To ‘pass’ from your boat to main land Cuba, and back again, you must use designated Marinas as access points. The only Marina in Santiago de Cuba’s harbour is 10 km south of the city. This does put you near the harbour entrance where the water is cleaner, the area is not as developed and you get more of a sea breeze. But unfortunately it means visiting the city is not as easy as a short walk. There is a local bus that will take you from the town of Punta Gorda, where the Marina is, and Santiago de Cuba, but it makes frequent stops, can take many hours and has no regular schedule. The few cruisers who had taken it warned us it was awful and we were better off to taxi share. A return taxi trip (they get so few trips they will wait for you) is between 15-20CUC (1CUC=$1). They will take up to 4 passengers, so it can work out quite economical and hassle free taking that option.
But the city is not the only attraction in the area. There is plenty to see in and around the Marina. If you are not bogged down tracing leaks, fixing alternators and repairing the head again life goes on around your anchored boat. You can ‘people watch’ as families enjoy the rocky beaches that surround you, fisherman cast lines and nets and snorkellers set off into the bay with only a bag tied to a floating buoy to tell you they are out there. Giant cargo ships and even the occasional small cruise ship pass you by as they head north to the main port. And then there is the tourists, which of course we are one of. They pile onto tour boats in the Marina that take them all over the harbour on site seeing tours.
As a guest of the Marina you are welcome to jump onto any of these tours ‘for free’. The high light of the harbour tours is a visit to Cayo Granma. This is a small inhabited island right inside the mouth of the harbour. Although the island was hit badly by Hurricane Sandy, most of the homes have been rebuilt or repaired, and it is a pleasure to wander its narrow friendly streets lined with flowering bushes and vegetable gardens. People will try to drag you off to their own little cafe or a friends, but no one is too ‘pushy’, just ‘eager’, as the big restaurant right at the docks gets most of the tourist dollar. Do try and visit one of these little cafes, if you can, as they will often pull in some local musicians to entertain you, the atmosphere is lovely and you get better value for your money.
The Marina tourist boats pass below the great fort built into the towering cliffs that guard the harbours entrance, but unfortunately they do not stop here. You will have to find your own way if you would like to visit the Castillo de Morro and the light house here. You can take the ‘penny’ ferry, 1CUC for tourist, and walk the 3 miles up hill to the fort or wimp out and catch a taxi for 3CUC/each way from the ferry dock. That works out to 10CUC/couple. If you can find some one to share a taxi with it is a 12CUC return trip (6CUC/couple). The fort is huge and dramatic, but only the top half is open to the public. We had timed our arrival with the evening ‘firing of the canon’ by actors in traditional dress, but found the performance had been canceled that evening. Our disappointment clear the guard snuck us into the fort for half price. If you like ‘pill boxes’, canons and dramatic views it is worth the usual 4CUC/person entry fee. The fort is a real tourist attraction so the lane leading up is lined with souvenir, cigar and rum vendors. There is also a restaurant, that comes highly recommended by another cruiser, but be aware it is only open until 6:30pm. There are also a few ‘real’ cigar shops where you can purchase real Cuban cigar, a bit more expensive then street fair, but you will be guaranteed not to get ‘hand rolled banana leaves’.
Our taxi driver, an honest and well meaning chap, tried to recommend the restaurant opposite his house and right across the water from our anchored boats. He had insisted that it had a good fish dinner for only 39 pesos (25 pesos=$1)and very fresh. A glass of beer was only 6 pesos. He was as disappointed as us when the restaurant owner refused to give us local price. It seems we will be encountering this through most of Cuba. Even public transport charges the tourist a different rate. In one way I understand that the people here are very poor and the government has to subsidize them, especially when it comes to public transport. But some of the restaurant owners and shops are a little greedy charging tourist double, triple and even try 10 times the local cost. But it is still dirt cheap, just naughty.
We are headed back to the city tomorrow. Going to try and find some sort of internet, so I can show you some pictures. We also need to stock up on groceries for the coming few weeks as we are off soon further down the south coast and the Cays towards Cienfuegos (centre of Cuba’s south coast). There will be few, if any, chances to pick up anything other then fish and lobster between here and there. I am looking forward to laughing at the humans trying to barter in the fruit and vegetable market with their rubbish Spanish. I would film it for your entertainment if it were not for the fact I will never have a fast enough internet connection to share it with you. You have to go to the markets here as the ‘so called’ grocery stores only sell ‘limited’ dry and canned foods. I will tell you how they fare!
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Photos, google charts and additional information on the link below.
Review of Southern Cuba Part 1- including the pictures you missed
