To round off our two-week road trip in Cuba, we wanted to spend two or three days lazing on a white-sand beach and swimming in turquoise water. After all, this trip was our honeymoon! So we picked Cayo Santa Maria, which ticked every box on our list. But after reshuffling our original itinerary one too many times, we ended up spending just one night on the island… and we were rather disappointed. Here’s why.
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Where is Cayo Santa Maria?
Cayo Santa Maria is an island off the north coast of Cuba, 156 km from Santa Clara. It is linked to the mainland by a 50 km causeway built with 48 bridges that weave through the mangroves – a bit like the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys, with water on both sides. There are no casas particulares on the island, only big-chain all-inclusive resorts rated three to five stars, all surrounded by turquoise water and long white-sand beaches.
Why we chose Cayo Santa Maria
We had absolutely no desire to go to Varadero, which to me feels hugely touristy (a bit like Punta Cana). That’s why we went for Cayo Santa Maria – and also because I really wanted to drive that long road across the sea. We also considered Cayo Coco, but since our previous stop was Trinidad, the drive there would have been even longer than to Cayo Santa Maria.
We had originally planned to stay two or three days, but ended up spending just one night: we added an extra night in Playa Larga and another in Trinidad instead. We arrived in the early afternoon and left the next day.
We hadn’t booked a hotel, but had shortlisted a few before arriving. Our shared taxi driver kindly stopped at two of them with us, and we chose the cheaper one.
Our experience: is Cayo Santa Maria worth it?
After checking in, we set off to explore the resort. A large part of it was open but had no guests at all, which made for a really strange, ghost-hotel atmosphere. On top of the empty section, a whole area damaged by Hurricane Irma still hadn’t been repaired and was quite easy to wander into. We found that a little odd, even unsafe.
We spent the afternoon on the beach, and it was lovely: white sand, turquoise water… However, the wind and a threatening sky somewhat spoilt my lounging and Alcino’s snorkelling. And let’s be honest, the beaches at Playa Ancón and Cayo Levisa seemed far more beautiful to us.
Dinner was a classic all-inclusive European buffet (so not many Cuban dishes, apart from the cocktails!), with plenty of choice and pretty good food. It was also over dinner that we heard stories of French male guests groping the female staff, which really put us off.
Back in our room, we noticed it smelt damp, and the bathroom was very questionable (black grout, rust and so on). Luckily the king-size bed was comfortable!
We got up at dawn to watch the sunrise, but the sky was grey and rain was on its way. After breakfast we headed to the pool, which we shared with… two children. It was cold and the rain started to fall – only the crazy ones were still in the water!
We packed our bags, then the rain forced us to take shelter in the lobby until lunch. The staff organised a game of bingo and everyone seemed happy… We scrolled through our phones, and in the end agreed we’d been right to stay just one night. The vibe just isn’t (or is no longer) for us, and it felt completely at odds with the rest of our time in Cuba.
Cayo Santa Maria: practical tips
How to get from Trinidad to Cayo Santa Maria
We opted for a shared taxi, as the bus took much longer. We paid 25 CUC per person (Cuba’s former convertible peso, abolished in 2021), leaving our casa at 9 am and arriving at the hotel around 1.30 pm. Around midday our driver stopped… for lunch! Unbelievable but true: we all waited on the pavement while he finished his sandwich.
How to get from Cayo Santa Maria to Havana
We asked a shared taxi driver how much this trip would cost… He wanted 200 CUC! You’ll understand why we took the bus instead: 25 CUC per person, leaving at 2 pm and arriving in Havana around 7 pm. It was a looong journey, with a nice coffee stop along the way.
Where to stay and eat in Cayo Santa Maria
We stayed at the cheapest hotel: 75 CUC per person per night. We wouldn’t really recommend the Starfish Cayo Santa Maria, as we found the quality very average. As mentioned above, the room smelt damp and the bathroom was frankly in poor condition. Meals were at the all-you-can-eat buffet, which was fairly good, and we even made sandwiches there for our long bus journey. If you just want to see the island on a budget, this hotel will do. If you’re after genuinely good quality, go for a five-star resort: pricier, but it won’t disappoint.
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As you’ll have gathered, even though we enjoyed 24 hours of downtime, this stop left us rather disappointed. The bad weather certainly didn’t help, and we found the hotel very average. We also think the gap between the rest of our Cuban trip and those few hours on Cayo Santa Maria was simply too wide. Our whole stay had been about walks, sightseeing, casas particulares and chatting with Cubans. Ending up in an all-inclusive resort felt as if we were no longer in Cuba at all. In fact, we were so disappointed that we barely took any photos of this stop, as you can see in this post…
FAQ: Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba
Your questions answered here!
Is Cayo Santa Maria worth it? Our review
For us, it was a disappointment: grey weather, a tired all-inclusive hotel and an atmosphere far removed from the rest of our trip around Cuba. We found the beaches at Playa Ancón and Cayo Levisa more beautiful. Cayo Santa Maria is best suited to a few days of all-inclusive relaxation, ideally in a five-star resort.
Where is Cayo Santa Maria?
Cayo Santa Maria is an island off Cuba’s north coast, about 156 km from Santa Clara. It is reached by a 50 km causeway built over the sea, with 48 bridges crossing the mangroves.
Can you stay in a casa particular in Cayo Santa Maria?
No, there are no casas particulares on the island. Accommodation is limited to big-chain all-inclusive resorts rated three to five stars.
How do you get from Trinidad to Cayo Santa Maria?
We took a shared taxi, which is faster than the bus: we left our casa in Trinidad at 9 am and reached the hotel around 1.30 pm, including a lunch stop for the driver.
How do you get from Cayo Santa Maria to Havana?
The cheapest option is the bus, which you can book at the tours and transport desk in the hotel lobby the day before you leave. Allow around five hours. Shared taxis are available but much more expensive.
Cayo Santa Maria or Varadero?
We preferred Cayo Santa Maria to Varadero, which we find very touristy. Both are all-inclusive resort areas, though: if you are on a road trip and enjoy staying in casas particulares, a beach like Playa Ancón, near Trinidad, fits more easily into your itinerary.