Santa Lucia de Cuba

Pull up a map of Cuba and you’ll find the peaceful little town of Santa Lucia de Cuba nuzzled into the island’s northern coastline, towards the eastern part of the island. The closest major city is Camaguey, a 90-minute drive away, meaning this place is pretty remote. But staying at a quiet, out-of-the-way place like Santa Lucia de Cuba means you’re guaranteed one thing in droves, peace. This place is a great pick if you want Cuba at its most laidback. Everything here is focused on its beach, which follows the typical Caribbean recipe of whiter-than-white sand and gin-clear water. Plus, this part of Cuba’s coast is on the doorstep of the Santa Lucia Coral Reef, one of the longest of its kind in the western hemisphere, meaning the scuba diving is best in class.

1. Go scuba diving or snorkelling near the Santa Lucia Coral Reef

Picture Finding Nemo in your head and you’re pretty close to what this coral reef looks like. Coral as colourful as a bag of Skittles, schools of tropical fish swimming about the place – it’s some of the best preserved in Cuba. No holiday to Santa Lucia de Cuba is complete without checking it out. Snorkelling and scuba diving tours are on offer along the town’s beach. And, since the reef stretches out for several square kilometres, it’s highly likely you’ll be sharing the water with the local marine life – turtles, rays and even harmless nurse sharks all call this place home.

2. Kick back on Playa Santa Lucia

Playa Santa Lucia – which literally means Santa Lucia Beach – is the town’s main strip of sand. You’ve got over three kilometres to stretch out on, the majority of which is dotted with palms and thatched umbrellas that’re perfect for napping under. The water here is also super shallow, before getting a tad deeper, making it ideal for foot paddlers and swimmers. There’s a bunch of seafront bars and restaurants nearby, too, so Cuban fare is never too far from your sunbed.

3. Chow down on traditional Cuban food

You can’t miss out on sampling the local grub during your holiday to Santa Lucia de Cuba. Typical Cuban cuisine revolves around rice, beans and pork. But thanks to its fishing heritage and coastal location, it’s the seafood here that really steals the show. Most of the restaurants in Santa Lucia de Cuba focus their attention on fresh fish, shrimp and lobster, alongside things like grilled plantains and yuca, a starchy root vegetable that’s often served with garlic sauce.