A Cuban woman identified as Aniadys became a trend on TikTok after posting a video from Bimini, Bahamas, where she confidently declared that this small Caribbean island is home to "the most beautiful beach in the world" she has ever seen in her life.
The clip, published on July 18, garnered over 506,400 views, 17,200 likes, and 3,029 shares, and sparked a wave of comments among Cubans abroad who resonated with its enthusiasm.
In the video, Aniadys spares no comparisons. Cancún, the Dominican Republic, Playa Larga, and Playa Ancón are left off the podium: "I'm going to tell you the truth, I haven't walked much, but there's another thing: there's Cancún, the Dominican Republic, neither Playa Larga nor Playa Ancón, nor all those beaches. All those beaches are full of... look at this sand, gentlemen. These beaches are really clean."
Regarding Cuba, their stance is direct but not hostile: "It's not about criticizing Cuba. Cuba has beautiful beaches, but they are damaged. If they took care of Varadero, it could be as lovely a beach as this one."
What surprised Aniadys the most is that it took her two decades to discover the destination. "I fell in love because it's the first time in twenty years that we decided to come here, because we also didn't know, we had no knowledge," she admits in the video.
Bimini is a small archipelago in the Bahamas located about 56 miles from Miami, accessible by ferry from Fort Lauderdale with prices ranging from US$155 to US$340 for a round trip depending on the season and class. Its most popular beach, Radio Beach, in North Bimini, is known for its white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. The destination is also called the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World" due to its prime location along the Gulf Stream, offering attractions such as the Bimini Road — a rock formation linked to the legend of Atlantis — and the Dolphin House Museum.
Aniadys recommends the getaway as an affordable weekend plan: "You can take a ferry, come for the day and return the same day. Or you can rent an Airbnb like we did and spend the whole weekend." And she adds, with disarming honesty: "We're not making anything from this, okay."
The video arrives at a time when Varadero is going through a deep crisis, with closed hotels, empty streets, and frequent blackouts. International tourism in Cuba fell by 55.8% from January to April 2026 compared to the same period the previous year, according to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information. In July, a severe storm caused additional damage in Varadero, worsening the deterioration of its infrastructure.
It is not the first time that a Cuban abroad has gone viral for showcasing an alternative beach destination. In early July, Cuban Daniela Lodeiro showcased a paradise-like beach in Cuba that garnered nearly 243,000 views, although the contrast with the available infrastructure was equally revealing.
The trend of Cubans living in South Florida discovering Bimini as a weekend getaway seems to solidify on social media during 2026, driven precisely by its geographical proximity and the ease of the ferry journey.
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