Cuba - Lonely Planet [130]
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PLAYAS DEL ESTE
In Cuba you’re never far from an idyllic diamond-dust beach, and Havana is no exception. The city’s very own pine-fringed Riviera, Playas del Este, begins just 18km to the east of the capital at the small resort of Bacuranao, before continuing east through Tarará, El Mégano, Santa María del Mar and Boca Ciega to the town of Guanabo, 27km from Havana. Although none of these places has so far witnessed the kind of megadevelopment redolent of Cancún or Varadero, Playas del Este is still a popular tourist drawcard and, during the summer months of July and August, this is where all of Havana comes to play and relax on the soft white sands and clear aquamarine waters of the beautiful Atlantic coastline.
But while the beaches might be postcard-perfect, Playas del Este can’t yet boast the all-round tourist facilities of other Cuban resorts such as Varadero and Cayo Coco, much less the all-out luxury of celebrated Caribbean getaways. Come here in the winter and the place often has a timeworn and slightly abandoned air and, even in the summer, seasoned beach bums might find the tatty restaurants and ugly Soviet-style hotel piles more than a little incongruous.
But for those who dislike modern tourist development or are keen to see how the Cubans get out and enjoy themselves at weekends, Playas del Este is a breath of fresh air.
Each of the six beaches that dot this 9km stretch of attractive coastline has its own distinctive flavor, allowing travelers to shop around until they find something to suit their taste. Tarará is a yacht and diving haven, Santa María del Mar is where the largest concentration of resorts (and foreigners) can be found, Boca Ciega is popular with gay couples, while Guanabo is the rustic Cuban end of the strip, with shops, a nightclub and plenty of cheap casas particulares.
Information
MEDICAL SERVICES
Clínica Internacional Habana del Este ( 96-18-19; Av de las Terrazas No 36, Santa María del Mar) Open 24 hours; doctors can make hotel visits. There’s also a well-stocked pharmacy on-site. This clinic was being renovated at the time of writing.
Farmacia (cnr Av 5 & Calle 466, Guanabo)
MONEY
Banco Popular de Ahorro ( 796-2269; Av 5 No 47810 btwn Calles 478 & 480, Guanabo; 8:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri) Changes traveler’s checks.
Cadeca Guanabo ( 96-41-34; Av 5 No 47612 btwn Calles 476 & 478; 8am-6pm); Santa María del Mar
(Edificio Los Corales, Av de las Terrazas btwn Calles 10 & 11)
POST
Post office (Av 5 btwn Calles 490 & 492, Guanabo; 8am-6pm Mon-Sat)
INTERNET ACCESS & TELEPHONE
Etecsa Telepunto (Edificio Los Corales, Av de las Terrazas btwn Calles 10 & 11, Santa María del Mar)
TOURIST INFORMATION
Infotur Guanabo ( 96-68-68; Av 5 btwn Calles 468 & 470); Santa María del Mar ( 96-11-11; Edificio Los Corales, Av de las Terrazas btwn Calles 10 & 11)
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Cubatur and Havanatur both have desks at Hotel Tropicoco, between Av del Sur and Av de las Terrazas in Santa María del Mar. Their main business is booking bus tours, though they might be willing to help with hotel reservations in other cities.
Activities
Yacht charters, deep-sea fishing and scuba diving are offered by Cubanacán Náutica Tarará ( 96-15-08/9; VHF channels 16 & 77; cnr Av 8 & Calle 17, Tarará), 22km east of Havana. Ask about this at your hotel tour desk.
There are a number of Club Náutica points spaced along the beaches aside from Club Mégano at the westernmost end of the Playas. The most central is outside Club Atlántico in the middle of Playa Santa María del Mar. Here you can rent pedal boats (CUC$6 per hour; four to six people), banana boats (CUC$5 per five minutes; maximum five people), one-/two-person kayaks (CUC$2/4 per hour), snorkel gear (CUC$4) and catamarans (CUC$12 per hour; maximum four people plus lifeguard). A paddle around the coast exploring the mangrove-choked canals is a pleasure.
Beach toys such as sailboards, water bikes and badminton gear may also