Playa Ancon

Ancón is a sand spit running out from the coast south of Trinidad, with a long beach on its western side, three hotels along it and a marina at the point. The water is calm and shallow, the sunsets go straight out over the Caribbean, and the reef offshore, including the Cayo Blanco dive sites, is the reason anyone with a tank comes. Most visitors stay in Trinidad and come out for the day, which is easily done by taxi, bicycle or the tourist bus.

What you actually see

• The beach - a long strip of pale sand on the western side of the spit.
• The reef - dive and snorkel sites offshore, including the reefs off Cayo Blanco.
• The sunsets - straight out over the water, which the spit's orientation guarantees.
• La Boca - a village beach on the road from Trinidad, where Cubans swim.

When to go

November to April is the dry season and the peak. Seaweed can accumulate on the sand at certain times of year, particularly in the summer months. Hurricane season runs from August to October.

Honest expectations

The beach is pleasant rather than spectacular and does not compare with the northern keys. Facilities outside the hotels are very limited and there is little shade. Sandflies are a real problem at dusk.

Nearby

Trinidad is twelve kilometres inland, and La Boca is on the road between them.