Baracoa [Guantanamo, Cuba] •|• www.cubacasas.net

Also in the Oriente

Not easy to reach by road (but what a drive on La Farola, the alpine-like carretera with 107 curves over 35km!), Baracoa is at the eastern end of the country on the north coast of Guantanamo province, some 5 hours from Santiago.

The town was established as the country's capital when Diego Velazquez de Cuéllar arrived from Spain with 300 men in 1511. Isolated from the rest of the island for nearly 450 years, the town was to become the focal point of all the rebels in Cuba's history from the very first, Hatuey to the most famous, the Che to the most enduring, Fidel.

The town and its surrounding area (El Yunque, Maguana, Nava, Toa, Humboldt, Yumuri, Duaba) are to the Cuban universe what Tibet is to the rest of the world and we're barely exaggerating. Most Cubans have never heard of these places. If you've ever been to some island in the South Pacific, you get the idea. If you really like it, don't tell anyone.

Biking down a backroad at night, we saw a tiny "community video room". On its roof, a solar panel : bright minds learning in pitch-black wilderness. Revolutionary.

According to colleague Brendan Sainsbury of Lonely Planet, "Its the happiest and most magical destination in Cuba."

DISTANCES (km) Banes, 266 Bayamo, 413 Boca de Yumuri, 15 Cayo Saetia, 169 El Yunque, 8 Gibara, 262 Guantanamo, 116 Guardalavaca, 234 Holguin, 229 via Moa La Habana, 1100 Moa, 76 Parque Alejandro Humboldt, 40 Playa Duaba, 5 Playa Maguana, 25 Playa Nava, 31 Rio Toa, 10 Santiago, 240

MAPS & LINKS

• Map - Guantanamo to Baracoa — La Farola Road

• Map - Municipio of Baracoa and surroundings

• Map - Our casas on map of town center

• Map - The town, the bay and burroughs

• Map - The town and sites

• Map - The coast and area in relief

• Massacre and mutilation of Tainos (illustration)

• Photos - Our galeria of Baracoa and surroundings

• Photos - Our galeria of Maguana

• Panorama (Porto Santo) © Thomassin

• Local weather forecast (Meteorologisk NRK)

• Daily currency exchange rates

• All that's natural on Guantanamo province

• Island-wide bus connections (horariodebuses.com/)

• 360-photo from the bus terminal

• Web site of Fuerte Matachin Municipal Museum

• Cuba, the Landshells Paradise - pdf

Calle Marti 114, corner Maravi. Tel (21) 64-1122

photo © sogestour

SEE ABSOLUTAMENTE

Taller Atabey where you will meet painter Mildo Matos Carcases [Pintor indigenista] in his workshop.

The man is a huge talent. His works are in private collections in Europe, mostly in Germany, and in the U.S.A. and Mexico.

His irresistible daughter does the « public relations » thing.

Just go, you'll be impressed.

POPULATION 81,677 (2007) in the regional township including 56,000 in Baracoa per se

SEE
Plaza Cacique Hatuey (Parque Central or Independencia) where everybody meets. Saturday nights can be heady. In front of the Catedral the bust of Hatuey, first Cuban internationalist (named here the first Rebel of America, El Primero) who arrived from Hispaniola (Haiti/Dom Rep) like many Frenchmen to warn Cubans the Spaniards were killing anyone who did not believe in God. Before being burnt alive in 1512 for having fomented resistance, he asked if there were religious fanatics (Spaniards) in heaven. When he was told so, he replied he'd rather go to hell. Proof he did, his name is on beer bottles • Museo archeológico Cueva del Paraiso, 300 m from El Castillo • Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Asunción and its Cruz de la Parra, the oldest European relic on the continent. In dire need of repairs, Italian funds are presently used to restore it • Museo Municipal (Fuerte Matachin) with Taino exhibits and photos of La Rusa • Fabrica de Tabaco (cigar factory) • Monumento Antonio Maceo at the end of the airport runway. Majestically laid-out, it marks the beginnings of the revolutionnary forces and the meeting in Baracoa in 1895 of Marti, Maceo, Gomez, Garcia, Sanchez and Echevarria which eventually led to the overthrow of the Spanish colony three years later • Hotel La Rusa (1953), once owned by Magdalena Rowenskaïa (photos at Museo Matachin), a princess during Nicolas II's reign. Che Guevara, Errol Flynn, Fidel Castro et al have slept there. She gave $25,000 to the Barbudos in 1959. They thanked her by building La Farola, the scenic zigzag road which leads here, freeing Baracoa from isolation in 1964. Spasibo, Magda. Her son, a painter, still lives in town • Fábrica de Cucurucho • Fuerte de Seboruco (Hotel El Castillo)

TRANSPORTATION
Bus Astro - From Guantanamo (4 departures daily, 6cuc) La Habana (every 2nd day, 19 hrs travel time (!), 56cuc) • Bus Viazul Leaves Santiago daily at 7:50am and arrives Baracoa 12:35 for 13cuc pp; return Baracoa-Santiago leaves at 13h, arrives 18h45); Both terminals share the point by the bay entrance at the end of Maceo Street • Aerotaxi, to/from Santiago (3xweek 28cuc) • Cubana de Aviacion, to/from La Habana (Thu, Fri, Sun 108cuc), Santiago 22cuc

Do not buy polimitas, these pretty extraordinary colourful shells — the species is endangered. In Spring 2011, on la Farola, in one of the curve lookouts, we bought some — before reading on the subject in the beautiful album "Cuba, the Landshells Paradise" by Cuban author Adrian Gonzalez Guillen in English and Spanish with many colorplates. A masterpiece of the genre. Click to link to site. Save the species, by purchasing the book.

Zigging and zagging over 35 kilometers of mountains, this is La Farola •|• Navigating the Toa River, these two kids are looking for current © partwish on picasa.com

Cuba's longest, the rio Toa spreads H2O over 116 kilometers of bucolic beauty : enlarge © partwish, picasa •|• With the Yara mountain as a background, these chicos are hangin 'round the Malecon. © sogestour

Clients of the bank in front of this tiny park with its stunning arbol will need all the time in the world waiting for Cuba's slowest tellers; ask the doorman to explain his lucrative racket, letting passport-&-cash-carrying jiniteros "subbing for tourists" and going straight to the front of the line © sogestour •|• Hotel Castillo and its inviting swimming pool dominate the town © partwish, picasa

At the mouth of the Yumuri river, beachcombers can see the silhouette of El Yunque, the anvil-like mountain on the horizon © partwish picasa •|• Hatuey forever facing the institution whose fanatics burned him alive © sogestour

Local chica letting go on calle Frank Pais bicicleta © sogestour •|• The town, the bay, the airport and the sea seen from el cielo © unk

Playa Boca de Miel : agrandir © partwish sur picasa.com

Playa Boca de Miel : enlarge © partwish — picasa.com

SERVICES
Cubatur excursions (see below), calle Maceo 149 Tél. (21) 64-5306 • Other agencies offering "safaris" in nearby nature with local treasures such as the Almiqui, beautiful Polymitas and the mysterious Manati : Agencia Flora y Fauna and Havanatur • Cubana de Aviacion, calle Marti # 181 (21) 64-2171 • Gustavo Rizo Airport (21) 64-2171 • Havanautos (21) 64-3606 • Sala Internet at the Correos de Cuba : bring a sweater, it's freezing in there and the staff is more interested in making private phone calls than helping you, a shame for Etecsa. • Massages in the casa. Professional Miguel Cantillo has 20 years experience Tel. (21) 64-3351 • Money exchange in two banks : calle Martí 166 and Maceo 99; also CADECA, Calle Marti 241 • Clinica internacional calle Marti 239 Tel. 64-1038

Mouseover for the twisting, 107-curve road here : La Farola. Click to enlarge.

Three niños dipping some toes in the fountain in Parque Central in front of the cathedral whose god-fearing priests burned fearless Hatuey 'cause he did not believe religious BS. Named Nuestra Dama del Asuncion •|• Near Gustavo y Yalina's casa, the Paladar El Colonial has been satisfying hungry travellers for years in a lovely setting © robin thom, flickr.com

Daily minibus running from Santiago to Baracoa; leaves Santiago from avenida Libertador No. 457 Tel (022) 62-8484 In Baracoa, it's at one end of the Malecon tel. (21) 32-37-13

PLAYAS
Playa Boca de Miel, at the mouth of the rio of the same name. They say who bathes in it will... Ask someone to tell you the legend. Playa Cruz de Colon (Hotel Porto Santo) Playa Duaba (5 km) La Punta Playa Maguana (25 km) Playa Nava (31 km).

EVENINGS : LOTS OF CHOICES
Casa de la Trova always crowded, overflow on street : where tourist women get asked to dance; Casa de la Cultura with Afro-Cuban folk costume dancing; Cine-Teatro Encanto, Circulo Social (teenage disco), Disco Noche de Praga, the noisy El Ranchon (up the hill in reparto Paraiso : 146 steps up, swings after midnight), La Terraza de Cultura facing Casa del Chocolate; same for El Patio de Artex from 10 to midnight. El Paraiso (20 pesos cubanos per couple to try karaoke). Live music and dancing at Hotel Porto Santo and Hotel El Castillo hotels. On the first weekend in April, it's party time during the Carnaval de Baracoa.

SNACK BARS, RESTAURANTS, PALADARES & HOTEL DINING ROOMS
Snack bars : Costa Norte - three along the Malecon; El Picopo (fast fool); Pizzeria La Baracoesa (cheap, in pesos); Casa del Chocolate (cakes, cups of cocoa, snacks) PALADAR La Colonial on Marti 123 has many see food and fish dishes RESTAURANTS Caracol, El Parque, Fuerte La Punta HOTEL DINING ROOMS Hostal Gaviota La Habanera, 10-room, 46cuc/day Cubanacan hotel in town centre (21) 64-5273; Hotel Gaviota Porto Santo, 80 rooms across the bay (21) 64-5106; Hotel Gaviota El Castillo, 34 rooms - sitting atop town (21) 64-5165; Hotel Gaviota La Rusa, on the seaside Malecon (21) 64-3011

EXCURSIONS
• Río Toa, 10 km — One of the country's longest rivers, the Toa runs wide and deep with quite a strong current in season. Superb greens, freshwater swimming, memories to last a lifetime • El Yunque, 8 km The famous, mysterious, daunting and irresistible mountaintop can be reached on foot in 2 and a half hours. Stupendous and well-deserved views of the area. The Campismo El Yunque with its wooden cabins is reserved for Cubans. Best is to book a day tour including transportation from Baracoa, leaves at 9h15, returns at 16h for 16cuc, including the trek with guide up the Yunque and 90 mins. swimming in a freshwater laguna. Check with Cubatur in town. Tel. (21) 64-5306 • Finca Duaba, some 5 km on the way to Playa Maguana A typical waterside farm with all you can imagine, even a boat ride up the river and a typical meal. • Boca de Yumuri, 15 km on the way to La Farola Freshwater river, small beach, canyon for trekking and kids selling you escargots. Catch a boat to the village where a local guide will take you up to El Balcón,narrow caves the length of the cliff face : 30 metres above the palm trees with lovely views across the ocean; bathe in a sub-terrain pool and bring a flashlight. Only Cuban place left where a few descendants (with facial features) of its aboriginal Tainos still live. Their hero was Guamá, who set fire to Spanish outposts in 1512, answering Hatuey's call. He was never captured and died of natural causes 20 years later • Playa Maguana and Playa Nava, 28 and 34 km Best, quasi-deserted beaches of the region. Get there for the day or spend a night at Villa Maguana. (See bottom of page.) • Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, 40 km UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Excursions along the coast. An ecosystem with some 905 endemic varieties of flora. Few of its 59,400 hectares are open to the public. A full-day excursion (9h-17h) including 4h30mins in the mountains, 1h30mins to the El Maja waterfall. English-Español guide on hand. 24cuc per person; min. 4 passengers, including transportation from Baracoa by minibus or jeep. Boat ride on the bay of Taco is available on request. Book through Cubatur Tel. (21) 64-5306 • Boca de rio Miel .

Photo © L. Escalona

CUCURUCHO !
In the tiny mountain settlement of Cagüeibaje, 20km before Baracoa on La Farola, there is a lookout point and kiosk where a group of mountain villagers and cooking artesans headed by Sra. Eyder Laffita sell what some say is the best cucurucho in Cuba.

Served in a cone, the cucurucho is basically grated coconut sweetened with pineapple, grapefruit and guanábana, sometimes honey. Strictly natural, it's a sweet like no other.

The group also offers cremas de coco, turrones (nougats), empanadas, fresh juice, wine, vinegar and bocaditos. During the Fiesta de La Farola (end of July), they sell out.

HEED THE HINTS IN THIS FINE PRINT
::: Make sure that in your first email or phone call you specify that you want to book a room in that particular casa and that you will reconfirm your booking on arrival in Cuba. Unless you only want a room in any house which may be of the same quality, not the specific casa you booked through photos on these websites ::: So as to not abandon expecting owners with empty rooms, reconfirm (or call ahead to cancel) your booking by phone as soon as you can after arriving in Cuba ::: Please write or phone a casa owner to cancel a booking. As late as it may seem, it allows them a chance to rebook. ::: Children under the age of 16 may share a bedroom with adults for free. Specify the child's age when booking. ::: Since October 2010, maximum bedroom capacity is not limited to two adults ::: Also, large casas are not limited to renting only two bedrooms per night. ::: At the end of the casa name, the V signals the casa was suggested by travelers or owners but not verified by the website staff. If you try it and like it, write us about it. ::: Unless otherwise mentioned, the average room rates and service prices are : 20-25cuc per bedroom per night [up to 40+ for 4 in a room]; breakfasts 3-5cuc, dinners 7-10cuc. ::: Note : monthly taxes have increased 15-50% for owners; this may be reflected on the aforementioned rates. ::: Any casa particular anywhere in Cuba must have a hot water shower, otherwise it cannot have a permit to rent.

::: On certain occasions in the past year, overbooking may have inadvertently hurt some travellers, some casa owners and some webmasters more than would appear and this prompted this webmaster to overreact by generalizing about individual realities; having hurt most casa owners, this webmaestro's self-righteous attitude [all action, no talk] was uncalled for. Lo siento mucho I am truly sorry and apologies given, Marcos 070112 ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net

BOOK BY PHONE
• From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 21 for Baracoa). Ie, to book Gustavo's : 011 53 21 64-2536 • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 21 for Baracoa). Ie, to book Gustavo's : 00 53 21 64-2536 HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE

BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address showing at bottom of browser window. Spanish vocabulary here.

Click photos to see each casa's page and description. Locate most casas on this map..

See the casas in sequence.

Move to next casa by clicking this logo.

GUSTAVO y YALINA
Three a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Flor Crombet 125, entre Frank Pais y Pelayo Cuervo on a calm stretch of street in town center. Tel. (21) 64-2536 cell 05 281-3579

RAFAEL y ADIS
One a-c bedroom, ensuite bathroom
Calle Felix Reúnes 29, entre Coroneles Galano y Céspedes, one block from Casa de la Trova. Tel. (21) 64-3441 cell 05 310-4984

EDWARD y YIXEL
One a-c bedroom, ensuite bathroom
Calle 1 de Abril # 81 A, corner Libertad, down the hill from Mariana Grajales. Cell 05 271-5864

CASA ELVIRA
Two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Calle Frank País No. 19, e/ Martí y Maceo, some 50m from Plaza Central Tel. (21) 64-3580 or 64-3634

MARILYN NOA HERNANDEZ
One a-c bedroom, ensuite bathroom
Ciro Frias No. 18, e/ Martí y Maceo, opening on to Parque Marti in town center. Tel. (21) 64-3427

CASA ANAELBIS
Two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Calixto Garcia #162 and 164 entre Cespedes y Coroneles Galano, close to Hotel Castillo. Tel. (21) 64-2754

NELSI A. RODRIGUEZ SILOT
One a-c bedroom, ensuite bathroom
Flor Crombet 112, entre Frank Pais y Pelayo Cuervo, on a calm stretch of street in town center. Tél. (21) 64-2536

Nelsi is the mother of Yalina (top spot above) and she lives almost across the calle.

DANIEL SALOMON PAJAN
One a-c bedroom, ensuite bathroom
Céspedes 28, entre Ruben Lopez y Maceo in centro ciudad. Tel. (21) 64-1443 or cell 05 291-7403

EL MIRADOR
Two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Calle Maceo # 86, entre 24 de Febrero y 10 de Octubre, a block from Parque Independencia. Tel. (21) 64-3592

CASA COLONIAL
Two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Calle Maceo # 92, entre 24 de Febrero y 10 de Octubre, a block from Parque Independencia. Tél. (21) 64-3124

CASA COLONIAL LUCY
Two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Céspedes 29, entre Ruben Lopez y Maceo in town center. Tel. (21) 64-3548

DENNY & RAFAELA V
Upstairs, two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Calle Ruber Lopez 86, (altos) corner of Limbano Sanchez in town center. Tel. (21) 64-1373

ISABEL CASTRO VILATO
Two a-c bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms
Mariana Grajales # 35, entre Calixto Garcia y Emiliano Corrales, under the Hotel Castillo promontory in Reparto Playa. Tel. (21) 64-2267

NILSON ABAD GUILARÉ V
One-bedroom apartment, ensuite bath
Flor Crombet 143, entre Ciro Frias y Pelayo Cuervo in town centre near Gustavo y Yalina's. Tel. (21) 64-3123

CESAR y CONCEPCION V
Two aircon bedrooms, ensuite, great food, patio
Calle Marti #81, entre 24 de Febrero y Coliseo, two blocks from the Malecon . Tel. (21) 64-2507 cell (5) 291-1314

CASA WALTER
Indep. upstairs two bedrooms, garden, terrace
Calle Rubert Lopez 47, entre Cespédes y Coronel Galana Tel (21) 64-23-46

LA COLINA - ALBERTO MATOS V
Two modern a/c bedrooms overlooking town
Calixto Garcia 158 (altos-upstairs) Cell (5) 290-3561 @ Footprint 2010

YAMILET SELVA BARTELEMY V
Two bedrooms with ensuites and sea view, breeze
Calle Frank Pais 6, entre Maximo Gomez y Flor Crombet Tel (21) 64-53-57 @ Footprint 2010

ANDRÉS CRUZATA RIGORES V
One indep bedroom, ensuite; terrace, sea view
Calle Wilder Galano Reyes 23 (upstairs), entre Abel Diaz Delgado y Ramon Lopez Tel (21) 64-2697 cell (5) 246-5755 @ Footprint 2010

ALLAN TENEDO SANCHEZ V
One indep bedroom, ensuite; garage, sea view
Calle Maceo 235, entre Abel Diaz Delgado y Limbano Sanchez Tel (21) 64-3857 Footprint 2010

ARQUIMEDES y BARBARA V
One indep entrance bedroom; local food specialties
Calle Ruben Lopez 87, e/ Limbano Sanchez y Ramon Lopez, facing Dennis y Rafaela Tel. (21) 64-3291 Footprint 2010

IKIRA MAHIQUEZ MACHADO V
One indep bedroom, ensuite; garage, sea view
Calle Maceo #168A, entre Cespédes y Ciro Frias, one block from the cathedral. Tél: (21) 64-3881

Colonial centrally-located house with comfort and atmosphere in an impeccable layout, around a patio with its medicinal plants.

EUGENIO OÑA ABELLA
Two indep one-bedroom apts, ensuite bath, terrace
Calle Moncada No.18-B entre Martí y República, 100 meters from beach and 5 blocks from Plaza Central. Tel. (21) 64-1910 cell 05 293-9857 @

Eugenio rents two independent apartments upstairs; each holds a fridge, ensuite bath, aircon, balcony, terraza with sea view. Meals served. Eugenio knows the region well.
Eugenio 11 March 2007

VILLA MAGUANA
On Maguana beach, some 20 km west of Baracoa over the bridge of the Toa river (Cuba's largest), on the way to Moa.
This is a less well-kept secret since Cuba Handbook and Fodor's sold out the few cognoscenti a couple of years back.

Even if this little jewel is not a casa particular,it is so "particular", we had to put it in. Gaviota, after a few months of renovations, reopened it on Nov. 15 2006, having added three two-storey buildings to the four bedrooms in the original building. Each new building boasts 4 luxurious double bedrooms on two floors and an enlarged dining room for a total of 16 double bedrooms with modern bathrooms, a/c, fridge, hot water of course and satellite TV reception in each room. We took these pictures a few days before the reopening.

The new room rates in High Season are 75cuc per bedroom including breakfast (or 37,50cuc per person); single occupancy, 60cuc. (5cuc less per room in low season). Meals seem reasonably priced at 7 to 9cuc. No sports activity offered although they may still have swim fins and masks available, we forgot to ask.

Villa Maguana © sogestour

© sogestour

The nice 2-km beach next door may be slated for an all-inclusive resort with an international airport being planned for Moa but Gaviota does not plan anything major in the near future, as this area is still officially part of the Alejandro de Humboldt UNESCO World Heritage Site.

So, enjoy this pretty well-done expansion for the moment : it's still a great value for the dollar for those who want to be away from it all.

Tel. (21) 64-1204 Visa and Mastercard accepted. Main res office is in the Porto Santo Hotel of Baracoa (21) 64-5339 castillo @enet.cu

A little slide show, located on our French-version site.
Don't get lost, mileage may vary, batteries not included.

Updated 02.02.2012