Exploring Canarreos Archipelago

Canarreos Archipielago is a group of islands in the south of Cuba. Located in the Caribbean Sea, the main island is the island of Juventud and the second most important Cayo Largo del Sur. They are bordered on the east by the Gulf of Hearts, on the north by the Gulf of Batabanó and on the west by the Channel of the Indians.

History of Canarreos Archipielago

Isla de la Juventud, discovered by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World, is located 80 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of the large island of Cuba, in Los Canarreos Archipielago, second in size and importance of the Cuban archipelago. It’s situated on the southwest coast of Cuba which, along with the island of Youth (which is part of the archipelago) to the south closes the wide Gulf of Batabanó.

Its abundant keys extend for about 150 km in length, over a shallow sea. This archipelago, which belongs entirely to the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, is a rosary of islands and islets of recent origin (created during the Quaternary), formed almost exclusively by limestone and very small dimensions.

Inside the Canarreos Archipielago, islands such as Mangroves and cays such as the Hambre, Alacranes, Manteca, Inglesitos, Bocas de Alonso, Aguardiente, Cantiles, Rosario and Largo, the latter being the only one inhabited. Mangrove vegetation predominates, refuge for marine fauna and birds such as flamingos and parrots.

Main Sights in Canarreos Archipiago

• Cayo largo del Sur
• Punta Francés National Marine Park at the Colony
• Playa Sirena
• Playa Blanca