Cayo Saetía is a forested cay of 42 square kilometres in the Bahía de Nipe on the eastern edge of Holguín province. During the Soviet era it served as an exclusive hunting reserve for Communist Party officials; the animals introduced for that purpose — buffalo, antelope, zebra, deer, and wild boar — still roam freely through the island's forest and scrub, making for one of the stranger wildlife encounters in Cuba.
The island is reached by boat from the small port of La Herradura. A state-run villa complex manages the reserve and offers horse riding, boat trips around the mangroves and beaches, and guided jeep safaris. The beaches here are completely undeveloped — white sand, clear water, and no other tourists in sight on most days.
The combination of African savanna wildlife and Caribbean beach is genuinely surreal, and the isolation makes Cayo Saetía worth the effort of getting here even if the safari is not particularly wild. Plan for at least half a day, and consider staying overnight at the villa if you want to see both the wildlife and the beaches without rushing.