María la Gorda · Cuba · Wall · Cave & cavern
Paraíso Perdido
Shoals of jacks, tuna and barracuda on a wall from 18 m
A wall dive at one of the moorings furthest from the dive centre, reached by passing through an undercut in the reef; the wall emerges at about 18 m and the profile runs to 30 m. The dive centre lists strong currents and big fish here — jacks, tuna and barracuda in numbers, with stingrays on the sand and snappers and grunts over the coral.
Also known as Paraiso Perdido, Lost Paradise.
Where it is and how deep
21.7692° N, 84.5229° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
You drop onto the reef top and pass through an undercut in the reef to reach the wall, which emerges at about 18 m. Sea fans, whips and rods thicken as you move towards the edge, with lettuce, plate and flower corals on the reef behind you and barrel and basket sponges on the face itself. Visibility here is usually over 30 m, so the shape of the drop-off is readable from well back.
The wall runs to 30 m and is broken by holes, crevices and short swim-throughs that hold fish and invertebrates. This is where the big shoals are: jacks, tuna and barracuda, with stingrays over the sand and snappers and grunts along the coral. Coming back up, sandy channels through the submarine terrace lead into the shallows, where angelfish, groupers and surgeonfish work the reef top and the ascent is made over coral rather than in open blue.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Tuna
- Barracuda
- Stingrays
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows María la Gorda: Nov–Apr is the dry season with the calmest, clearest water; Aug–Oct carries hurricane risk on this exposed western tip.
Know before you go
- The dive centre lists strong currents on this site: check the direction with the guide before leaving the boat and stay tight to the reef side of the wall if it is running.
- The wall continues below the 30 m limit of the dive with no bottom in view. Set a hard maximum before you descend and watch no-stop time on the face.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Paraíso Perdido?+
The dive centre lists a depth range of 60–100 feet, roughly 18 to 30 m. The wall emerges at about 18 m after the undercut in the reef and the dive works down the face from there.
Is Paraíso Perdido suitable for beginners?+
No. The site is listed with strong currents and rated for experienced divers, and the profile sits between 18 and 30 m. Bring an advanced certification or equivalent deep and current experience.
Sources
- Lost Paradise dive site at María La Gorda — María La Gorda International Diving Center (villamarialagorda.com)
- Maria La Gorda Dive Sites and Map Location — María La Gorda International Diving Center (villamarialagorda.com)
More dive sites in María la Gorda
Wall
A two-ton eighteenth-century anchor grown into the coral
Reef
Shoaling reef fish in 3 to 5 m of water
Wall
Blue-water wall of sponges and sea fans at 27 m
Coral garden
A small wall from 6 to 15 m packed with gorgonians
Coral-covered rock heads lined up with two headlands ashore
Cave & cavern
A reef cavern with three entrances at around 20 m
Wall
A chimney fracture in the wall from 12 m down to 33 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A coral arch on the wall, named for a Cayman photographer
Garden eels on the sand at 15 m, coral arches at 30 m
La Catedral, a large cavern lit through a hole in its ceiling
A crevice cutting down the wall from 15 m to 30 m