Guardalavaca Beach
Guardalavaca is a beach area located on the North coast of Holguin Province. The area comonly known as Guardalavaca is divided into 3 different beaches: Guardalava, Playa Esmeralda and Playa Pesquero.
Interesting: “Guardalavaca” literally means “keep the cow” in Spanish. According to locals - in the early days - farmers were targeted by pirates. The area has reasonable grazing land and the pirates were after the cattle grazing in the area. As pirates were spotted the local farmers would shout, “Guardalavaca” - hence the area’s name - keep the cow.
Guardalavaca is one of the most beautiful beach locations in Cuba. It is an ideal destination for relaxation, fishing, diving, snorkeling (coral reefs are just few meters off the beach). If you feel like dancing not only you can find entertaiment in your hotel but also you can enjoy the night clubs and outdoors parties held on the beach.
Among the best hotels in Guardalavaca you can find Paradisus Rio de Oro – a 5*, super all inclusive for adults only and Sol Rio de Luna y Mares – 4* All inclusive hotel. These two are the only hotels in Playa Esmeralda. If you are looking for a quiet beach the Playa Esmeralda and Playa Pesquero are the places to stay. In Playa Pesquero there are 4 hotels only. Playa Pesquero Hotel is the best option for families and it is the biggest hotel in Cuba with about 900 rooms.
The Beaches
Most people come to Guardalavaca for one thing and one thing only - time on the beach. As though it weren’t enough for a resort to have one beautiful beach, while you are on a Guardalavaca holiday you can choose from three - Guardalavaca beach itself, Esmerelda beach, and Playa Pesquero. There’s even a mini train that connects Guardalavaca beach to Esmerelda, making it easy to move between the two.
All three beaches feature pristine white sand that slopes gently into clear water, dotted with the occasional tree to provide a spot of shade. The presence of the coral reef at Guardalavaca keeps the water calm most of the time, making it perfect for families and gentle swimming. Catamarans, pedalos and other common beach activities are all available for those who would like to do more than sunbathe.
Reef Diving
Out of all the diving spots in Cuba, Guardalavaca is a real highlight for scuba enthusiasts due to the expansive coral reef, located a few miles offshore. Teeming with wildlife, the reef is a wonder to explore while scuba diving, with plenty of caves and sheer drops to see. If you tire of the coral reefs themselves, there are a number of shipwrecks that can also be seen. If you are interested in scuba diving, the resort has several diving centres who can arrange trips and equipment rental for the best dive sites.
