Cuba Sailing ~Land Itinerary 2024

Photo by Roman Cahero

Cuba Adventure~Supporting The Cuban People

Cuba  Reefs, Waterfalls, Sailing  and Culture

DETAILED ITINERARY AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Please note: The order in which we experience Cuba may change, however most activities and destinations will not.  We seek to provide the best accommodations and activities for our group. This may require that we change the order in which travel through the country. We will send you a final itinerary before we travel. Thank you for your flexibility, openness and willingness to experience the best of Cuba!

During our  land based visit to Cuba, we plan to stay at “Casas Particulares“ which is a phrase for a “private home”, owned and operated by a Cuban family rather than the government. Our private home stays will vary at each location, but you will share a room within a comfortable Cuban home on a double occupancy basis. As with a rental home here, living areas are shared and most homes have private bathrooms in each bedroom. After a day of learning and adventure, you make relax in your room or join the group in the communal living area as pictured below. Casas Particulares operate like our B&B’s and provide a breakfast onsite. Dinners will be enjoyed at a nearby restaurant  featuring Cuban cuisine. Keeping to our mission of providing truly authentic experiences during our learning adventure, we are excited to meet and converse with our Cuban hosts at each Casa Particular we visit.

DAY ONE: ARRIVAL TO HAVANA

Your adventure begins with the arrival into Havana International Airport. After clearing customs, you will be welcomed by your bilingual Cuban guide and Blue Water Ventures team who will join the group throughout the Cuban adventure, from land to sea!

Our destination tonight is the world heritage site of Cienfuegos known as the Pearl of the South about 3 hours from Havana.  As we travel through the countryside, our Cuban guides will share their unique insights into Cuba, both the challenges and benefits of life in a socialist based country. Cienfuegos is unique in that it is the only city in Cuba founded by French colonist.

 After getting settled  into our Catamaran, we will have dinner and possibly our first night of Cuban music.

Double occupancy accommodations and all meals provided throughout the program.

DAY TWO- DAY  SIX SAILING  CANNARREOS ARCHIPELAGO  

 Today we will begin our sailing  journey, not only learning about the ecology of Cuba’a marine ecosystems but hearing colorful and captivating stories  from our Cuban captain and first mate.  Cuba is dedicated to protecting its rich and varied terrestrial and marine resources. Relatively slow coastal development, the use of organic farming techniques and the practice of small scale fisheries has helped protect the integrity of Cuba’s coral reefs. We are excited to share this with you!  Today we  will enjoy our first of many naturalist-led snorkeling opportunities above Cuba’s coral reefs.

Our days will be spent exploring an intricate maze of islands as we visit  Cayo Rico, Cayo Iguana, Camp del Rosario, Camp Estopa, among other “cayos” or small  islands.  From our floating base you may dive into the turquoise hued water for a pre breakfast swim. Each day we will  discuss the unique behaviors and strategies that have evolved among populations of tropical reef fish and marine invertebrates.  At Cayo Largo, we will stop by a  biological research station to meet local scientists learning about their field studies.

Each day our Cuban Captain will teach us the basics of sailing and navigation as we may take turns behind the helm of the boat. Stopping at  long stretches of white sandy beaches, we may  converse  with local fisherman learning about their life in Cuba. We can offer donations of fishing supplies that are difficult to secure in Cuba. Days aboard our sailboat will include tossing out a fishing  line harvesting  from the sea to compliment the evening’s dinner. We will learn the ancient technique of securing fish with a cast net, a technique that may have first arrived in  the Caribbean by the African culture.

Each afternoon,  we’ll set sail for a new destination and select one of the many scenic coves to call home for for the night.  As the sun sets over the tranquil  sea, we will enjoy a few Caribbean Favorite  Libations such as Cuba Libre, Mojitos, Bushwacker or a Panny Ripper.

In addition to looking for hawksbill sea turtles that feed on reef sponges, we’ll visit lush grass flats where  green sea turtles are often seen grazing. Snorkeling near  these ancient docile reptiles is an unforgettable experience. Our hope is to find a suitable mangrove forest to snorkel under discovering  an intricate maze of prop roots that creates a critical marine nursery.

 Birding throughout Cuba is excellent. From our sailboat,  we can observe eastern brown pelicans,  double crested cormorants  and brown boobies that are frequent hunters in the turquoise colored bays. These graceful birds feed close to shore on a  multitudes of fish.  Using our mask and snorkel, we can quietly observe their unique feeding strategies. A  special evening will be spent observing the nocturnal world of a coral reef using underwater lights. On our final night aboard our catamaran,  we may partake on an 8-10 hour journey  eastward across the Caribbean Sea reaching Cienfuegos by morning.

DAY SEVEN: TRINIDAD

After a farewell breakfast aboard our Catamaran , we’ll transfer to the UNESCO World Heritage site,   Villa de la Santisima Trinidad  founded by Diego Velazquez in 1514. En route to this fantastic historical destination, we will explore Laguna Guanaroca, a protected  area where will can  navigate through one of Cuba’s Largest pink flamingo colonies.  Birding is superb both in the lagoon and forest that surrounds it. Our plan is to include a stop at Guamuahuaya River in El Cubano Park. A trail will lead us to the magnificent el Salto de Javira waterfall,  inviting freshwater  pools and a fantastic cave system  to explore.

 Upon arrival to Trinidad we will explore it’s cobblestone side streets and embrace the sounds of salsa music echoing through the central park.

Overnight accommodations at a Casas Particulares  in Trindad.

DAY EIGHT:   TRINIDAD TO HAVANA

Today, we’ll return to the beautiful and historical city of Havana,  a 4 hour journey from Trinidad. Arriving in the mid afternoon, you may explore this fascinating  vibrant city before gathering for dinner.

Tonight we will enjoy  one of many delicious paladars, private businesses owned by Cuban families. Privately owned restaurants are a great example of Cuba’s incremental shift to a more free-market economy. We will have the opportunity to meet the owners of the Paladares and discuss about the changes and their goals as new business entrepreneurs. Paladar means “palate” and is named after a chain of restaurants in a Brazilian soap opera popular in Cuba. Overnight accommodations at a Casas Particulares  in Havana for the next two nights.

DAY NINE:  HAVANA

Havana became the capital of the Spanish Colony of Cuba in 1607. Our day will include meandering through the picturesque streets and squares of Habana’s Historical Centre, also declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Highlights of our Habana Cultural Adventure may include:

A fascinating interpretive tour of Finca Vigia, the home of Ernest Hemmingway  from 1939 to 1960.

Plaza de la Cathedral (Cathedral Square), named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture: the Cathedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana built by the Jesuit order.

The Cathedral’s baroque facade is simultaneously intimate and imposing, and one of the two towers is visibly larger, creating a pleasing asymmetry.

As with many churches in the city, the building material of Habana Cathedral includes coral, cut and hauled from the edge of the sea by slaves.

Look carefully and you’ll see fossils of marine flora and fauna in the stone of the cathedral.

Plaza de Armas (Square of Arms), ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers and surrounded by impressive buildings such as: Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, the former official residence of the governors (Captains General) of Habana, Cuba. It is home to the Museum of the City of Habana. It houses exhibitions of art and historical artifacts and many of the rooms are preserved with their original Colonial decoration.

Palacio del Segundo Cabo (Palace of the Second Lieutenant) dates from 1770, the seat of the second authority of the island. Today it houses important publishing concerns. Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies. The castle was recently renovated and reopened in June 2008 to hold the impressive maritime museum. Well laid out exhibits a chart of Spain and Cuba’s naval history.

Plaza de San Francisco de Asís (San Francisco Square), named after the Convent of San Francisco, this square was conceived in 1628, with the objective of supplying water to the ships trading with the metropolis.

For many years it also served to stockpile the goods arriving from the harbor. Chronicles of the time say that the square had a busy commercial life. The people, in humble carts or afoot, sold and bought a variety of goods. It’s important to know that through this place the Spanish immigrants arrived to Cuba. Plaza Vieja (Old Square), the only civic square of colonial times. Notice it doesn’t have a church or government building and is in contrast surrounded by opulent aristocratic 17th century residences. Here we will visit important institutions for visual arts.
Visit to the famous Handicraft Market of Old Habana and meet local Cuban artists. The market is located inside the Almacenes de Depósito San José, an old warehouse on the harbor side.

This afternoon you’ll have time to explore Havana on your own before we meet for our farewell dinner together. Overnight Accommodations in Havana.

Photos by Kim Powell and Roman Cahero

DAY TEN: HOME

After our final breakfast together and cup of warm Cuban coffee, we will transfer to the airport to catch out flights home.

Swim Back to Cuba