CAYO SANTA MARIA, Cuba – Driving to Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba, feels like a trip to the Florida Keys.
To get across, you drive on what Cubans call a "pedraplen," that stretches more than 20 miles and has more than 40 bridges.
About an hour into the drive, near the entrance of a town called Caibarien, you’ll see a big crab sculpture off the side of the road. It's a sign you're on your final stretch of the trip.
Next comes a security checkpoint, where tourists must show passports to guards. According to Local 10's cab driver, locals have to work on the island or show proof of a hotel reservation.
Once on the Cayo, cannons greet guests on one of the first stops, a small outdoor tourist hangout called La Dunas.
An old galleon sits in the background, perhaps to give the illusion of a pirate ship. And the pastel-colored buildings give it an almost theme park feel.
Everyone who works there calls the shopping and dining centers El Pueblo, a central point to the surrounding state-owned all-inclusive resorts.
From a high watch tower, it’s hard to ignore the turquoise waters. The beaches are pristine, the water crystal-clear and the resort is filled with tourists.
Oscar Jandula, a tourist from Argentina, said Cuban society has become more open over the past two decades.
"Cuba has to maintain their way of life in some things, but sometimes it's better to mix cultures," Antonio Herce, a Spaniard tourist, said.
Herce said it may take a few years, but Cubans will adapt to what Americans expect, adding that Europeans also expect nice amenities when they travel.
Frank Perez, a Cuba-American tourist who lives in Nevada, said he thinks Americans tourists will help Cuba’s economy tremendously but that island isn’t ready to deal with the influx of Americans.
This story is part of a series on Local10.com, which seeks to document the current state of economy in a small Cuban town. Santa Clara, which is in the central part of the country, made history when the first commercial flight from the U.S. landed on Aug. 31. With added commercial flights and tourism, Local 10 News is exploring a growing private sector and overall life in what likely will become a tourist destination for Americans.