Special Tourism in Cuba for Travelers

SCUBA DIVING Located in the heart of the Caribbean, Cuba is surrounded by a sea of immense beauty and wealth that is virtually virgin territory for scuba divers. There are also other attractive and special tourism opportunities like arrow hunting with equipmentand fishing and diving in Cuba for the travelers.

Snorkeling on the surface or diving into deeper water with scuba equipment, divers find marvelous coral gardens — Cuba's coral reef is some 400 km. long — schools of brightly colored tropical fish and a fantastic seabed landscape. Every dive is filled with sensations and experiences that will be remembered for years.

Special Tourism in Cuba for Travelers

Marked sites off the coast of most resorts ensure trips of breathtaking beauty and every opportunity to fill your photo album with shots you never imagined existed.

Marlin tournaments in Cuba

Every spring and summer, a number of international fishing tournaments are held in Cuba. These include the Swordfish Tournament (late April); the Ernest Hemingway Tournament (late May), which the noted writer launched in 1950 for marlin fishing enthusiasts.

The Spring Tournament (which follows the Hemingway); and the Blue Marlin Tournament (late August).The four tourneys are team competitions in which the fishermen can use their own boats or rent 27-foot Pirana yachts equipped with two Volvo engines for $190 a day (including crew, fishing gear,and bait) or smaller boats for $120 a day.

Registration in Marlin tournaments

Registration fees for each tournament are $200 per fisherman and $20 per nonfishing companion. Docking charges are $35 a foot per day, including water, electricity,and custody. The tourneys are governed by the rules of the International Game Fish Association. (Prices may vary, so consult your travel agent).

Headquarters for these fishing competitions is the Hemingway Marina at Barlovento, on the western outskirts of Havana (see the Hemingway Marina section in the chapter on Havana), which has all the facilities necessary for running international tournaments. The fishing zone runs from Barlovento to Santa Cruz del Norte, east of Havana, and the marlin always abounds in season along this costal channel.

Fishing Opportunities for the Cuba Tourist

Since a wide range of species abounds in Cuba's coastal and inland waters, CUBATUR has arranged programs to match the enthusiasm of both fresh and saltwater fishermen from all over the world. This is another good tourism opportunities in Cuba.

Marlin fishing

The Gulf Stream off the Havana coast is known as one of the world's best zones for catching beaked fish (white marlin, blue marlin, swordfish,and sailfish). Ernest Hemingway called this area the great blue river and spent many an hour pursuing the big fish that follow this course each spring on their way to the Atlantic Ocean.

Hemingway Tournament

This tournament merits special mention, not only because of the fame of its founder but also because so many renowned sports fishermen have competed in it over the years. One with better finishing tips can do an excellent performance in this area.

The tournament lasts for five days, with fishing from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (unless a fish is reported hooked before 6 p.m., in which case the haul may be completed regardless of time). Every night is party night at Barlovento, and visitors can also select from a range of optional excursions and activities to fill their spare time.

How to join in this tournament

The team with the highest score is awarded the coveted Hemingway Cup. Other trophies include The Old Man and the Sea Trophy, for the individual with the highest score; the Pilar Trophy (named after Hemingway's boat), for the biggest marlin.

The Barlovento Trophy, for the biggest swordfish; and medals for the teams placing first, second and third. Individual daily awards include a trophy for the highest score. Diplomas are also awarded to all participants.

Bonefish Just as the marlin is the queen of the big fish, so the bonefish is king of the smaller game fish. It is often caught around Cayo Largo, but the area of Cuba in which it is found in greatest abundance is in the Jardines de la Reina Archipelago, in Ciego de Avila Province. (See Bonefish section in Ciego de Avila chapter).

Fishing in this Area

Largemouth bass Of all the kinds of sports fishing available, largemouth bass seems to be the most attractive — in Cuba and in the United States, many of whose fishermen enjoy the chance to catch big bass in fine Cuban lakes. (See largemouth bass under the various provincial headings in this guide).

ESPECIALLY FOR YOU: Fishing programs are available for sportsmen who wish to devote their entire time in Cuba to this pastime, but tourists who come on regular trips can also book fishing as an optional activity, through their hotel tourism bureaus. Only submarine fishing is prohibited by Cuban law.

At the Hemingway Marina, west of Havana, Pirana yachtscan be rented for marlin and blue marlin fishing. The Marina also has a five-hour seafari on Sunday, which includes Deepsea fishing, and offers scuba diving, water skiing, rowing and other water sports.