Cayo Guillermo travel guide

Cayo Guillermo, a 13-sq-km cay with 5 km of beach, is connected to Cayo Coco by a causeway. Cayo Guillermo is protected by a long coral reef which is good for diving with plentiful fish and crustaceans, while on land there are lots of birds. Sand dunes, covered in palms and other vegetation, are believed to be among the highest in the Caribbean. Playa Pilar at the far western tip is spectacular and one of the best beaches in Cuba. Resorts on Cayo Coco arrange day trips for CUC$5. The environment is protected by the Santa María National Park. Ernest Hemingway came here to fish, which is why there are frequent references to him. Fishing is still superb around here and if you tire of deep sea fishing you can make an excursion to one of the freshwater lakes mentioned above. Across a narrow channel to the north of Cayo Guillermo is Cayo Media Luna, a small islet with excellent snorkelling on the reef offshore, where you can see a wide variety of fish and coral as well as a few wrecks. The dictator Fulgencio Batista had his holiday home here.