Playa Ancón Cuba is one of the better-known beaches in the country and with good reason. It looks exactly how you would expect a Caribbean beach to look like. With long stretches of white sand where the gentle azure waters of the Caribbean gently lap onto the shore, it’s like something out of a movie! This is the beach of your dreams so read on if you want to find out a little more about this idyllic destination.
Staying Right On the Beach
When coming to Playa Ancón Cuba, you have a number of accommodation options, although this really comes down to one primary decision – beach or town? You can stay right on the beach of Playa Ancón Cuba itself, or in nearby Trinidad. The town is so close to the beach that it could almost be considered as the beachside district of Trinidad. If you would like to stay right on the beach, search for accommodation options in Casilda. This is the beachside village that contains Ancón along with a number of the other beaches that are found in the region. Your options can be somewhat limited (so book well ahead if you want to stay right on the beach) but these options become somewhat more open the more you are willing to spend.
Like many coastal areas of Cuba, there are a number of all-inclusive resorts ranging from 3 star to 5 star. There are only 3 such hotels that could be considered to be located on Ancón, but there are a number of others the further out you go. It could be argued that such hotels don’t give you a taste of the real Cuba, but it’s your vacation and you might wish to only see the real Cuba during the daytime before going back to a hotel where your every whim is catered for. And it can sometimes be worth it to be able to stay right on the beach.
Staying in the Town
It would be unthinkable to stay in Playa Ancón Cuba without visiting the town of Trinidad (and vice versa too). It’s only about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from the beach into Trinidad, so you could very easily stay in the town and visit the beach on a fairly regular basis. It’s easiest to do so in a taxi (instead of making do with public transport) or even by renting a bike if you happen to be feeling particularly energetic. Trinidad is a sublime little town, one that made its fortune during the Cuban sugar boom (courtesy of the efforts of thousands upon thousands of slaves). The town fell into disrepair after the money stopped pouring in but has since come under the protection of UNESCO after it was classified as a world heritage site.
This means that the centre of the town with its grand, ornate buildings has been extensively restored. There is more nightlife here than you will find on the beach in any event, so it can be just as easy to stay in Trinidad and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Another Option
If neither the town or staying right on the beach appeals to you, consider staying in La Boca. It’s easily reachable from both Playa Ancón and Trinidad and is a rustic, relaxed fishing village that largely avoids the crowds. This is the place to stay if you want to gorge on fresh seafood that has been just hauled out of the ocean while lazily watching the sun glisten on the water. It’s only a small village though, so it probably won’t command your attention like Playa Ancón will.
What to Expect at Playa Ancón Cuba
You can either do your own thing on the beach, or pay a little bit of cash for some pampering. OK, so you could technically do both. Bring your own supplies, choose your own spot on the sand and spend the day like that, jumping into the calm waters when the sun becomes too bothersome. This part of the world is special, but you really couldn’t consider it to be hidden. This means, as is traditional on many Cuban beaches, there will be vendors strolling up and down the beach, selling cold drinks… so you can pretend you are in a luxury resort with a waiter bringing you just what you ordered.
But hey, why not try that too?
Remember those beachside resorts we mentioned? They have their own assigned areas with sunloungers and a drinks service. Even if you are not a guest, you can pay for this type of beach experience – you just pay a rental fee for the sunlounger and pay for each drink or snack. Just the perfect way to spend those lazy Playa Ancón days…