Dive Review of Avalon Dive Center/Tortuga in
Cuba/Jardines de la Reina

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Avalon Dive Center/Tortuga, Aug, 2014, by Eric Schindler, AZ, US ( Contributor 16 reports with 19 Helpful votes). Report 7722 has 4 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Gardens of the Queens is far and away the best diving in the Caribbean, and the marine life present is comparable to top notch locations in the Western Pacific/Coral Triangle and Indian oceans. The highlights are dive encounters with sharks unlike any other. Caribbean reef sharks, Silkies, nurse sharks abound and accompany you on every dive. The largest fish I have ever seen -- a goliath grouper guestimated to be over 600 pounds, relatively healthy corals, including some color (this was peak ocean temperature for the year so some bleaching noted). Pelagics and smaller tropicals are here too. Avalon is a partnership between an Italian outfit and the Cuban Government and it is a huge operation including the stationary Tortuga unique barge/hotel, and up to six liveaboards varying in comfort from quite luxurious (Avalon 2) to nice, with the Tortuga comparable to above average level liveaboards. While accomodations vary, the food and dive program is identical Top notch service and the best food I have ever enjoyed on a diving trip! Made to order breakfast every morning, an abundance of seafood including lobster and fresh fish and sashimi regularly, and plenty of Cuban meats, chicken and side dishes at both lunch and dinner. No complaints or suggestions. Free rum each night, and pay for sodas, beer. We went on our own "illegally" and I encourage everyone to consider this option. You can easily fly in from Canada, Mexico, Bahamas. You can book on the Avalon web site and pay in advance through their system safely with credit card. They emulate the package offered to European/Canadian divers and include hotel in Havana before and after the diving. We paid around $3500 but this varies depending on which vessel you pick. We were astonished to learn that the "legal version" through Ocean Doctors is well over double that price. We spent a week prior exploring several cities in Cuba and were warmly welcomed. We used Pototo Travel Services (check out on Trip Advisor). It is hard to describe the experience of visiting - going back in time in some ways. No internet essentially throughout the country but the Tortuga resort has free wifi through satellite! Be prepared for the 6 hour comfortable bus ride followed by potentially rough 3 hour sea crossing on large high speed transport boat to get to Tortuga or board your liveaboard and same crossing to the archipelago. This is a great diving week in a protected marine reserve and the benefits of its remoteness and strict government enforcement of no fishing are evident
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	[Indonesia, Palau, Maldives, Caribbean venues, etc
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm, choppy, no currents
Water Temp	82-86°F / 28-30°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	40-100 Ft/ 12-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Very professional, respectful. Guide led dives for as long as you want to stay down and have sufficient air
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	We are not photographers, but plenty of space on board for accommodating cameras, etc. Staff are supportive of needs

Report currently has 4 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By Jeff Moore in FL, US at Oct 07, 2014 19:58 EST

How many dives per day/week?

By Jeff Moore in FL, US at Oct 07, 2014 19:59 EST

How many dives per day/week?

By report author: Eric Schindler in AZ, US at Oct 08, 2014 10:43 EST

Jeff, the package is for five days of diving, three dives per day. It is possible to add extra "twilight" dives for a stated $40 per. Night dives are technically not allowed, but our twilight dive started late enough to transition from dusk to darkness

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Dive Review of Avalon Dive Center/Tortuga in Cuba/Jardines de la Reina

Avalon Dive Center/Tortuga, Aug, 2014,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Avalon Dive Center/Tortuga in
Cuba/Jardines de la Reina