Cuba Under the Surface — Southern Cays Diving
Two easy days in Havana, three days of coral-garden and wall diving off Cayo Largo del Sur, then the legendary reefs and drop-offs at Playa Girón on the Bay of Pigs.
For: Certified divers and keen snorkellers, dive couples
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 2 travellers · 8 nights · comfort tier. Every line is a planner range in USD — an estimate to budget with, not a quote.
| International airfare | $600 – $1,900 |
| Entry documents (tourist card) | $60 – $150 |
| Travel insurance | $80 – $300 |
| Accommodation | $560 – $1,200 |
| Local transportation | $690 – $1,350 |
| Food | $640 – $1,248 |
| Guides & activities | $275 – $700 |
| Connectivity | $30 – $110 |
| Tips | $40 – $160 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $24 – $96 |
| Emergency reserve | $240 – $797 |
| Total (2 travellers) | $3,239 – $8,011 |
- Per traveller
- $1,620 – $4,006
- Per day
- $405 – $1,001
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $2,399 – $5,314
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $300 – $950
Basis: standard hotel · comfortable food · private driver · 5 guided days.
Adjust every number in the planner →Estimates in USD to help you budget — not observed prices, quotes or guaranteed availability. Most US cards don’t work in Cuba; carry cash and keep the reserve.
2 · Fly in
Miami (MIA) → Havana (HAV) — José Martí International
Cuba's principal international gateway — the only truly diversified one, with links across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Example dates 2026-09-15 → 2026-09-23 (adjust on the live search). CubaAtlas books nothing — these open live results:
3 · Day by day
Where to sleep and dine each day is a real listing from the CubaAtlas provider dataset, nearest your base.
Morning
Land at José Martí and settle into a casa in Habana Vieja.Afternoon
Stroll the Malecón and the harbour forts to get oriented; sort dive cards and log books.Evening
Seafood and cold beer near the port, then a slow walk along the seawall.
StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Coffee on Plaza Vieja, then the Museo del Ron for rum-barrel history.Afternoon
Old-city plazas and a check-dive gear shakedown; buy underwater snacks and water.Evening
Live son in a courtyard bar, an early night before the transfer.StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Short flight to Cayo Largo del Sur; check into a beach base and rig tanks.Afternoon
Orientation dive on a shallow coral garden — grunts, parrotfish, easy 12 metres.Evening
Grilled fish on the sand, stars, and the sound of the surf.Morning
Two-tank boat dive on the outer wall — black coral, tarpon, big sponges dropping into blue.Afternoon
Surface interval on a sandbar, then a drift over the reef top.Evening
Ceviche and lobster, dive-boat talk over rum.Morning
Snorkel the turtle-nesting shallows and a ray-cleaning station.Afternoon
Optional third dive or a long swim off an empty beach; log the week's fish.Evening
Beach barbecue and a bonfire with the dive crew.Morning
Fly back and drive down through the Zapata edge to Playa Girón.Afternoon
Easy shore dive straight off the beach onto the fringing reef wall.Evening
Home cooking in a casa, and the 1961 history that gives the bay its name.StayPlaya GirónPlaya GiróN & ZapataMap →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Morning
Wall dive at Punta Perdiz — sheer coral drop just metres from shore.Afternoon
Snorkel the flooded cave pools of Caleta Buena among tropical fish.Evening
Fresh-caught snapper and a quiet last-night meal by the water.StayPlaya GirónPlaya GiróN & ZapataMap →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Morning
Drive back to Havana, last-minute cigars and a final Malecón walk.Afternoon
Late lunch in Vedado, souvenirs, and airport transfer buffer.Evening
Farewell rooftop dinner over the city before the flight.StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, Matanzas
4 · Visa, entry & customs
Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card (tarjeta del turista) plus a passport valid for the stay and proof of onward travel and medical insurance. Buy the tourist card before you fly — the price and colour depend on your departure country and airline.
Travelling under US jurisdiction: there is no general tourism licence. US persons travel under one of OFAC’s authorised categories — most commonly Support for the Cuban People or family visits — which carry record-keeping duties and a full-time-schedule requirement. The tourist card for US departures is the pink one. Confirm your category before you book.
5 · Book direct, or compare an agency
This plan is costed to book direct — the $4,952 (expected) above is what the trip actually costs, itemised, with no package margin. A travel agency bundles flights, hotel and transfers into one price and adds a service fee for the convenience. We don’t quote agencies (we’d never invent a price) — so take a package quote and compare it line-for-line against the breakdown above.
Operating United States agencies serving Cuba, if you prefer a package:
- Cuba Travel Services (CTS) ↗
Long-running US seller of scheduled and charter air to Cuba plus packages.
Sells: flights, charters, packages, hotels
- ABC Charters ↗
Miami charter operator to Havana and other Cuban cities.
Sells: flights, charters · +1-305-263-6555
- Marazul Charters ↗
One of the oldest US–Cuba travel providers.
Sells: flights, charters, packages
- Xael Charter ↗
Direct flights Miami/Orlando/Tampa to Havana, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín; since 1988.
Sells: flights, charters, hotels, cars, tours · (305) 643-2200
- insightCuba ↗
Non-profit people-to-people and custom group tours; since 2000.
Sells: tours, packages
- Cubamax Travel ↗
Flights, packages, shipping and remittances; 13 Florida branches.
Sells: flights, packages, hotels, cars · +1-305-512-0303
CubaAtlas is non-commercial and takes no commission. Agency links go straight to the operator; we don’t book, broker or earn from them.
Every Cuba agency, compiled — with the free equivalent for each →Questions
- How much does the "Cuba Under the Surface — Southern Cays Diving" trip cost?
- An estimated $3,239–$8,011 all-in for 2 traveller(s) over 8 nights ($2,476 per traveller expected), including airfare, lodging, food, transport and a reserve. It is a planner estimate, not a quote — you book each part direct, with no agency margin.
- Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
- Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card. Travellers under US jurisdiction have no general tourism licence and travel under an OFAC category such as Support for the Cuban People or family visits. See the CubaAtlas visa & entry guide.
- When is the best time for this trip?
- Best months: December–May (calm seas, best visibility).
- Can I book this trip on CubaAtlas?
- No — CubaAtlas is a free, non-commercial planner. It gives you the itinerary, the budget, live flight-search links and real hotel and restaurant listings, and you arrange each part directly at the source. We book nothing and take no commission.