Image by G??nter Gr??ner / Getty Images

Guantánamo Province

A fantasy land of crinkled mountains and exuberant foliage, the Cuban Guantánamo remains a galaxy away from modern America in ambience. That doesn't stop most people associating it with the United States Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which continues in operation, though downsized. Off the base, the region’s isolated valleys and wild coastal microclimates (arid in the south, lush in the north) are Cuba at its most mysterious and esoteric. Herein lie primitive musical subgenres, little-known Afro-Cuban religious rites, and echoes of an indigenous Taíno culture supposedly wiped out by the Spanish centuries ago – or so you thought.

Though brutally battered by Hurricane Matthew in October, 2016, Baracoa and its rural surroundings remain the regional highlight, closely followed by the vibrant endemism of the semivirgin Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt. Further west, the city of Guantánamo, perennially bypassed by most travelers, represents the Cuba rarely tasted by tourists.

Explore Guantánamo Province

0

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Guantánamo Province.

  • Mountain

    El Yunque

    Baracoa's rite of passage is the 8km (up and down) hike to the top of this moody, mysterious mountain. Views from the summit (575m) and the flora and…

  • Park

    Zoológico de Piedras

    Surreal even by Cuban standards, the Zoológico de Piedras is an animal sculpture park set amid thick foliage in the grounds of a mountain coffee farm,…

  • Park

    Parque Natural Majayara

    Southeast of town in the Parque Natural Majayara are a couple of magical hikes and swimming opportunities plus an archaeological trail in the grounds of a…

  • Fort

    Fuerte Matachín

    Baracoa is protected by a trio of muscular Spanish forts. This one, built in 1802 at the southern entrance to town, houses the Museo Municipal. The small…

  • Museum

    Palacio Salcines

    Local architect Leticio Salcines (1888–1973) left a number of impressive works around Guantánamo, including his personal residence built in 1916, a lavish…

  • River

    Río Toa

    Ten kilometers northwest of Baracoa, the Toa is the third-longest river on the north coast of Cuba and the country's most voluminous. It's also an…

  • Farm

    Finca Duaba

    Five kilometers out of Baracoa on the road to Moa and then 1km inland, Finca Duaba offers a fleeting taste of the Baracoan countryside. It's a verdant…

  • Museum

    Casa del Cacao

    Baracoa, you will quickly ascertain (via your nose), is the center of Cuba's chocolate industry; cacao is grown hereabouts and subsequently chocolate-ized…

  • Square

    Parque Martí

    Anchored by the tiny Parroquia de Santa Catalina de Riccis from 1863, the renovated Parque Martí features information boards and a clutch of interesting…

  • Fort

    Castillo de Seboruco

    Baracoa's highest fort was begun by the Spanish in 1739 and finished by the Americans in 1900. Barely recognizable as a fort these days, it serves as…

  • Beach

    Playa Maguana

    There's magic in this relatively undeveloped Caribbean beach where fun-seeking Cubans roll up in their vintage American cars and haul boomboxes out to the…

  • Beach

    Playa Manglito

    Sweet and low-key Playa Manglito lies west of Boca de Yumurí, offering dead-easy access, a peaceful stretch of beach and a few restaurant options that…

  • Beach

    Playita de Cajobabo

    Cajobabo's main beach is stony and flanked by dramatic cliffs, but nonetheless makes a good snorkeling spot. Follow the road's eastern end over a headland…

  • Beach

    Playa Duaba

    Heading north on the Moa road, take the Hotel Porto Santo/airport turnoff and continue for 2km past the airport runway to a black-sand beach at the river…

  • Square

    Plaza Mariana Grajales

    The huge, bombastic Monument to the Heroes, glorifying the Brigada Fronteriza 'that defends the forward trench of socialism on this continent,' dominates…

  • Lighthouse

    Faro de Maisí

    Remove your shoes for the meditative, spiraling climb up 144 wooden stairs to the top of the lighthouse for 360-degree views of the point from 30-some…

  • Library

    Biblioteca Policarpo Pineda Rustán

    An architectural gift from Leticio Salcines is this beautiful provincial library that was once the city hall (1934–51). Trials for Fulgencio Batista's…

  • Fort

    Fuerte de la Punta

    This Spanish fort has watched over the harbor entrance at the northwestern end of town since 1803. The super thick, hurricane-resistant walls now hide a…