Western Cuba: Places to Explore

Cayo Levisa

The Archipiélago de los Colorados that runs along Cuba's northern coast begins at Cayo Paraíso just west of Las Pozas and continues to the island's western tip. Cayo Paraíso was a famous Hemingway haunt, a spot he visited frequently with his fishing boat El Pilar. A plaque erected near the wooden dock at Cayo Paraíso by the provincial authorities on the 90th anniversary of his birth immortalizes Hemingway's love for this pristine spot, which, in fact he named (old navigational charts identify it as Cayo Megano).

Cayo Levisa is the next key to the west. Easily visible 5 km (3 mi) offshore, it has 4 km (2 mi) of white-sand beaches along its northern edge and offers excellent diving and snorkeling. Lobsters and black coral are the main aquatic attractions. Cayo Levisa is, at a distance of 140 km (87 mi), the Antilles' closest point to Key West, and for this reason you need a passport to embark. The boat leaves at 9 am and 5 pm from the Coast Guard station at Palma Rubia, and leaves Cayo Levisa at 10 am and 6 pm for the run in to Palma Rubia. Boat fare is 10 cuc per passenger one way, 19 cuc round-trip, with a cocktail included. To get to the boat landing, turn north off the northern-coast circuit just after the town of Las Cadenas.

Cayo Levisa at a Glance

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Elsewhere in Western Cuba

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