of sponges of all forms and shapes as well as to a endless selection of molluscs, crustaceans, gorgonians and corals.
In recent times Cuba the development of diving, which follows the modern principles of preservation and safeguard of the marine flora and fauna ecosystem, has been remarkably boosted.
Cuba has a prestigious tradition of diving instructors trained with the national CMAS school which, working alongside the national network of hyperbaric medical services, guarantees a service whose priority is safety.
Amongst foreign diving schools, the most developed one in Cuba is the Canadian ACUC, which issues international certifications and licences. |
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ACCOMMODATION IN CUBA
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Hotel Brisas |
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Hotel Brisas |
Hotel Brisas S. Lucia
The resort is situated on the beachfront in Santa Lucía, on Cuba's north coast, some 90 minutes drive from the old colonial town of Camagüey and its International Airport.
Directly fronting the magnificent Santa Lucía Beach, this 412-room beach-resort has a distinct Caribbean flavour with its accommodation set in 31 attractively designed 2-floor villas, each with a distinctive external decoration painted in pink, white and ochre, the rooflines vary from straw-covered to flat.
In the heart of the resort, is an extensive free-form pool with shallow area for children. In the pool the 'Neptuno' bar tempts thirsty bathers with popular Cuban and exotic cocktails.
An air-conditioned buffet plus snack-bar and grill, faces the central patio where Afro-Cuban folklore, typical Cuban dances and international shows are part of the varied entertainment and activities such as dancing classes, aerobics and much more... The hotel also features a beachfront bar & grill, the 'Bohío del Mar', a piano bar, pasta and tapas bar and an open-air disco. Situated next to the beauty and fitness centre, are two tennis courts for daytime play. The 'Shark's Friend' water-sports centre offers a diversified programme of activities for all age groups like scuba diving, snorkelling and catamaran sailing.
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Club Amigo Mayanabo |
Club Amigo Mayanabo :
The Club Amigo Mayanabo, a 3 stars and All Inclusive Plan Hotel, is located in Santa Lucia beach, where one of the most important coralline barriers of the world extends. 110 km of the international airport of the city of Camaguey.
225 rooms, some with terrace, and all with 2 double beds, air conditioning, shower, WC, satellite TV, telephone, safety deposit box (not included).
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Club Amigo Caracol |
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Club Amigo Caracol |
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Club Amigo Caracol |
Club Amigo Caracol :
As a part of the extensive Baconao Park, Reserve of the Biosphere, you will find this All Inclusive three stars hotel, the Club Amigo Carisol - Los Corales. Located to 62 km of the international airport of Santiago of Cuba, in total wooded surroundings of attractive species of the local flora and fauna.
It is excellent for scuba divers , it promote audience participation in it’s swimming pool on the beach and evening show. Quality accommodations , 150 rooms, 148 mini suite 11 of them with King Size bed and 2 with disable facilities.
This hotel has a very high quality standard, perfect for a typically Cuban holiday.
All hotels are on the beautiful S. Lucia beach, which is just a few meter faraway form the coral reef, and offer an all-inclusive formula with a strong Cuban influence and include poolside and beach activities as well as shows and entertainment in the evening.
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CUBA DIVING TOUR and CUBA OPEN DIVE
The CUBA Diving tour is a real novelty in Cuba. You can hire a car (a saloon or a minivan) and drive it yourself across the country in complete freedom and safety in order to explore those areas which are usually out of the mass-tourism beaten tracks.
Alternatively, it is possible to hire a chauffeur-driven car, with the driver acting a as guide throughout the itinerary.
The tour, offered with a standard predetermined itinerary, is in reality tailor-made according to the client’s requests with the previous booking of rooms at the selected hotels and with the type of accommodation requested (B/B,H/B, or F/B).
This tour is ideal for families or small groups of friends.
As far as diving is concerned, pre-paid DIVE PASS Vouchers at discounted rates are used: they can be used at all the affiliated Diving Centres across the island so that you can choose to dive wherever you prefer choosing amongst the most interesting diving areas such as Havana, Varadero, Cienfuegos, Cayo Coco, S. Lucia e Santiago de Cuba.
The CUBA Open DIVE programme consists in travelling freely across Cuba and diving wherever you choose to do so amongst the many interesting diving spots. In fact, with the CAR + HOTEL + DIVING formula you can dive around in a hired car (a saloon or a minivan) with air conditioning and unlimited kilometres, with the support of the REX rent-a-car network; you can use the OPEN VOUCHERS to stay at any of the 2, 3 and 4 stars hotels of the CUBANACAN network, without having to book a room beforehand.
As far as diving is concerned, you will be able to use the pre-paid DIVE PASS Vouchers at any of the Diving Centres of the Marlin Nautica network, which are located in the most interesting diving areas such as Havana, Varadero, Cienfuegos, Cayo Coco, S. Lucia e Santiago de Cuba |
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