Explore Cayo Guillermo

Cayo Guillermo is one of the tropical islands which makes up the Jardines del Rey archipelago which lies off of the north coast of Cuba. It is known for its long stretches of sandy beaches, sparkling waters and flourishing coral reefs. The handful of dive centres and dive resorts take divers out on small speed boats to see the best of what is on offer here. There is also the possibility to explore this area by liveaboard. Diving here is incredibly relaxing as the conditions are usually calm, no currents, great visibility and a vibrant marine environment to admire. Dive over the rainforests of soft corals and gardens of hard corals and sponges, and keep an eye out for Nurse Sharks and Green Sea Turtles who tend to pop up.

Dive Activity

Diving in Cayo Guillermo

The topography underwater here provides numerous different diving experiences for divers of different interests. The main features on the dives here are; great visibility, calm waters, rocky topography densely packed with corals and other reef species, sandy bottoms which hold some fun species to spot and more! There are some great dive sites also for dive courses, night dives and almost all dive sites are great for underwater photographers. The dive sites are reached either by speed boat or liveaboard.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Cayo Guillermo

The marine life here is definitely in high abundance and every dive will have something exciting to spot. The reefs here are densely packed with numerous different species of corals, sponges and other flora including Barrel Sponge, Dark Volcano Sponge, Sea Plumes, Anemones, Maze Corals Brain Coral, Lettuce Corals, Octopus Sponge and so much more. Some marine fauna species include Amber Jacks, Trumpetfish, colourful Angelfish, Bluestriped Grunt, Lionfish, Black Grouper, Nassau Grouper, Giant Moray Eels, Barracuda, Triggerfish, Crabs, Snapper, Pufferfish, Lobsters, just to name a few. There are some more unique species such as different species of rays including the Caribbean Whiptail Stingray which likes to bury itself in the sand, Nurse Sharks who like to lie on the sandy bottom or hide under small overhangs and the graceful and gorgeous Green Sea Turtle.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 200

Moray Eel

47 Sightings
J
4
F
2
M
5
A
5
M
5
J
0
J
3
A
7
S
4
O
6
N
6
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 27

Barracuda

38 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
2
A
7
M
2
J
0
J
8
A
2
S
2
O
7
N
4
D
1

Green Turtle

23 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
1
A
5
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
4
S
0
O
3
N
1
D
4

Loggerhead Turtle

11 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
1
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
0
O
3
N
0
D
1

Hawksbill Turtle

9 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
0
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 600

Wrasse

9 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
1
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 25

Eagle Ray

8 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
3
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 300

Octopus

4 Sightings
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0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
0
A
0
S
1
O
2
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Stingrays

61 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
3
A
8
M
3
J
0
J
4
A
16
S
5
O
8
N
7
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 2

Nurse Shark

60 Sightings
J
3
F
2
M
5
A
0
M
3
J
0
J
7
A
17
S
4
O
8
N
5
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 12

Lionfish

50 Sightings
J
4
F
5
M
4
A
7
M
2
J
0
J
7
A
7
S
2
O
3
N
4
D
5

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Angelfish

42 Sightings
J
6
F
3
M
4
A
5
M
1
J
0
J
5
A
8
S
1
O
4
N
5
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 250

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 100

Parrotfish

41 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
2
A
3
M
2
J
0
J
5
A
10
S
2
O
3
N
6
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Butterfly Fish

29 Sightings
J
5
F
1
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
6
A
10
S
1
O
1
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 110

Snapper

28 Sightings
J
3
F
1
M
3
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
9
A
1
S
2
O
3
N
3
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 85

Surgeonfish

28 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
2
A
2
M
1
J
0
J
6
A
3
S
0
O
4
N
5
D
1

Grey Reef Shark

26 Sightings
J
6
F
0
M
2
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
6
S
3
O
2
N
2
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

25 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
1
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
8
A
6
S
1
O
3
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3

Trumpetfish

24 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
1
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
10
S
0
O
3
N
4
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 350

Damselfish

19 Sightings
J
5
F
2
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
5
S
0
O
1
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 90

Goatfish

17 Sightings
J
2
F
1
M
1
A
0
M
2
J
0
J
4
A
3
S
1
O
0
N
2
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Triggerfish

15 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
1
A
1
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
8
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Soldierfish

12 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
2
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
3
N
3
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 55

Lobster

12 Sightings
J
5
F
0
M
1
A
1
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

Caribbean Reef Shark

11 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
1
A
0
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
6
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 130

Pufferfish

11 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
2
A
1
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Spiny Lobster

9 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
1
A
4
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 3400

Shrimp

8 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
2
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 80

Emperor

7 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 7000

Crab

7 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
1
A
2
M
1
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Whitetip Reef Shark

6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 28

Clownfish

6 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 40

Jackfish

6 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 8

Bannerfish

5 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 60

Squirrelfish

4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
1
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species: 15

Tuna

4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
1
N
2
D
1

The best Months to dive in Cayo Guillermo

What enhances the beauty of diving here is the crystal-clear water; with visibility averaging around 30 meters/98 feet, the calm waters as there is a real lack of currents here, and the warm waters; the water temperatures here range between 23°C–29°C/73°F–84°F.

Between November and April is the dry season, which is also the time of the year with the best, calmest, and warmest water conditions. The other months of the year are generally wetter, but due to the warm waters it is still possible to dive.

Dive Centers

Dive Sites