Cuba, a fast-growing tourist destination in the Caribbean region, has developed the tourism sector on dozens of keys and islets that make up the Cuban archipelago.

South of the big island is one of those destinations, Cayo Largo del Sur, which boasts 24 kilometers of excellent Cuban beaches, whose white fine sand prevents overheating, and has a total area o f37 square kilometers.

The islet is 135 kilometers from Nueva Gerona (Isla de la Juventud), 125 kilometers from Cienfuegos, 177 kilometers from Havana and 177 kilometers from Varadero.

It benefits from its proximity to other tourist destinations such as Cayo Rico, Cayo Cantiles, Cayo Iguana, all of which offer exuberant nature and are part of Los Canarreos archipelago, along with Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth).

The name of Cayo Largo, which is located in the western tip of the Los Canarreos Archipelago, comes from its long shape. The islet's history dates from the aboriginal period, since many archeological artifacts belonging to the Siboney civilization have been found there.

Cayo Largo del Sur was visited by Admiral Christopher Columbus during his second voyage in 1494, and has been closely linked to corsairs and pirates who used to sail and loot the Caribbean region.

Travelers to Cayo Largo del Sur can stay in first-class hotels such as the Sol Club Cayo Largo, which offers 296 air-conditioned rooms and facilities to practice nautical sports at the beach.

Other hotels are the 300-room Sol Pelícano and the 58-room Isla del Sur, which is the oldest hotel on the key.

Some 160 rooms are distributed in the villas Lindamar, Soledad and Coral, and 306 rooms belong to the Barceló Cayo Largo Beach Resort.

Cayo Largo del Sur also offers the services of marinas and diving centers, where tourists can enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the sea bottom around the key.

Tourists can also visit the beaches Sirena, which is two kilometers long, Lindamar, which has the shape of a shell, and Paraíso and Los Cocos. The latter takes its name due to the existence of several coconut trees.

The sea bottoms of Cayo Largo del Sur are well preserved and tourists can dive in the coral reefs.

Nature is well preserved on the islet, which is surrounded by beautiful coral reefs and is complemented by other nearby keys, where many plant and animal species, including iguanas, pelicans and turtles, live in perfect harmony.

There is a program to protect the turtles, including doggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles, which arrive on Cayo Largo del Sur to lay their eggs from April to September.