The Maisí Terraces and the Driest and Wettest Coasts of Cuba.
By: Dr. Martin Luis
After having enjoyed the beauties of Baracoa and its surroundings, we suggest to visit Guantánamo, the capital of the province of the same name. The Guantánamo River, which originated the valley where the city is, flows into one of the biggest bag bays in the country. From Baracoa you should well organize your trip and determine your arrival hour so that you can have enough time to book in a hotel. The journey, of about 150 km, is an adventure itself for you should cross the whole Nipe- Sagua- Baracoa Mountain Range using a road that was the dream of many and became true after the triumph of the Revolution, in the 60´s.
This winding road is known as La Farola (The Streetlamp). Consult your map, page 23. There are almost 60 km between Baracoa and Jacobabo, the village where this road gets to the coastal plain besides the Caribbean Sea and goes west, to Guantánamo. The views are impressive and the road, in sections, is built over very high piles, which work as support. It has eleven bridges hanging to the void with precipices at both sides, giving the impression of defying gravity. Its highest point is at 600 m over the sea level and it is known as Altos de Cotilla, which appears in your map. This is a road where the five senses should be used. Even the map warns you about that. It is an unforgettable experience.
This area is very different from the rest of Cuba for many reasons. One of them is the occurrence of the rain. In all the information given in Cuba about the rain, it is mentioned that its annual average, taking into account the amount of years used to calculate it, is of 1 360 mm, with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. In this area, this is not like that because of local reasons, mainly the mountain system existing there. It happens there what is known as orographic rain or Foehn effect, that is to say, intensive rain in the slope where the wind blows and dry on the other slope where the wind descends. Baracoa is located where the wind starts to blow from the sea.
That is why it rains there almost every day and 2 700 mm of rain fall in a year. In the west part of these mountains there is a tropical climate, with savanna features, while the East has a tropical jungle climate with 2 200 mm of rain, falling up to 3600 mm in the most isolated high areas. The National Park Alejandro de Humboldt and the Biosphere Reserve Cuchillas del Toa, which we have recommended to visit in previous articles, are in this area.
In the coastal plain of the Southern coast the climate is semi desert, where only between 400 and 600 mm of rain fall. La Farola, and all the roads that cross the mountains towards the coast to Guantánamo, pass through these regions. So, during your trip you can find a downpour area or another where a single drop does not fall. This can happen all the year.
Another difference of this area as compared with the rest of Cuba is the existence of an impressive marine terrace system. It is considered among the most spectacular and well preserved of the Caribbean. Near Maisí the terraces are almost 350 m high, being less pronounced towards the west, in the direction of Imías and Guantánamo.
If you take La Farola directly to Guantánamo, you will miss truly interesting unique places of Cuba, although the distance will increase in almost 160 km. But if you have time and you love the marine and mountain landscapes, we recommend stopping in one of the camping sites of the shore: Yacabo Abajo o Playitas de Cajobabo, both separated by only 24 km. (Consult your map).
The surrounding of these sites is very interesting for they are next to the rivers where, according to the year season, you can go for a swim or enjoy the delights of the Caribbean Sea. The attraction of the first one is the semi desert vegetation of the coastal plain, while the other is characterized by the terrace relief and counts with the museum house where José Martí and other patriots landed to join the War of Independence in 1895. If you accept this suggestion, remember to confirm your hotel reservation in Guantánamo.
The following day, come back to Baracoa through La Farola and, consulting your map, get to Cabacú village and take the road that crosses Boca de Miel, Majana and other towns, visiting the small bays Boma and Mata (very beautiful), until you arrive in a place called Boca de Yumurí (Yumurí Mouth) to enjoy the impressive canyon or narrow gorge that the Yumurí River has formed to get to the sea.
After visiting it, take the road that leads to La Máquina town. It has also impressive views and very steep slopes as La Farola. All this tour is attractive, particularly the far away views of the sea, the Maisí lighthouse and the terraces. Your map also warns you about this road.
The road twists crossing several villages until it reaches the coast, at Ovando bay, descending to it along the terraces until the sea shore. From there it goes parallel to the coast. The small rivers crossed by the road are like oasis within the semi desert vegetation until Playitas de Cajobabo. From here, you take the road that leads to Guantánamo, which is at 100 km.
The road slowly leaves the semi desert vegetation behind. Some terrace levels can still be seen, particularly near Baitiquirí Bay, where one can see about 10 of them. Picturesque villages are passed through like Imías and San Antonio del Sur, we recommend to eat something in one of them. This last village is at 64 km from Guantánamo.
The road goes towards the inner land at Playa Yateritas and approaches Guantánamo Bay. From the road, the bay looks like a blue mirror of great beauty. As different from other province capitals, Guatánamo city has no beltway but its road sign system is good. Enjoy the hospitality of its people at your arrival in the hotel. In next articles we will guide you all along the Southern coast to find new interesting places.













The tours we had described so far covered the whole Northern coast of our country except the small section between the city of