Diving at María la Gorda

Experienced divers rave about the diving, ranging from vertical walls to coral canyons, tunnels, and caves, and even the remains of Spanish galleons. El Valle de Coral Negro (Black Coral Valley) has 100-meter-long coral walls. Huge whale sharks are commonly seen, as are packs of dolphin and tuna.

Many dive sites are just 200 meters from Playa María la Gorda, where the Centro Internacional de Buceo María la Gorda (tel. 082/77-1306) offers dives at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Resort-course (initiation) dives cost CUC30. Single dives cost CUC35, night dives cost CUC40, and a four-day certification course costs CUC365. Use of equipment costs CUC7 extra. Divers must be accompanied by a dive guide.

A diving facility was also planned for the marina at Punta Cajón.

Snorkeling costs CUC12; you can join the divers aboard the dive boat.

In 2001, explorers using a miniature submarine discovered strange stone formations on the seabed that resembled a “lost city.” The formations (2,100 ft. down) resemble pyramids, buildings, and roadways, causing some imaginative folks to speculate that they’d found a real-life Atlantis.