Cayo Largo is a tiny island to the south of the eastern section of mainland Cuba and to the West of the Isle of Youth (Isla de la Juventud). Sol Pelicano is one of only a handful of all-inclusive resorts on the island and is rated at 3.5 stars.

If you’re looking for culture and a glimpse into the daily life of the real Cuba, this is not the vacation destination you are looking for. Cayo Largo has very few, if any, permanent residents. Resort employees are flown in for twenty days at a time to work. They work non-stop for those twenty days before getting ten off.

If you’re looking to relax in a tropical paradise with little distraction and nearly always perfect climate, this is the place for you. After flying into Cayo Largo, Sol Pelicano is a short ten minute drive from the airport. In fact, the far end of the runway is barely a mile away from the entrance to the resort. The only time there is noise louder than the crashing waves of the Caribbean Sea is when the occasional airplane flies overhead.

Sol Pelicano is compact. There are 307 rooms spread mostly among two story, eight room buildings. The rooms are medium sized, comfortable and quite sound proof. There is just one buffet for breakfast and dinner. The lunch buffet can be had at the main buffet or the beach restaurant. There are two a la carte restaurants available for dinner with a prior reservation.

Alcohol is available 24 hours a day. The beach bar is open until 6:00PM, the pool bar is open until 10:00PM and the lobby bar is open 24 hours. The best service is at the pool bar and you will wait for your drinks at the lobby bar, especially between 10:00PM and midnight. In saying that, the on-site store is very reasonable compared to resorts on the mainland and you can purchase a can of beer for .75 to 1.00 Cuban Convertible Pesos ($1.00 to $1.20 CAD or USD). A bottle of wine can be had for 4.00 CUC and Rum is not much more. If you don’t want to wait in line-ups late night, it is very affordable to stock your own fridge.

There are two pools on site, a childrens pool and much larger adult pool. The pool is salt water and kept comfortably warm. Beside the main pool is a hot tub, as well.

The beach is known for its very fine sand. In fact, the sand is so fine that it can be troubling to walk in at times unless you’re right near the water. It could prove difficult for elderly or handicapped travellers. The water is warm, beautifully turquoise and clear. However, depending on the season, bodies of dead sea weed periodically gather at the water’s edge, depending on roughness of the sea and the tide. There is a free shuttle three times a day to nearby beaches that are calmer and weed free. If you miss the shuttle, the taxi fare is just 2CUC per person, one way.

There are a few special items to consider. The island is nudist friendly. There are designated nudist areas at each resort. You will see naked people, it is unavoidable. The island seems to cater to visitors from Italy and Argentina as well as French Canadians from Quebec and Canadians of Italian descent. English is rarely heard with Italian, Spanish and French dominating. A proper weather forecast for this area is hard to get. Most forecasts actually are of Havana which is close to 200km to the North. The weather is Cayo Largo is typically better in the winter than the capital. These items are neither good nor bad but something that should be known before committing to a vacation at Cayo Largo.

If being stuck on a beautiful, sunny tropical island with nothing to do but relax is your thing, Sol Pelicano is definitely worth the money. You will be treated to a friendly, relaxed staff that aren’t in your face but are there to ensure you have the best possible vacation. You will be treated to beautiful sunrises and sunsets. As with any Cuban resort, you will be presented with adequate food that might be a little dull but will not leave you sick like in Mexico or Dominican Republic. Don’t forget to be nice to the groundskeepers in order to get a freshly cut coconut!