Discover the Unspoiled Beauty of Cayo Jutías, Cuba
If you’re looking for a secluded beach escape, Cayo Jutías, Cuba is the perfect spot. With its soft white sand, crystal-clear waters, and laid-back atmosphere, this hidden gem is definitely one to add to your Cuba bucket list.. Whether you're planning a day trip or a longer stay, this cayo is well worth the journey.
Unlike some of Cuba’s more developed beach destinations, Cayo Jutías remains unspoiled and natural. Here, you’ll find rustic charm, breathtaking scenery, and some of the most beautiful coastline in the country. The cayo’s shallow waters and vibrant marine life also make it a great spot for snorkeling and swimming.
From sunbathing under swaying palms to enjoying fresh seafood at a local beach shack, Cayo Jutías is one of the top day trips from Viñales to experience. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know before visiting, including how to get there, what to expect, and the best things to do there.
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Cayo Jutias, Cuba: A Brief Intro
Before diving into the details for how to get to Cayo Jutias and what a tour there looks like, we're going to cover the basics.
🤩 What's Special About Cayo Jutias, Cuba?
Cayo Jutías is a hidden paradise known for its untouched white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. Unlike Cuba’s more touristy beach destinations, it offers a laid-back, natural setting perfect for relaxation, snorkeling, and enjoying fresh seafood by the sea.
It's one of the best beaches on Cuba's west end, and also a popular place to visit for tourists visiting the nearby Viñales Valley.
Cayo Jutias, Cuba is a hidden slice of paradise.
📍 Where is Cayo Jutias in Cuba?
Cayo Jutías is located off the northern coast of Cuba’s Pinar del Río province in the west part of the island. It’s part of the Los Colorados Archipelago, and is accessible via a scenic causeway from the mainland town of Santa Lucía.
How to Get to Cayo Jutias, Cuba
Here are the different options for visiting Cayo, Jutias, Cuba:
- Rent a car and drive yourself there
- Hire a car to take you there for the day
🚗 Renting a Car to Go to Cayo Jutias
Renting a car in Cuba is expensive ($150-250/day), so isn't the most ideal, but can be beneficial for big groups who are short on time.
There aren't any car rental agencies in Viñales, so if you plan on renting a car it will need to be in Havana.
🚐 Going on a Day Trip from Viñales to Cayo Jutias
The easiest way to get to Cayo Jutias, Cuba is on a day trip from Viñales. We were quoted $60 for four of us, and then also had another couple join us on the trip there.
The drive to Cayo Jutias from Viñales in theory should take a little under an hour and a half. We got picked up at 8:00 am, and after picking everyone up ended up leaving Viñales at 8:30. The drive was another 2 hours, and we got to Cayo Jutias at 10:30.
The most popular way to Cayo Jutias is by visiting on a day trip from Viñales.
Cayo Jutias, Cuba Day Trip from Viñales
Now that you know all of the basics for visiting Cayo Jutias, Cuba, we're going to share our experience with you, as well as the different things you can enjoy at the beach.
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Once we arrived at Cayo Jutias our driver dropped us at the stunning beach, where we were able to enjoy several hours basking in the sun, swimming, and doing other activities offered at the beach such as snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and different boat trips to nearby reefs and other beaches.
As we were a group, we all opted to do the boat tour to Playa Estrella, which was a one hour excursion including a boat ride from the main beach to another beach that is full of star fish! You'll leave from the beach, but come back through the mangroves, or vice versa.
The mangroves were beautiful, but full of mosquitos! Make sure to put plenty of bug spray on when entering this area.
We were given snorkeling equipment, and enjoyed searching for starfish, swimming in the crystal clear waters, and walking along the beach itself.
Visiting Playa Estrella is one of the top activities at Cayo Jutias.
Starfish can die from being touched! Please only swim NEAR them, but DO NOT touch them!
Also, we found this adorable baby bird running around!
If you ever see a baby bird, please DO NOT touch it! Mothers abandon their babies when they have odd oils on them (for example those from humans), so it's crucial to enjoy them from a safe distance.
After the boat trip we got a truly necessary lunch, and then spent the rest of our hours swimming, and walking along the coastline.
Head all the way down the beach to the right, and you'll find the waters are much clearer, and it is a pure slice of paradise!
Our driver picked us back up at our arranged time (I believe it was around 4 pm), and dropped us all back off at our hotels. It was such a fun day, and we'd highly recommend it for those looking for fun and unique things to do in Viñales.
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Amenities at Cayo Jutias, Cuba
Cayo Jutias, Cuba is known for its natural beauty. It's much less commercialized than some of the other popular beach destinations in the country. However, it still is set up for tourism.
Here is a breakdown of the amenities offered at Cayo Jutias in Cuba.
🚽 Bathrooms at Cayo Jutias
There is one bathroom at Cayo Jutias, which is in the adjacent building to the restaurant.
Like many bathrooms in Cuba, we don't recommend having high expectations. The toilet didn't flush, so we needed to fill bucket of water to flush the toilet, and the stall was filled with bugs. There was no soap, nor toilet paper, so we'd recommend having some with you just in case.
🍴 Food & Drink at Cayo Jutias
There is one restaurant that is at Cayo Jutias, serving fresh local seafood such as octopus, lobster, and fish. We got the lobster with fries and salad which was pretty tasty, and there was plenty of seating with beautiful views overlooking the turquoise waters.
One thing that did bug us (literally) was the amount of mosquitos that were attacking us while we were trying to eat, so we'd recommend bringing it with you to the beach or having a lot of bug spray ready.
⛱ Chairs & Umbrellas at Cayo Jutias
Right on the main beach area of Cayo Jutias there are chairs available for rental. They costed 190 CUP (even though they charged us 500 each and we found out later the actual price). We didn't see any umbrellas, but apparently they are also available if you ask.
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Cayo Jutias, Cuba: Costs & Tour Times
Tours to Cayo Jutias typically leave early in the morning, and come back in the late afternoon/early evening.
If you are a big group, you can organize to leave at the time of your preference. In our case though, our car was shared, and it left at 8:00 am. We were actually the only group from Viñales at Cayo Jutias, so drivers typically try to organize the least amount of cars possible to go there.
We paid $15/person for the day trip, which included our driver picking us each up from our hotel, dropping us there for a few hours, and then bringing us each back to our hotels in Viñales.
Tours to Cayo Jutias typically leave from Viñales.
💵 Prices of Cayo Jutias
- Tour to Cayo Jutias: $15
- Chairs: 190 CUP
- Umbrellas: 240 CUP
- Double Kayak (1 hr): 240 CUP
- Paddle Board (1 hr): 200 CUP
- Single Kayak (1 hr): 120 CUP
- Aquatic Bike (1 hr): 480 CUP (or 240 CUP for 1/2 hr)
- Coral Reef Boat Trip (1 hr): 2,400 CUP
- Playa Estrella (1 hr): 2,400 CUP
- Snorkeling (2 hrs): 3,600 CUP
- Cayo Megano (1 1/2 hrs): 3,600 CUP
- Mangrove Tour (1 hr): 3,600 CUP
- Coral Reef + Playa Estrella (1 1/2 hrs): 3,600 CUP
- Full Day Adventure (5 hrs): 7,200 CUP
There are a variety of fun activities at Cayo Jutias, Cuba.
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Safety at Cayo Jutias, Cuba
Cayo Jutias, Cuba is a very family-friendly place, as they have different activities suitable for both children and adults.
There aren't any lifeguards, so you'll have to keep an eye on your children and swim at your own risk.
The waters are very calm though, and much of it is super shallow, making it safe to enjoy for even those that can't swim.
The waters of Cayo Jutias are shallow and calm.
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Other Things to Keep in Mind for Visiting Cayo Jutias, Cuba
Now you know almost everything you need to know for visiting Cayo Jutias Cuba! But don't go just yet - we have a few more things to share with you.
☀️ Weather in Cuba
Cuba has tropical weather, with hot temperatures year-round. The rainy season goes from June through the summer, and the hurricane season hits strongest in August, finishing in late October. November- March are the driest months, with the most pleasant temperatures, and the least amount of mosquitos.
In the summer there are a lot of storms in Cuba.
📆 The Best Time to Visit Cayo Jutias
The best time to visit Cayo Jutias is in the winter months, when it is less humid and doesn't have a ton of mosquitos and potential storms.
🎒 How to Prepare for a Day at Cayo Jutias
Here are some of the things we recommend bringing with you:
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Insect Repellent
- Beach Towel
- Bathing Suit
- Insulated Water Bottle (to hold the temperature)
- Flip Flops (we personally always get Havaiana flip flops, as they are comfy and long lasting)
- Small Bag or Backpack - take a look at these backpacks for travelers!
- Power Bank (we use Anker power banks, as they are the best in the market and last super long)
- Camera - (we use the Sony A7Riii)
- Action Camera (we use the GoPro for underwater shots, and the Insta 360 with the extra long selfie stick for drone-like shots)
- Waterproof Phone Pouch (we use the Case Mate Phone Pouch)
- Cash for buying food or excursions
- Tissues in case there isn't any toilet paper in the bathroom
- Soap or Hand Sanitizer for the bathroom
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🤔 Is Cayo Jutias Worth Visiting?
If you're looking to enjoy a peaceful beach day away from the crowds, then Cayo Jutias is definitely worth visiting. It's the perfect day trip from Viñales, and truly is a beautiful little slice of paradise to add to your Cuba bucket list.
Cayo Jutias, Cuba is one of the most beautiful beaches to experience.
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So are you ready to explore the beautiful Cayo Jutias in Cuba? It's a great place to spend the day, and also one of the best day trips from Viñales to add to your Cuba itinerary.
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