Fodor's Expert Review Playa Sirena

This superb 3-km (2-mile) white-sand strand is the only beach on the island with picture-perfect palm trees. All the hotels arrange ferry and bus shuttles to this sliver of a peninsula off Cayo Largo's western tip. The marina here, shared by all the hotels, has a restaurant and a bar and a full range of water sports, including diving, snorkeling, and boat rentals from kayaks to pedal boats to Hobie Cats. If the beach gets too crowded, you can arrange a boat to take you to nearby, deserted keys such as Cayo Rico and Cayo Iguana. For a taste of the best of Cayo Largo, without renouncing the cultural experience of Cuba, there are day-trip packages from Havana and Varadero that include a 40-minute flight, half a day and lunch on Playa Sirena, snorkeling the offshore reef, and a visit to Cayo Iguana. Amenities: food and drink; toilets, water sports. Best for: snorkeling; walking.