Getting Around, Baracoa Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Baracoa, Guantánamo, Cuba)
Getting to Baracoa can be a complicated procedure unless done entirely by air travel, as it is as far as you can get from almost everywhere else on the large island of
Cuba. Due to the city's isolated location, there is no train service, and local transport is by truck, bici-taxi (three- or four-wheel bicycles with two seats under a canopy) or simply horse and cart.
A typical multi-transport route to the city would involve a flight or train from
Havana to
Santiago de Cuba, then an air-conditioned bus to Baracoa. However, travelling from other farther-flung destinations is highly time-consuming and, although cheap, far from comfortable.
Gustavo Rizo Airport (BCA) / Arriving by Air
Address: Carretera del Aeropuerto, Baracoa, Cuba, CU
Tel: +53 021 64 5376
Baracoa's nearest air travel hub is Gustavo Rizo Airport, a very limited facility which provides infrequent Cuban domestic routes, including Santiago de Cuba, Havana via the national carrier Cubana de Aviacion, plus Aerogaviota and Aerocaribbean. Located around 4 km / 2.5 miles west of the city and just a short distance from the Hotel Porto Santo, the facilities are shared with the military and car rental is available. It is worth noting that bus transport to the airport is often fully booked, and so don't overlook this.
Car Rental
Car rental in Baracoa is the best option for travelling around the region, as bus services can be tricky and uncomfortable, as well as taking a long time due to frequent stops. Visitors might like to note that one car hire company, Gaviota Car Rental, is a self-financing initiative organised by the Cuban military which also offers guided tours in the Baracoa region. Other car hire companies are located in the city centre and at Gustavo Rizo Airport.
Buses and Coaches
The Baracoan version of 'bus' for local journeys is an open-topped truck into which locals pile until it is full, hence the recommendation of car hire as the best way to travel around. Real buses run from Santiago de Cuba to Baracoa on alternate days, a four-hour journey, but tight schedules should be avoided as this route is often fully booked well in advance. Buses to Guantanamo are reserved for passengers taking the train at that destination, the closest rail station to the city.
Taxis
Bici-taxis are a popular means of travel here, although they often double their charges for visitors. Taxi transport is available at the airport, around town and via hotel front desks. In general, taxis are mostly used by tourists and so are not especially cheap, although they are metered. The majority of sites of interest in the city, as well as the beaches, are easily reached on foot.
Boats and Ferries
There are no direct international ferry routes to Cuba. However, it may be possible to travel by boat from the harbour to nearby coastal destinations.
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