Cuba
Best Time to Dive in Jardines de la Reina
20.75°N 78.90°W
The reason to dive it is the Caribbean reef sharks, silkies and goliath grouper of the marine reserve. That does not change through the year, so go when the weather is best: February to June. Diving holds up from December to July.
- Best time
- Feb–Jun
- Water
- 26–31 °C
- Visibility
- 20–35 m
- Season runs
- Dec–Jul
- Dived from
- liveaboard
- Tidal range
- 0.2–0.3 m
- Species logged
- 3
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Jardines de la Reina — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Moderate | Good | Poor | Poor | Excellent |
| Water temp (°C) | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 27 |
| Visibility (m) | 20–30 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 25–35 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 | 20–30 |
| Marine life | Steady | Steady | Busy | Busy | Busy | Steady | Quiet | Steady | Busy | Steady | Quiet | Busy |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Feb–Jun
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Jardines de la Reina diving season
October to November · Off season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 28–30 °C
- Visibility
- 20–30 m
- Rain
- 14 days a month
Diving conditionsSeas stay mostly calm. It rains more.
December to September · Peak season
10 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 26–31 °C
- Visibility
- 20–30 m
- Rain
- 10 days a month
Diving conditionsSeas are usually flat. It rains less.
Marine lifeGoliath grouper (hit-or-miss) peaks at Jardines de la Reina in these months.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Jardines de la Reina water temperature and weather
143 underwater observation records · 14 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Jardines de la Reina water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
Rarely
rough enough to cancel
Seas top 2.5 m on under 1% of days. Enough to cancel a liveaboard crossing
2
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
10
wet days a month
2 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.1 m | 15% | 3 | 1 | 26 °C | 10.9 h |
| February | 1.1 m | 10% | 3 | 1 | 26 °C | 11.3 h |
| March | 1.1 m | 14% | 4 | 0 | 27 °C | 11.9 h |
| April | 1.1 m | 8% | 7 | 1 | 28 °C | 12.5 h |
| May | 0.9 m | 2% | 16 | 4 | 28 °C | 13.0 h |
| June | 1.2 m | 1% | 14 | 2 | 29 °C | 13.3 h |
| July | 1.0 m | 2% | 13 | 1 | 30 °C | 13.1 h |
| August | 0.9 m | 1% | 15 | 2 | 30 °C | 12.7 h |
| September | 0.9 m | 2% | 17 | 3 | 30 °C | 12.1 h |
| October | 1.2 m | 6% | 19 | 4 | 29 °C | 11.5 h |
| November | 1.0 m | 9% | 10 | 2 | 28 °C | 11.0 h |
| December | 1.1 m | 9% | 4 | 0 | 27 °C | 10.7 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Excellent | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Excellent | May week 1: Excellent | June week 1: Good | July week 1: Excellent | August week 1: Good | September week 1: Moderate | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Excellent | February week 2: Excellent | March week 2: Excellent | April week 2: Excellent | May week 2: Excellent | June week 2: Good | July week 2: Excellent | August week 2: Good | September week 2: Moderate | October week 2: Moderate | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Good |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Good | February week 3: Excellent | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Good | May week 3: Good | June week 3: Excellent | July week 3: Good | August week 3: Moderate | September week 3: Moderate | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Good |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Good | February week 4: Excellent | March week 4: Excellent | April week 4: Good | May week 4: Good | June week 4: Excellent | July week 4: Moderate | August week 4: Moderate | September week 4: Moderate | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Moderate | December week 4: Excellent |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: first of April
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.1 m | 30 km/h | 10% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.1 m | 30 km/h | 11% |
| Week 3 | Good | 26 °C | 1.1 m | 31 km/h | 10% |
| Week 4 | Good | 26 °C | 1.2 m | 32 km/h | 10% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.1 m | 33 km/h | 10% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.1 m | 32 km/h | 10% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.1 m | 32 km/h | 12% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.0 m | 32 km/h | 11% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 26 °C | 1.0 m | 30 km/h | 12% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.0 m | 30 km/h | 13% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 30 km/h | 17% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 31 km/h | 15% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 29 km/h | 12% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.0 m | 28 km/h | 18% |
| Week 3 | Good | 28 °C | 1.1 m | 29 km/h | 28% |
| Week 4 | Good | 28 °C | 1.1 m | 29 km/h | 33% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 0.9 m | 27 km/h | 38% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 0.9 m | 25 km/h | 48% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 0.9 m | 25 km/h | 54% |
| Week 4 | Good | 29 °C | 1.0 m | 26 km/h | 61% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 26 km/h | 63% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 25 km/h | 51% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 25 km/h | 42% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 26 km/h | 38% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 26 km/h | 38% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 27 km/h | 39% |
| Week 3 | Good | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 26 km/h | 44% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.0 m | 26 km/h | 46% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 30 °C | 0.9 m | 26 km/h | 48% |
| Week 2 | Good | 31 °C | 0.9 m | 26 km/h | 46% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 31 °C | 0.8 m | 26 km/h | 43% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 31 °C | 0.9 m | 25 km/h | 48% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 31 °C | 0.8 m | 23 km/h | 52% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 31 °C | 0.7 m | 23 km/h | 54% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 31 °C | 0.9 m | 24 km/h | 59% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.7 m | 25 km/h | 66% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.4 m | 25 km/h | 69% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.1 m | 25 km/h | 69% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.1 m | 27 km/h | 61% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 31 km/h | 47% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 32 km/h | 44% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 1.2 m | 32 km/h | 39% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 32 km/h | 30% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 28 °C | 1.0 m | 32 km/h | 20% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 28 °C | 1.1 m | 33 km/h | 13% |
| Week 2 | Good | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 33 km/h | 15% |
| Week 3 | Good | 27 °C | 1.2 m | 33 km/h | 15% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 27 °C | 1.1 m | 33 km/h | 10% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: 3 mm | February: 3 mm | March: 3 mm | April: 3 mm | May: skin | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: skin | December: 3 mm |
- Dec–Apr3 mm full suit
- May–Novskin or 3 mm shorty
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 2.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
4 of the last 30 Augusts saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. Anything has been recorded Jul–Nov.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Jardines de la Reina marine life — what you'll see diving
Only 143 records have been logged within 60 km. A thin record is not an empty reef.
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau grouper | Mar–May, Sep | Likely | 35 | ||
| Southern stingray | Dec–Jan, Sep | Likely | 15 | ||
| Goliath grouper | May, Sep | Hit-or-miss | 15 |
Peak Present No survey data
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Jardines de la Reina — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Jardines de la Reina?
- The reason to dive it is the Caribbean reef sharks, silkies and goliath grouper of the marine reserve. That does not change through the year, so go when the weather is best: February to June. Diving holds up from December to July.
- When is the diving season in Jardines de la Reina?
- The diving season in Jardines de la Reina runs December to July, and it is at its best February to June.
- Is the diving in Jardines de la Reina good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in Jardines de la Reina?
- Between 26 and 31 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in February and warmest in August. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Jardines de la Reina?
- A 3 mm full suit covers the coldest water of the year. In the warmest months a skin or 3 mm shorty is enough.
- What is the visibility like in Jardines de la Reina?
- Roughly 20 to 35 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Jardines de la Reina?
- The most consistently recorded species are Nassau grouper (likely), Southern stingray (likely) and Goliath grouper (hit-or-miss), from 143 records within 60 km.
- Does Jardines de la Reina get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in Jul–Nov, most often in August at 4 of 30 years.
- Is there current in Jardines de la Reina?
- The tide rises and falls 0.3 m around the full and new moon, against 0.2 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Jardines de la Reina?
- November is the weakest month for conditions.
- How do you dive Jardines de la Reina?
- Mostly from liveaboards. Trips run through the season, Dec–Jul.