Castro's Secret Reef

Cuba's long-standing seclusion has given rise to an unlikely marine sanctuary: a vast, sprawling archipelago known as Jardines de la Reina, or the Gardens of the Queen. Extending roughly 140 miles along Cuba's southern shoreline, it ranks among the world's most extensive barrier reef systems. Take an intimate tour of Fidel Castro's diving playground, an overlooked ocean paradise that has remained hidden for half a century, where exotic species, rare beyond the region, abound. Often hailed as the Caribbean's lost jewel, the question remains: how long can this unspoiled wilderness endure?