SANTA LUCIA
Area: Cuba
Country: Cuba


Location:
On the N coast about 400 mls SE of Havana, 70 mls NE of Camaguey, Cuba's 3rd largest city and nearest major airport. It has its own small airstrip 3 mls E.

Telephone code from UK:
53 32

Position:
On a NE facing strip of flat featureless coast backed by a brackish lagoon and facing the world's second largest coral reef.

Description:
Really nothing more than a magnificent strip of beach. The resort area is less than a mile long with the hotels lined up next to each other on the shore. A few bars have sprung up near run-down residential apartment blocks where the surfaced road peters out. The other residential area along the only access road comprises lots of decrepit wooden shacks, a police station and a clinic. The stagnant water of the lagoon behind attracts flocks of flamingoes at certain times and lots of man-eating mosquitoes all the time: take plenty of repellent.

Suitability:
Mainly those seeking sun, sea, sand and an escapist holiday but the reef attracts serious scuba divers.

Accommodation:
Four low-rise hotels all in a line on the beach. Choice of "all-inclusive" or more conventional board arrangements. See our comments on "all-inclusive" deals under this section in Guardalavaca resort description.

Shopping:
Hotels all have shops. Small tourist shopping centre next to Caracol hotel and Caracol (not connected) store. For important information on Cuban currency regulations, see under Currency section in Cuban country report.

Beach:
17 mls of sugar-textured near-white sand. Plenty of water sports and hotels provide sun beds and shade. Dive centre for qualified divers only. This is not the place to learn to Scuba. Coco Beach, 5 mls NW has a shanty town on it and lots of mosquitoes but is popular enough to have a daily bus service provided.

Entertainments:
Daytime: mainly beach orientated, snorkelling, diving and various water sports including jet-ski. Horse riding. Hotels all provide comprehensive activities programmes for those so inclined. Nightlife: open-air and enclosed discos. All hotels provide evening shows. A few local bars.

Eating:
Lobster and other seafood at Coco Beach. A couple of other local eateries plus a la carte restaurants in some hotels. Also see our comments on food quality under this heading in Guardalavaca resort report.

Public-transport:
None. Taxis. Horse and buggy. Bicycle, moped and car hire. Daily bus to Coco Beach.

Local-excursions:
Cayo Saetia for beach and snorkelling. Swimming with dolphins. Colonial town of Trinidad. Havana. Santiago de Cuba. Camaguey city tour. Cowboy ranch.