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.

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

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.

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 approx.: 27

Barracuda

Barracuda

105 Sightings
J
8
F
6
M
7
A
16
M
6
J
2
J
15
A
18
S
6
O
11
N
7
D
3

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

Total number of species approx.: 200

Moray Eel

Moray Eel

97 Sightings
J
14
F
6
M
5
A
10
M
4
J
4
J
9
A
15
S
7
O
7
N
15
D
1
Green Turtle

Green Turtle

37 Sightings
J
9
F
1
M
1
A
7
M
0
J
1
J
5
A
3
S
0
O
5
N
1
D
4
Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle

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

Loggerhead Turtle

9 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
3
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
0
O
3
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 approx.: 25

Eagle Ray

Eagle Ray

7 Sightings
J
0
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 approx.: 600

Wrasse

Wrasse

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

Great Hammerhead Shark

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

Common Dolphin

4 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
1
S
0
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 approx.: 2

Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

124 Sightings
J
10
F
3
M
8
A
3
M
5
J
3
J
12
A
22
S
14
O
16
N
16
D
12

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

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

Stingrays

112 Sightings
J
12
F
3
M
9
A
13
M
4
J
7
J
7
A
23
S
9
O
10
N
12
D
3

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

Total number of species approx.: 250

Grouper/Basslets

Grouper/Basslets

109 Sightings
J
16
F
1
M
5
A
13
M
10
J
4
J
12
A
19
S
4
O
8
N
14
D
3

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

Total number of species approx.: 12

Lionfish

Lionfish

109 Sightings
J
12
F
6
M
7
A
15
M
2
J
4
J
12
A
21
S
6
O
5
N
12
D
7

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

Angelfish

103 Sightings
J
14
F
6
M
10
A
8
M
2
J
4
J
13
A
20
S
5
O
8
N
11
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

Parrotfish

103 Sightings
J
13
F
4
M
4
A
7
M
4
J
4
J
14
A
22
S
7
O
4
N
13
D
7

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

80 Sightings
J
12
F
2
M
3
A
6
M
0
J
4
J
13
A
22
S
5
O
4
N
7
D
2
Grey Reef Shark

Grey Reef Shark

80 Sightings
J
13
F
2
M
8
A
7
M
1
J
5
J
4
A
15
S
5
O
2
N
13
D
5

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

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

58 Sightings
J
4
F
2
M
2
A
5
M
2
J
4
J
10
A
8
S
2
O
5
N
10
D
4

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

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

Snapper

55 Sightings
J
6
F
1
M
5
A
6
M
0
J
2
J
16
A
2
S
4
O
5
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 approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts

54 Sightings
J
1
F
2
M
1
A
2
M
3
J
3
J
15
A
11
S
1
O
4
N
8
D
3

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

Total number of species approx.: 3

Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish

46 Sightings
J
7
F
0
M
1
A
3
M
0
J
4
J
3
A
14
S
1
O
3
N
9
D
1

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

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

Goatfish

42 Sightings
J
3
F
1
M
2
A
1
M
4
J
2
J
7
A
7
S
3
O
0
N
8
D
4

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

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

Damselfish

36 Sightings
J
9
F
3
M
1
A
1
M
0
J
2
J
4
A
9
S
0
O
2
N
2
D
3

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

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

Triggerfish

35 Sightings
J
4
F
1
M
2
A
4
M
2
J
2
J
1
A
12
S
0
O
0
N
6
D
1

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

Total number of species approx.: 55

Lobster

Lobster

34 Sightings
J
9
F
3
M
6
A
2
M
0
J
5
J
1
A
3
S
0
O
0
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 approx.: 60

Soldierfish

Soldierfish

31 Sightings
J
2
F
2
M
2
A
1
M
3
J
2
J
2
A
1
S
1
O
4
N
9
D
2

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

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

Pufferfish

20 Sightings
J
6
F
1
M
2
A
0
M
0
J
1
J
3
A
2
S
0
O
1
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 approx.: 60

Spiny Lobster

Spiny Lobster

16 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
1
A
6
M
1
J
2
J
0
A
3
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 approx.: 80

Emperor

Emperor

16 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
4
M
0
J
2
J
5
A
0
S
0
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 approx.: 7000

Crab

Crab

15 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
1
A
4
M
2
J
3
J
0
A
1
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 approx.: 60

Squirrelfish

Squirrelfish

13 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
2
J
1
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
5
D
2
Whitetip Reef Shark

Whitetip Reef Shark

11 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
0
J
6
A
1
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 approx.: 8

Bannerfish

Bannerfish

8 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
2
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
1
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 approx.: 3400

Shrimp

Shrimp

7 Sightings
J
0
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 approx.: 2

Tarpon

Tarpon

4 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
2
A
1
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 approx.: 20

Porcupinefish

Porcupinefish

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