Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- The gleaming Aeropuerto Internacional Frank País, Carretera Central Vía Bayamo Km 11.5 (tel. 24/46-2512; airport code HOG), is about 70km (43 miles) south of Guardalavaca, and 14km (8 3/4 miles) south of Holguín, the provincial capital. The airport is about an hour from hotels in and around Guardalavaca. Both national and direct international flights from Canada and Germany (via Air Canada, Air Transat, Iberia, LTU, and various package charters) arrive at the airport here. The main domestic carriers are Cubana (tel. 24/46-8148 in Holguín, or 7/834-4446 in Havana; www.cubana.cu) and AeroCaribbean (tel. 24/46-8556 in Holguín, or 7/879-7524 in Havana; www.aero-caribbean.com), which offer daily flights from Havana and Varadero. Flights between Holguín and either Havana or Varadero run around CUC$90 to CUC$110 each way.

The hotels all have airport pickup services (buses and minibuses) for clients. If you have not prearranged transportation to your hotel, there are usually a couple of state-owned taxis hanging about. Rates run between CUC$25 and CUC$35.

By Bus -- Víazul (tel. 24/46-1036 in Holguín, or 7/881-1413 in Havana; www.viazul.com) travels to Holguín on its Havana-Santiago and Trinidad-Santiago (three times daily) lines. From Havana, the buses depart at 9:30am, and 3pm, and arrive at 10pm, and 3:20am, respectively (CUC$48). From Trinidad (tel. 419/2404), the bus leaves at 8am and arrives in Holguín at 4:45pm (CUC$26). From Santiago, departures are at 9am and 3:15pm, arriving at 1:20pm and 6:40pm, respectively (CUC$12). The main bus station in Holguín is located on Carretera Central between 20 de Mayo and Independencia (tel. 24/42-2111), just west of downtown.

There are several daily buses from the main bus station in Holguín to Guardalavaca. However, these are heavily used by workers, and demand far outstrips supply. For travelers, the best way to travel between Holguín and Guardalavaca is by taxi or rental car.

By Car/Taxi -- The easiest way to get to Guardalavaca, if you don't have a prearranged bus service to take you from the airport, is by rental car or state-owned taxis. Getting from the airport, through the city of Holguín, and out onto the highway to Guardalavaca is quite confusing. One of the best ways to navigate it is to hire a local tout for a few dollars to ride with you until you're on your way.

Guardalavaca's beauty and proximity to areas of interest, including Baracoa, make it one of the better areas in Cuba to rent a car for some regional sightseeing. Car-rental agencies in Holguín include Cubacar (tel. 24/42-4187), Havanautos (tel. 24/46-8412), and Vía (tel. 24/3-0996). Almost all of these have desks at the airport, as well as at one or more of the beach resorts. Car rentals average about CUC$45 to CUC$80 per day for a standard economy car.

Getting Around

Playa Guardalavaca is small enough that you can easily walk from any of the hotels here to the La Roca dance club and the restaurants in town. Playa Esmeralda is about 3km (1 3/4 miles) from Guardalavaca, a manageable walk. The rest of the beaches and attractions are quite far.

The best way to get around the beaches of Guardalavaca is by bicycle (if you're feeling fit) or moped (moto). Most of the hotels have mountain bikes (free for guests) and mopeds that rent for CUC$25 to CUC$35 a day.

Any of the hotels can arrange a taxi for side trips in the area. You can also call directly Cubataxi (tel. 24/46-8294) or Taxis OK (tel. 24/3-0243) on Playa Guardalavaca. All the hotels also offer excursions either directly or through tour operator representatives.

Each of the major hotels has representatives of one or more car-rental agencies on the premises. You could also contact Cubacar (tel. 24/42-4187 in Holguín; or 24/3-0389 on Playa Guardalavaca), or Havanautos (tel. 24/3-0468 in Guardalavaca, or 24/46-8412 at the Frank País airport).

One interesting alternative for touring the area is a tourist train that runs twice daily between Guardalavaca and the Aldea Taína, with intermediary stops at all the major resorts, beaches, and tourist attractions in between. Cost is CUC$3 for the entire circuit.

Day Trips to Guardalavaca -- The relatively expensive all-inclusive hotels pretty much have a lock on the splendid beaches around Guardalavaca. If you would like to visit the beaches and spend the day there without paying for the privilege of sleeping at one of the hotels, you can design a day trip from Holguín if you have a rental car. (Note that if you don't have your own wheels and have to take a taxi, the cost will equal or surpass the cost of staying in one of the less-expensive all-inclusive hotels, and you'd have to travel 1 1/2 hr. back to your hotel in Holguín, making it hardly worth the effort.) The major hotels sell day passes (generally CUC$40-CUC$70) that allow you to use the facilities, including pool and beaches, and eat and drink all you wish.

Orientation

The best sources of visitor information are the hotels themselves and the representatives of the major tour operators (Havanatur, Cubatur, and Cubanacán) who operate out of the hotels.

Currency exchange and postal service is available at any of Guardalavaca's hotels. Most of the large resort hotels have Internet access for their guests.

For medical assistance, contact Clínica Internacional, Calle 2 s/n, Playa Guardalavaca (tel. 24/3-0291). It has a pharmacy on the premises; another pharmacy is within the Paradisus Río de Oro.