No matter how many beach destinations I visit, Cuba will always have a special place in my heart. Cuba was the very first Caribbean destination I had the chance to visit, and we picked Varadero, which I will feature on another blog later. Our second trip, was to the gorgeous area of Cayo Santa Maria.
Cayo Santa Maria is an island off the mainland of Cuba, The island is linked by a 48 km causeway to the town of Caibarien. You will fly into the very small Santa Clara airport, which is roughly 2 hours away from Cayo Santa Maria. The drive is interesting though, as you drive through towns along the way, and the 2 hours passed fairly quickly with $2 beer sold on the bus.
Cayo Santa Maria is an island off the mainland of Cuba, The island is linked by a 48 km causeway to the town of Caibarien. You will fly into the very small Santa Clara airport, which is roughly 2 hours away from Cayo Santa Maria. The drive is interesting though, as you drive through towns along the way, and the 2 hours passed fairly quickly with $2 beer sold on the bus.
We decided to stay at the Iberostar Ensenachos, and it did not disappoint. Iberostar has a really fantastic line of resorts, so we were confident in our booking. There are some other really nice resorts in the area, such as the Royalton, and since we were there last, a few new resorts such as the 5* Warwick. You have a good amount of options for places to stay in the area, from budget to luxury.
The Iberostar resort has lush, well kept grounds and 2 stunning beaches. The staff here were some of the best we have ever had the pleasure of meeting while in the Caribbean, everyone was friendly and none of the bar tenders were shy with their pours. The Iberostar has 2 sides, one is the "Park" side which is family friendly, and the other is the "Spa" side, which is adults only. Both sides have swim up bars, and they both share the buffet in the main building, and the a la carte restaurants on site. For this trip, we booked the Park side of the resort, as back then you could still use the Spa side if it was only adults in your group. From what I understand now, guests staying on the Park side are not permitted on the Spa side of the resort. There is also a Grand Village section, which is completely separate.
The swim up bars at this resort were exceptionally clean, as were the beach bars and lobby bar. The food at the restaurants was surprisingly good given Cuba's poor reputation when it comes to food (stay in a 4.5* or higher to avoid the food issue). Personally, I am fairly picky and I could always find something to eat that I enjoyed. There was a good variety each day, and we never suffered from any digestion issues which is a common complaint from travelers who go to the Caribbean. Also worth mentioning- the spa. The spa on site was fantastic, I highly recommend the couples massage for a relaxing morning.
The Iberostar resort has lush, well kept grounds and 2 stunning beaches. The staff here were some of the best we have ever had the pleasure of meeting while in the Caribbean, everyone was friendly and none of the bar tenders were shy with their pours. The Iberostar has 2 sides, one is the "Park" side which is family friendly, and the other is the "Spa" side, which is adults only. Both sides have swim up bars, and they both share the buffet in the main building, and the a la carte restaurants on site. For this trip, we booked the Park side of the resort, as back then you could still use the Spa side if it was only adults in your group. From what I understand now, guests staying on the Park side are not permitted on the Spa side of the resort. There is also a Grand Village section, which is completely separate.
The swim up bars at this resort were exceptionally clean, as were the beach bars and lobby bar. The food at the restaurants was surprisingly good given Cuba's poor reputation when it comes to food (stay in a 4.5* or higher to avoid the food issue). Personally, I am fairly picky and I could always find something to eat that I enjoyed. There was a good variety each day, and we never suffered from any digestion issues which is a common complaint from travelers who go to the Caribbean. Also worth mentioning- the spa. The spa on site was fantastic, I highly recommend the couples massage for a relaxing morning.
Cayo Santa Maria is one of the most beautiful, unspoiled areas I have been to. With beaches that look like they are right out of a postcard. You won't need a filter for your photos here, the natural beauty is stunning and needs no improvement.
It is a quieter area than the more lively and built up Varadero, which was a positive thing for us. If you want a vacation to disconnect, unwind and truly relax, this is the place for you. You can sit on the beach all day, take a catamaran tour that departs down the road (highly recommended- great way to spend a day!), swim with dolphins, walk along the resort grounds to see the wildlife, from lizards to crabs, go out for a ride on one of the hobby cats, relax at the spa or indulge in some cocktails in one of the pools.
With its powder white sand, crystal clear water and the same warm Cuban hospitality you will find anywhere on the island, this is a destination that should be on every persons travel list.
It is a quieter area than the more lively and built up Varadero, which was a positive thing for us. If you want a vacation to disconnect, unwind and truly relax, this is the place for you. You can sit on the beach all day, take a catamaran tour that departs down the road (highly recommended- great way to spend a day!), swim with dolphins, walk along the resort grounds to see the wildlife, from lizards to crabs, go out for a ride on one of the hobby cats, relax at the spa or indulge in some cocktails in one of the pools.
With its powder white sand, crystal clear water and the same warm Cuban hospitality you will find anywhere on the island, this is a destination that should be on every persons travel list.
