Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on May 19, 2022
Playa Caribe is a nice beach located about 10km south of Trinidad, on the road to Ancón. It is possible to park near the beach or in the Grill Caribe‘s small parking lot. If you don’t have a car, the best option is to take a taxi, as public transportation is limited in the area. The distance between the resorts of Playa Ancón and Playa Caribe is only 2mi/3km.
We recommend entering the water from the sandy beach, in front of Grill Caribe restaurant.
The reef extends all along the beach. Starting from the shore, you’ll first snorkel over some sandy areas without much interest, before some coral and rock ridges appear. From 40-50 meters from the beach, the reef becomes denser, before sloping down to the depths. Throughout the area, the depth varies between 5ft/1.5m and 23ft/7m.
The corals of Playa Caribe, typical of Cuba, are rather healthy. In some places, gorgonian “forests” have grown, creating an enchanting underwaterscape. In most of the area, beautiful patches of Porites and brain coral cover the seabed. Many sea urchins of different species are also found on the reef.
A nice diversity of fishes live the reef, including cardinalfish, several species of grunts, snappers, several species of butterflyfish, as well as parrotfish and surgeonfish.
The fishes are particularly numerous around the gorgonians, which offer a reassuring shelter. Yellow stingrays are sometimes seen in the deeper waters, both on the sand and on the rocks.
Visibility is generally good in Playa Caribe, where the sea is calm most of the time. Do not enter the water if the sea is wavy.
Grill Caribe restaurant is located on the beach.
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.
