Cuba has some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean — white sand, palm trees, warm turquoise water. In general, the north coast beaches are slightly calmer and clearer than those on the south coast, which faces the Caribbean Sea and can have stronger currents.
Varadero, on a long narrow peninsula east of Havana, is Cuba's main beach resort and has 20 kilometers of uninterrupted white sand. It's heavily developed with all-inclusive hotels, which means you can also find it relatively crowd-free if you walk to the far end of the peninsula away from the resort zone. Water sports, diving, and day trips to Havana and Trinidad are all easy to arrange here.
Cayo Santa María, reached by a 48-kilometer causeway from the north coast near Remedios, is quieter and less built-up than Varadero. The beach is excellent and the water is very clear. Nude bathing is practiced here.
Cayo Coco and the adjacent Cayo Guillermo are connected to the mainland by a causeway and have some of the best beaches in Cuba — soft white sand backed by forest, with flamingos wading in the lagoons on the landward side.
Cayo Largo, a small island off the south coast, is excellent for snorkeling and diving. Very few residents, small resort, and beaches that are genuinely among Cuba's best.
For beaches near Havana, Playas del Este (a 20-minute drive east of the city) are popular with habaneros on weekends — lively and local in a way that the resort beaches are not.