Playa Ancon, a precious ribbon of white beach on Sancti Spíritus' iridescent Caribbean shoreline, is usually touted, as the finest arc of sand on Cuba's south coast.

While not comparable in all-round quality to the north-coast giants of Varadero, Cayo Coco and Guardalavaca, Playa Ancon has one important advantage: Trinidad, Latin America's sparkling colonial diamond, shimmering just 12km to the north. You can get here in less than 15 minutes by car or a leisurely 40 minutes on a bike. Alternatively, Playa Ancon has three all-inclusive hotels and a well-equipped marina that runs catamaran trips to a couple of nearby coral keys.

Beach bums who want to be near the water but don't have the money or inclination to stay at one of the resorts, might consider a homestay in the seaside village of La Boca.