Page 287 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

SPOR T S AND OUTDOOR A C TIVITIES  285

only be reached by sea.
Liveaboards take scuba divers
to sites with unspoiled sea
floors, busy with marine life.
For information concerning
diving in general, contact
Marlin Náutica or Avalon.

Surfing, Windsurfing
and Kitesurfing
At the main seaside resorts
(Varadero, Guardalavaca, Cayo
Beach volleyball at a tourist village on Cayo Largo Largo, Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa
María) conditions are ideal for
tickets to see the national teams There are also fascinating surfing and wind surfing, and
in action at the Coliseo de la shipwrecks to explore. In the at the larger holiday villages
Ciudad Deportiva. Call in past the island’s bays were used all equipment can be hired.
advance of your visit for as refuges for pirate galleons, Kitesurfing has surged in
information on when the and in some areas, such as Playa popularity and a few outfits
teams are playing. Santa Lucía, divers can still see now offer lessons in Varadero
anchors and cannons – relics and elsewhere; contact Cuba
from the 19th century – lying on Kiters, Havana Kiteboarding
Diving
the sea floor. Military enthu siasts Club or Caribbean Riders
With 5,746 km (3,570 miles) of can see Soviet vessels and aircraft Kite School. The Club Cayo
coastline and over 4,000 small among the more recent sunken Guillermo is perfectly sited for
islands, Cuba is one of the craft. Underwater tunnels and catching the wind especially
supreme places in the Caribbean grottoes add to the attractions. between November and April.
for diving enthusiasts. The Tourism has spurred the
crystal-clear water (with a number of diving centres and the Cycling
temperature ranging from modern ization of existing clubs
23–30° C, 70–85° F) and variety that can be found in every Touring the island by bicycle is
of sea beds, in particular, make holiday resort. Scuba centres an excellent way to enjoy the
the Cuban sea a paradise for have trained international-level landscape and meet local people.
scuba divers at any time of year. instructors, and offer courses for The bicycles offered for rent to
Thanks to the coral reef and all levels of ability. Some, such as tourists are of better quality than
numerous offshore islands the Hotel Colony on Isla de la those the locals have to use.
(cayos), there are no strong Juventud (see p154), also have Cycling is not usually dangerous,
currents along the coast and decompression chambers. Divers particularly outside the towns
the horizontal visibility under can hire all the equip ment they where traffic is light. Beware,
water is hardly ever less than need on site; however, it is however, of potholes in the road.
40 m (130 ft). advisable to bring along Bikes should always be locked
There is an abundance of indispensable items such as a or left in supervised places (thefts
sites along the coral reef for depth gauge and a knife. are common), and remember to
both wall and platform dives. The most important diving wear a helmet. Mountain bikes
Punta Perdiz, in the Bahía de centres (centros de buceo) are are best for rough terrain.
Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) is a El Colony on Isla de la
spectacular wall dive. Besides Juventud (best suited to
all kinds of coral, on the sea bed experienced divers),
divers can see gorgonian fans Avalon at Jardines de la
and sponges, all manner of Reina, the Centro de
multicoloured fish (see p151), Buceo María La Gorda
tarpons, barracuda, sea turtles, and Green Moray at
large lobsters, beautiful Cayo Guillermo. It is
anemones, and even sharks. possible to dive from the
The Jardines de la Reina is shore at Playa Santa
teeming with Caribbean reef Lucía and Playa Girón.
sharks, silky sharks and nurse Other operators can be
sharks. A family of bull sharks found at Varadero and
lives in the Boca de Nuevitas Guardalavaca.
(near Playa Santa Lucía), and The Jardines de la
the area can be visited with the Reina islands are Cuba’s
instructors from the Shark’s most out standing dive A scuba diver exploring a shipwreck off the
Friends diving centre. area, although they can Playa Santa Lucía (see p210)

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