The Cuban archipelago's many options for leisure, including sun and beaches, culture, history and traditions, ratify the growing interest of thousands of travelers who spend their vacations every year on the largest Antillean Island.

In addition to traditional destinations such as Varadero (in the western province of Matanzas), Holguín, Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba, many islets of the Cuban archipelago are gaining grounds as favorite destinations for foreign vacationers.

South of the big island is Cayo Largo del Sur, one of those peculiar sites for leisure, with 24 kilometers of excellent beaches, with white and thin sand that never gets very hot.

Vacationers can enjoy a refreshing swim and a tropical tan at such beaches as Sirena, which is two kilometers long; Lindamar, which looks like a shell, Paraíso and Los Cocos (the latter takes its name due to the existence of many coconut trees).

The name of this destination, situated in the eastern end of the Los Canarreos archipelago, comes from its long shape, and its history dates from the aboriginal period, since remains and artifacts from the Siboney culture have been found on the islet.

Admiral Christopher Columbus landed on Cayo Largo del Sur in 1494, and many corsairs and pirates turned the islet into their base of operations in the Caribbean Sea.

Nature on the islet shows a high preservation level, with large coral reefs that are complemented by the beauty of neighboring keys, inhabited by many plant and animal species, including iguanas, pelicans and turtles.

A special program for the protection of sea turtles has been implemented in Cayo Largo del Sur, since caguamas, green turtles and Careys lay their eggs along the islet's coast from April to September.

The development of the islet's hotel infrastructure offers several options to meet the needs of the most demanding travelers. One of them is the Sol Club Cayo Largo hotel, which has 296 air-conditioned rooms and facilities to practice water sports.

Other lodging establishments are the 300-room Sol Pelícano and the 58-room Isla del Sur, being the latter the first hotel built on the islet, where the Barceló Cayo Largo Beach Resort hotel will start up operations in 2003.

Three villas - Lindamar, Soledad and Coral - add 160 rooms to Cayo Largo del Sur's lodging infrastructure, which is complemented by the services of marinas and diving centers, enabling vacationers to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the sea bottom surrounding this heavenly destination.

For all this, the activity of the leisure industry on the largest Antillean Island confirms its excellence as it expands to dozens of islets of the Cuban archipelago, complementing the offers of traditional destinations throughout the country.