EASTERN CUBA
Phil or myself took the following photos on a 2 week tour in January, 2003. We explored Cuba's four easternmost provinces; Santiago, Granma, Holguin and Guantanamo.
Our adventure began at the airport where we assembled our bikes and cycled into Santiago de Cuba. We spent the first two days exploring the city on foot and cycling the Coastal Road east of town on a day-trip to the Baconao Biosphere Reserve. Leaving Santiago, we headed west along the coast going around this end of the island in a clockwise direction.
To view a map of Cuba.
For a detailed ROUTE MAP
To go to my WESTERN CUBA page.
Click on each photo to enlarge it.
Hold the cursor over it to read more comments by me.
My GUIDEBOOK
Lonely Planet's CYCLING CUBA
My MAPS
Itmb's CUBA (1:1 000 000)
Maps in Guidebook are excellent
Phil was actually considering riding down the stairs to the street.
Cuban
Click on the guitar to listen to a Cuban melody while browsing this page.
My INTERNET RESOURCES
Lonely Planet - The Thorntree
Casa Particular - INFO
CubaMapa
BicyclingCUBA
Sounds
This very underdevelopped part of Cuba means you have the road all to yourself.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA
Cuba's most Caribbean city is cradled in a horseshoe valley surrounded by rugged mountains and bathed by the Caribbean.
My AVERAGE DAILY COSTS (Accom/Food etc)
$ 32 US / day (room cost shared with Phil)

ACCOMMODATIONS and MEALS in CASA'S
Accommodations            $ 15 or 20 US / day
Breakfast                                          $ 2 to 3 US
Dinner                                                $ 5 to 7 US
COASTAL ROAD
I consider this road, running east and mostly west from Santiago de Cuba, one of the most beautiful roads in the world to cycle.
With about 45km to go before reaching La Mula Phil and I stop to fix a flat. With this view we weren't in any hurry to continue.
My ITINERARY and DISTANCES (km)

from Airport to Santiago                                23
east to Baconao Biosphere Reserve       117
west to La Mula                                             117 Marea del Portillo                                           58
Niquero (via Playas Las Coloradas)           92 Manzanillo                                                        83
Holguin (via Bayamo)                                   143
Guardalavaca                                                  59
Campisimo Rio Cabonico                           115
Baracoa                                                          143
Motel Playa Imias (via La Maquina)          119 Guantanemo                                                    89
Santiago                                                           91
Airport                                                                 9
SIERRA MAESTRA MNTNS-CARIBBEAN
The last 45km's to La Mula on this days ride are spectacular; the road climbing and descending across a never-ending series of cliffs and valleys.
TRAVELOGUES (+ photos)
Blanche's SalsaEnLaCalle Bike trip 2008
Dave&MikesCubaBikeAdventure 2007
Cuba w/ John on Bikes 2005
Thomas Voirol's BARACOA 2001
Antonio's My Trip to Cuba
Dave Pinder's Cycling/Living in Cuba
Walter's TwoMonthsInCuba 2001
Dan's CruisingTheSierraMaestra 2001
TOTAL DISTANCE                                       1258
Shortest Day;                                                      9 Longest Day;                                                  143
Number of Cycling Days;              14 out of 15
Phil and Lee, a fellow Canadian we met in La Mula, pose for yet another photo along this awe-inspiring road.
The mist and grey overcast skies made for some very dramatic vistas.
CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS
Turning north at Pilon we leave the Coastal Road to cross the mounains on our way to Niquero.
LA MULA
Just west of La Mula we slow down to a crawl to admire this beautiful spot on our planet.
Phil was nice enough to slow down and not pass the truck  so I could take this photo.
" Down with terrorism! Liberty for our brothers! " is what the graffiti says.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Heading east to Bayamo we're passed by truckloads of locals traveling between towns.
MOUNTAINS meet the SEA
At times there is barely enough room for the road as it squeezes its way  between the cliff walls and the sea.
With the best education system in Latin America, the children all wear neat attractive uniforms and are obviously well fed and happy.
To read comments I've received from Guests until Feb 2008, click on the book.
NIQUERO, GRANMA PROVINCE
With a wild-west type of atmosphere this town was a great place to stop on New Years Eve to celebrate the coming year.
Hope you signed the Guestbook. Feel free to contact me at;
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