Hello travelers from the @worldmappin community!
If you love strolls, beaches, and resort vacations, I’m thrilled to share my visit to the 'Grand Aston La Habana' resort and one of the most stunning beaches on the isla and in the Caribbean—located in the "Jardines del Rey" archipelago, near my hometown Ciego de Ávila, Cuba 🇨🇺. Join me on this amazing journey! 😉
Let the adventure begin! I’ll start with the luxurious Grand Aston Hotel, a brand-new, modern 5-star resort in the heart of Havana. This property stands out for its top-notch service and unmatched comfort, and it’s ideally located in a prime area—just steps from the Malecón, Vedado and Centro Habana.
To refresh my morning before heading to the beach, I ordered a vanilla ice cream shake à la carte—absolutely delicious! The restaurant offers both international and Cuban cuisine, but since it was early morning, I loved sitting outside to enjoy the stunning ocean views and the infinity pool.
And as usual, I couldn’t resist taking photos of the hotel’s architecture—absolutely spectacular!
To get to the beach, we booked a day pass on one of Transtur’s buses—air-conditioned and super comfortable. We arrived around 8:30-9:00 AM, just in time to snag a beach cabana and enjoy a lovely family afternoon by the sea.
So, what makes Playa Pilar so special? This stunning beach is located on Cayo Guillermo, one of the pristine keys in Cuba’s Ciego de Ávila province and honestly, one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba and the entire Caribbean. Imagine a virgin beach framed by towering sand dunes and swaying palm trees, making it look even more like a slice of paradise.
To reach the sea, we walked along a 150-meter wooden bridge stretching over the dunes. Though the welcome bar was closed that day, visitors could still check out the helpful map and guide posted at the entrance.
Amid laughter, photos, and nature, the journey passed quickly jjj. My partner taking pictures of her little girl, and the beautiful view with its peculiar coastal palms and trees.
Upon reaching the beach and the end of the boardwalk, we noticed it had a lookout point, a beach ranchón (thatched-roof hut), and a restaurant serving international cuisine. The lookout was closed to the public, possibly for maintenance. But the beach ranchón offered some tropical cocktails, fresh juices, and piña colada.
The restaurant on the right offers a variety of delicious dishes, including roasted chicken, pork steak, shrimp, lobster, and other tasty local specialties.
This beach is defined by its fine, light-colored sand; calm, turquoise, and crystal-clear waters; and a seabed with a coral reef that lets us marvel at its stunning, colorful marine life—as if swimming in an aquarium. For those looking to break from the ordinary, the options for snorkeling in the warm, shallow sea are perfect.
The beach features cozy little cabanas designed for pure relaxation – perfect for sunbathing, enjoying the sand, sharing quiet moments with a partner or friends, and immersing yourself in the natural surroundings as an essential part of the experience.
For the tourist, it includes a glass-bottom boat—a vessel with sections made of glass, panoramic windows, or another suitable transparent material below the waterline, allowing passengers to observe the underwater environment from inside. You can enjoy and experience this unique adventure in some of the best coral reefs, one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean, teeming with fish and exotic species.
The beach takes its name from the boat of American writer Ernest Hemingway, who popularized the place in 1970 through his novel Islands in the Gulf Stream, where he described the spectacular beach of fine white sand and warm, crystal-clear turquoise waters surrounded by pristine nature. Among the photographs I took, I tried to showcase our HIVE blockchain and leave our mark on the beach.
We rented a kayak or canoe for 600 Cuban pesos to get a closer look at the sea and enjoy the marine surroundings. There was also a catamaran tour available, but by then it was already late, and the sun was bothering us a little. It was just me and my partner @karoly in the kayak—her daughter only took photos because it was a bit too risky to take her into deeper waters.
As a recommendation, bring your sunscreen, hat, camera, and cash in USD or EUR, as there are very few ATMs available on the keys (cayos). This way, you’ll be able to fully enjoy all the activities, excursions, and watercraft rentals offered at the center.
In conclusion, this was an unforgettable excursion to experience the Cuban Caribbean in its purest form. We were even lucky enough to spot a tiny, adorable starfish! Playa Pilar is absolutely worth visiting even if you're not staying at a hotel nearby. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a spectacular, relaxing day immersed in nature, sunshine, and serenity.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 22.60964 lat -78.69118 long d3scr) If you liked it, don't forget to leave a comment and follow me for future posts. I'd love to know your opinion and ideas for the next one. Regards
d3scr
All photos were taken by my IPhone 12 Pro and edited at InShot. English is not my native language, I used www.DeepL.com/Translator.
Todas las fotos fueron tomadas por mi IPhone 12 Pro y editadas en InShot. El Inglés no es mi idioma nativo, usé www.DeepL.com/Translator.
¡Hola viajeros de la comunidad @worldmappin! Si eres fans de los paseos, playas y vacaciones hoteleras; es un placer compartir con ustedes mi visita por el resort Grand Aston La Habana y a una de las playas más lindas de la isla y del caribe ubicada en el archipiélago "Jardines del Rey" de mi ciudad Ciego de Ávila, en Cuba 🇨🇺. ¡Acompáñame en este maravilloso recorrido 😉!
Let the adventure begin! I’ll start with the luxurious Grand Aston Hotel, a brand-new, modern 5-star resort in the heart of Havana. This property stands out for its top-notch service and unmatched comfort, and it’s ideally located in a prime area—just steps from the Malecón, Vedado and Centro Habana.
Comenzando con la aventura empezaré por el Hotel de lujo Grand Aston de categoría 5 estrellas muy moderno y nuevo en la capital. Esta instalación se caracteriza por la alta calidad en sus servicios y comodidad, se encuentra ubicado en una zona privilegiada cerca del Malecón, Vedado y Centro Habana.
To refresh my morning before heading to the beach, I ordered a vanilla ice cream shake à la carte—absolutely delicious! The restaurant offers both international and Cuban cuisine, but since it was early morning, I loved sitting outside to enjoy the stunning ocean views and the infinity pool.
Para refrescar la mañana antes de ir para la playa, pedí a la carta un batido de helado de sabor vainilla, muy sabroso. El restaurante ofrece al turista cocina internacional y cubana, pues como estaba amaneciendo me agradaba estar a las afueras del espacio por sus vistas al mar y piscina infinita.
And as usual, I couldn’t resist taking photos of the hotel’s architecture—absolutely spectacular!
Y como de costumbre no podían faltar las fotos a la arquitectura hotelera, espectacular!!
To get to the beach, we booked a day pass on one of Transtur’s buses—air-conditioned and super comfortable. We arrived around 8:30-9:00 AM, just in time to snag a beach cabana and enjoy a lovely family afternoon by the sea.
Para trasladarnos a la playa, reservamos un pasa día en uno de los ómnibus de la cadena Transtur, climatizado y confortable. Llegamos en un horario de 8:30 - 9:00 am especial para ocupar cabañas de la zona y pasar una linda tarde en familia.
So, what makes Playa Pilar so special? This stunning beach is located on Cayo Guillermo, one of the pristine keys in Cuba’s Ciego de Ávila province and honestly, one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba and the entire Caribbean. Imagine a virgin beach framed by towering sand dunes and swaying palm trees, making it look even more like a slice of paradise.
Hablando de que es Playa Pilar, pues les comentaré que está localizada en Cayo Guillermo uno de los cayos de la provincia Ciego de Ávila, y una de las playas más bonitas de Cuba y nuestro Caribe. Se presenta como una playa virgen, rodeada de enormes dunas y palmeras que le dan un aspecto aún más paradisiaco.
To reach the sea, we walked along a 150-meter wooden bridge stretching over the dunes. Though the welcome bar was closed that day, visitors could still check out the helpful map and guide posted at the entrance.
Para llegar al mar, debemos caminar por un puente de madera de aproximadamente 150 metros. El bar de la entrada estaba cerrado pero contaba con un mapa o guía al visitante.
Amid laughter, photos, and nature, the journey passed quickly jjj. My partner taking pictures of her little girl, and the beautiful view with its peculiar coastal palms and trees.
Entre risas, fotos y naturaleza, el camino transcurrió rápido jjj. Mi pareja haciéndole fotos a su niña y la vista hermosa con sus palmeras y árboles costeras muy peculiares.
Upon reaching the beach and the end of the boardwalk, we noticed it had a lookout point, a beach ranchón (thatched-roof hut), and a restaurant serving international cuisine. The lookout was closed to the public, possibly for maintenance. But the beach ranchón offered some tropical cocktails, fresh juices, and piña colada.
Llegando a la playa y al final de la pasarela, notamos que contaba con un mirador, ranchón playa y restaurante con comida internacional. El mirador estaba cerrado al público, posiblemente por mantenimientos. Pero el ranchon-playa ofrecía algunos cócteles tropicales, jugos naturales y piña colada.
The restaurant on the right offers a variety of delicious dishes, including roasted chicken, pork steak, shrimp, lobster, and other tasty local specialties.
El restaurante a la derecha presenta variadas ofertas gastronómicas como pollo asado, bistec de cerdo, camarones y langosta entre otros platos sabrosos de la isla.
This beach is defined by its fine, light-colored sand; calm, turquoise, and crystal-clear waters; and a seabed with a coral reef that lets us marvel at its stunning, colorful marine life—as if swimming in an aquarium. For those looking to break from the ordinary, the options for snorkeling in the warm, shallow sea are perfect.
Se caracteriza la playa por su arena fina y clara; sus aguas tranquilas, turquesas y cristalinas; y un fondo marino con una barrera de coral que nos da la posibilidad de deleitarnos con su hermosa y colorida fauna marina, como si se tratase de un acuario. Las opciones para despejar de lo tradicional y hacer snorkel en el mar poco profundo y cálido son perfectas.
The beach features cozy little cabanas designed for pure relaxation – perfect for sunbathing, enjoying the sand, sharing quiet moments with a partner or friends, and immersing yourself in the natural surroundings as an essential part of the experience.
Contiene unas cabañitas para la relajación total del disfrute del sol, la arena, conversar en pareja o amigos y el entorno natural como parte esencial de la experiencia.
For the tourist, it includes a glass-bottom boat—a vessel with sections made of glass, panoramic windows, or another suitable transparent material below the waterline, allowing passengers to observe the underwater environment from inside. You can enjoy and experience this unique adventure in some of the best coral reefs, one of the most beautiful in the Caribbean, teeming with fish and exotic species.
Para el turista contiene con una embarcación con fondo de cristal llamada Glass Bottom Boat con secciones de vidrio, cristal panorámico u otro material transparente adecuado, bajo la línea de flotación, lo que permite a los pasajeros observar el entorno submarino desde dentro. Puedes disfrutar y vivir de esta experiencia única en las mejores barreras de coral y una de las más bellas del Caribe, con abundancia de peces y especies exóticos.
The beach takes its name from the boat of American writer Ernest Hemingway, who popularized the place in 1970 through his novel Islands in the Gulf Stream, where he described the spectacular beach of fine white sand and warm, crystal-clear turquoise waters surrounded by pristine nature. Among the photographs I took, I tried to showcase our HIVE blockchain and leave our mark on the beach.
La Playa recibe su nombre en honor a la embarcación del escritor estadounidense Ernest Hemingway que popularizó el lugar en 1970 gracias a su novela 'Islas del Golfo' mencionando la espectacular playa de fina arena blanca y tibias aguas cristalinas y turquesas con entorno natural. Entre las tomas fotográficas que realice trate de representar a nuestra blockchain HIVE y dejar la huella en la playa.
We rented a kayak or canoe for 600 Cuban pesos to get a closer look at the sea and enjoy the marine surroundings. There was also a catamaran tour available, but by then it was already late, and the sun was bothering us a little. It was just me and my partner @karoly in the kayak—her daughter only took photos because it was a bit too risky to take her into deeper waters.
Alquilamos por un monto de 600 pesos cubanos un kayak o canoa, para apreciar el mar de cerca y observar el ambiente marítimo. También hay paseo en catamarán, lo que ya era muy tarde y el sol molestaba un poquito. Solo fuimos yo y mi pareja @karoly en el kayat, la niña de ella solo se tomos fotos porque era un poco peligroso llevarla a aguas más profundas.
As a recommendation, bring your sunscreen, hat, camera, and cash in USD or EUR, as there are very few ATMs available on the keys (cayos). This way, you’ll be able to fully enjoy all the activities, excursions, and watercraft rentals offered at the center.
Como recomendación llevar su protector solar, sombrero, cámara y efectivo en USD o EURO, ya que en los cayos hay pocos cajeros automáticos. Así podrán gozar mejor de todas las actividades, excursiones y embarcaciones acuáticas que ofrece el centro.
In conclusion, this was an unforgettable excursion to experience the Cuban Caribbean in its purest form. We were even lucky enough to spot a tiny, adorable starfish! Playa Pilar is absolutely worth visiting even if you're not staying at a hotel nearby. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a spectacular, relaxing day immersed in nature, sunshine, and serenity.
Ya a modo de conclusion, fue una excursión inolvidable para disfrutar del caribe cubano en su estado más puro. Tuvimos la suerte de ver una estrella de mar en su versión más pequeña, bien tierna. Merece la pena visitar Playa Pilar aunque no estés alojado en un hotel, además de pasar un día espectacular, relajado y de abundante sol y en la naturaleza.
[//]:# (!pinmapple 22.60964 lat -78.69118 long d3scr) If you liked it, don't forget to leave a comment and follow me for future posts. I'd love to know your opinion and ideas for the next one. Regards
Si te ha gustado, no olvides dejar tu comentario y seguirme para próximas publicaciones. Me encantaría saber tu opinión e ideas para el siguiente.