Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- You can fly from Havana to Bayamo on Cubana (tel. 23/42-3916 in Bayamo, or 7/33-4446 in Havana; www.cubana.cu) three times a week. Flights arrive at Aeropuerto Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Carretera a Holguín (tel. 23/42-3695; airport code BYM), 10km (6 1/4 miles) north of the city. Fares are CUC$90 to CUC$100 one-way. By registered taxi, the trip to town is about CUC$4.

By Bus -- Víazul (tel. 23/42-4036 in Bayamo, or 7/881-1413 in Havana; www.viazul.com) is the most convenient mode of transportation for traveling to Bayamo from Havana and Santiago, and major cities in between. On the Trinidad-Santiago de Cuba line, the bus departs Trinidad at 8am and arrives in Bayamo at 6:15pm (CUC$28). Buses from Santiago bound for points west leave at 9am, 3:15pm, and 10pm and stop in Bayamo 2 hours and 5 minutes later (CUC$8). On the Havana-Santiago line, there are three daily departures at 9:30am, 3pm, and 10pm; the trip from Havana is roughly 14 hours and costs CUC$48.

The main bus terminal for long-distance buses, the Terminal de Omnibuses, is located on the outskirts of downtown, on Carretera Central near Avenida Jesús Rabi, on the road to Holguín. Horse-drawn carriages and unregistered taxis await passengers to ferry them downtown for a dollar or two.

By Train -- Though traveling by train is probably not the most comfortable or efficient way to get to Bayamo, train no. 13 departs Havana's Estación Central at 8:15pm and arrives the next morning at 10:30am (CUC$26). Not all Havana-Santiago trains stop in Bayamo, so check before boarding one. Train schedules change frequently, and depending on the season, many trains don't operate on a daily basis; verify the current schedule by calling tel. 7/862-1920 or 7/861-4259, though it's often better to go in person to the train station and purchase tickets at least a day in advance. The Bayamo train station is on Calle Línea between José Antonio Saco and Parada (tel. 23/42-4955), 1km (1/2 mile) from the center.

Getting Around

The compact old town of Bayamo is very simple to get around on foot. You're only likely to need a taxi to get back and forth to your hotel, if you stay out at the large Hotel Sierra Maestra, or to get to the airport or bus or train station to move on. Contact Turistaxi (tel. 23/42-4187), or Cubataxi (tel. 23/42-4513) for local and long-distance taxis. Alternatively, you can take a horse-drawn or bicycle taxi anywhere in town for CUC$1 to CUC$2.

Getting to the Sierra Maestra mountains is rather more complicated, necessitating a rental car, hired taxi, organized excursion, or some adventurous hitchhiking. If you wish to explore the Sierra with any degree of independence, or make the coastal drive to Santiago de Cuba, your own wheels are virtually indispensable. There's a Havanautos office within the Servi-Cupet gas station on Carretera Central (tel. 23/42-7375). Rates are about CUC$45 to CUC$80 per day for a standard four-door compact car.

Orientation

Bayamo's historic center sits on a high bluff overlooking the Bayamo River. For information about excursions in the province, visit one of the major tour operators. Cubatur has an office inside the Hotel Royalton, and Havanatur has an office on the western side of Parque Céspedes. The tour desk at the Hotel Sierra Maestra is also a good place to get information and arrange tours and excursions.

A Banco de Crédito y Comercio branch is on General García between Saco and Perucho Figueredo. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 8pm. There is a CADECA on Saco between Donato Mármol and General García; it's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, and most hotels will also have an exchange desk.

For medical attention, go to Hospital General Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Carretera Central on the way to Santiago de Cuba (tel. 23/42-2144). A 24-hour pharmacy can be found on the south side of Parque Céspedes.

The main post office is on the west side of Parque Céspedes. It's open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6pm. An Etecsa telephone and Internet kiosk is across from the Hotel Royalton, on Calle Maceo at the edge of Parque Céspedes; it's open daily from 9am to 10pm.