Cuba is an island country with miles and miles of paradisiacal beaches. Many people flock to this country in search of sun, beach and diving experiences. An ideal destination for relaxation and connection with nature. Although the beach is far from the only attraction in the country, Cuba’s beautiful beaches are one of the reasons for its success and worldwide fame. So that’s why visiting one of its beaches is an essential part of your trip to Cuba. In this post we show you some of the most renowned, as well as the most hidden and wildest beaches that will make your experience in Cuba a real adventure. Discover the wild beauty of Cuba’s beaches and immerse yourself in this turquoise blue paradise.
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What beaches to see in Varadero Cuba?
1. Varadero Beach
If there’s one thing to see in Varadero, it’s its 22 kilometres of Atlantic beaches. Home to some of the most stunning beaches in all of Cuba, and the entire Caribbean Sea. Located on the Hicacos Peninsula, this seaside resort town has beautiful natural spots where you can discover the wildest part of Cuba. There is no better place in the world to escape to and disconnect in a unique and privileged environment, surrounded by nature and tradition.
2. Cayo Blanco (Varadero)
Cayo Blanco, only accessible by boat, is one of the most interesting excursions to do in Varadero. It is an ideal place to spend the day, admire the views, snorkel, and enjoy a day straight from a movie. This is a spectacular deserted island with a paradisiacal white sandy beach that will make you feel like you’re on another planet. It is the ideal place to spend one of the days of your trip to Cuba and be amazed by the beauty of the surroundings.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What beaches to see in Holguín, Cuba?
The beach of Holguín is one of the most touristic points of Cuba, and without a doubt one of the destinations to visit in this country. The area is famous for its endless beaches of fine sand, including Guardalavaca, Pesquero and Esmeralda beaches. These are beaches of crystal clear waters, which also boast extensive coral reefs with abundant marine species. It making Holguín’s beaches a prime destination for diving enthusiasts. To find out what else to see in Holguín, visit our post: What to see and do in Holguín, Cuba.
1. Esmeralda Beach (Holguin)
Playa Esmeralda, also known as Playa Estero Ciego, is one of the most representative and popular beaches in the area. Located in the delta of Ciego Caléticas, it is characterised by its warm emerald green waters. This paradisiacal beach is dominated by cliffs, steep slopes and a great variety of plant species, making this a unique space to enjoy. It has different coral formations under the warm waters of Playa Esmeralda. However, this beach has an exclusive use for the guests of the three hotels that surround it. In addition, the resorts also offer windsurfing and sailing activities.
Organise your travel itinerary with Passporter, completely free to use, easy and practical. Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers and choose the places that interest you most by adding them to your route map.
2. Pesquero Beach (Holguín)
Playa Pesquero, located in the municipality of Rafael Freyre, is a cozy beach that has become famous for having some of the best hotels in the western part of Cuba. It is a paradisiacal beach where the shallow turquoise waters are perfect for snorkelling. Besides, this beach has a vast coral reef, escarpments, cliffs and a rich and exotic vegetation that covers the area.
What beaches to see in Pinar del Río Cuba?
1. Levisa Key (Pinar del Río)
Cayo Levisa is one of the least crowded in the area. Located in the Gulf of Mexico, it is only accessible by ferry. Due to its small size, this place has not been exploited much and has only one hotel. It gives the key a wilder and more natural atmosphere, with abundant vegetation and practically untouched sands. It is definitely worth visiting this paradisiacal spot.
Find out what else to see in Pinar del Rio, and take a look at our post: What to see and do in Pinar del Rio.
2. Jutias Key (Pinar del Rio)
Cayo Jutías is one of the main keys that make up the archipelago of Los Colorados, and is a unique landscape that will make your trip unforgettable. It is located on the north coast of the province of Pinar del Río, in the municipality of Minas de Matahambre, Cuba. One thing worth noting about this key is that it has no hotels or hotel infrastructure as the aim is to conserve and not exploit this natural wonder.
It is a paradisiacal, wild beach with turquoise waters and virgin white sand. It is known by the locals as the Beach of the Stars, due to the abundant presence of starfish in its waters. This is why it is an ideal place to snorkel and admire them in their natural environment. The speciality of the key is lobster, which makes this place even more special, if possible.
Which Keys to visit in Cuba?
1. Cayo Largo del Sur
There are many beaches to highlight in Cayo Largo del Sur, and it is not surprising considering that it is one of Cuba’s most acclaimed destinations. You will find a multitude of paradisiacal beaches to choose from. However Playa Paraiso or Playa Sirena stand out from the rest for their undoubted beauty. Cayo Largo del Sur directly overlooks the Caribbean Sea, which is why it is said to have formed part of Christopher Columbus’ route to the conquest of America. You can’t leave Cuba without visiting this place. To find out what more idyllic beaches and landscapes you can find in this key, visit our post: Cayo Largo del Sur Cuba.
2. Coco Key
Cayo Coco is probably the most famous of the whole area. It is equipped with a huge hotel infrastructure, and even has its own airport. It is a cay that is equipped so that visitors can enjoy, besides the beach and the sun, a variety of activities and water sports. Cayo Coco also has a beautiful colony of pink flamingos that inhabit the island, making it an even more special place.
3. Guillermo Key
Cayo Guillermo, one of the most famous keys in the area, is linked to Cayo Coco by a natural path that provides easy access between the two. This key is home to some of Cuba’s most famous beaches, including El Paso and El Pilar.
Cayo Guillermo is a less frequented key and therefore a very attractive destination to get to know the wildest and most hidden part of the Cuban archipelago. Here you can even find some unspoilt beaches. We recommend snorkelling around the reefs in this area to have an incredible experience.
4. Santa Maria Key
Located in a nature reserve in the Bay of Buenavista, you will find Cayo Santa María. This is the largest key in all of Cuba, and possibly one of the most popular. Cayo Santa María can be reached by car via a causeway that goes all the way to Cayo Ensenachos, making the journey a fun adventure. It has a great number of activities where you will not only enjoy its incredible beaches, but also its seabed. Its seabed is home to 24 dive sites, ideal for discovering the fauna and flora of this key. It also has a wide variety of restaurants, hotels and even a dolphinarium.
5. Ensenachos Key
This key is located very close to Cayo Santa Maria, and its humble size makes Cayo Ensenachos one of the most respected and beautiful keys in Cuba. As well as incredible green and blue waters, this cay has unparalleled scenery due to its wide range of flora and fauna. It is the perfect place if you prefer to escape from the heavy tourist influx and enjoy a day of total disconnection on the beach.
Best beaches in Cuba for diving
1. María la Gorda Beach (Pinar del Rio)
María la Gorda is a diving enthusiast’s dream. Its crystal-clear waters and impressive sea beds with reefs and coral reefs make this destination in the province of Pinar del Río one of the best spots in Cuba for this sport, on a par with the famous Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth).
In María la Gorda you will find several diving areas, but among them it is worth highlighting two areas that are especially interesting for their spectacular sea beds. It is full of corals and sea turtles: the Black Coral Valley, considered the largest black coral surface in Cuba; and the Salón de María, where you can see sea lilies and the exotic and colourful corals.
2. Guardalavaca Beach (Holguín)
The Guardalavaca Beach stands out for its shell shape, as well as its white and fine sand that extends all along the coast. This beach is dominated by extensive vegetation on the surface, and by a beautiful and scandalous coral reef underwater. It is a beach of serene water and great depth, making it an ideal place for scuba diving. In addition, you can practice other water sports such as windsurfing, kayaking, or even boat rides. Be that as it may, it is one of Cuba’s essential beaches and a unique enclave where you can enjoy yourself underwater.
3. Gardens of the Queen
Located on the south coast of Cuba, in the province of Camagüey, you will find the famous Jardines de la Reina. The infinite biodiversity and beauty of this place, which has been considered a Unesco World Marine Heritage Site, is incredible.
It is the ideal place and a must for diving lovers travelling to Cuba. You can only reach the Jardines de la Reina by boat leaving from Puerto Júcaro. Once there, you will arrive at the La Tortuga platform where you can book a dive and enjoy the marvellous underwater environment that this place has to offer.
4. Rancho Luna Beach (Cienfuegos)
On this beach you can enjoy a beautiful Caribbean beach day about 18 kilometres south of Cienfuegos, Cuba. The beach is protected by a coral reef, and the coastline offers an ideal setting for snorkelling. You can get to Rancho Luna either by one of the daily buses from Cienfuegos, by ferry from Jagua or by taxi from Cienfuegos.
Map of the best beaches in Cuba
Register with Passporter and use this map of Cuba’s beaches to organise your trip quickly and easily. You can also add important documents such as travel tickets, hotel reservations and even invite your friends to be part of the itinerary organisation. Using Passporter is free of charge and will help you travel in a more organised way. You can register on the website or download the app to keep everything in your pocket 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions About Cuba’s Beaches
Cayo Blanco is the closest key to Havana as it is located in Varadero.
The keys can be reached by ferry or by road, either by car, bus or taxi, except for Cayo Largo del Sur, which must be reached by plane.
Cuba is surrounded by more than 300 beaches in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
The access to this key from Havana can be done by car, crossing the pedraplén, but it can also be done by plane since Cayo Coco has its own airport; the Jardines del Rey International Airport.
How to organise my travel route to the best beaches in Cuba?
If you don’t know how to organise your travel route, register or download the Passporter app and we’ll help you.
With Passporter you can:
- Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
- Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.
If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
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