Cuba - Gardens of the Queen

Tucked into the Caribbean's largest Marine Nature Park, this PADI dive operation explores Jardines de la Reina — the "Gardens of the Queen" — a protected reserve about 90 miles south of mainland Cuba that Christopher Columbus named after Queen Isabella of Spain. Designated a National Park since 2010, it shelters a network of untouched marine ecosystems across more than 80 dive sites.

What it's known for

Avalon Cuban Diving Center is the only company licensed and authorized to operate within these protected waters, working from the four-vessel Jardines Avalon Fleet. Diving is boat-based with enriched air (Nitrox) available, and onboard facilities include warm-water showers, a battery charging station, fish ID and diving books, and in-house marine biologists.

It suits all levels of diver and non-diver alike, with a minimum age of 15. Beyond diving, the week folds in snorkeling, paddle boarding, mangrove exploration, and bird watching, alongside participatory environmental projects supporting long-term conservation. English and Spanish are both spoken.