Finally got a chance to put some photos online of a trip we took to Guardalavaca Beach in Cuba earlier this year.

Report wise there not a whole lot to tell. The Cuba trip followed on the heels of a trip to Vegas and Grand Canyon with some skiing in Arizona thrown in so by the time we arrived in Cuba we were pretty much happy to lie on the beach all day. We arrived in Cuba after 4 days in Vegas so it was a pretty interesting contrast to say the least.

This was our second trip to Cuba after a previous one to Veradero Beach and Havana a few years back. As in the previous trip we thoroughly enjoyed the country and the people. Arriving and departing was trouble free and is really no different than arriving in any other Caribbean country we have visited. If you go avoid bringing US funds as there is a 11% fee put on converting it on top of any other transaction fees.

Guardalavaca Beach is located 1000 miles or so east of Havana on the north eastern shore of Cuba. It was one of the many places Christopher Columbus stopped for a visit in his travels and he said something about it being the most beautiful spot he had ever laid eyes on which may or not be true but the Cubans make a pretty big deal of it and there was a statue of Columbus on the beach.

It is a very nice beach and has a great reef all along the edge of it with some of the best snorkeling I have ever experienced (see picts). The beach is made up of 2 large and 2 small beaches along a fairly rocky coast with a couple of large AI resorts and a small town / market with restaurants and shops in the area. The beach itself is 100% public (go figure).

The resort we stayed in, Club Amigo Guardalavaca, was an AI and had at least 4 pools (none of which we used). Food was pretty standard buffet fair. They also had some nice snack bars by all of the pools that offered BBQ food , pizza and a few other things. Our room was pretty crappy but did have a TV and AC and a really nice maid who wrote us notes and turned our towels into swans every chance she got. We were rarely in the room so we really didn't care too much about it. We had paid $600cnd taxes in each for a 7 day AI including return air fare from Toronto and all the rum you can possibly drink (which is quite a lot) so we weren't complaining.

The countryside around that area of Cuba is pretty scenic with a lot farms and hills. We didn't tour around too much but did take a cab to Esmerelda Beach up the coast one day and got to see a little bit of it. Esmeralda is a really nice beach but only had resorts on it and we preferred the local action Guardalavaca offered. We shopped in the market quite a few times and had a really nice lobster lunch at a beach restaurant one day which was awesome. Cost about $16cnd a plate and 4 bucks for a bottle of fine Cuban white wine (which was better than expected).

While we didn’t partake in a whole lot of activities there is quite a bit to do in the area including tandem sky diving and flying dinghy rides, area tours and the usual sailing, horse back riding and water toy stuff. No jet skis though which is not a bad thing.

The reef is accessible from shore after a bit of a hike over some sea grass beds which were loaded with sea urchins. People would walk on this bare footed and we saw quite a few people digging urchin spines out of their feet. I’ve been there done that and brought the water shoes thankfully! Great lively reef though with tons of fish, coral and fans. Currents and waves were pretty strong where the best reef was. Saw a few fish I had never seen before including an odd looking ray. No turtles though.

All in all it was a really good week and we will certainly go back to Cuba again as there is a lot more to explore there.