The Playas del Este — particularly Guanabo and Santa María del Mar — are Havana's best beaches, about 20km east of the city along the coastal highway. The beaches are clean with white sand and clearer water than the harbour, and they are genuinely popular with Habaneros as well as tourists. On summer weekends the buses from Havana arrive full and the beach fills up with families, sound systems, and food vendors.
Getting here requires a taxi or the somewhat unreliable bus service. The journey along the coastal road through Cojímar is pleasant. Several guesthouses (casas particulares) operate near the beaches, making it possible to stay overnight and avoid the commute from central Havana.