In addition to Cuba, the principal island, there are a further four main groups of islands. These are the Colorados, the Camag'ey, the Jardines de la Reina and the Canarreos.

The islands combine a mix of colonial history with Latin American, Spanish and African influences. Cuba is well known for its white sandy beaches lined with coconut palms and waters that are home to five hundred species of fish and fifty different coral types.

Cuba and the surrounding islands have a sub tropical climate that is influenced by northeast trade winds. The island lies at the rim of the tropics November to April tend to be cooler and drier than May to October which are warmer and more humid. Although July and August are dry and can be very hot. Winds to the north of Cuba can be quite strong while the south coast benefit from the steady and reliable trade winds. In the islands of the Canarreos and Jardines de La Reina winds generally blow from an east to northeasterly direction. During the winter months winds blow on average between 15 - 25 knots and 5 - 10 knots in summer, when calm periods are also possible. Hurricanes are possible in this area and are most likely to occur in September and October.

The main airport of Cuba is Havana International. There are daily flights from many European cities, Mexico, Canada and Jamaica. At the time of writing there are no direct flights from the USA. The official language of Cuba is Spanish but English, German and French are also spoken. US Dollars are accepted widely and major credit cards may be accepted in hotels, restaurants and some shops.

Christopher Columbus sighted the island of Cuba during his first voyage of discovery on 28 October 1492 and claimed it for Spain. Previously Amerindian peoples known as the Ta'no and Ciboney whose ancestors had come from South America several centuries before had inhabited the island.

The Spanish enslaved the some 100,000 indigenous people that opposed conversion to Christianity on the island. In less than a century these people had all but been wiped out. With the destruction of the aboriginal society, the settlers began to take in slaves from the African continent to work the plantations. Cuba was a Spanish possession for 388 years, having an economy based on plantation agriculture and the export of sugar, coffee and tobacco to Europe and later to North America.

The British seized Cuba in 1762, but it was restored to Spain the following year. In the 1820s, when the other parts of Spainxs Latin America Empire in rebelled and formed independent states, Cuba remained loyal.

Following the blowing up of the American warship US Maine in Havana harbour the Spanish-American War ensued, in which US forces landed in Cuba in June 1898 and quickly overcame Spanish resistance. A peace treaty was signed and Spain agreed to withdraw from Cuba. The USA then placed Cuba under a 20-year US treaty. This was cut short and Cuba gained formal independence on 20 May 1902.

More recently in 1956 a party of rebels, including Fidel Castro, landed in a boat from Mexico and tried to start an armed resistance movement in Cuba. This attempt failed but in on January 1st 1959 Castroxs rebel forces entered the capital and one month later he was elected Prime Minister a position he occupied for over 40 years.

The south coast of Cuba is popular for yacht charter and includes the Canarreos Archipelago and the Juventud Islands or Jardines de la Reina Archipelago

Cienfuegos is one of Cubaxs largest and most prospering cities and has a commercial harbour with a tourist marina very close to the French-style centre. Cienfuegos is great for shopping, eating or just soaking up the culture of Cuba.

Trinidad, located halfway along the south coast of Cuba, is perhaps the best-preserved city of Cuba. The marina is 15 minutes from the city centre, which is a ranked World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. A visit is a must for during a yacht charter in Cuba

Diving: The coral reefs and cays off the Cuban coast are among the most breathtaking snorkelling and diving destinations of the world. Whale Sharks can be seen off the coasts of Cuba during the summer.

Fishing: May to September provide good fishing opportunities for game fish including Marlin, Tarpon and Bone Fish.