Explore Cayo Levisa travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

Just on two-hour drive from Havana, gets you to Palma Rubia, a central point for the Archipelago de los Colorados, a cluster of small islands facing Florida, covered by lush greenery of tropical mangroves and bordered by sugar-white, soft-sand beaches. The most impressive retreat among these is Cayo Levisa. There is nowhere to stay except your own tent or twenty little bungalows, dotted among the pine trees and right on the beach. Photo by: Kristin Lyseggen

An outdoor bar is a central point, when the sun goes down and the friendly barmen keep the cocktails and Cuban music flowing. Other than the bar and grill, there is one restaurant and that is it. The only thing could disturb you are the day-trippers who arrive mid-morning and leave late afternoon. There is abundance of marine life and with snorkeling and scuba diving on tap – this area is hoe to one of the largest coral reefs in the world. Photo by: suavekeith

The great happiness of Cayo Levisa is that it is different from other Cuban resorts, which are crowded and block-booked by cheap vacations. This, by contrast, is practically your own private island. The island is just several hundred yards wide with sand washed by a warm clear aquamarine sea.The archipelago includes Cayo Paraiso, an even smaller little island reputed to be  a favorite fishing haunt of Ernest Hemingway. Photo by: radiotelescopio