Playa Girón

Playa Girón is a beach and community located on the east bank of the Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) in the province of Matanzas on Cuba's southern coast. It is part of the Ciénaga de Zapata municipality. The Ciénaga de Zapata, one of the world's largest wetlands, is home to Playa Girón (Zapata Swamp). Girón, a nearby town, was named after the infamous French pirate Gilberto Giron.

In April 1961, Playa Girón was one of two seaborne landing locations for around 1,500 armed Cuban exiles in the Bay of Pigs Invasion, an American CIA-backed attempt to overthrow Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro's new government. Fighting raged for 72 hours in various portions of the Cienaga de Zapata, with Playa Girón being the last region seized by the invaders. The Museo Girón is now a tiny museum dedicated to the conflict's history. This is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Cuba.

Location: Matanzas