Where ever you are in Cuba do ask around. Marina staff and fellow cruisers are the best resources in this country to get information. From them you will get the most ‘up to date’ information on where to find things and how to get around.
My humans wanted to visit the well preserved historical town of Trinidad about 80km (50 miles) from Cienfuegos. They found 3 options.
(1) Public transport.
There is a big central bus terminal in Cienfuegos where all the bus leave from. It is about a 30 minute walk (1 CUC bicycle taxi) from the Marina. Tickets to Trinidad are 6 CUC/person/each way.
Buses leave Cienfuegos in the early afternoon for Trinidad and the last bus returns from Trinadad for Cienfuegos at 5pm. (2) Rent a car.
The cost ranged from 100-150 CUC/day.
Cost is based on availability and size and state of the vehicle. You can book one from most of the large international hotels. This gives you the freedom to stop where ever you like. There is problems with lack of any road signs, bring a good map or a tablet with maps and GPS, and be extra careful distinguishing between one and two way traffic on dual carriage ways. (3) Rent a car and driver.
Most of the drivers we talked to charge between 40-50 CUC/day.
They will usually take up to 4 passengers, but have a good look at the size of their car. You can organize your own group, and be picked up at the Marina, or negotiated the fair with the multitude of taxis that hang around the bus terminal. You can usually find other people to share with too here.
When negotiating a fair remember, 40-50 CUC is the monthly income of a highly educated and hard working doctor in Cuba. If you want to book a driver and car over several days, perhaps visit Havana or other Cuban cities, this is more than enough to cover his food and accommodations with a healthy profit on top each day. There is a huge divide between the income of those that can get the ‘tourist CUC’ and the general public.
My humans booked a car and driver through one of the security guards at the Marina gates. I am sure he got a cut. They were also lucky enough to find another cruising couple willing to share the cost with them. This worked out to 12.50 CUC/person for the day and they had the freedom to stop where ever they liked. There was one restriction. Because April is the month of the annual land crab migration, when thousands of female crabs carry their eggs to the ocean, their driver would not travel on the crab packed roads in the evening. He was convinced the claws of the crabs would damage his tires. This still gave the humans the full day to do some exploring.
Their first stop was the Jardin Botanico Soledad, the oldest botanical garden in Cuba, lies about 15 Km (9.5 miles) east of Cienfuegos. it is not a garden of blooming flowers but rather a landscape with over 2,000 varieties of tropical and sub-tropical plants particularly bamboo, ficus, palms, orchids, cactus and medicinal flora. Founded by an American sugar baron in 1901, the garden is on the site of his former sugar plantation. Its initial purpose was to research different type of sugar cane. Soon tropical plants from around the world were added. Entrance is 2.50 CUC/person. You have the option of taking a guide for a ‘tip’ of no less than 10 CUC/hour. There is a information centre-restaurant-souvenir complex in the middle. The humans lost themselves in the gardens for almost 2 hours plant and bird spotting.
Next stop Trinidad. All our cruising guides list Trinidad as a ‘must see’ and recommend visiting the town by car from Cienfuegos rather than from the Marina in Casilda. Trinidad is 80 km (50 miles) from Cienfuegos therefore it can be easily visited in a day even with a stop over at the Botanical Gardens. Trinidad was founded in 1514, by Spanish conquistadors. There is no other city in Cuba so well preserved. In fact, the entire town is a national monument as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Most of the narrow streets are paved with cobblestone and vehicle traffic has never been permitted to drive on many of them. Instead you will see mules with carts and cowboys on horseback. As for colonial architecture, it is unrivaled.
As this town is such a ‘tourist trap’ expect to pay a bit more for food and drink, but it usually comes with the entertainment of a local band. Save some change for their tip too. The main square is surrounded by a multitude of street stalls selling everything from wood work, purses made of pull ties to hand embroider table clothes and crocheted shawls. Although the main square is beautifully restored many of the outlying buildings are showing their age. Even so, peeking through windows, you will see lovely common rooms backed by central open garden courtyards. All done in the traditional Spanish style.
My humans happened upon the square housing city hall just when a ‘band camp’ competition was on. All these school kids dress up in full ‘parade’ regalia with drums for the boys and batons for the girls. Do not forget the old fashion whistle blowers. Each schools group had a different colour combination and the costumes where quite ornate for the ‘Cuban budget’. Parents fussed over their kids before show time and stood by with pride as they executed their parade choreograph with military precision for the judges.
They drove back to Cienfuegos along the coastline, through agricultural lands with cowboys on horseback with glimpses of beaches and the Caribbean sea. As the day was still warm at 5 pm they did not see a single crab venturing out yet to risk the ‘run for the sea’.
end:
Photos, charts and information we added once we got some internet. Use link below:
Review of Southern Cuba Part 2 -including the pictures you missed
