Cayo Santa Maria - Cuba


https://youtu.be/SfvXm1kXo94

As well traveled as I am, I had never been to Cuba until February of this year. My boyfriend and I decided we wanted to go on a reading break get away to a nice all inclusive resort to relax before submerging in midterm season. The biggest issue I tend to have before travelling is trying to find the perfect place to stay. I do tend to check (and check and check...) Trip Advisor for reviews, but what I've learned is you really have to take a grain of salt with some of the reviews people leave.
We chose to stay at Ocean Casa Del Mar, as it was a beautiful brand new resort! This resort was very modern and had such beautiful views, but what I learnt was that Cuba is not nearly up to date as Canada, with a lot of things, but it really is a beautiful country. Here's some Pro's and Con's of my experience. 

 Pros:

  • Food - The food wasn't actually nearly as bad as people made it out to be. A wide selection, but did feel a bit iffy by the end of the trip due to non-existent expiry dates. The food outside of the resort was actually quite appetizing as well.
  • Ocean - The ocean in Cayo Santa Maria was unbelievably beautiful. Crystal clear, warm and home to many colourful, tropical fish.
  • History - Although we didn't explore the city much (if we were in Havana we would have), the old buildings and old cars were neat to see.
Cons:

  • Plumbing - The hot water didn't work... then we changed rooms and our cold water didn't work :( We talked to others at different resorts and they had similar issues.
  • Distance - For this particular area in Cuba, the resorts are located in Cayo Santa Maria, and the airport is located in Santa Clara, two hours away. So the bus rides were a bit tiring.
Not many cons, we had such an amazing time. Would I return? Probably not, and it isn't because I didn't enjoy myself, but solemnly because I like to move forward and travel to new places. This world is huge, if I was to continue going back to the same places, I'd never see the new ones.

Till next time,
Emily

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Location: Cayo Santa María, Cuba

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