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  About Cayo Largo, Cuba

Cayo Largo, Cuba Cayo Largo is a small islet located at the southeastern end of the Canarreos archipelago (which belongs to Cuba). The islet is approximately 80 km South of the main island of Cuba. This small limestone island is 28 km long and no more than 3 km wide. Fine white sand beaches stretch through out the south coastline for more than 20 km, the north coast is mostly mangroves and saltpans.

Cayo Largo has no permanent residents, except for the birds and iguanas of course! :-) Cubans stay on Cayo Largo only to work in the hotels. They work for 20 days, then go back to their families at Isla de la Juventud or the main Island of Cuba for the rest of the month. They live in small appartments at the only village on Cayo Largo, Isla del Sol.
Cayo Largo now boasts a new modern international airport where Canadian, European, and South American aircrafts can now land directly. The Hotels are all located inside a 5-6 kilometers length on the south coastline (see map above). The rest of the island is uninhabited. There is only one main paved road which connects the village/marina, the airport and the hotels. There are also secondary roads which are mostly sandy trails.
The hotels are located within 10 minutes of the airport.  


General Informations

Language: Spanish, but english is generally understood and spoken by the hotels staff and by most of the entertainers. Some also understand and speak German, Italian or French.

Time zone: Cuba is in the Eastern Standard Time zone (GMT -5).
Since November 2004, Cuba does not change for the Eastern Daylight Saving Time. For travelers from Quebec, there is one hour lag during this period.

The climate: Please visit this section: The weather

Electricity: Gran Caribe hotels (Soledad, Lindamar, Coral, IDS): 110 Volts
Sol Cayo Largo, Sol Pelicano and Barcelo hotels:
  • In the rooms: 220 Volts
  • In the bathrooms: 110 or 220Volts
    (this socket is for low watt electrical appliance only).

    • The sockets can accept both flat and round pins.

    Currency: The official currency is the cuban peso. For tourists, there are the pesos convertible which is a little bit more than the US dollar. Click HERE to see the current exchange rate.

    Credit cards: Credit cards issued by a US banks are not accepted. Accepted credit cards are Visa and MasterCard. American Express and Dinners Club are not accepted.

    Required documents: A valid Passport and a temporary tourist card. This card will be given to you by your travel agent or on the plane going to Cuba. It's mandatory for everyone to fill out this card and present it to the cuban custom officer when arriving & leaving Cayo largo. Visa is valid for a period of 90 days at Cuba.

      Be sure to have in hands your Cuban Tourist Card (Visa) before you go the custom.

      Take your time to fill-out the tourist card correctly because the custom may refuse a card with erasures. If it is the case, you will have to buy a new one for 15 CUCf. Do not worry, they will not send you back to your country. 

    Your passport has to be valid for the duration of your trip + one day. If your country does not have an ambassy in Cuba, your passport has to be valid for 60 days after your leaving date.

    National hollidays: Jan. 1st — New year's day and Liberation Day.
    Jan. 28th — Jose Marti day.
    Feb. 24th — Celebration of the Revolution of 1895.
    Mar. 13th — Attack of the presidential palace.
    Apr. 19th — Victory at Pigs Bay.
    May 1st — International Workers' Day
    Jul. 25th, 26th et 27th — Day of National Rebelliousness
    Oct. 8th — Anniversary of the death of Che Guevara
    Oct. 10th — Beginning of the Wars for Independence

    Water: Although the water is drinkable, the taste is not very good!. It is suggested to buy bottled water sold in the shops (Caracol) through out the complex. You can then go to the bars to have it refilled, they used purified water for the cocktails and ice cubes. Some hotels provide a large bottle of water in the room everyday.

    The water in Cayo Largo is sea water where they remove (partially for swimming pool) the salt in a factory located close to the Villa Iguana.

     For snorkelling lovers, do not throw your empty bottle, fill it with bread at the buffet and then bring it with you in the sea, you will have a lot of friends. 

    Cuisine: Chicken, pork, fish, pasta, pizza and seafood.
    (Lobster: 20 CUC and shrimps: 15 CUC)

    Shopping: Rum (Havana Club is the most popular), cigars, CDs of Cuban music, coffee (Cubita is very good, whole beans or ground), etc.

    Departure tax: 25 CUC (Pesos convertible), payable at the airport, cash only.

     

      Pour voir cette page web en français, cliquer ICI

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