Playa Esmeralda, Cuba

The beach is over 2950 feet (900 meters) long, is protected by extensive coral reefs, escarpments, cliffs and lush vegetation that provides shade.

Esmeralda Beaches, which have an excellent hotel infrastructure, share an offshore area around 11 miles (18 km) long which contains 40 scuba diving sites. The seabed is irregular and complex, forming high hillocks, caves, small valleys and cliffs with vertical sides which in some places descend gently to form terraces covered with Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.), other Gorgonians and coral. Many species of colorful fish live there.