Playa Ancon is not just a popular day trip from Trinidad, Cuba; it’s also considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba. And the fact that it’s just a short distance from Trinidad and easily accessible makes it even better. This white sand beach is 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long and is a delight to visit. Here’s our guide to Playa Ancon – from going from Trinidad to Playa Ancon to what to do at Playa Ancon, what the beach and watersports options are, as well as what you should take with you.
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER
Trinidad is a fabulous city, and there is a lot to do in Trinidad to keep you occupied. When you’re done with the city, there are a host of places to visit as day trips, and Playa Ancon is one of those. The sultry heat of Trinidad and her glorious colourful streets might have you pining for a little beach time. Don’t worry, Playa Ancon isn’t far away.
BEST WAY TO TRAVEL
The Best Way to Go to Playa Ancon
The most enjoyable way to go to Playa Ancon from Trinidad is to take a classic car trip. You can prebook and prepay on a card and enjoy the trip and day!
Where is Playa Ancon?
The Ancon Peninsula is located around 12 km (7.3 miles) from Trinidad and 375 km (232.5 miles) east of Havana. Playa Ancon stretches for about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of the peninsula. To get to Playa Ancon from Trinidad, you’ll pass through the lovely and quiet village of La Boca, which has some of its own beaches too. Heading to Playa Ancon from Trinidad is one of our top day trips from Trinidad. You can read about the others here.
PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS
- 🛡️ Get Travel Insurance: Civitatis includes medical expenses, repatriation, theft, luggage delays. No deductibles or upfront payments. Get a quote here. .
- 🛂💻 Buy your Cuba eVisa here.
- 🔌 Be ready for the plug, socket & power situation.
- 📶 Internet, maps, data on the go. Buy an eSim for Cuba. Or pre-order a physical SIM card
- 🔒 Do NOT leave home without a VPN. Buy for your trip here.
How to go from Trinidad to Playa Ancon
You have several options to go from Trinidad to Playa Ancon – there are buses throughout the day, you can prebook and prepay a classic car to take you to the beach, and wait for you to return at the end of the day. Alternatively, you can pick up a taxi in Trinidad, rent a bike, or walk. It’s not far. It’s just 12 kilometers (7.3 miles). I wrote a guide about the ways to go from Trinidad to Playa Ancon here.
What is the best time to visit Playa Ancon?
I mean, I have to say that the best time to visit Playa Ancon is when you’re in Trinidad, but sarcasm aside, the best time of year to visit this part of Cuba is from December to May. After May and through until mid to end October, you’ll get a lot more humidity. My guide to the best times to visit Cuba and what to expect on a month-to-month basis is here.
What to do at Playa Ancon
So what will you do at the most beautiful beach in Southern Cuba? You definitely have options here. First, let’s stick to the traditional beach activities.
Rent a sun lounger, umbrella, and relax.
You can rent sunbeds and umbrellas here, like on all of Cuba’s main beaches. The beach is busy near the main parking lot, but if you move away from there, it gets quieter. Be sure to secure your valuables if you’re planning on spending time in the water or snorkeling (we use a portable travel safe for this).
Cuba tends to be a safe country (read my guide to safety in Cuba here), but opportunistic theft happens, so don’t give anyone the opportunity.
Many beaches in Cuba (Playa Ancon included) suffer from sand flies at sunrise and sunset. You’ll want to take decent mosquito repellent, which works on sand flies as well, if you’re planning on being there during those times. Read my guide to mosquitoes in Cuba here.
Cool down in the water at Playa Ancon.
The waters here tend to be calm, and the beach slopes nicely. If you plan on snorkeling in Cuba, I recommend that you bring your snorkeling gear. You will be able to rent some kit from beach vendors here in Ancon, but to be sure of the quality, bring your own. See my list of what to bring to Playa Ancon later in this article.
Snorkel at Playa Ancon
This is the perfect place to chill out and explore the coral and tropical fish around here. You can snorkel from shore, but the reef is better explored from a boat. Head to the Marina, or ask on the beach for boat trips. My guide on the best places to snorkel in Cuba is here.
Go Diving from Playa Ancon
There’s a dive center here at Playa Ancon, you’d be best trying to organise this ahead of time (ask your casa particular owner to call them up and reserve diving for you). Diving includes all equipment, but as I say, you’ll need to reserve. The water temperature is about 26 degrees (79 Fahrenheit) all year round, the perfect temperature for exploring.
You’re likely to see sergeant majors, parrot fish, and barracudas here amongst the coral.
Go Sea Fishing from Playa Ancon
You can join a fishing trip from the Marina Marlin Trinidad at Playa Ancon. Boats take up to four anglers and they provide all equipment, although you will need to reserve ahead of time – you can take a 3, 5, or 7 hour trip. Get your casa particular owner to arrange this for you, or you can try turning up on spec at the Marina.
There is fishing all year round and the variety of expected catch differs depending on the time of year, but includes bonito, albacore and yellowfin tuna, caster, aguja, marlin and wahoo. Boats are usually between 33 and 41 feet, and your trip will include all fishing gear and local drinks as well as the service of the crew.
Where to Stay at Playa Ancon
There are two hotels on the Ancon Peninsula. The Hotel Club Amigo Ancon and Memories Trinidad.
However, as ever, I recommend staying in a casa particular. The closest that you’ll find to Playa Ancon is at Playa La Boca (further along the coast, it’s a lovely, much more local spot) or at Casilda, across the bay from the peninsula.
Take a look at the casa particulars that you can book on Homestay here.
What to Take to Playa Ancon
You’ll need to bring cash (foreign currency or Cuban Pesos) enough to pay for any snorkeling or boat trips.
I recommend that you bring the following to Playa Ancon
- Good sunscreen (I recommend this reef-safe option)
- A decent hat (I love and use this Sunday Afternoon one)
- Good sunglasses – I’ve used Maui Jim’s for years.
- A cover-up from the sun
- A quick dry towel
- A reusable water bottle (full!) with spare water
- Water shoes or hiking sandals – trails on the island need them
- Mosquito repellent
- Snorkeling Gear
- A rash guard (the sun is brutal and no more so than when you’re face down in the water!)
Final Words on Visiting Playa Ancon, Trinidad
Playa Ancon doesn’t get called the most beautiful beach in Southern Cuba for no good reason. The brilliant white sand and calm waters are a glorious respite away from the heated streets of Trinidad. So, whether you come for the day or longer, make sure you do come!
Cuba’s Best is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
