02 Mar Depart Cancun in the afternoon to Havana.
3 night in Havana in an apartment in the old town.
We have a full day to tours on the 3rd and 4th.
05 Mar Depart Havana at 4:00am for a 5 hour bus transfer.
Boat the Tortuga house boat which will be your home for the 6 nights.
Check out dive.
06 -10 Mar 7:00am wake-up call, 7:30am breakfast and diving at 8:00am.
There are 15 dives offered during your stay.
11 Mar Morning activity. After lunch transfer back to Havana, arriving around 8:30pm.
1 night Havana
12 Mar Depart Havana back to Cancun in the afternoon.
Approximate price: US$ 5,650.00 per person
Includes:
Round trip flights from Cancun to Havana;
4 nights accommodation in Havana in twin rooms (3 prior to the diving and 1 after);
6 nights on Tortuga houseboat with all meals, 15 dives, guides;
8 beverages/day (beer, soft drinks etc.);
Visa;
Round trip transfers from Havana by bus;
Day tour in Havana.
Does not include:
Meals in Havana;
Donation to Ocean Foundation for their People-to-People @ U$250.00;
Flights to Cancun or Mexico City;
Park fee of CUC 50 (approx. US$60) per person;
Gratuities;
The Tortuga Houseboat:
This is a VERY basic floating hotel with twin rooms with ensuite bathrooms. If anyone is looking for an amazing adventure but NOT luxury or really nice, then this is perfect. Meals are family style and the diving is done from tenders. The houseboat doesn’t move but is a great base to explore.
The Queen's Gardens, are located 60 Miles off the southern coast of Cuba, this archipelago comprises a chain of 250 virgin coral and mangrove islands extending along 75 miles of turquoise waters. The Jardines de la Reina was declared Marine Park in 1996, and together with the Cuban Sciences and Environment Ministry, this area has been preserved for future generations, as a complex network of untouched marine ecosystems that have been regarded by many knowledgeable scientists and organizations as a reference of what is the original status of a coral reef as it was found by Cristopher Colombus in the times of the discovery.
The underwater paradise is all that comes into your mind when you first enter the water, imagine the vertical walls covered with brightly hued sponges, huge Pilar Corals ,black corals extending the branches in the contrasting blue water, many species of gorgonians, fragile laminar corals , showing its beautiful shapes through crevices, canyons and caves .The mangroves providing an incredible nursery area for young fish populations, filtering the water that goes to the reef together with the seagrass beds and in return receiving protection from the open ocean wave energy, all interconnected in a very fragile net that here keeps its variety, richness and splendor.
The biggest populations of adult fish in the Caribbean, Sharks, Snappers and Groupers, Jewfish up to 400 Pounds are an everyday experience. Sharks are one of the main attractions and you can see them everywhere. You can easily dive with 6 different species: Silkies, Reef, Lemon, Black tip, King Hammerhead and nurse sharks. From July to November you have chances to swim with Whale Sharks. Gardens of the Queen are certainly one of the last virgin reefs known by man. Dive and snorkel sites are well protected from the winds and sea currents. Visibility is more than 40 meters. There is a wide variety of fish and corals. You can appreciate all this also snorkeling!!!!!
The Gardens of the Queen Marine Park is a wonderful place, both in and out of the water. This marine park is probably the most important group of islands in the Caribbean, integrated for one million-acre wetlands. In addition, this marine park acts as a critical refuge for North American birds migrating along the route through Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to South America. This wildlife sanctuary hosts more than 68 species of migratory birds. Here below some interesting videos about Gardens of the Queen:
• https://vimeo.com/121030897
• http://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000003788295/cubas-coral-garden.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=timesvideo-heading&module=watch-in-times-video®ion=video-player-region&WT.nav=video-player-region
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdu6pY5gfMM&sns=fb
