Jardines de la Reina - Jardines de la Reina
Jardines de la Reina offers consistent shark encounters, particularly with Caribbean reef sharks and silvertips. The coral formations here are healthy, with impressive gorgonians and sponges. Visibility generally stays good, making it a reliable spot for photographers. It's a solid choice for divers who prioritize active shark interactions over macro life.
- Location
- Jardines de la Reina, Cuba, Caribbean
- Coordinates
- 20.803621, -78.947410
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Jardines de la Reina
Best Time to Dive in Jardines de la Reina
The warmest water temperatures in Jardines de la Reina occur in September, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in February at 27.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 27.5°C
- February: 27.1°C
- March: 27.1°C
- April: 27.8°C
- May: 28.8°C
- June: 29.2°C
- July: 29.8°C
- August: 30.2°C
- September: 30.4°C
- October: 29.9°C
- November: 29.2°C
- December: 28.3°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Jardines de la Reina
- Black Coral I and II (reef)
- Bucanero
- Cabeza de la Cubera
- Canto Chiquiton
- Cayo Felipe el Grande
- Club Náutico
- Cuba Diving in the Jardines de la Reina - ‘Garden of Eden’ (reef)
- Diamond Point (reef)
- El Acuario I
- Farallón - 15-40m (pinnacle)
- Guardalavaca - 23m
- Jardines de la Reina (wall)
- La Angelica
- Labanderas Reef (reef)
- La Borgonia - 10-25m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Jardines de la Reina
Marine Life in Jardines de la Reina
Home to 492 recorded species including 404 reef fish, 34 hard corals, 10 whales & dolphins, 10 sharks & rays, 8 other, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) - Hard Corals
- Gutong (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) - Reef Fish
- Gutong (Scarus iseri) - Reef Fish
- Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- Blue Doctor (Acanthurus coeruleus) - Reef Fish
- Barber (Acanthurus bahianus) - Reef Fish
- Lettuce Coral (Agaricia agaricites) - Hard Corals
- Dark Green Parrotfish (Sparisoma viride) - Reef Fish
- Finger Coral (Porites porites) - Hard Corals
- Sheephead (Microspathodon chrysurus) - Reef Fish
- Massive Starlet Coral (Siderastrea siderea) - Hard Corals
- Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) - Hard Corals
- Sammy Johnson (Scarus taeniopterus) - Reef Fish
- Greenblotch Parrotfish (Sparisoma atomarium) - Reef Fish
- Great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa) - Hard Corals
- Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) - Reef Fish
- French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) - Reef Fish
- Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus) - Reef Fish
- Yellowtail Parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) - Reef Fish
- turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum) - Seagrass & Algae
Recommended Packing List for Jardines de la Reina
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C, currents 16 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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