Cayo Guillermo, Cuba
Discover Cayo Guillermo, home of Cuba's pink flamingos and the second-largest coral reef in the world
Cayo Guillermo, Cuba
© Pierre Langlois
Cayo Guillermo (Guillermo Key) is a paradisiacal place located in Cuba where you will find beaches with turquoise waters and fine sand inhabited by beautiful pink flamingos. It belongs to the municipality of Morón, in Ciego de Ávila. It is part of the well-known Jardines del Rey, an archipelago in bahía de Perros full of dreamy islands.
Cayo Guillermo
© Erin Rouse
This natural environment of superlative beauty was declared an object of admiration by the American writer Ernest Hemingway, a frequent vacationer of the Cuban islands, who described this wonderful place in his 1970 novel Islands in the Stream. After its publication, interest in visiting the island soared.
Cayo Guillermo began to specialize in exclusive tourism in 1988, consolidating its continuous evolution with the opening of the Villa Cojímar resort. For many tourists, this place is even more exotic than neighbouring Cayo Coco, linked to it by the pedraplén, the famous road that goes over the Caribbean waters.
Index:
- What activities can I do in Cayo Guillermo?
- What are the best beaches?
- What accommodations are there in Cayo Guillermo?
- How can I get to Cayo Guillermo?
- Are there any organized trips to Cayo Guillermo?
What Activities can I do in Cayo Guillermo?
Beaches in Cayo Guillermo
© Lanpie
Diving and snorkelling are the best activities you can do in Cayo Guillermo. It is internationally recognized for being an unparalleled destination for observing the ocean floor along with its neighbour Cayo Coco. You can dive up to 30 meters and the visibility only starts to get lost after 20 meters.
Cristal clear waters of Cayo Coco
© Lanpie
The Coco Diving Center stands out, a diving centre where you can rent equipment and hire a guide to make your dive a unique experience. The diving centre is located very close to the Hotel Meliá Cayo Guillermo.
Cayo Guillermo is one of the best destinations in the country for deep-sea fishing. If you are a passionate fan of this underwater activity, you will find plenty of opportunities on this islet.
Under the surface there is an impressive Atlantic reef, a coral barrier that extends for 400 km in the ocean, considered the second most important on the planet, only surpassed by the Australian Great Barrier Reef. The fauna is incredibly diverse and abundant, sheltering large schools of tropical fish and crustaceans.
La Marina Marlin in Cayo Guillermo is a large marina with up to 36 berths, making it one of the largest international ports of entry in the country. One of the activities it offers is deep sea fishing, where you can catch barracudas, mackerel or pike.
Another activity you can choose from in this idyllic place is to take a boat trip on the Boat Adventure. In this two hour tour, you can enjoy the landscapes and beaches of this paradisiacal location.
What are the Best Beaches in Cayo Guillermo?
The beaches are the symbol of Cayo Guillermo because of their excellent conservation and virgin status. You will have a guaranteed paradisiacal atmosphere where you can relax.
On the south coast, you will find beautiful fauna, including exotic pink flamingos and pelicans, all of which are harmless. In addition, you can observe starfish and goldfish. Have your eyes open because you are likely to meet dolphins very close to the shore.
Playa Pilar, Cayo Guillermo
© Kevin Cabral
The main beach is undoubtedly Playa Pilar, a strip of fine sand bathed by blue waters, which is considered by many to be one of the best beaches in all of Cuba. An ideal place to relax and enjoy.
Another spectacular beach is Playa El Paso, located east of the cayo at the opposite end of Playa Pilar, which is known for being one of the longest beaches in the Caribbean. With its impressive white sand, you will feel like you are in paradise.
Another interesting option is Playa del Medio (Middle Beach). It is much more isolated and less visited than the other beaches making it an option for one to be able to disconnect. Furthermore, it isn’t very far from hotels despite its isolation.
What Accommodations are there in Cayo Guillermo?
Hotel Iberostar Daiquiri
© Hotel Iberostar Daiquiri
As with most of the cayos in Cuba, you will not be able to find private accommodation, which is quite typical of the region. In this case, the offer is all-inclusive hotel resorts.
In Cayo Guillermo, you can find luxury hotels of the Iberostar and Meliá chains. Iberostar selection Playa Pilar is in an unbeatable location, opposite the famous beach of this cayo. And with an outstanding list of services, another interesting option is the Iberostar Daiquiri hotel, also on the seafront.
If you are looking for a 5-star hotel for your dream holiday, perhaps your best option is the all-inclusive Hotel Meliá Cayo Guillermo. Another luxurious option is the Hotel Cayo Guillermo Resort Kempinski Cuba, located in the northernmost point of the cay.
How Can I Get to Cayo Guillermo?
Cayo Guillermo is connected to Cayo Coco by the pedraplén, a road built over the Caribbean Sea. Therefore, the only way to get there is through Cayo Coco. You can reach Cayo Coco by plane or by using the pedraplén from the island of Cuba.
It is necessary to bear in mind that for its exclusiveness, Cayo Guillermo is a zone of relaxation where it is recommended to go more than two days. It is important to organize well so that the trip is not too taxing, for example, spending the night in a city or booking an organized package.
Are there any organized trips to Cayo Guillermo?
The cayos is a very important tourist destination in Cuba due to their natural, virgin and exclusive character. They are perfect for resting due to their paradisiacal nature, however, there are tourists who also opt for a more cultural trip around Cuba's cities.
For that reason, there are travel packages to Cayo Guillermo and other cayos combined with visits to Havana, Guantanamo, Viñales, Varadero, Trinidad, etc. You can get 8-night packages to visit the historical-cultural centres of the magnificent Caribbean island but also have the option to rest the last few days in a paradisiacal key.
There are packages to visit Havana and Cayo Guillermo in one week, although an attractive option is to get a package to visit Cayo Coco and from there visit Cayo Guillermo.
For more information on packages for trips to Cuba, let this specialized Cuban agency prepare you a quote and destinations to suit your needs.
More Information:
Location:
Cayo Guillermo, Morón, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba.
Interactive map:
Jardines del Rey
What to see:
Other nearby destinations:
Why "Cuban Travel Agency"?
"Cuban Travel Agency" is part of the Visitar Cuba project, an organization of Cuban agencies whose objectives are:
- ✓ Disseminate Cuba, its culture and its heritage.
- ✓ Promote sustainable tourism.
- ✓ Support the local economy, prioritizing direct contact with Cuban agencies.
- ✓ Offer budgets without commitment and without cost, from the hand of Cuban experts.
Travel agencies and Tour Operators
If you are an agency or tour operator and you are looking for help to create trips to Cuba, trust our expert hands, we offer special prices.
© www.CubanTravelAgency.Org - All rights reserved.