On the picturesque Hicacos Peninsula, two hours’ drive from Havana, lies Cuba’s most popular beach resort – Varadero. 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 a typical Caribbean holiday, in an all-inclusive resort-style large hotel.
With Archipelago Choice specialising in creating bespoke holidays to authentic Cuba, and whilst Varadero’s beach and ocean are spectacular, the experience here is certainly less authentic. However, it’s an easily accessible resort for a few days of relaxation after travelling throughout Cuba, and can 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 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 and unspoilt by tourism can also be explored, as well as the extensive Bellamar caves, which are located close to Matanzas.
There are a variety of water sports to enjoy in the area including; deep-sea fishing, diving, snorkeling, sailing, and catamaran cruises to local uninhabited islands. Cubas’s only 18-hole golf 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 we can pre-book tables at these highly sought after venues for you. 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 – a great location for those seeking a quiet few days after travelling through Cuba.
There are several trails to enjoy in the hills and the local farmers are very welcoming and offer coffee, meals, 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. Nearby, the peaceful Yumuri Valley offers some opportunities for walking, and Havana is only 1 hour away for those seeking a visit to the capital.
To the east of Havana and less than 15 miles away, the popular East Havana Beaches invite visitors to enjoy a real immersive Cuban experience. This string of beaches attracts the Habaneros (people who live in Havana), who flock here in the summer months. If you want to take a glimpse of the true Cuban spirit, visit these beaches where there is a buzz of local activity during 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 combine a stay in the capital with visits to the beach or choose to stay beachside at one of the comfortable Casa Particulars in the area.
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, before continuing your Cuba adventure. 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 cafes serving seafood and simple Cuban cuisine/drinks, and there are some parasols and palm trees for shade. 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 good choice of Casa Particulars and local restaurants. For those enjoying an immersive holiday through Cuba, we can arrange your stay here instead of the hotels at Playa Ancon, or 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 – a great place to unwind and relax after your travels through Cuba. Within 2 hours from Santa Clara and connected to the mainland by a 35-mile-long road causeway that snakes out across the clear shallow waters, this spectacular drive is a unique start to a visit, and do look out for flamingos on the journey.
The “Cayo” islands that are developed do not have any local communities or authentic Cuban experiences, and the hotel choice is only resort-style all-inclusive hotels. The beaches are beautiful, the ocean warm and clear, and it’s a quiet and peaceful place to stay a few nights, in our handpicked smaller hotels. It’s all nautical here; there are options for sailing, catamaran cruises, diving, and deep-sea fishing, however the main focus of the island is to relax!
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 to Canada and beyond.
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 inspiration for his novel “The Islands in the Stream”. The stunning beach called Playa Pilar is named after Hemingway’s yacht and is regularly described as one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba. Just offshore lies the barrier reef offering a stunning underwater world with a very rich array of colourful marine life that can be explored. With a couple of smaller hotels, and one more exclusive property (potentially the most upmarket beach hotel in Cuba), we certainly recommend Cayo Guillermo over its larger neighbour Cayo Coco, which we feel is too “resorty” for the Archipelago Choice customer.
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 location that is a natural end to a holiday exploring Oriente, as Holguin does enjoy a number of flights to Canadian and European destinations. 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.
Many of the beaches are palm-fringed – take a short stroll away from the hotel and 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 to enjoy swimming and snorkelling. 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 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, where schedules are sadly somewhat haphazard at present. 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.
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