When planning a trip to Cuba, make sure to make time to visit some Cuban beaches. Our personal favorite was Playa Jibacoa in northern Cuba.
We recently returned from our trip to Cuba, as it is now becoming easier and easier for us Americans traveling to Cuba. We wanted to travel to Cuba as soon as possible, as we all know flights to Cuba from the USA will be happening soon.
Related Article: Cuba Travel Guide
Cuba’s Best Beach Playa Jibacoa
The long bridge to the beach
We rented a car and explored Cuba at our own pace but if you’re on a one-week trip to Cuba I’d suggest splitting your time up traveling Cuba between Havana, Trinidad, and some of the many beautiful Cuban beaches. If you only have time to see one beach make sure to visit Playa Jibacoa Cuba.
Where Is Playa Jibacoa?
Playa Jibacoa is on the northern shores of Cuba, between Varadero and Havana. Playa Jibacoa is 60 km/38 miles from Havana and can be reached in just under an hour from an hour. A good portion of the drive from Havana to Playa Jibacoa is along the coast. Varadero to Playa Jibacoa is 90 km/56 miles and is 80 minutes away.
How To Get To Jibacoa Beach?
Blue old American Chevy drives the road along Playa Jibacoa
Unless you’re on a tour that includes stopping at Playa Jibacoa Cuba the only way to get to Jibacoa is by either having a private taxi bring you or renting a car and driving yourself.
We rented a car and drove from Varadero to Playa Jibacoa. Driving in Cuba was super easy, we just had to keep our eyes open for potholes as they seemed to be never-ending.
Related Article: Best Places to Visit in Cuba
Things To Do In Playa Jibacoa Cuba
Love the trees and driftwood on the beach in Playa Jibacoa, Cuba
There aren’t a ton of things to do in Playa Jibacoa, the main draw is the beach and ocean. Enjoy the day laying on the beach, snorkeling, or going diving.
In Jibacoa, there are two shipwrecks you can dive: a sunken cargo ship, and a military ship. The cargo ship is visible from the beach and the military ship lies on its side and still has ladders/anchor ropes/guns. Diving the shipwrecks has been one of the favorite things to do in Playa Jibacoa by divers.
Related Article: Things to do in Cuba
For those that don’t dive, just laying on Playa Jibacoa is my personal favorite things to do in Jibacoa. There is hardly anyone at Playa Jibacoa, you’ll probably have the beach to yourself. Across the street from the beach, there is a shop selling cold beers, soda, snacks, etc. Grab a few drinks and just enjoy being in Cuba.
Playa Jibacoa Vrbo
There are several Airbnb and Vrbo listings in nearby Playa Jibacoa that are a fraction of the hotel prices in Playa Jibacoa. You can rent an entire beachfront home that sleeps 6 for $75 a night.
If you want to spend the night in Playa Jibacoa, we highly suggest renting in advance on Vrbo. That way you aren’t driving around looking for a casa. As an added bonus, it will be prepaid online, so you won’t have to bring as much cash.
Hotels In Playa Jibacoa
There are 3 hotels in Playa Jibacoa as of April 2020, but as tourism in Cuba increases, I would imagine more hotels will become available. Click here to check rates on Booking.com The #1 hotel is Memories Jibacoa, an all-inclusive property, click here for reviews.
Pictures of Playa Jibacoa
A bottle of Cuba’s finest propped up in the sands of Playa Jibacoa
Playa Jibacoa is full of interesting trees and driftwood
We made friends with a few local guys on the beach who helped us arrange to get an old American car up on a hill overlooking the beach for some photos.
Playa Jibacoa was one of the prettiest beaches in Cuba we stopped at on our recent trip. Varadero is gorgeous but there was something special about Jibacoa.
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