About Cayo Coco

Geographic location

Cayo Coco is a small island located off the northern coast of Cuba (Atlantic Ocean side), in the central province of Ciego de Avila. Along with its neighboring keys (Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Paredon Grande, Cayo Romano and Cayo Cruz), it’s part of a chain of islands called the Jardines del Rey (King's Gardens) archipelago. For further information on where Cayo Coco is located and to view maps of the region, please visit our Location and Maps webpage.

Environment and Beaches

The northern coastline of Cayo Coco is where are located its pristine beaches that extend for miles and miles of powdery white sand and turquoise waters. For more information please visit our Beaches section. Cayo Coco is uninhabited (no villages, no cities, no farms). The hotel’s employees come to work by bus from the surrounding cities, such as Moron, Ranchuelo, Las Mangas, Ciro Redondo, and Ciego de Avila City.

These cayos are connected to the main island of Cuba by a 27-km causeway that runs across the Bahia de Perros (Bay of dogs). A number of gaps were created in the causeway to restore some water flow and minimize the negative impact of the construction on the local marine life. This connection to the mainland allows an easy access for supplies, but also an easy way for tourists to get off the cayos and explore the region, for further information please visit our Attractions & Activities and Tours & Excursions sections.

Where to stay and Play

The majority of hotels in the cayos of the King’s Gardens are resort-style and all-inclusive, but three of them offer a Continental Plan (bed and breakfast only). The size of the all-inclusive resorts vary from 250 rooms to almost 1,200 rooms, and their rating ranges from 3* to 5*. Many hotel chains are present: Melia (Spain), Blue Diamond (Canada), Iberostar (Spain), Accord (France), MGM Muthu (India), Gaviota (Cuba), Cubanacan (Cuba) and Islazul (Cuba). Visit our Hotels section for a detailed description of each one. Cayo Coco is also home to a few commercial tourist centers that are offering a wide range of extra services (off-resorts) such as: Handicraft markets, boutiques, restaurants, bars, discotheques, bowling, and shows.

How to get there

Cayo Coco has its own international airport called Jardines del Rey Aeropuerto (IATA code: CCC). For more details please visit our Airport page. The transfer from the airport to Cayo Coco hotels takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes (depending on hotel), and about 45 minutes for hotels located on Cayo Guillermo. Transfers by chartered-bus are usually included when buying a vacation package. Car rental offices and taxis are also available at the airport. There are no public buses that go to Cayo Coco from the main island of Cuba, for more information on how to get to Cayo Coco by taxi, rented car, or domestic flight, please visit our Getting There & Away section.

Getting Around

The easiest and cheapest way to stroll around Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo is with the open-top double-decker tourist buses called Jardines del Rey Bus Tour (5$ USD per day), and with the little Dotto Trains. They stop at every hotel and every tourist centers and attractions. Taxis are also available, or you can rent a bicycle, scooter, car or jeep. For further information visit our Getting Around section.