Baracoa — Cuba's Hidden Gem★★★
Baracoa is Cuba's most remote and magical place — a sleepy town at the far eastern end of the island, surrounded by rainforest, cocoa plantations, and wild rivers. Founded in 1511, it is the oldest city in Cuba and was accessible only by boat for centuries. It wasn't until 1965 that the revolution built the La Farola — a spectacular mountain road that winds in serpentine curves through the Sierra del Purial and connects Baracoa with the rest of Cuba.
This isolation has preserved Baracoa's unique character: The cuisine is different (coconut, cocoa, and banana instead of rice and beans), the music is different (Son changüí, Kiribá, and Nengón instead of Salsa), the landscape is different (rainforest instead of tobacco fields). Baracoa feels like another country — it is the Cuba before Cuba.
Sights
- El Yunque: The table-shaped mountain (575 m) used by Columbus as a landmark. Half-day hike (3–4 hours, guide required, 15 €) through dense rainforest with endemic plants, iguanas, and snails (the famous Polymita snail). From the summit: fantastic views over Baracoa and the coast.
- Río Toa: Cuba's most water-rich river. Boat tours (10 €) through tropical vegetation, swimming in natural pools, visit to a cocoa farm.
- Playa Maguana: The most beautiful beach in the region, 22 km northwest. Fine sand, calm water, deserted during the week. By taxi (10 €) or bicycle (2 hours, hilly).
- Museo Matachín: City museum in a Spanish fortress at the harbor entrance. Documents the history of the Taíno natives and the isolation of Baracoa. 3 €.
- Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt: UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site (since 2001), 40 km northwest. One of the most biologically diverse places in the Caribbean: endemic birds, frogs, bats, orchids. Guided hikes from 15 € (mandatory). Half-day.
Culinary Specialties
Baracoa is Cuba's cocoa capital: The region produces the best cocoa in the Caribbean. Must-try: Cucurucho (coconut-cocoa fudge wrapped in palm leaf), Chorote (hot cocoa with coconut milk, sugar, and spices, drunk like a smoothie), and Bacán (green banana with meat filling, cooked in banana leaf).
💡 Tipp
Plan at least 2–3 nights in Baracoa — the long journey (4.5 hours from Santiago via La Farola) is only worth it if you have time. The Casas Particulares are excellent, and the Casa cuisine is the best in Cuba — cocoa and coconut dishes that you won't find anywhere else.
Achtung
The road La Farola (from Guantánamo to Baracoa) is narrow, winding, and slippery when wet. Only drive during daylight! The road may be closed in bad weather.
