Quote — Joseph Campbell
Cienaga_Zapata
Also in the region
OUR 3 CASA LISTS BEGIN HERE
REGIONAL MAP HERE

CIENAGA JAGUEY
PLAYAGIRON PLAYALARGA

CIENAGA DE ZAPATA
The municipality which bears this name covers a large territory on the southern end of the provincia de Matanzas and includes Parque Montemar (previously named Parque Nacional Ciénaga de Zapata (70,277 ha), Gran Parque natural de Montemar (70 km of caves), and the fauna reserves of Santo Tomas and La Salina, the latter with a marsh populated by some 165 species of migrant and endemic birds. Villages and towns include La Boca (with its crocodile farm), Guama, Playa Larga / El Caleton and of course, Playa Girón.

Just north of the area, lies its access junction, a barrio built around the once busy sugar mill, Australia and across the national highway (Autopista nacional), the quiet and mosquito-less town of Jaguey Grande (pop. 57,000).

The
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve also bears the name Ciénaga de Zapata. It covers 628,171 hectares and its fauna includes 160 species of birds, 31 types of reptiles and 12 varieties of mammals. Lest we forget the bats which nightly swallow some of the (what must be) billions of mosquitoes buzzing over the swampland, one bordering the road between Australia and Playa Larga ; ) Fear having to change a flat tire at 2 a.m. : your body will be the freshest Zapata all-you-can-bite buffet !

On the bay, the mosquitos (called
jejenes hay-hay-ness) are present like clockwork at sunset, every second day, when the wind blows from the south.

Last but not least, this area is famous because of its bay of Pigs, the Bahia de Cochinos where a CIA-sponsored invasion by Cuban exiles was promptly thwarted in 1961.

MAPS & LINKS
Tourist & Road Maps of the Peninsula
Large map of the Peninsula
Map of bayside towns + map of Playa Giron village
Map of region to Cienfuegos
Viazul bus to Entronque (turnoff) at Jaguey Grande
Island-wide bus connections (horariodebuses.com/)
5-day Wunderground weather forecast
Daily exchange rates
All that's natural in Matanzas province
Photos of diving in the bay of the Cienaga de Zapata

DISTANCES
from Playa Larga/Caleton
Australia & main highway, 29
Caleta Buena, 36
Cárdenas, 114
Cienfuegos, 131 via Horquitas
Jaguey Grande, 28
La Boca/Guama, 11
La Habana, 178
Matanzas, 150
Playa Giron, 32
Trinidad, 171
Varadero, 185

Bay of Pigs Invasion-era poster © ICAIC

Mapa prov matanzas


Twice per day from Havana and back - via Entronque de Jaguey, a Viazul bus goes trhough Playa Larga, then Giron and on to Cienfuegos and Trinidad — Ruta 18

The beach in Caleton  © sogestour
The
long beach in Playa Larga is located in Caleton (where casas particulares are), the northernmost place on the bay of Pigs or bahia de Cochinos © sogestour |Buick and chicas from Belgica © sogestour
Zapata - Ze Mapa
Click :
Park map | Regional road map
Playita near Punta Perdiz
Caleta Buena diving © sogestour | In the Zapata Peninsula, resides the largest concentration of crocs in Cuba, and they're all in the Criadero de Cocodrilos a crocodile farm where these kids have caught one ... with its mouth shut © unk
Estacion Ecologica © 2003 David Barbour
Grandiose
treasure lake — Laguna del Tesoro — measures 92 sq km : crossing it takes 25 mins ! Named by Tainos, one of Cuba's aboriginal tribes © unk_flickr •|• Villa Guama sits on the other side of the lake and is well-worth a day trip : a couple of nights in that hotel would allow the unforgettable enjoyment of the early morning with a bird concert

Guama reachable by a 25-min boat ride over Laguna del Tesoro : visit the museum and bar and shop or dine & stay at the Hotel. © partwish, picasa

EXCURSIONS
Ride the whole length of the Bay of Pigs' east coast aboard a minibus from Guama Bus Tour : for 3 cuc pp for the day with stops unlimited, the ride leaves Guama and picks up riders allong the way down to the end at Caleta Buena with stops at Hotel Playa Larga (beach), Cueva de los Peces (scuba), Punta Perdiz (scuba) et Hotel Playa Girón (museum and beach)

Bird watching in the swamps of Zapata with Angel Martinez or his brother Orestes El Chino, the doyen of guides. Tél. (45) 98-7545; cellulaire (5) 253-9004 Rate : 10cuc per person for half-day. E-mail : chino.zapata(@)gmail.com without the brackets

Observe birds and crocos at Boca de Guama (Info 98-2979, 98-4131)

Navigate or walk between the 12 small islands of Laguna (Lake) del Tesoro and its park (Taino casas and statues of Cuban aboriginals) the Aldea Taina in Guama

Admire some 10,000 pink flamingos on the lake Laguna de las Salinas

Hike with a guide in the woods of Corral de Santo Tomás (Info 98-7249 or 7128)

Scuba dive in the tectonic fault at Cueva de Los Peces or at Caleta Buena from the center at Villa Playa Larga (Info 98-7225) or at the well-equiped and well-managed El Cocodrilito

OUTDOORS
Cycling, trekking, horseback riding, sailing, cave exploration, bird watching, scuba diving, in the bay or in caves.


Zapata Pier © Bissingerbooks, flickr.com

Weather on the island (Google) : click to enlarge, then click town to see 5-day forecasts © google
Weather on the island (Google) : click to enlarge, then click town to see 5-day forecasts © google

WORTH THE VISIT IN THE CIENAGA
Conjunto Esculturico (Sculpture park at Laguna de Tesoro), Criadero de Cocodrilos, home for some 8,000 crocodiles (Boca de Guama), Finca Fiesta Campesina and local museum of the dismantled sugar mill, both in Australia, Museo de la Comandancia (Cuban HQ during Bay of Pigs invasion), in Australia's old sugar mill office) Museo de Playa Girón (Playa Giron) : exhibits of some of the arms used in fighting off the invasion attempt; biographies of 156 Cubans who died defending the sovereignty of their country; Villa Guama, the hotel reachable only by boat (20-min ride, 10cuc) on the Laguna del Tesoro, the 92 sq km lake : well worth a couple of nights; mornings and sunsets are glorious in the epicentre of nature, water, a bird sanctuary.
The contra-revolucionarios were parachuted on April 17, 1961 over the Bay of Pigs in a CIA-supported attack on the sovereignty of Cuba, with the participation of the US Navy during John F. Kennedy's presidency.

Its air and sea support decimated by pilots trained by the US Air Force, the group of mercenaries were overpowered by soldiers and civilian volunteers within 72 hours. More than 200 died in the battle.

Some 1,290 were emprisoned during one year and returned to Florida in exchange for food and medication.

The so-called Miami gusanos (worms as Fidel called them) and the US-funded terrorist organization Alfa 66 never got over it and never expressed regrets for having poured napalm on their ex-compatriots.

1961-2011 — 50 years remembering a dirty war.
Stamps from 1965, Victoria de Giron
1966, the Houston in flames
| Stamps from 1965, Victoria de Giron and 1966, the Houston in flames.

Cubans who died defending their land - considered martyrs 50 years later — Link > here <

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Playa Larga logo
Pink flamingos picking for food in Las Salinas
Also in the region
OUR CASA LIST BEGINS HERE
REGIONAL MAP HERE
CIENAGA JAGUEY
PLAYAGIRON PLAYALARGA

This calm bayside village, 29 km from the national highway is the gateway to Parque Montemar (previously named Nacional Ciénaga de Zapata), then the road goes south to Playa Giron and Caleta Buena.

From here, excursions back up the road to
Boca, Guama and its Laguna del Tesoro.

In town, also called El Caleton, or Barrio Caleton, there's a bank, a post office, a bakery, a pizzeria and not much else. Otherwise, the lone hotel, Villa Horizontes has the only activity in town, a protected beach and scuba excursions.

DISTANCES
Australia & main highway, 29
Caleta Buena, 36
Cárdenas, 114
Cienfuegos, 99
Jaguey Grande, 30
La Boca/Guama, 11
La Habana, 178
Matanzas, 150
Playa Giron, 32
Trinidad, 171
Varadero, 214

See this map.

Maps & Links here

El Bohio poster © ICAIC

Mapa prov matanzas

RESTAURANTS
Villa Horizontes, Laguna del Tesoro, La Boca

HOTEL
Villa Horizontes, 144 rooms, 50 cabinas (45) 98-7294 - Try its Club Octopus for scuba diving.

Local scuba diving instructor (tank, mask, suit, fins) with Félix, the area's Master Diver with 3,000 outings. He met Cousteau Sr. and knows all the sites on the tip of his fins. At 25cuc per hour, you gotta get wet ! tel (45) 99-71-31



Barcas on the bahia de Cochinos (Giron) © Robin Thom, flickr.com

Voleibol Terry Fox in Caleton © sogestour
Voleibol Terry Fox in Caleton © sogestour

Small bay in Caleton © sogestour
Best "do-it-yourself" excursion is taking the daily Guama Bus Tour minibus tour which goes along the bay from Guama all the way to Caleta Buena : 3cuc pp per day with unlimited stops © sogestour

MINIBUS + VIAZUL + GUAGUAS [ie, TRANSPORTATION]
Ride the whole length of the Bay of Pigs' east coast aboard a minibus from Guama Bus Tour : for 3 cuc pp for the day with stops unlimited, the ride leaves Guama and picks up riders allong the way down to the end at Caleta Buena with stops at Hotel Playa Larga (beach), Cueva de los Peces (scuba), Punta Perdiz (scuba) et Hotel Playa Girón (museum and beach) Local minibusses (guaguas) services cover the Cienaga from Playa Larga to Jaguey Grande at 8h and 16h30 from Playa Larga to Giron at 8h, 11h30, 16h30 and 20h from Giron to Playa Larga 3 x day : am, p.m. and 19h30 Route (ruta) #18 by VIAZUL to Cienfuegos and Trinidad stops at "Entronque de Jaguey (fork)" and goes on to Cienfuegos cutting across mostly barren land through La Ceiba and Yaguaramas Viazul schedule here.

This is the northern limit of the bay of Pigs (bahia de Cochinos); beyond, in back is local beach, Maquina © Antonio Ruiz

Playa Maquina at sunrise : lovely long and deserted and truly empty from October to April. In Summer (verano) it fills daylong with workers and families from Jaguey Grande. Click to enlarge.
SEE.KNOW.DO — IN THE CIENAGA
Hotel Cubanacan Villa Playa Larga (45) 98-7218, 60 bungalows (40-50cuc double), for its bar, beach and excursions to Parque La Cienaga.

Bird watching with Angel Martinez or his brother Orestes El Chino, the doyen of guides. Tel. (45) 98-7354 or 91-5539. 10cuc pp half-day. chino @zapata.atenas.inf.cu

Fly fishing - Lazaro Viñota works for the Parque national de Cienaga de Zapata and is an official fly fishing guide (Snook, Tarpon, Bonefish, Black Bass). pnacionalcz @enet.cu) Tel. (45) 91-3555

CITMA's Estacion Ecologica in Palpite once offered free board to travelers to help research bats, birds, batrachians, crocodiles and all. Tel (45) 98-7119

WORTH THE VISIT — IN THE CIENAGA
Conjunto Esculturico (Sculpture park at Laguna de Tesoro), Criadero de Cocodrilos, home for some 8,000 crocodiles (Boca de Guama), Finca Fiesta Campesina and local museum of the dismantled sugar mill, both in Australia, Museo de la Comandancia (Cuban HQ during Bay of Pigs invasion), in Australia's old sugar mill office) Museo de Playa Girón (Playa Giron) : exhibits of some of the arms used in fighting off the invasion attempt; biographies of 156 Cubans who died defending the sovereignty of their country; Villa Guama, the hotel reachable only by boat (45-min ride, 10cuc) on the Laguna del Tesoro, the 92 sq km lake : well worth a couple of nights; mornings and sunsets are glorious in the epicentre of nature, water, a bird sanctuary.

GUAMA BUS TOUR
Ride the whole length of the Bay of Pigs' east coast aboard a minibus from Guama Bus Tour : for 3 cuc pp for the day with stops unlimited, the ride leaves Guama and picks up riders allong the way down to the end at Caleta Buena with stops at Hotel Playa Larga (beach), Cueva de los Peces (scuba), Punta Perdiz (scuba) et Hotel Playa Girón (museum and beach)
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 : 15-20 per bedroom per night [up to 40+ for 4 in a room] on the peninsula de Zapata; breakfasts 3-5cuc, dinners 7-10cuc. ::: Any casa particular anywhere in Cuba must have a hot water shower, otherwise it cannot have a permit to rent ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net

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PLAYAGIRON JAGUEY
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. Google translate here••• HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE ••• CELL PHONE NUMBERS on our town lists and casa pages are preceded by 05 for calls originating Havana; from anywhere else in Cuba, dial 015 + the 7 digits of the cell.

BOOK BY EMAIL :
Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address. Spanish vocabulary here.
Click photos to open page,
read description and see more pictures.
Locate town in region on this map.
See Playa Larga - Caleton casas in sequence.

Click logo to see next.

HOSTAL DAYAMI
Two aircon mini apartments with ensuites — bayview
Located in Bahia Caleton off the bay of Pigs (Cochinos). Public beach is one-minute walk away. Tel. (45) 98-71-45




ENRIQUE RIVAS FENTE
One aircon bedroom with ensuite — bayview
Located in Bahia Caleton off the bay of Pigs (Cochinos). Public beach is one-minute walk away. Tel. (45) 98-7178 or (45) 98-73-54



VILLA MARIETA
One aircon bedroom with ensuite — bayside
Located in Bahia Caleton off the bay of Pigs (Cochinos). Public beach is one-minute walk away. Tel. (45) 98-7124 cellular (5) 225-1034

VILLA MARIETA © sogestour

CASA FEFA
One aircon bedroom with ensuite — bayside
Located on the small bay in Caleton. Public beach Public beach is one-min walk away. Tel. (45) 98-71-33

CASA FEFA © sogestour

EDENIS y ERNESTO
Two aircon bedrooms, shared bath — bayside
Located in Caleton facing casa Fefa. Public beach is one-min walk away. Tel. (45) 98-72-78

Edenis_comedor © sogestour

MIRTA NAVARRO GONZÁLEZ
One aircon bedroom with ensuite — in village
Located in Caleton, in front of the Panaderia. Public beach is 2-min walk away. Tel. (45) 98-73-15

MIRTA NAVARRO GONZÁLEZ © sogestour

AMERIS y FELIX
One aircon bedroom with ensuite — in village
Located in Caleton, in the neighbourhood called Batey Mario López. Public beach is 2-min walk away. Tel. (45) 99-71-31

Ameris y Felix © sogestour

LA JULIANA
One aircon bedroom with ensuite — riverside
Located in Caleton, in the neighbourhood called Batey Mario López. Public beach or Caleton is 2-min walk away. Tel (45) 98- 7436 Cell. 05 283-4387





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PlayaGiron
Also in the region
OUR CASA LIST BEGINS HERE
REGIONAL MAP HERE
CIENAGA JAGUEY
PLAYAGIRON PLAYALARGA

The road to here from Playa Larga is dull : you don't see the bay most of the time, just rows of bushes and trees right and left. A nice stop along the way is El Galeon with its restaurant (low-priced veggy buffet for lunch), lookout and dive center — El Cocodrilito. Scuba dubas hang around Giron if only to marvel at the undersea world off Caleta Buena, a few k's past.

Little
Museo Municipal Playa Giron tells the step by step lost battle of the exiles in 1961.

Laid-back and mostly deserted
Hotel Horizontes Playa Giron is mid-range, stretched along a man-made breaker (rompeolas) which protects the beach.

Its swimming pool and bar are about the only action in this sleepy town but typically too
loud on weekends when Cubans invade the hotel with families, loud music, drunken binges and loud music.
Did we mention
loud music ?

DISTANCES
Australia & main highway, 60
Caleta Buena, 4
Cárdenas, 114
Cienfuegos, 131 (81 via Covadonga)
Jaguey Grande, 61
La Boca/Guama, 11
La Habana, 210
Matanzas, 150
Playa Larga/Caleton, 32
Trinidad, 171
Varadero, 214

See Playa Giron map.

Maps & Links here

Bay of Pigs Invasion-era poster © ICAIC

Mapa prov matanzas

RESTAURANTS
Casa del Mar, El Galeon, El Pirata, Victoria; Pio Cuá, Rancho Benito, in Caleta Buena; and the paladar KS ABELLA in Giron

GUAGUAS
Local minibus (guaguas) services cover the Cienaga from Playa Larga to Jaguey Grande at 8h and 16h30 from Playa Larga to Giron at 8h, 11h30, 16h30 and 20h from Giron to Playa Larga 3 x day : am, p.m. and 19h30

VIAZUL
Route (ruta) #18 from Havana to Cienfuegos and Trinidad turns south from the highway (Autopista) at "Entronque de Jaguey (fork)" and goes through Giron town along the bay and on to Cienfuegos cutting across mostly barren land through La Ceiba and Yaguaramas; schedule here.

Local scuba diving instructor (tank, mask, suit, fins) is Ronel Almeida. He knows all the sites from Larga to Giron and beyond. At 25cuc per hour, you gotta get wet ! Cell 015 311-7389 or 015 311-8699
Playa Giron © Johnsen, pbase.com
The dining room and paladar at the Hostal KS Abella click for more © ksa

El Galeon © sogestour
View from El Galeon, on the way to Giron © sogestour

Playa Giron © Johnsen, pbase.com
One happy fisherman with his twin catches of the day from the bahia de Cochinos : no doubt, he'll enjoy them prepared uniquely by the Chef at Hostal K.S. Abella © hostal ks abella

Barcas on playa Giron © Robin Thom, flickr.com
Part of the coral scenery divers can enjoy in the bay; this one © Hostal KS Abella staff

Click for Playa Giron, Cuba Forecast
The temperature at this very moment in Playa Giron


The small village is 60 km from the main highway at the "entronque" (fork). "Rompeolas" is the breaker for the local beach.
Town boasts a Museo Municipal dedicated to the battle of the Bay of Pigs, a Casa de la Cultura, a large budget-clas resort property with cabinas and a beach. And a few nice casas to rest and recuperate in.
SEE.KNOW.DO — IN THE CIENAGA
Hotel Cubanacan Playa Giron (45) 98-4110, 282 rooms (45cuc double) mostly in bungalows, for its bar, food and scuba diving centre (14 dive sites : minimum 25cuc per dive, 5 for 100). Link here.

Museo Municipal Playa Giron (45) 98-4122 is worth the ride here with its salas of artefacts from the famous Bay of Pigs invasion; nice to watch the short documentary named First defeat of US imperialism in the Americas which 50 years later is still stuck in the throat of the CIA-backed gusanos breathing their last gasps on calle Ocho in My, Am Me.

Bird watching with Angel Martinez or his brother Orestes El Chino, the doyen of guides. Tel. (45) 98-7354 or 91-5539. 10cuc pp half-day. chino @zapata.atenas.inf.cu

Scuba diving with Felix, master of his water domain with over 3.000 dives; has met Commandant Cousteau; knows every single site on the tip of his fins. Tel. (45) 99-7131

Fly fishing - Lazaro Viñota works for the Parque national de Cienaga de Zapata and is an official fly fishing guide (Snook, Tarpon, Bonefish, Black Bass). pnacionalcz @enet.cu) Tel. (45) 91-3555

CITMA's Estacion Ecologica in Palpite once offered free board to travelers to help research bats, birds, batrachians, crocodiles and all. Tel (45) 98-7119

WORTH THE VISIT — IN THE CIENAGA
Conjunto Esculturico (Sculpture park at Laguna de Tesoro), Criadero de Cocodrilos, home for some 8,000 crocodiles (Boca de Guama), Finca Fiesta Campesina and local museum of the dismantled sugar mill, both in Australia, Museo de la Comandancia (Cuban HQ during Bay of Pigs invasion), in Australia's old sugar mill office) Museo de Playa Girón (Playa Giron) : exhibits of some of the arms used in fighting off the invasion attempt; biographies of 156 Cubans who died defending the sovereignty of their country; Villa Guama, the hotel reachable only by boat (45-min ride, 10cuc) on the Laguna del Tesoro, the 92 sq km lake : well worth a couple of nights; mornings and sunsets are glorious in the epicentre of nature, water, a bird sanctuary.

GUAMA BUS TOUR
Ride the whole length of the Bay of Pigs' east coast aboard a minibus from Guama Bus Tour : for 3 cuc pp for the day with stops unlimited, the ride leaves Guama and picks up riders allong the way down to the end at Caleta Buena with stops at Hotel Playa Larga (beach), Cueva de los Peces (scuba), Punta Perdiz (scuba) et Hotel Playa Girón (museum and beach)
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 : 15-20 per bedroom per night [up to 40+ for 4 in a room] on the peninsula de Zapata; 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 ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net

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PLAYALARGA JAGUEY
BOOK BY PHONE
• From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by Jaguey Grande's area code, 45) • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by Jaguey Grande's area code, 45) ••• HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE ••• CELL PHONE NUMBERS on our town lists and casa pages are preceded by 05 for calls originating Havana; from anywhere else in Cuba, dial 015 + the 7 digits of the cell.

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


HOSTAL LUIS y MARLEY
At the corner with Giron's main street (Casa de la Cultura, etc) coming from the fork at the entrance of the village, on the road leading to Caleta Buena, steps from the hotel and beach. Tel. (45) 98-4258

HOSTAL LUIS y MARLEY © sogestour


RONEL y IVETTE
About 500 m left at the first fork coming from Playa Larga, on the left-hand side, leading to Casa de la Cultura and the intersection with the camino principal. Cell 05 311-7389 or 05 311-8699

RONEL y IVETTE © sogestour
K. S. ABELLA + PALADAR
Playa Giron, about 500 m left at the first fork coming from Playa Larga, on the left-hand side, leading to Casa de la Cultura and the intersection with the camino principal. Tel. (45) 98-4383

K. S. ABELLA © sogestour

LORENZO y ZOILA
Playa Giron, 50 meters from camino principal. Coming from the beach intersection, left after the high edificios. Tel. (45) 98-4296

LORENZO Y ZOILA © sogestour

ANA y CARLOS
Playa Giron village casa #39, about 500 m left at the first fork coming from Playa Larga, near corner of the camino principal; neighbour of K.S. Abella Tel. (45) 98-4341

ANA y CARLOS RIZO

GERALDO ACOSTA
Playa Giron, 50 meters from camino principal Tel. (45) 98-4288

GERALDO ACOSTA © sogestour

MERCEDES y MARIO V
Behind Giron's main buildings, beach at 500m. Tel (45) 98-4138

Casa_Inconocida © sogestour

VILLA MERCI V
From the town's main intersection, on the way to Caleta Buena. Tel (45) 98-4304


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Jaguey Grande
Also in the region
OUR CASA LIST BEGINS HERE
REGIONAL MAP HERE
CIENAGA JAGUEY
PLAYAGIRON PLAYALARGA
Some 500 meters from the trans-island autopista, on the way to Cienfuegos and Trinidad, gateway to Zapata Peninsula, this city of 57,000 grew in the golden era of sugar exports as the human resources supplier of Central Australia, the sugar mill by the highway.

The local sugar mill was dismantled in 2003 and its office building turned into a museum, the
Museo de la Comandancia.

The area is still quite active but the sugar mill staff has been recycled into teachers, instructors and other jobs since 2002, when the dismantling of most of the sugar mill network began.

Before the Revolucion, the area numbered 877 privately-owned farms growing over some 30,000 acres; before the dismantling of the Russian empire, the local grove was said to cover 115,000 acres and was probably
the largest in the world under one management. Most harvests were the work of students and overall, about 27,000 workers were caring and picking full-time. Some 80% of citrus were red grapefruits (Henderson, Rio Red and Star Ruby varieties), the rest is limes and a few tangerines, mostly for export.

Today, joint ventures, with most notably
Israel takes up a fourth of the total Cuban production and limes are on the way up as demand from the US is increasing; also, local processing facilities are capable of producing the juice qualities demanded by U.S. consumers.

Hurricane
damages hit the citrus industry very hard in 2001 and 2005. Overall the government reported a 2007 citrus crop of 469,000 tonnes, compared with more than 800,000 tonnes in 2004.

In 2008, 35,000 tonnes of grapefruit and around 3,500 tonnes of oranges
were lost after hurricane Ike ravaged the area.

DISTANCES
Caleta Buena, 66
Cárdenas, 114
Cienfuegos, 94
Colon, 43
Criadero de Cocodrilos, 15
La Boca/Guama, 72
La Habana, 150
Matanzas, 90
Playa Giron, 62
Playa Larga/Caleton, 30
La Habana, 146
Trinidad, 141
Trans-island highway (autopista), 1
Varadero, 90

Bay of Pigs Invasion-era poster © ICAIC

Maps & Links here

Regional map here
Mapa prov matanzas

kingdom of the citricos industry © Azerefu, panoramio
Peaceful kingdom of the
citricos industry © Azerefu, panoramio

Palacio del Pueblo + Chevrolet Naranjo © Cubanos 2112
Palacio del Pueblo + Chevrolet Naranjo © Cubanos 2112

Finca Fiesta Campesina, the Finquita restaurant © Lordcafe, panoramio
Finca Fiesta Campesina, the
Finquita restaurant © Lordcafe, panoramio


"Death to the invador",
the rallying cry was not heeded : Fidel sent the failing 1,290 CIA-supported exiles to prison for one year and then returned them to Florida in exchange for food and medication. ©

SEE.KNOW.DO
Hotel Batey Don Pedro (45) 91-2825, 10 cottages (35cuc double), for its green surroundings and the neighbouring Finca (Farm) Fiesta Campesina. Link

Direccion Municipal de Cultura of Jaguey Grande can point to some monuments and other noteworthy sites, such as

Boca de Guama is a tourist complex purportedly showing a aboriginal culture including snacks and restaurant, gift shop, a tiny croc show but mainly the dockfrom where to cruise or cross Laguna del Tesoro and reach Villa Guama, the lakeside hotel.

Finca Fiesta Campesina, nearby : typical Cuban cuisine feasts in a typical campesina farm.

Museo de la Comandancia, (Tue-Sun), the building used by Fidel to oversee the fight for the island's sovereignty, attacked by US-backed exiles in what was called the Bay of Pigs; the spot was the office of the Central Australia sugar mill, 500 meters from the autopista.

Criadero de Crocodilos (8-5pm), a breeding farm and Cuba's first environmental protection scheme, launched in 1962; a tiny zoo and ceramic shop — Taller de Ceramica —are on premises or nearby.

VIAZUL + GUAGUAS
Get here from La Habana on route (ruta) #18 by VIAZUL which goes to Cienfuegos and Trinidad; the bus stops at "Entronque de Jaguey (fork)" before turning south : this is where you get off and cross the highway to enter Jaguey Grande; the bus goes through Giron town along the bay of Pigs (Cochinos) and on to Cienfuegos cutting across mostly barren land through La Ceiba and Yaguaramas; Viazul schedule here. ::: Local minibus (guaguas) services cover the Cienaga from Playa Larga to Jaguey Grande at 8h and 16h30 from Playa Larga to Giron at 8h, 11h30, 16h30 and 20h from Giron to Playa Larga 3 x day : am, p.m. and 19h30

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PLAYALARGA PLAYAGIRON
BOOK BY PHONE
• From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by Jaguey Grande's area code, 45) • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by Jaguey Grande's area code, 45) ••• HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE ••• CELL PHONE NUMBERS on our town lists and casa pages are preceded by 05 for calls originating Havana; from anywhere else in Cuba, dial 015 + the 7 digits of the cell.

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

Click photos to open page, read description and see more pictures. Locate town in region on this map.
See Jaguey Grande casas in sequence.

Click logo to see next.

CASA DE ZULEIDA
Calle 15 A #7211, entre 72 y 74, front of common garden. Tel. (45) 91-3674 Cell (5) 290-9402

CASA DE ZULEIDA © sogestour


LAZARO y MARIA
Calle 17 n°74C02 entre 74C y 76, close to the city hospital. Tel. (45) 91-3555



LAS DELICIAS DE NERI
Calle 1c No. 3804 B, entre 38 y 40, Reparto Las Delicias Tel. (45) 91-2021 Cell (5) 277-5067



VIOLETA PITA V
Calle 58 #1718, entre 17 y 19, Tel. (45) 91-2690

Jaguey Grande • Casa de Violeta Pita © sogestour

CASA BERTHA
Calle 52 # 1727 entre 17 y 19, further into town, blocks from bars and commercial activity.
Tel. (45) 91-2116 or 91-2310.



CASA CARI
Calle 52 # 1739 entre 17 y 19, close to preceding - No phone




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Content & photos © sogestour

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Updated 08.04.2013