Traversing to Cuba is now much easier thanks to the lift of most travel restrictions in 2019. But how far is Cuba from Key West by boat?
The Key West to Havana distance is approximately 95 nautical miles, which is roughly 110 miles. Let’s say you’re going by speed boat with an average speed of 50mph, it’ll take just a little more than 2 hours to reach Cuba.
In today’s article, we’re going to discuss the distance between Key West and Cuba as well as factors that affect the travel time. Stay tuned!
The Distance From Key West to Cuba by Boat
1. Routes
There is more than one route to sail to Cuba from Key West, most of which aren’t that much different in terms of travel time.
- Route 1: Sailing directly on the Florida Straits from the port of Key West to El Puerto de la Habana.
- Route 2: Same departure as the first route, but you’ll arrive at Marina Hemingway instead. Significantly, choosing the western entrance of this port aids in cutting down 10 miles, making it the shortest distance from Key West to Cuba.
- Route 3: Compared with the previously mentioned routes, docking at Marina Varadero helps reduce the distance by 2 nautical miles. Varadero is only 13 minutes away from Havana, with incredibly gorgeous beaches with crystal clear waters.
2. Time to Travel
As mentioned, the time difference is very small, regardless of the route you take.
You can finish the trip within half a day, provided that it’s a direct day trip to Cuba from Key West by boat.
However, the duration may differ depending on your boat type.
- Large vessels are undoubtedly faster than smaller ones. Unfortunately, you won’t find any service ferry to Cuba at present. Still, several cruise ship companies do offer boat rides from Key West to Cuba.
- Another option is to charter a boat, but you should remember that being on these vessels usually takes longer than usual as they follow a planned itinerary.
A good thing about this is you’ll get a more fulfilling experience and better insight into Cuban culture. Nonetheless, most services allow activity customization on your part to facilitate what suits you best.
Since the distance between Florida and Havana is relatively short, more people prefer heading to Cuba for the holidays over the Bahamas, which is 313 miles away.
Conclusion
By now, you should know the answer to the question we raised at the beginning: How far is Cuba from Key West by boat? Getting to Cuba from Key West without spending some time in Havana would be the craziest thing to do.
Even though a one-day trip to Cuba is possible, spending more time on this island nation of untouched beauty is recommended. The pristine beaches and food alone are enough justification for you to stay a little longer!
Ten years of enjoying countless trips on boats never made me love them any less! So I am here to put all those experiences into good use for other boaters who want to have a safe and fun trip with their friends and families.