Playa Girón

Playa Girón

The Playa Girón is a beach and village on the eastern coast of the Bahia de Cochinos aka Bay of Pigs, located on the southern coast of Cuba, in the province of Matanzas. It belongs to the municipality of Ciénaga de Zapata. The village is located in one of the world's largest wetlands, the Ciénaga de Zapata. The Bay is of historical importance due to the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Nowadays, the area is famous for its diving, and the bay is home to a wide variety of marine species, including 30 species of sponges from 19 families and 21 genera. The bay's twelve dive sites offer excellent visibility of between 20 and 40 meters, with average water temperatures of 22°C in December and 29°C in July. The Bay of Pigs is home to coral walls, caves and a variety of fish, including barracudas, lionfish and groupers, as well as coral and sponges. Along the western side of the bay, there are coral reefs bordering the main Zapata Swamp, which is part of the Zapata Peninsula. On the east side, there are beaches bordering the edge of the solid ground, with mangrove forests and extensive swampy areas to the north and east. The Zapata National Park, which was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2001, is located in the area. More than 900 species of native plants, 175 species of birds, 31 species of reptiles and 1,000 species of invertebrates are found here. The Zapata Peninsula is one of the best places for birdwatching in Cuba, with 280-350 bird species reported.