Immediately beyond, you cross the pedraplen - man-made causeway - linking Cayo Coco to the mailand. Nobody seems to heed the speed limit, but there are plenty of traffic police on this road, and they do give tickets. After about 14 miles, you begin to weave through a series of cays connected by the roadway, eventually reach your destination - Cayo Coco - about 40-minutes beyond the police checkpoint.
Guardalavaca 1 night
Set out early for Holguín province via the badly denuded coast road. Allow four hours to arrive at Cueto, just before which turn south for Sitio Histórico Birán, Fidel Castro's birthplace; the original homestead has been recreated in idealized form. Retrace your steps north, continuing via Banes - a superbly scenic drive - and the Chorro del Maita archeological site. Overnight at Guardalavaca, where all-inclusives are your sole option for accommodation: if you have the budget, the Occidental Grand Playa Turquesa, on Playa Turquesa, offers the most refinement; Brisas Guardalvaca Resort is the better bargain, albeit soulless.
You'll want an early start today for the long and relatively unremarkable drive west to Cayo Coco. The main highway (one lane in each direction) that runs 32 miles from Guardalavaca to Holguín is thick with traffic and requires defensive driving. Not least, there are plenty of speeding tour buses and slow-moving trucks. Holguín itself has narrow streets and hordes of traffic, including swarms of bicyclists. From Plaza Calixto García, the main square, Calle Frexes leads west to the Carretera Central. Follow this busy main highway west to Las Tunas then turn north and follow the signs for Santa Lucía. You'll link up with the Circuito Norte - the north coast road. Turn west. You have a long drive ahead as you pass through Camagüey province via Cubitas, Brasil and Esmeralda. This route is far more scenic than the Carretera Central, and has less traffic; the section from the las Tunas-Camagüey border to Cubitas, however, is quite boring. There are no sites worth stopping for. The road is well-paved for most of the way.
Beyond Esmeralda, you pass into Ciego de Ávila province. Finally, just east of Morón you'll reach a major junction with lots of hitchhikers. Turn right for Cayo Coco. The road has little traffic, but most of it comprises speeding tour buses - use caution. Passing Laguna La Redonda and Comunidad Celía Sánchez (there's no reason to stop at either), you'll arrive at the toll booth and police checkpoint on the south side of Baía de Perros. Have your passport ready for the police.
