Literally “the island of witches”, Cayo Las Brujas owes its name to a local legend according to which a young girl would have been transformed into a witch one night during a storm.
But don’t worry, there is no black magic here: you will only find white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters at Cayo Las Brujas
Cayo Las Brujas in a few words
Less known than its neighbor Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Las Brujas, located in the Province of Villa Clara, remained for a long time in margin of the unrestrained tourist development which struck some Cuban islands and beaches.
For a long time, but not indefinitely, since three new resorts have recently opened their doors.
Big of only 7 km2, Cayo Las Brujas keeps nevertheless more than one asset to seduce travelers in search of a little idleness far from the biggest seaside resorts of the country.
How to get to Cayo Las Brujas
By road
Cayo Las Brujas, like its two neighbors, Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Ensenachos, is connected to the main island of the country by a pedraplén, a 48 km long road.
It is therefore possible to go there by car, but it is necessary to pay a 2 CUC tax at the checkpoint to enter the archipelago.
By air
Cayo Las Brujas has a small airport served by a handful of domestic flights.
International flights land in Santa Clara, capital of the province of Villa Clara, located about 100 km from the island.
From there, most tourists go to their hotel in Cayo Las Brujas by bus, chartered by the tour operator with whom they booked their stay.
It is also possible to take a cab: count 60 to 70 CUC for the trip.
Getting around Cayo Las Brujas
A panoramic bus, called the Panoramic Bus Tour, connects the three islands of the Cayos of Villa Clara: Cayo Las Brujas, Cayo Ensenachos and Cayo Santa Maria.
The bus stops at each of the hotels of the three cayos, as well as in the various shopping centers of the archipelago and at the dolphinarium.
Count 2 CUC per person for the trip.
You will also find some cabs on the spot, which generally wait in front of the hotels and the shopping centers.
Be careful, if you have to go to the airport, it is better to book your cab in advance with your hotel to be sure not to arrive late.
Hotels in Cayo Las Brujas
If Cayo Las Brujas had only one hotel for a long time, things have changed a lot in the last few years and the island now has a handful of resorts.
Among them, we particularly recommend the Sercotel Experience Santa Maria (which has a bad name, since it is located in Cayo Las Brujas and not on the neighboring island of Cayo Santa Maria).
Located at 5 minutes walking distance from the beach, this brand new hotel has among others a tennis court, a gym and a sauna.
In short, it is the ideal refuge for a few days of relaxation, feet in the water!
What to do in Cayo Las Brujas?
The beaches of Cayo Las Brujas
Cayo Las Brujas has three beaches in total.
Playa La Salina and Playa La Manteca are the two largest and best known beaches.
The first one, 2.4 kilometers long, hosts the first hotel of the island, Villa Las Brujas, whose restaurant is accessible to all for 15 CUC (including the meal and the deckchair).
Playa Escondida, much smaller, is not accessible by road, hence its name of “secret beach”.
Plaza Las Salinas
Located between the hotels of Playa Vista Mar and Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria, Plaza Las Salinas is a small tourist center opened in 2018 where you will find stores, restaurants, spa, beauty salon and nautical center.
Nautical activities
Cayo Las Brujas is one of the most popular Cuban spots for windsurfing.
The Marina Gaviota, located near the hotel Villa las Brujas, offers a wide range of nautical activities: snorkeling, diving, catamaran cruises or deep-sea fishing.
It is possible to explore the wreck of the San Pascual, an oil tanker which ran aground in 1933 near Cayo Francés before being converted into a hotel-restaurant, now closed.
Near Cayo Las Brujas
Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Ensenachos
From Cayo Las Brujas, it is very easy to go by bus or cab to the neighboring islands of Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Ensenachos.
On the program: idleness and nautical activities.
You will also find in Cayo Santa Maria a dolphinarium, as well as a small wildlife refuge crisscrossed by some hiking trails.
Santa Clara
Capital of the province of Villa Clara, Santa Clara is especially associated with the mythical figure of Che, who won a legendary victory against Batista’s troops in 1958.
Santa Clara is well worth a visit to discover the Mausoleum of Che, but also the Monumento a la toma del tren blindado, which commemorates his famous victory, as well as the shopping streets of the city.
Remedios
Located at about fifty kilometers from Cayo Las Brujas, Remedios is a pretty colonial city whose houses with colored facades are worth seeing.
Less often visited by tourists than other more famous Cuban colonial cities (Havana, Trinidad, Cienfuegos or Camagüey), Remedios has managed to keep its authentic and somewhat outdated charm.
Caibarién
45 kilometers from Cayo Las Brujas, the small town of Caibarién may not have anything exceptional, but it has the merit of inviting visitors to discover the Cuba of the Cubans, far from the beaten track.
