Beaches - Matanzas

Playa Larga

Playa Larga is located in the well known "Bay of Pigs", at the Zapata Peninsula, 32 kilometers from the National Highway. This bay became famous after on April 1961, an army of Cuban exiles invaded the island in order to overthrow Fidel Castro's newly established revolutionary government.

Tourists can enjoy the sea here, but also nature by going to the Montemar Great Natural Park. Day or nighttime birdwatching for example is arranged by the international Birdwatching Center.

21 kilometers southwest of Playa Larga you'll find Laguna de las Salinas. From November to April, it's possible to see many species of migratory waterfowls.

The International Octopus Club Diving Center has all the scuba facilities you're looking for. In the sea are many fish, sea fans and huge colonies of crabs, lobsters and barracudas.

Playa Girón

Playa Girón is located to the east of "Bay of Pigs", 48 kilometers south of Boca de Guamá. It's name is derived from a French pirate who came to the area many times centuries ago.

On this beach, on April 1961, an army of cuban exiles based in the USA invaded the island in order to overthrow Fidel Castro's new government, and was defeated in less than 72 hours. A museum and several monuments have been set up here to tell the story.

Playa Girón is a popular diving and snorkeling destination. Also very worth while a visit is the Cueva de los Peces. This is a flooded tectonic fault about 70 meters deep on the island side of the road, almost exactly midway between Playa Larga and Playa Girón. These half-rounded lagoons, called cenotes have arisen from the partial caving-in of cave's roofs.

You can also wall-dive here. The underwater scene is very nice, due to the steepness of the ocean wall, which is extremely close to the shore and covered by beautiful coral beds, including black ones, as well as sea fans, sponges and blind fishes.

Varadero Beach

Varadero Beach is located 140 kilometers from Havana City, at Hicacos Peninsula. It's known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The beach is 36 kilometers long and the sand is incredibly white. Also some of the most beautiful hotels in the world can be found here.

In total there are more than 45 hotels (17,000 hotel rooms) on Varadero Beach which is known as the largest tourist resort in the Caribbean. You can find everything from 5 star luxury hotels to a place where you can pitch your tent (away from the hotels).

Being a peninsula, the flora and fauna are amazing in Varadero. It's spread out among nearly 10 virgin islets, sea bottoms with more than 40 species of coral, a wide range of fish, lobsters, shrimps, crabs, 70 kinds of mollusks and charming dolphins that can sometimes be seen from the shore or riding a catamaran.

Varadero has many interesting things to do, such as:

- There are 3 marinas where one can go fishing for billfish.
- There is scuba diving where you can get all kinds of plans from 1 dive to 10.
- You can take diving lessons and get a certificate for less than $400.
- Swimming with dolphins.
- You can visit the submarine park, an incredible place in a glass bottomed boat, view an underwater submarine, a sunken frigate, Fidel's private yacht and even a passenger plane.
- You can go sky diving, play golf at the Varadero Golf Club, bowling, biking, rent a moped, horseriding or camping.

At night there is also lots of thing going on. You can go to a live concert by salsa orchestras or party in one of the many discos.