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Last updated on April 24, 2021
Guasasa is a small, remote cove along Cuba’s rocky South coast. Its calm and translucent waters bordered by rocks make it look like a natural pool sheltering surgeonfish, butterflyfish and small moray eels. You will most probably be alone there as this is a secluded place, located far from the main touristic itineraries.
Guasasa is a small fishing village seemingly out of time, located 26km west of Playa Girón. The car trip from Playa Girón to Guasasa takes at least one hour on an unpaved road packed with potholes. A bus line also connects both places: it operates twice a day, generally early in the morning and around 8PM – check time schedules on-site.
On the coastal road from Playa Girón to Guasasa, you can also stop at the famous snorkeling spot of Caleta Buena (about 18km before reaching Guasasa). The cove is located about 200m after the crossing located at the village center.
You will enter the water from a beach bordered by rocks. As rocks can be sharp, we advise wearing aqua shoes.
The spot is located inside an almost closed cove, communicating with the open sea only through an 80-meter large opening in the rocks. Sea is consequently very calm here, and ideal for snorkeling. Anyway, do not get too close to the cove’s entry where the sea can be rougher there.
Inside the creek, water depth varies from 0.5 to about 3 meters, making this spot an ideal place to explore the underwater world from the water surface. The seabed is covered by rocks, numerous gorgonians and hard corals, notably elkhorn coral. Underwater life thrives in Guasasa, and you will be able to get close to dozens of different fish species, most of them rather tame.
You will probably spot butterflyfish (notably foureye butterflyfish and banded butterflyfish), bluehead wrasse, striped parrotfish, jewel damselfish and many blue tangs, sometimes gathering in huge schools. Take a close look at the rocks and try to spot a small moray eel: this species is quite commonplace here.
There is only a small convenience store in Guasasa village.
Jump into Guasasa underwater world in this video 👇 shot by Maima.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
