Baracoa Beach represents a great experience for me because I was able to be in the first city founded in Cuba. This area is located in the province of Guantánamo, treasures in a large mountainous massif an abundant endemic vegetation.
Crystal clear rivers and beautiful beaches converge here to offer the best scenarios to tourists. Another of the great treasures that this beach has is the Alejandro Humboldt National Park.
I chose Baracoa Beach because without a doubt it is the best destination in Cuba, its cobbled streets, its colonial architecture and old mansions that I could see along Fuerte la Punta, are the perfect setting to experience the best vacations in Cuba.
Another characteristic of this place is that not everything is a beach, here there is fun on land and sea, here you will find great mountains, a park, ancient fortresses that date back to the history of the struggle for this territory.
If you are really looking for fun you are in the right place. How wonderful it is to be able to live a day at the beach, another climbing a mountain and another visiting a beautiful park. It’s your time, visit Cuba and fall in love with everything that its beaches, parks and streets have.
Long before traveling to Cuba I had already reserved my room at Finca Los Orichas located in Baracoa Beach, this meant that when I arrived at the airport a vehicle from this complex picked me up at the airport to take me to the place.
I arrived and apparently everything was as seen in the photos, from the car I could see the infrastructure and the details, everything looked very good. This place was a house converted into an inn. Once inside I was received, my reservation was verified and I was given the key to the room. To use the wifi service I used a card that they gave me because it came as part of the reservation.
I went to the room and everything was simple but it looked good, nothing bad and I remembered that I was in Cuba, in this case the attention is worth more to me, to feel the human quality when receiving some kind of service. The trip was very long so the first thing I did was sleep, the room was very colorful, it had many red tones but what could I do, I missed the white sheets. I took a bath and dedicated myself to rest that day.
When I woke up I ordered my room service, in 10 minutes they were already knocking on my door, I woke up very hungry and wanted to have a good cup of coffee. The food was delicious, the juice and coffee the same, in addition to the very fresh fruits. I took a bath and then went out to explore Finca Los Orichas to see what was good there.
I found a pretty nice bar and I went over to it, I started talking to the bar manager, he welcomed me to Cuba and thanked me for choosing the place to stay. He served me a beer and placed some snacks next to it, the atmosphere looked very good, there was good music and some people who also stayed there enjoyed the pool and recreational activities for the children.
While I had a couple more beers I listened to the anecdotes that they told me here in the bar, then Ramiro one of the tenants arrived and joined our conversation, he was a Colombian and was spending his vacations in Cuba.
Ramiro was delighted with Cuba but he also told us about his love for Colombia and all the good things they have there, he took advantage of the moment and invited me to Cartagena de Indias, he offered to receive me.
After a few hours of conversation we went into the pool and continued drinking beer, we were having a great time until we got hungry and went to the Finca Los Orichas restaurant.
We ate fish, salad and cane juice. The food was delicious and to complement it we ordered chocolate cake for dessert. Here I had a great time, you feel a good family atmosphere.
I read a lot before staying at Hostal Casa Yonel y Kirenia in Baracoa Beach, the place is named after its owners.
When I finally got here I met them, beyond shaking my hand they gave me a big hug and welcomed me to the island. His little son Sean was also there and with a big smile he said welcome to my home. The place is beautiful, they have different types of services and they really adjust to what we as tourists are looking for.
When I arrived there was a big party there that the owners organized for the tenants, we were all foreigners and their intention was to give us the best welcome. There was food, rum, beer and good music.
I really can’t complain, the welcome was on another level. There were people of different nationalities there and we had the opportunity to get to know each other, talk about our cultures and the plans we had to carry out on the island.
The rooms here are very good, you can rest. They have air conditioning service, cleaning and food service to the room. Everything was very clean and well organized.
When I was there they gave me 1 hour of free wifi, I was able to browse without using my card, I liked that a lot. Another thing that I liked is that Yonel and Kerinia guide you on the best tourist sites in Baracoa Beach and even accompany you if you wish. Together with them I lived great experiences that I will relate below.
It took 2 hours to climb the hot and humid plateau, while we were climbing I could see the wealth of flora and fauna found here, all protected by the Government of Cuba.
A large plateau of more than 500 meters located in Baracoa Beach was the place that allowed me to live the most unforgettable moment of this trip together with Yonel and Kirenia. Both recommended me to visit it because here I would have the opportunity to do many things at the same time.
The song of the birds was mesmerizing as the sweat ran down my body. The waterfall trail was one of the activities we did, this involved a tour of captivating and beautiful forests that took my breath away.
At the end of the hike, that same path took us to pools of crystal clear water, what I saw was beautiful and Yonel invited me to get in. I kept my underwear on and jumped into the water without thinking, it was cold but refreshing. I got under the water jets and relaxed, I deserved to live this moment.
If you want to know all the history of the city, you have to make a mandatory visit to Fort Matachín, now converted into a museum.
This place keeps the vestiges of struggle and courage for the defense of what is now Baracoa Beach. As I walked I could see many cannons, weapons, rooms that served as shelter during conflicts. There are also many interesting elements that were used during this time and I was able to observe them there.
This Museum is located on the seashore, at its base the waves break and you can see Baracoa Beach in all its splendor. From there you can see the dynamism of the place, the people and the vibrant colors of the houses. Large cannons still rest there and I took the opportunity to take photos with Yonel and Kirenia, this tour had the help of a chronicler who explained the whole history of the place and the importance it has for Cuba.
Yonel and Keriana were very happy to make them part of this moment, they thanked me and also explained to me some interesting things about this fascinating place, they told me how proud they are. Here you can also see a huge statue of Christopher Columbus as a symbol of struggle and defense.
A beautiful two-story house serves as the perfect setting to receive Cubans and tourists who want to spend a different night and that is what I spent in the company of Yonel and Kirenia, a night of dancing and fun.
We started drinking and chatting while enjoying the fresh air. The authentic Cuban Mojito dominated the table, what a great drink. They told me that thanks to their business they can have a somewhat different lifestyle.
We raise our mojitos and toast to how well they were doing, to welcoming me and to everything that comes into our lives. We ate grilled, the meat was exquisite and the pork was also unbeatable, the food they prepare here is too good, I really loved it. The attention is fabulous and you can see the love and commitment in what they do.
The lights of the facade give an interesting touch to the place. I like the musical background, thanks to this we danced all night, jumped and laughed non-stop. We had a great time, it’s worth coming here, I felt comfortable.
I want to thank Yonel and Keriana because they made this trip the best experience, I take their friendship in my heart, their love and great attention. Without them this adventure would have been one more but it was worth it. The climb to the plateau will be unbeatable, in this place you breathe peace, you connect with yourself and you can breathe fresh air. I loved seeing the sea of Cuba again, its strength, courage and roar at all times.
Cuban cuisine is delicious, I love eating here and enjoying every dish they give me. The drinks are exquisite, well made and taste better if I drink them in a good atmosphere surrounded by friends. Getting to know other cultures was another of the things that I liked about this wonderful trip, feeling the smile and charisma of others is unmatched. Baracoa Beach is the best Cuba has to offer, so come and visit it.