María la Gorda · Cuba · Cave & cavern · Wall
Salón de María
A reef cavern with three entrances at around 20 m
A cavern cut into the reef rock about ten minutes by boat from the pier, entered at around 20 m through any of three openings and lined inside with sponges and coral. Outside it the reef is broken by sandy patches, and a submerged coral line forms a second wall that falls to 40 m for anyone diving the deep option.
Also known as Salon de Maria, El Salón de María, María's Hall.
Where it is and how deep
21.8110° N, 84.5137° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The ride out is about ten minutes from the pier in front of the hotel, and the dive begins over reef interspersed with sandy patches. The cavern is a hole in the rock with three separate entrances, so a group can be split between them rather than queuing at one. Inside, the sponge and coral growth on the walls carries the colour — purple, pink, blue and green under a torch — and depth through the chamber is around 20 m.
Back outside, the ground steps down: a submerged coral line forms a second wall that falls to 40 m, which is the deep option here rather than the point of the dive. Much of the shallower coral around the cavern is dead, broken up by Hurricane Ivan, so the rock structure and the fish carry the dive — the chamber holds tropical fish in numbers, and the sandy patches between coral heads make the route back into the shallows easy to follow.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| 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 cavern is an overhead. Carry a torch, follow the guide through one entrance at a time and keep the opening in sight.
- Fin high and keep your trim flat inside the chamber — silt lifted off the floor takes the visibility with it for everyone behind you.
- The coral line outside the cavern falls to 40 m, twice the depth of the cavern dive. Agree a maximum before you drop in rather than following the wall down.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Salón de María?+
The dive centre lists the site at 65 feet, about 20 m, which is the depth of the cavern itself. The submerged coral line outside forms a second wall that falls to 40 m.
Do you need a cave certification for Salón de María?+
No. It is a cavern in the reef with three entrances rather than a committing penetration, and it is dived behind a guide with a torch. What it does need is comfort in an overhead and buoyancy good enough not to stir the floor.
Sources
- María's Hall 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)
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