The white colour of Caribbean beach sand comes mostly from broken coral and tiny shell fragments that have been crushed by waves over thousands of years. The sand is so fine and pale that it stays cool even in strong sunshine - another reason it is so lovely to walk on barefoot. Some beaches on the south coast of Cuba have even finer sand that squeaks when you walk on it.
Varadero beach stretches for about 20 kilometres - that is longer than most towns are wide. The water is shallow near the shore and deepens gradually, making it easy to wade out and look at the small fish that dart around your feet. At low tide, rocky pools form at the edges of some beaches and you can find starfish, hermit crabs and tiny sea anemones.
Cuba's coastline also includes mangrove forests - tangles of trees that grow in the shallow salty water at the edge of the sea. Mangroves are nurseries for young fish, who shelter among the roots until they are big enough to swim out to the reef. Flamingos and herons wade through the mangroves looking for food, their long legs perfect for stepping through the mud.