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Cuba Jardines del Rey Hotels
Jardines del Rey Presentation and Overview
Jardines del Rey (Gardens of the King) Archipelago lies just off the northern coast of Ciego de Ávila Province and is part of the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago, the longest of the four archipelagos near the island of Cuba and the one with more of 2500 cays and islets. Governor Diego Velázquez named this archipelago Jardines del Rey in honor of Ferdinand the Catholic, of Spain, in 1514. Now, more than 500 years later, this island group still has new things for you to discover!
Coco and Guillermo Cays, two of the jewels in this necklace of islands, have great natural beauty. Here, comforts of the modern world have been added carefully, to complement and protect the environment. Paredón Grande (Big Wall)-the smallest of these cays, but in no way inferior to the others-is about to be developed for tourism.
The attraction that the Jardines del Rey Archipelago has for tourists is reinforced by exceptionally beautiful natural components : its wealth of birds (over 200 species live in the area) and the high degree of conservation of its sea and land ecosystems.
Dubbed the “Cuban keys”, the tiny islands of Jardines del Rey strung off Cuba’s Atlantic coast are immortalized in Ernest Hemingway’s novel, Islands in the Stream. Mangroves and everglades, flamingoes and roseate spoonbills, sun-bleached sand and turquoise waters make this little corner of paradise the perfect retreat.
Places to visit in Jardines del Rey :
Cayo Coco
Covered by thickets of mangroves, palms and other forestation, has a 22-kilometre strip of beach. A variety of excellent resorts—from the comfortable to the luxurious—line the beach. The island is named after the white ibis (coco).
Cayo Guillermo
To the west of Cayo Coco boasts the highest sand dune in the Caribbean (15 metres). Ernest Hemingway spent a great deal of time camping, fishing and boating on this key during World War II. He is remembered for his double daiquiris, his boat (the Pilar) and his fishing tales. Resorts and spectacular beaches abound on Cayo Guillermo as well.
Turiguanó Island
is dedicated to raising St. Gertrude’s cattle. Residents live in a tiny, Dutch-style village.
Laguna de la Leche
(Milky Lagoon), south of Turiguanó, is coloured by sodium carbonate deposits. It is Cuba's largest natural reservoir.
La Redonda
A lagoon east of Turiguanó, is the site of the international black bass fishing tournament every year.
La Trocha
A military route built in the 19th century and partly restored, stretches for 68 kilometres with its fortifications, barbed wire and an ancient railway.
Morón
The City of the Rooster, is a favourite tourist spot for visitors to the Jardines del Rey resort area. The town’s mascot, a cock that crows on the hour, is sculpted in bronze.
To visit in Jardines del Rey
Cayo Coco & Cayo Gullermo
Made famous by Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream and The Old Man and the Sea, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Coco remain the ecological paradise he wrote about in these novels.
These two keys are part of the Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago. Cayo Coco is one of the largest, with 22 kilometres of sandy beach. Las Colouradas, another key in the archipelago, provides a perfect backdrop for water sports such as windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling and fishing. La Jaula and Los Flamencos beaches are considered the best in the keys with some five kilometres of breathtaking coastline.
Cayo Guillermo’s five kilometres of beach eagerly await visitors wanting to commune with nature. They can fish where Hemingway fished, and see his boat docked at its namesake beach, Pilar. They can doze under the Royal palms, snorkel, swim and sunbathe.
Ciego de Avila Province
Ciego de Avila province is Cuba’s fruit bowl, with its rich soil and plentiful water yielding enviable crops of citrus fruits, bananas and pineapples. Its traditions and culture, influenced by Spanish, Haitian and Jamaican immigrants, give Ciego de Avila a unique identity. Offshore, its tiny islands and keys constitute a tourist treasure, thanks to a causeway linking the mainland to Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo.
Ciego de Avila City
The character of the provincial capital is defined largely by its architecture: unique portals, arches, roof tiles and neoclassical columns. Independence Avenue is the heart of the city, where diversions include the Principal Theatre, House of Culture, “Raùl Martinez” Art Gallery, Josè Marti Park and San Eugenio de Palma church – named after the city’s patron saint. Both Ciego de Avila and Moron played key roles during the wars of independence.
Moron
You know you’ve arrived at Moron when you see the bronze statue of a rooster perched at the city’s entrance. Other distinctive features of this town include Casa de la Trova, a place to enjoy local music and the train station with its unusual architecture. For archeology buffs, the Moron Museum and the one-kilometre road to Jucaro—declared a World heritage Site by UNESCO — are important experiences.
Turigano Island
This 18,000-hectare island, once cut off from the mainland by streams and channels, is now connected by a 23-kilometre road that provides easy access to this cattle-raising area. The island’s adorable town is modeled after a Dutch village.
Redonda Lake
Occupying an area of four square kilometres, Redonda is a favorite place for large-mouth bass fishermen. The average weight of the bass caught here is seven pounds, but some 1,500 largemouth bass weighing more than 10 pounds each have been caught here. The lake gained fame in the early 1980s when a group of American fishermen caught 5,078 bass in five days. Competitive sports fishermen consider Redonda an ideal lake in which to try for personal, national and international records.
La Leche Lagoon
Between Turiguano and the coast near the city of Moron lies La Leche (milk) Lagoon, where sodium carbonate deposits turn the water milky white. The lake is a refuge for flamingoes, snooks and tarpons. It is also a popular fishing spot, and is often used for sailing regattas.
Aguachales de Falla
One of the few swampy areas on the northern coast is in Ciego de Avila, home of the Aguachales de Falla Hunt Club—and several species of ducks. The area is a system of seven lakes and dozens of ponds, connected by a web of streams and channels.
Colonial Trinidad
Relive ancient history in this breathtaking colonial city. Visit the Iznaga Tower, La Canchanchara bar, a cigar factory and pottery shop. Lunch in the area.
Cuban Night at the Jabali Cave
Enjoy a special night in a brightly decorated cave. Your evening includes a show, disco and four cocktails.
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