Cuba: Attractions on the Keys

In addition to visits to major cities, tourists can stay on pristine islets and keys that make up the Cuban archipelago.

One of the fastest-growing destinations north of Ciego de Avila is the Jardines del Rey (King's Gardens) archipelago.

The main key in that region, Cayo Coco, is the fourth largest islet in the Cuban archipelago. It has an area of 370 square kilometers and offers 22 kilometers of excellent beaches surrounded by mangrove swamps and coconut trees.

Large colonies of flamingos and other migratory birds nest on the islets, where they find the perfect habitat to procreate. Constructions for tourism follow international standards to preserve the natural environment.

On Cayo Coco is Las Coloradas Beach, which is an excellent place to practice nautical sports such as windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling and fishing. Other local beaches are Playa Larga, Playa la Jaula, Playa Flamenco and Playa Prohibida.

n Jardines del Rey, Cayo Guillermo is one of the smallest keys. It has an area of 18 square kilometers. Its exuberant flora includes mahogany, mastic and savin trees

The islet offers the beaches El Paso, del Medio and Pilar, and has the largest dune in the Caribbean region (15 meters high).

Jardines del Rey is near a 400-kilometer-long coral reef, which is considered the second largest in the world, after the Australian coral reef.

There are more than 30 diving sites, including the coral reef, banks of sponges, tunnels and caves, where divers can watch the rich local fauna.

The excellent conditions for nautical sports are complemented by a wide range of fishing gears and excursions, as well as the best preserved marine and land ecosystem in the region, which is inhabited by more than 200 species of birds and offers a first-class infrastructure for sustainable tourism.