Orientation

There is a new Infotur office at Maceo 129A (tel. 21/64-1781); you can book excursions and hotels here, and use the Internet. The Havanatur office at Martí 202 (tel. 21/64-5358; www.havanatur.cu) can also provide travel information. Other tour agencies include Cubatur, Maceo, corner of Pelayo Cuervo (tel. 21/64-5306) next to the church; Gaviota Tour in Café El Piropo/El Parque (tel. 21/64-5164), and EcoTur, Coronel Cardoso 24 (tel. 21/64-3665; ecoturbc@enet.cu), which specializes in outdoor trips in the area.

A Banco de Crédito y Comercio branch is on Calle Antonio Maceo 99. Traveler's checks can be cashed at the Hotel El Castillo and Hotel Porto Santo.

For medical attention and a pharmacy, go to the Clinica Internacional Baracoa, Calle Martí, between Roberto Rey and Linvano Sánchez (tel. 21/64-1037-38; www.servimedcuba.com).

The main post office is on Calle Antonio Maceo 136, near Plaza Independencia; it's open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 10pm and Sunday from 8am to 8pm. You can make local, long-distance, and international phone calls or use one of the computer terminals at the Etecsa office on Calle Antonio Maceo, opposite Plaza Independencia; it's open daily from 8:30am to 7:30pm.

Getting Around

You can easily get around most of Baracoa on foot or bicitaxi (bicycle carriage). To reach the beaches, rivers, and mountains around Baracoa, you'll either need to contract a taxi, rent a car, or sign on for an organized excursion. Cubataxi (tel. 21/64-3737) makes local and long-distance runs.

A car is a good idea if you really want to do some independent exploration of the surrounding area, or travel to, say, Santiago de Cuba or Guardalavaca. There's a Cubacar desk in the Havanatur office (tel. 21/64-5358; www.transtur.cu), and Vía Rent a Car (tel. 21/64-5137) has offices in Cafe El Piropo/El Parque (tel. 21/64-1671) and at the airport (tel. 21/64-1665). Motos can be rented from this company too. Rates are CUC$45 to CUC$60 per day for a standard four-door compact car.

Getting There

By Plane -- There are flights on Thursday and Sunday on Cubana/Aerocaribbean and flights on Fridays with Aerogaviota from Havana to Baracoa; however, flights are often booked weeks ahead. Fares are CUC$135 one-way. The Cubana/Aerocaribbean office is at Calle José Martí 185 (tel. 21/64-5107). Flights arrive at the small Aeropuerto Gustavo Rizo (tel. 21/64-5376; airport code BCA), west of the bay near the Hotel Porto Santo and about 4km (2 1/2 miles) west of downtown. By taxi, the trip to town costs CUC$5.

Should the Baracoa flights be full, Moa, 38km (24 miles) down the road, has flights on Monday from Havana, for CUC$117; flights operate Tues-Wed and Fri-Sun from Havana to Guantánamo, for CUC$117.

By Bus -- Most visitors arrive overland; the ride from Santiago de Cuba is especially spectacular, if lengthy. A Víazul bus (tel. 22/62-8484 in Santiago, or 21/64-3880 in Baracoa; www.viazul.com) departs Santiago daily at 7:45am and arrives in Baracoa at 12:35pm; the fare is CUC$15. The bus stops in Guantánamo. The same bus departs Baracoa at 2:15pm and arrives in Santiago at 7:05pm. The route is very popular, especially in high season; make reservations for the trip at least several days in advance, as these buses sell out frequently and fast.

The Baracoa Terminal de Omnibuses (tel. 21/64-3880) is located at the end of José Martí near Avenida de los Mártires, diagonally opposite the La Punta restaurant.

By Car -- You can drive to Baracoa from either Santiago de Cuba, along the scenic La Farola highway (see "The Road to Baracoa"), or from Guardalavaca/Holguín along the northern coastal road through Moa (although this latter road is hideously bad in places, but passable). Allow 3 1/2 to 4 hours for either route.

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