Gardens of the Queen
The dive-first crown reef
Cuba's premier reef system — a protected archipelago almost entirely reached by liveaboard dive boat, so read the framing before you plan.
Be clear about what this is. Jardines de la Reina — the Gardens of the Queen — is a remote, protected archipelago off Cuba's south coast and the best reef system in the Caribbean by most accounts. It is also a DIVE destination: access is almost entirely via liveaboard dive boats operating under park permits, from a port on the mainland, and the celebrated reef structures are at dive depth. Snorkeling exists here as a shallow add-on between dives, in the shallows and mangrove channels — not as a reason to book.
Advisory and access note — this is a liveaboard-first destination, and the country-level position matters as much as the reef. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Cuba as a whole, and US regulations do not authorise tourist travel to Cuba from the United States, where departing travellers generally must certify one of twelve approved categories. Cuba also requires a tourist card or visa arranged before travel plus an online arrival declaration, facilities generally have to be paid for in foreign currency, and medical care inside the archipelago is minimal. Check your own government's current position before you plan. This catalog carries snorkeling information, not travel advice.