Playa Girón & Bay of Pigs Museum
Playa Girón
The main battlefield of the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. The museum displays aircraft, tanks, and photographs from the battle, and the beach and nearby reefs are good for swimming and snorkeling.
Playa Girón lies at the southern end of the eastern shore of the Bay of Pigs. In April 1961, Cuban exiles backed by the United States landed here, and they were defeated by Cuban forces within 72 hours. The event is known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. The Playa Girón Museum in the village displays fighter jets, tanks, weapons, photographs, and maps from the battle, with an aircraft on display outside. Admission costs a few dollars. The beach is protected by a breakwater, so the water is calm. There are also several snorkeling and diving spots nearby. The village is about 170 km from Varadero and is usually visited on a Zapata day trip or by staying in Playa Larga or Playa Girón. Note: the round trip is long, so start early.
Opening hours
Museum about 08:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Cueva de los Peces
- Boca de Guamá & Laguna del Tesoro
- Cárdenas
- Río Canímar
- Cueva de Saturno
- Cuevas de Bellamar
- Varadero Beach
- Playa Coral