Baracoa

Introduction

View over Baracoa, east Cuba

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Baracoa is a small city on the southeastern coast of Cuba and is located among fantastic beaches and tropical rainforest. It is one of the most beautifully located places in all of Cuba and has a distinct tropical feeling.

Neighbourhoods

Sights and Activities

• Nearby Parque Nacional Alejandro Humboldt is a tropical rainforest park with great hikes
• Beaches

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting There

By Plane

There is a flight to Baracoa from Havana twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays with Cubana de Aviación.

By Train

There is no rail line to Baracoa.

By Car

By Bus

Viazul leaves from Santiago de Cuba at 7.30am every day.

By Boat

There are no connections to other places in Cuba or further away.

Getting Around

Fidel watches his people

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By Car

By Public Transport

There is a tourist bus which will take you to Maguana Beach every day. It leaves at about 11am from the central square (in front of the church). It costs 5 CUC for a return trip.

By Foot

Local beaches can be reached by foot or by bici-taxi. By foot you can reach Playa Blanca, El Puerto, La cueva and the indigineous museum.

By Bike

Eat

Drink

Sleep

There are two main options in Baracoa: hotels and casa particulars (private guesthouses).

Hotels

• Hotel Gaviota Villa Maguana - Located about 20 kilometres outside Baracoa on the beautiful beach of Maguana
• Hostal La Habanero - Located in the centre of Baracoa
• Hotel Porto Santo - A little outside Baracoa overlooking the bay. Has its own private beach and swimming pool.
• Hotel El Castillio - Close to the centre overlooking the town of Baracoa and the sea. Has a swimming pool.
• Hotel La Rusa - On the Malecon (boardwalk) in Baracoa.

Casa Particulares

There are numerous casa particulares in Baracoa.

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Work

Learn

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

Correos de Cuba operates the Cuban postal service. They are generally quite slow, and delivery is never guaranteed. Mail is read by Cuba’s censors; avoid politically sensitive comments. Also, never send cash! Post offices (correos) usually are open weekdays 8:00am to 6:00pm and on Saturday 8:00am to 3:00pm, but hours can vary widely. Most tourist hotels accept mail for delivery as well, which might be a better option. International airmail (correo aereo) averages from at least 2 weeks to over one month, and even domestic posts might take 1-2 weeks. When mailing from Cuba, write at least the country destination in Spanish (as well). International postcards, cost CUC 0.50 to all destinations; letters cost CUC 0.80. Within Cuba, letters cost from 15 centavos (20 grams or less) to 2.05 pesos (up to 500 grams); postcards cost 10 centavos. Stamps are available in US dollars as well (if buying at hotels, this is actually your only option) and can be bought at hotels and blue and white kiosks labelled Correos de Cuba. Parcels from Cuba must be unwrapped for inspection. It is far better to send packages through an express courier service, like DHL or the Cuban local one (called EMS), although the same regulation applies.