Cuba Guide
Trinidad and Sancti Spíritus
Península de Ancón
A narrow five-kilometre finger of land curling like a twisted root out into the placid waters of the Caribbean, set against a backdrop of rugged green mountains, the Península de Ancón enjoys a truly fantastic setting. Covered predominantly in scrub, the peninsula itself is not terribly impressive but does boast about 1.5km of sandy beach and an idyllic stretch of mostly undisturbed coastline. The beach has an encouragingly natural feel, with shrubs and trees creeping down to the shoreline, while there is more than enough fine-grained golden-beige sand (the best of it around the three hotels) to keep a small army of holidaymakers happy. In fact, other than hotel staff, holidaymakers are usually the only people on the peninsula, where the hotel resorts exist very much in isolation, and you need only wander a few hundred metres from their grounds to find yourself completely alone.
To get there from Trinidad, follow Paseo Agramonte out of town and head due south for 4km to the quiet village of Casilda. Continue for another 4km west along the northern edge of the Ensenada de Casilda, the bay clasped between the mainland and the peninsula, and you will hit the only road leading into Ancón. Whether staying in Trinidad and visiting the peninsula as a day-trip or vice versa, the taxi fare is around $6CUC one way.
Practicalities
Heading out from the mainland, the first of the three hotels you'll come to is Costasur ( 
41/99-6174, 
6173, 
reservas@costasur.hor.co.cu; Price: $60-80CUC), which has its own private but small section of beach featuring simple, attractive seafront bungalows. A little further along is the Brisas Trinidad del Mar ( 41/99-6500 to 07, reservas@brisastdad.co.cu; Price: $120-180CUC), the most modern and luxurious of the three hotels here. Smaller and quieter than most resort hotels, and popular with Europeans and Canadians, it has smart if unremarkable rooms. The overall design supposedly resembles Trinidad, complete with a miniature Plaza Mayor, but with the town itself just up the road, the imitation is both disappointing and pointless. Two restaurants, bars, a couple of swimming pools, a gym and non-motorized watersports are all included in the price. Approaching the tip of the peninsula you reach the much older all-inclusive Hotel Ancón ( 41/99-6120 & 99-6123 to 29, reservas@ancon.co.cu; Price: $120-180CUC),right on the seafront. Despite the Soviet-influenced architecture, the hotel has a welcoming atmosphere and is where most activity on the peninsula is focused. There are a number of bars and places to eat around the lobby and on the beachfront, as well as a large swimming pool, two tennis courts, a basketball hoop, volleyball net and pool tables. The hotel rents bicycles for $7CUC per day and scooters for $10CUC an hour, with reduced rates for longer periods.
On the beach, the International Diving Centre (daily 9am–5pm) rents out pedalos, kayaks and surfboards, and also organizes diving and snorkelling trips with the Marina Trinidad ( 419/6205, marinastdad@ip.etecsa.cu), opposite the Hotel Ancón, on the other side of the peninsula. Diving excursions cost $30CUC for a single dive, $59CUC for two dives and $87CUC for three dives. Equipment is rented separately and goes for $15CUC for the full set. Diving courses, beginning at $60CUC, are also available. Fishing trips can be arranged as well, and cost either $30CUC per person for deep-sea fishing (requiring a minimum of six people) or $200CUC to rent a whole boat and go fly fishing.
One of the most popular snorkelling excursions is to Cayo Blanco, a narrow islet 8km from the peninsula with its own coral reef where the waters teem with parrotfish, trumpetfish and moray eels. Trips cost from $40CUC per person and usually include a lobster lunch. The area is known for its easy diving with good visibility, minimal currents and an abundance of vertical coral walls.