Things To Do in Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo

Cayo Coco is the better known of the two cays, probably due to its earlier development. The best-known Cayo Coco beaches are Playa Larga and Playa Las Coloradas. Playa Los Flamencos, a few kilometers west, is a slightly more isolated and quieter beach, and beyond this is Playa Prohibida. They're among the most stellar beaches to be found in all of Cuba. In the interior of the cay are lagoons and marshlands, havens for the local bird and animal populations.

Cayo Guillermo is connected to Cayo Coco by a 15km (9-mile) pedraplén. Cayo Guillermo beaches (Playa El Paso, Playa del Medio, and Playa Larga) are every bit as spectacular as those on Cayo Coco; in fact, at low tide, the crystal-clear waters are so shallow that you can comfortably wade out several hundred meters. The landscape is very similar to Cayo Coco, but Guillermo boasts the most spectacular beach of either cay, and perhaps the entire northern coastline, if not the country: Playa Pilar, long ago explored by Ernest Hemingway and today a popular day trip for hotel guests on both cays. Playa Pilar features high sand dunes, a new attractive blue and white walkway and a restaurant on the beach serving up seafood (from CUC$6.50-CUC$15) and other dishes from CUC$3. Sun loungers are charged at CUC$2 a day. Just one kilometer away is Cayo Media Luna, a popular spot for snorkelers.

Most folks simply take advantage of the bars and nightly shows at their all-inclusive resorts. The Sol Cayo Coco has one of the largest, most atmospheric, and liveliest dance clubs of the large resorts, Salsatheque (open Tues and Thurs, CUC$7). The disco at La Cueva de Jabalí (tel. 33/30-1206; open Tues and Thurs; CUC$20, including drinks), 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Cayo Coco hotel strip, is set in the belly of a small underground cave. Bring insect repellant to fight off the mosquitos inside the cave. Another alternative is La Bolera (tel. 33/30-1697), a four-lane bowling alley that also serves as a bar and cabaret, located near the Meliá Playa Guillermo.