Some tips for diving with Avalon: The safari boa ...
Some tips for diving with Avalon: The safari boats are very basic, and not well kitted out for divers. We had to share Halcon with fishermen. there is little space for drying gear, or even to store it. We spent time on the newer boat, Avalon, which is large and comfortable, but it´s a lot more expensive. Outside of the hot season (Oct to March), the boats do not travel around the reef. You will be moored in one spot. We were there in July. Our boat, Halcon, was moored at the workshops, inside the mangroves. It was very hot, full of mossies, and not peaceful. The info you get with your bookings promised waking up to white sand beaches, etc. Avalon was moored in a beautiful bay, but otherwise you only see these beaches when you travel with the dive launches out to the dive sites.
The diving is good, on pristine reefs. We had great dives with silky and and carribbean reef sharks, but no sightings of hammerheads, bull sharks, whale sharks or mantas. Again, not explained in the literature, the main shark action happens from Oct to March. Of course it is the busy season, with regards to tourism as well, but if you want to see the big stuff, you need to go then.
The other main point is that Cuba has strict regulations on how many dives can be done. Although we had night dives offered with the booking information, night dives are no longer on offer. You will have just two dives a day, unless you book extra dives in advance. Dive times are also limited to 45min, unless you have a very accommodating dive guide, and do some persuading.
On the whole, we found the Avalon staff at Jardines de la Rein friendly and helpful. The administration staff were the opposite. We received minimal practical information about the travel, transfer and accommodation arrangements. Instead we received a lot of inaccurate descriptions of the safari boat experience, which meant the the reality was a shock. Your transfers from Havana to Jucaro, return, are very long, and we left at 4:30am. With a little more information, we would have been better prepared, and less stressed.
On balance, we enjoyed the diving, the food is great (lobster every day), and the mujitos were the cherry on the top.
The diving is good, on pristine reefs. We had great dives with silky and and carribbean reef sharks, but no sightings of hammerheads, bull sharks, whale sharks or mantas. Again, not explained in the literature, the main shark action happens from Oct to March. Of course it is the busy season, with regards to tourism as well, but if you want to see the big stuff, you need to go then.
The other main point is that Cuba has strict regulations on how many dives can be done. Although we had night dives offered with the booking information, night dives are no longer on offer. You will have just two dives a day, unless you book extra dives in advance. Dive times are also limited to 45min, unless you have a very accommodating dive guide, and do some persuading.
On the whole, we found the Avalon staff at Jardines de la Rein friendly and helpful. The administration staff were the opposite. We received minimal practical information about the travel, transfer and accommodation arrangements. Instead we received a lot of inaccurate descriptions of the safari boat experience, which meant the the reality was a shock. Your transfers from Havana to Jucaro, return, are very long, and we left at 4:30am. With a little more information, we would have been better prepared, and less stressed.
On balance, we enjoyed the diving, the food is great (lobster every day), and the mujitos were the cherry on the top.