Cuba plans reopening with tourists tested on arrival and confined to offshore islands
Cuba plans to reopen its beach resorts to international tourism, the island's government announced last night. Its offshore islands, home to resorts run by hotel chains such as Melia, Iberostar, and Royalton will open to foreign visitors following a first phase of reopening other island hotspots to domestic tourism.
Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz said Cuba's all-inclusive resorts on Cayo Santa María, Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Cruz and Cayo Largo will be the first to open, served directly by charter flights from Europe and Canada. International commercial flights to the island will be authorised at a later stage, he said, but did not specify dates. Dates for Cuba's post-Covid tourism plans would be unveiled from next week. Canadian airline Air Transat said it would launch flights to Cayo Coco on July 23.
Holidaymakers to the largest island in the Caribbean will undergo PCR (antigen) testing on arrival. Hotel occupation will be limited. Visitors will be able to head out into Cuba's famously warm waters for sailing trips from marinas on the cayes; car hire, for caye exploration only, will be possible. Havana, where most of Cuba's Covid-19 cases have been reported, will be off limits for the time being.
Cayo Largo has some of the most beautiful beaches in the region, and is part of a necklace of coral islands shimmering in the turquoise coral-rich sea off Cuba's southern coast. Italy's Blue Panorama serves the island from Europe. Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Cruz, are coral islands with postcard-perfect palm-studded sands facing the Atlantic with a variety of 3, four and five-star hotels. This island chain (Gardens of the King) is served by an international airport. Closer to Havana, Cayo Santa María, a string of Atlantic islands with some of Cuba's most alluring beaches, is home to three, four and five-star hotels, all connected by a causeway. It's served by flights from Canada to nearby Santa Clara airport.
Spanish chain Melia, which runs 39 hotels on the communist-run island, many of them beach resorts, unveiled its Covid-19 strategy this week. It plans stringent hygiene protocols, and rooms stripped of unnecessary decoration. Spacing has been introduced in lounge areas and dining rooms, and physical menus have been done away with, replaced by technology.
Cuba closed its borders to international tourism on March 24 and after that date quarantined incoming arrivals of Cubans and foreign residents in specialist facilities. Its robust contact tracing and population monitoring protocol has resulted in 2,219 cases; 84 have died in a population of 11 million.
Tanja Buwalda, director of Havana-based operator In Cloud 9 told Telegraph Travel: "With the success, thus far, in the rapid control of Covid19 by the Cuban health system, I’m very confident of the ability of the country to ensure the health and safety of travellers when the border reopens.
"Cuba puts people first and therefore the procedures and rules for travellers will ensure the best prevention plan. For example rapid tests on arrival and hotel employees who will spend 7 days in quarantine at home in order to ensure the safety of guests are just two significant of a raft of measures which will be introduced."
Five of the best resorts in Cuba
Melia Buenavista, Cayo Santa María
One of my favourites because it's intimate unlike most other resorts in Cuba. Restaurants are a la carte, a discreet butler service soothes, and I love its secluded corner of this archipelago, hemmed in by a couple of sugary beaches. Pizza poolside was memorable.
Iberostar Ensenachos, Cayo Santa María
A large, low-slung resort which straddles two of Cuba's finest beaches: lengthy sandy paradise Ensenachos and dazzling, broad Mégano. At Mégano, tear yourself away from the lounger, wade out to a marooned sandbank, and watch a spell-binding spectacle of swooping birds.
Melia's flagship property on this large island swathed in stellar beaches. Melia's adults-only resort sits on a glorious piece of sand, just a short stroll from the Coco Sol thatched beach bar and its daiquiris on tap. Semi-secluded lagoon view rooms are my pick.
A slick two-in-one retreat with an urban feel on a plum stretch of Las Coloradas Beach. The adults-only Collection of 40 rooms features an exclusive pool. The rest of the resort fusses over kids with clubs from baby age up, a playground, sports and games, and non-motorised watersports.
Gran Caribe Club Cayo Guillermo
A low-key, small all-inclusive hotel that is perfect for families and kitesurfers. It faces a sublime curvature of custard-cream sand shelving into the blue, and hogs the best spot for kitesurfers. I like the relaxed atmosphere, lush gardens, and friendly staff. Drink like Hemingway here, too, on his favourite island.
