The Cuban archipelago, a key piece for tourism in the Caribbean region, adds various leisure options that go beyond the big island to take into account the attractions of keys and islets.
Exuberant nature, centuries-old traditions and history go hand in hand in a territory of more than 110,000 square kilometers, with almost 5,800 kilometers of coastline.
In this scenario, dozens of keys that form part of the Cuban archipelago play as small-format actors, among which Levisa stands out in the western province of Pinar del Río, with three kilometers of excellent beaches and 23 sites for diving.
Meanwhile, in central Cuba, a 48-kilometer-long causeway over the sea connects the keys Santa María, Las Brujas, Ensenachos, Cobos, Majá, Fragoso, Francés, Las Picuas and Español de Adentro, among others.
Jardines del Rey also has great potential, including Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, Paredón Grande and Antón Chico, where the exuberant nature led the Governor Diego Velázquez to name that place after Spanish King Ferdinand the Catholic.
The main islet, Cayo Coco, occupies the fourth position in extension in the Cuban archipelago, with an area of 370 square kilometers and the additional attraction of 22 kilometers of excellent beaches, which are complemented by a vegetation of mangroves and coconut trees.
Numerous colonies of flamingos and other migratory birds choose the aforementioned islets to nest, a situation that man has preserved with the construction of an infrastructure for tourism that seeks to respect the natural environment in the first place.
During the recovery after Covid-19, it is precisely the keys that will receive international tourists in a first phase, where the hotels, including gardens and beach areas are fully organized and workers are ready to ensure the necessary hygienic conditions for visitors and to prevent outbreaks of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
As a new element, the usual nautical excursions will reopen in this destination, such as glass-bottom catamaran trips to enjoy the rich marine flora, while Boat Adventure and other nautical products will gradually be incorporated as the presence of vacationers increases.
Activities such as bird watching in the rich wildlife refuges and walks along Las Dolinas, La Silla, La Güira and Dunes of Loma del Puerto will also be resumed, as those are areas of great natural conservation, with remarkable landscapes and abundant biodiversity.
In eastern Cuba, Cayo Saetía stands out at the entrance of Bahía de Nipe, and it is considered the largest hunting ground in the country with a wide existence of the most varied species.
In its 42 square kilometers of extension, the islet holds more than half of the territory populated with forests, which in turn serve as a shelter for a diverse fauna, including white-tailed deer, zebras and antelopes.