Cayo Largo - Isla de la Juventud
Cayo Largo, off Isla de la Juventud, is a straightforward dive for beginners. The reef sits at a consistent 17 meters, making it easy to manage. You'll likely spot smaller reef fish and some colourful corals here. It's a good spot for a relaxed introduction to Cuban diving, without strong currents or tricky navigation.
- Location
- Isla de la Juventud, Cuba, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 21.591200, -81.556500
- Maximum Depth
- 17m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Cayo Largo
Best Time to Dive in Isla de la Juventud
The warmest water temperatures in Isla de la Juventud occur in January, averaging 26.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.8°C (air: 24.1°C)
- February: 26.8°C (air: 24.4°C)
- March: 26.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
- April: 26.8°C (air: 26.4°C)
- May: 26.8°C (air: 27.4°C)
- June: 26.8°C (air: 28.1°C)
- July: 26.8°C (air: 28.9°C)
- August: 26.8°C (air: 29.1°C)
- September: 26.8°C (air: 28.7°C)
- October: 26.8°C (air: 27.7°C)
- November: 26.8°C (air: 26.3°C)
- December: 26.8°C (air: 24.6°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Isla de la Juventud
- ALPHONSE X11 - 2m (wreck)
- ASTORIA - 1m (wreck)
- Baie des cochons
- Bajo Médano
- Banco de Cazones
- Barco Hundido (wreck)
- Bay of Pigs - 21m (reef)
- Cajilone
- Cayo Piedra Reef - 14m (reef)
- Cenote Cuba Checoslovaquia (cenote)
- Cenote mar (cenote)
- Coral Beach - 11m (reef)
- Cueva de los Peces - 21m (cave)
- El Ballenato
- IMIAS - 1m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cayo Largo
Marine Life in Isla de la Juventud
Home to 143 recorded species including 99 reef fish, 28 hard corals, 6 whales & dolphins, 4 seagrass & algae, 2 jellyfish, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Grunt (Haemulon plumierii) - Reef Fish
- Schoolmaster (Lutjanus apodus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Butterfly (Chaetodon capistratus) - Reef Fish
- Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) - Reef Fish
- Cola (Ocyurus chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Fire coral (Millepora complanata) - Jellyfish
Recommended Packing List for Cayo Largo
Based on average water temperature of 26.8°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 27°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories