11 Things to do on Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba

While Cayo Santa Maria was pretty late to the tourism game when it comes to idyllic islands in Cuba – starting developments in the 1990’s for instance, it makes up for it in long white sand beaches and glorious turquoise waters.  The island, which is connected to the Province of Villa Clara by a causeway, is part of the Jardines del Rey archipelago and now a popular resort island.  Nicknamed the Rosa Blanca of the Jardines (white rose) for its white sand beaches there’s are some key reasons to come to Cayo Santa Maria.   Read on for more on the reasons to come to Cayo Santa Maria, how to get to Cayo Santa Maria, and what to do on the island.

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The 16 kilometer (10 mile) long island is just over a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide and has some of the most pristine beaches and waters in Cuba and the wider Caribbean. It’s a great location for snorkeling, and its more recent development than neigbouring Cays like Coco and Guillermo means that it tends to have fewer visitors and less crowded beaches.  Nevertheless it has some pretty spectacular resorts.

11 Reasons to Come to Cayo Santa Maria

There’s no local scene here on Cayo Santa Maria – as there’s no permanment population here, this is for tourists only, as the only accommodation available for rent is at the resort hotels.  The closest casa particulars that you’ll find are on the mainland at Caibarién (and that’s regardless of whether you use Homestay or Airbnb).

So unless you take a day trip from Santa Clara (which gives you 5 hours of free time enjoying the beaches), you’ll be booking to stay in one of the resort hotels.  Don’t worry, there are some good choices here.

The island of Cayo Santa Maria is famous for its all-inclusive hotels, resorts and beaches.  And they’re some of Cuba’s Best Beaches. So let’s start with them, as while the island is 7 square miles (18 kilometers square), there are 8 miles (13 kilometers) of beaches.   The beaches are on the north coast and the south is forest and mangrove.

1. The Beaches of Cayo Santa Maria

The resort you select at Cayo Santa Maria will have its own beach, and most residents of the resort will stick to that beach, but you have a whole lot off choice off the resort.   All of the beaches are public, but sunbeds and umbrellas tend to be reserved for hotel guests, unless you’re on a day trip with an agreement to use specific beds and brollies.

The beaches here are glorious with fine white sand and clear water.  The beaches tend to be separate by exposed reefs, so you’ll want to wear watr shoes or sandals to move between them. 

For the calmest waters head to the eastern end of the island (Las Gaviotas, Playa Las Coloradas, Perla Blanc and Los Delfines).

Here’s the beaches on Cayo Santa Maria.

• Playa Canon – 2.8 kilometers long, this is the only nudist (aka clothing optional) beach on the island (and to be fair in most of Cuba too).
• Playa La Colorada – 1.9 kilometers long
• Playa La Estrella –  3.5 kilometers long. The longest beach on Cayo Santa Maria.
• Playa Las Caletas – 1 kilometer long
• Playa Las Gaviotas – 800 meters long, furtherest to the east of the island this beach is lined with palm trees.  It’s also a good place for hiking.  I’ll cover this separately, so keep reading.
• Playa Los Delfines – 1.4 kilometers long
• Playa Madruguilla – 200 meters long
• Playa Matamoros – 300 meters long
• Playa Perla Blanca – 550 meters long

2. Go Snorkeling at Cayo Santa Maria

Snorkeling from the shores isn’t the best off Cayo Santa Maria, as the reefs are a little way off the beach.    However, the best places to snorkel off Cayo Santa Maria is:

Punta Madruguilla – you’ll find this near the Melia Buenavista Hotel.  There’s a small coral outcrop about 200 meters from beach and while the coral isn’t brilliant, you can see marine life.  Wear fins to come out this far though, as the current can be strong. CAyo Santa Maria makes it to my best places to snorkel in Cuba, check out the others here.

For better snorkeling you’re going to want to take a boat trip.  You’ll find boats at the Marina Gaviota, (on the neighboring island of Cayo las Brujas) arrange snorkel trips through your hotel or combine a catamaran sailing and snorkeling trip.   This trip includes return pick up from your hotel on Cayo Santa Maria, and sails to the Dolphinarium, Cayo Frances and includes snorkeling stops.   Snorkeling gear, an open bar and lunch is included in the trip.   There’s more here.

3. Go Diving at Cayo Santa Maria

You’ll need to head to the neifhbouring island of Cayo Las Brujas again for diving, and the international dive center here is well renowned.  All dives come with full equipment and an experience dive leader as well as return transport to your Cayo Santa Maria hotel or resort.  You’ll pay around US$45 for one dive and US$65 for two dives.  You can make two dives a day, but sign up for more dives to pay a lower price overall. There are reefs to dive here, shipwrecks, coral and night dives are also offered.

Organise your dives through your hotel – it’s the same way we did it in the Bay of Pigs. 

4. Visit Cayo Santa Maria’s Dolphinarium

This is the largest dolphinarium in Cuba, with larger enclosures than others on Cuba.  There’s also an entertainment area for dolphin shows.

And yeah, at that point.  I really can’t recommend that you come here.   It doesn’t matter that its only US$5 to get in.   It’s really just wrong to keep these glorious mammals in captivity.  Want to see dolphins in Cuba?

Then take a catamaran trip and see them in the wild.  Possibly.  But at least then it’s their choice.

5. Explore the Tourist Centers of Cayo Santa Maria

As the infrastructure on the island was designed completely for tourists and not locals there’s no beach town as such, what you’ll find instead are the tourist centres, and there are three of them, which all have shops, bars, restaurants, artisan markets, and nightclubs.  The tourist centers are at:

• Plaza la Estrella
• Plaza Las Dunas
• Plaza las Terrazas

6. Take the Tourist Hop on Hop Off Bus on Cayo Santa Maria

The open top bus runs between Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Las Brujas.   It costs US$5 per person per day, payable with credit card.

7. Have a Spa Day on Cayo Santa Maria

You’ll find spas of sorts at many of the resorts here on Cayo Santa Maria, all including all sorts of treatments and giving access to jacuzzzis, pools and lounging areas.  The most highly regarded of these is found at the Melia Cayo Sant Maria.  

8. Visit the Wilfelife Refuge at Playa Las Gaviotas on Cayo Santa Maria

At the far southeast of the island is a protected area on Cayo Santa Maria.  Here’s where you’ll find hiking trails and Playa las Gaviotas – an untouched beach. The entrance is just past the Valentin Perla Blanca resort at the end of the island road. 

While the entire archipelago of islands is part of the UNESCO Buenavista Biosphere Reserve, this refuge has untouched beaches, and the possibility to see wildlife here too.    There are large colonies fo seagulls, coromorants, flamingos and pelicans here, as well as crabs, Jutias (see my guide to Cayo Jutias to understand these mammals).  You might also see Cuba’s national bird, the trogon or Tocororo and a lot of lizards.

9. Go for a Day Trip to Santa Clara from Cayo Santa Maria

If you’re heading to Cayo Santa Maria from Havana, then you’ll pass through Santa Clara and it’s a great idea to stop off and explore for a while.  This option with DayTrip allows you to take a sightseeing break of two hours or more and explore.  Read my guide to Santa Clara – its worth the stop.

If you don’t have tht options, then I do recommend Santa Clara for a day trip from Cayo Santa Maria.  Santa Clara is best known for its connections to Ernesto “Che” Guevara – the Argentina born Cuban Revolutionary.  It’s also his final resting place.

You’ll know his face from all the revolutionary posters and t shirts popular around the world.  And his mausoleum in Santa Clara is well worth a visit.  Bear in mind its closed on Mondays.  And while you’re in Santa Clara head to the “Tren Blindado” – another important part of Cuba’s Revolutionary history, where Che won victory over Batista’s troops.  I’ve covered it in my guide to Santa Clara – and its also in my 7 day revolutionary Cuba itinerary here.

10. Visit Remedios from Cayo Santa Maria

On route to Santa Clara from Cayo Santa Maria is the small colonial town of Remedios.  It’s very untouristy despite being one of the oldest towns in Cuba.  If you’re visiting near Christmas, then you should come as the town is known for its festival called Parrandas.  Its held from the 16^th December until the 24^th and dates back to 1820, when a parish priest started making very loud noises in order to wake his parishioners as they weren’t attending masses.

Today the celebration includes colourful floats and a parade as well as fireworks, all of which magically stop in time for the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass.

11. Explore Caibarién from Cayo Santa Maria

This is the last town on the mainland before you join the causeway to reach Cayo Santa Maria.  There’s nothing exciting to see here – aside from a giant crab statue and the palm-tree lined Malecon.  It’s known as the White Town (for its white sands) and the town also takes part in the Parrandas Festivals like Remedios.

The town was once a shipping port for sugar cane, tobacco and fruit as well as being a sponge fishing center.   Come here to have a wander around and see life outside of the resort.

How to Get to Cayo Santa Maria

If you’re flying into Cuba as part of a holiday package, then your transport to resort will be arranged, but if you’re looking to visit independently, then I’ve covered how to get here from Havana.  It’s simple, it just takes a while.

The cheaper option is either a shared shuttle bus, which takes about 6.5 hours and takes you from hotel (or casa particular) in Havana direct to your hotel on Cayo Santa Maria.  Book it here.

The slightly pricier option, is a private transfer, but that comes with a shorter journey time (about 5 hours) and gives you the option for sightseeing options along the way.  Here’s that option.

Where is Cayo Santa Maria?

Cayo Santa Maria is located off Cuba’s northern coast, part of a group of islands called Los Cayos de Villa Clara, along with Cayo Ensenachos and Cayo Las Brujas.  They’re all part of the Jardines del Rey archipelago.  Cayo Santa Maria is connected to the main island of Cuba by a pedraplén – a causeway  – which starts at the town of Caibarien.    Cayo Santa Maria is at the end of the 30-mile (48-kilometer) causeway, which also connects Cayo Ensenachos and Cayo Las Brujas too.

What to Bring to Cayo Santa Maria

I do recommend that you bring the following to Cayo Santa Maria

1. Good sunscreen (I recommend this reef-safe option)
2. A decent hat (I love and use this Sunday Afternoon one)
3. Good sunglasses – I’ve used Maui Jim’s for years.
4. A cover-up from the sun
5. A quick dry towel
6. A reusable water bottle (full!) with spare water
7. Water shoes or hiking sandals  – trails on the island need them
8. Mosquito repellent
9. Snorkeling Gear
10. A rash guard (the sun is brutal and no more so than when you’re face down in the water!)

Final Words on Things to do on Cayo Santa Maria.

Soft white sand beaches, gloriously clear turquoise waters and more resort hotels than you can shake a stick at.  This is super place to come and relax.  It’s newer to the tourism game that many of Cuba’s Cays, and pretty easy to reach.  Come on over to paradise.

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