Cuba’s Beautiful Beaches

Discover Cuba’s Beautiful Beaches

On the picturesque Hicacos Peninsula, two hours’ drive from Havana, proudly stands Varadero, Cuba’s most popular beach resort. With more than 13 miles of continuous powdery white sands and crystal-clear turquoise waters, Varadero is the most popular resort dedicated to those seeking some days relaxing on the beach in the Caribbean Sun.

Whilst we specialise in creating bespoke holidays to authentic Cuba, our clients enjoy a few days enjoying the beach and Varadero is a relaxing experience after exploring the island. Easily accessible to Havana , the resort of Varadero can also act as a base for some interesting visits in the local area.

Visit nearby towns such as Matanzas which is renowned for its folklore, poets, culture, and a large picturesque bay. Also Cardenas, a very typical Cuban town with a pleasant vibe, and horse and carts as the main transport option. The most notable resident (and currently the local MP) is Elian Gonzalez, who in 2000 as a child was involved in a major custody dispute between the USA and Cuba which hit the world headlines.

The beautiful landscapes of Yumuri Valley, seemingly untouched by tourism and the extensive Bellamar caves, can also be explored

Enjoy a variety of water sports including; deep-sea fishing, diving, snorkelling, sailing, and catamaran cruises to local uninhabited islands.

For golfers Cuba’s only 18-hole course holds a commanding position halfway up the peninsula, with the iconic picture of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara playing golf in the clubhouse.

Like the rest of the island, the private restaurants in Varadero offer some great dining options and an alternative to the all inclusive service in the hotels. Evening entertainment is low-key with a few venues, however the Beatles music bar is certainly fun with local bands playing European rock and pop classics.

On the north coast and only 1 hour from Havana lies the picturesque Jibacoa Beach. With a backdrop of rolling hills and lush countryside, it’s one lovely long beach with only a couple of hotels. This is a great location for those seeking a quieter beach spot for a few days.

There are several trails to enjoy in the hills and the local farmers are very welcoming and offer coffee, and the chance to learn about their lives.! The area still has some impressive coral reefs so Jibacoa is considered a good location to snorkel. With Havana only 1 hour away, Jibacoa is a good option for those seeking a return visit to the capital.

To the east of Havana and less than 15 miles away, the popular East Havana Beaches invites visitors to enjoy a real immersive Cuban experience. This string of beaches attracts the Habaneros who flock here in the summer months.

The miles of white-sand and warm waters will not disappoint with each beach holding its own individual charm. In winter months the beaches are almost deserted and lovely to walk along, as the locals don’t tend to head to the beach in winter! These beaches are easily accessible to Havana, so it’s easy to visit for a few hours whilst staying in the capital

With colonial Trinidad being one of the most interesting places to stay in Cuba, the nearby Caribbean beach at Playa Ancon offers the chance to have a few days to relax whilst exploring Central Cuba.

The beach is only 10 minutes drive from central Trinidad, so it’s possible to enjoy both the beach and all the sights and sounds of Trinidad. For those who love a swimming pool and enjoy relaxing in a beachside hotel with all-inclusive services, there are a few hotel options at Playa Ancon.

Playa Ancon has very limited facilities if not staying at one of the beach hotels. There are a couple of small beach restaurants serving seafood and Cuban cuisine and of course the legendary cocktails. The sunsets and the sunrises here are gorgeous – well worth a visit for a walk along the beach and a swim in the sea at this time.

A short drive from Playa Ancon lies La Boca, a small local village that enjoy their own rather stony (but still pleasant) beach, tiny harbour with small fishing boats, colourful houses, and a choice of simple Casa Particulars and local restaurants and you can visit the area on our popular sunset tour in an Old American car.

Cayo Santa Maria is one of a beautiful group of three connected islands that form part of the Jardines Del Rey archipelago. The island is a 2 hours drive from Santa Clara and is connected to the mainland by a 35-mile-long road causeway that snakes across the clear shallow waters. This spectacular drive is really enjoyable and do look out for flamingos on the journey.

Cayo Santa Maria offers the most beautiful long beaches, where the ocean is warm and clear, and it’s a quiet place to stay a few nights. It’s all nautical here and there are options for sailing, catamaran cruises, diving, and deep-sea fishing.

This location is easily accessible for those of you enjoying one of our tailored holidays before heading back to Havana, or to the local airport at Santa Clara, which has regular flights home via Canada.

Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Cruz are two smaller islands connected by road causeways with the much larger island of Cayo Coco. This huge archipelago of hundreds of mostly uninhabited islands surrounded by the most gorgeous shallow, warm, and crystal-clear waters is known as Jardines Del Rey (Kings Garden), and Cayo Coco is connected to the mainland by a 17-mile long road causeway.

Cayo Guillermo is famous as a setting for the adventures of the legendary writer Ernest Hemingway as he sailed around the islands. The area was the inspiration for his novel “The Islands in the Stream” and the stunning beach called Playa Pilar is named after Hemingway’s yacht.

Just offshore lies the barrier reef offering a stunning underwater world with a very rich array of colourful marine life that can be explored. There is a small choice of all inclusive style hotels here, that certainly works well for a short stay on the island.

Cayo Cruz is an island that has only recently experienced relatively small-scale hotel development, albeit continuing Cuba’s passion for large all-inclusive resort-style hotels.

The island boasts some of the most beautiful and unspoiled beaches in Cuba with soft white sand and turquoise waters. The shallow waters are home to a diverse range of fish species including tarpon, permit & bone fish, the “Grand Slam” of sport fishing. Many visitors come to the island specifically for the fishing opportunities and there are several fishing charters and guides available for hire.

For those exploring Eastern Cuba, the handful of picturesque beaches that many call Guardalavaca are located approximately 1 hour from Holguin city. A very low-key area, each of the five beach areas has a small selection of resort-style all-inclusive hotels with an emphasis on visitors enjoying relaxing beach holidays.

The beaches here are really beautiful and palm-fringed and by taking a short stroll away from the hotel it’s possible to be alone in the most tranquil and beautiful environment.

Nautical lovers can dive into the depths, discover beautiful reefs and marine life, and embark on a catamaran to sail across to the Bahia de Naranjo National Park. If marine adventures do not appeal, take a jeep tour to a typical local village or explore the picturesque countryside on horseback.

The historic and quaint town of Gibara is close by and worthy of a visit, as well as the small island of Cayo Saetia, reputed to have be a favourite location for Fidel Castro and his family to privately relax. Here a few species of wildlife not natural to Cuba, such as Zebra and Antelope have been reared and live in the wild in Cuba’s equivalent of a wildlife park.

Cayo Largo boasts some of the most amazing beach scenery in the Caribbean, with 17 miles of near-perfect white sands and incredibly clear Caribbean waters.

The second largest island of the extensive Canarreos archipelago that runs along the south coast, Cayo Largo can be reached by a short 1-hour flight from Havana.

The small challenge to reach Cayo Largo strangely adds to the desire of many to experience this tranquil island with a laid-back atmosphere, the only residents being iguanas, turtles, flamingos, hummingbirds, and a large underwater community.

Walk for a minute or two along the beach away from the hotel and you will be very much alone with nature. Although do watch out for the occasional “clothing optional” sunbather as the island is popular for this community.

It is not surprising that visitors can enjoy many water-based activities, such as diving, fishing, and sailing here and Cayo Largo’s turtle rescue centre and observation programme is highly regarded scientifically on a global scale.