Cayo Guillermo
Getting there from Havana: Cayo Guillermo is best reached by plane from Havana, unless you want to endure a seven-plus-hour drive.
This was a favorite fishing destination of Ernest Hemingway, whose exploits in Cuba are well known—and it’s easy to see why. The cerulean waters and white-sand beaches combine to make Cayo Guillermo one of Cuba’s most beautiful destinations. And while the whole island is lined with pristine beachfront, you must visit one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite beaches—Playa Pilar—as it was named after his boat Pilar.
As only one island in the Jardines del Rey Archipelago, Cayo Guillermo offers a launch point to numerous fishing, scuba diving and watersports sites along with easy access to other islands. One particularly interesting attraction you’re unlikely to find elsewhere is Cueva del Jabali. On Cayo Coco, Cueva del Jabali, also known as “Party Cave” is a cave turned nightclub with a bar, live DJs and a dance floor so both locals and adventurous travelers alike can party well into the early morning. On the causeway out to Cayo Coco, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for flocks of native pink flamingos.
