Cuba - Lonely Planet [136]
Villa Loma de Jibacoa (Islazul; 29-53-16; 1-/2-/3-/
4-bed apt CUC$38/40/60/70; ) This hotel stands on a hill overlooking a small beach near the mouth of the Río Jibacoa, just off the Vía Blanca. The perfect place for a family or group beach vacation, it is actually 13 individual houses of one to four rooms each sharing a TV, fridge and bath. As each one is different, you should look at a few before deciding – not always possible at this popular, heavily booked place.
Cameleón Villas Jibacoa (Gran Caribe; 29-52-05; s/d all-inclusive CUC$70/100; ) A little to the east of Campismo Los Cocos, this friendly, well-landscaped resort with great snorkeling and large (if dated) rooms offers good bang for your buck. It’s marketed as a three-star and is popular with package tourists from Canada.
SuperClub Breezes ( 29-51-22; s/d all-inclusive CUC$151/242; ) Just east of Cameleón Villas Jibacoa, SuperClub Breezes is Jibacoa’s one and only swanky choice, a beachfront place that exhibits more panache than Playas del Este but less pretension than Varadero. Laid out in front of a choice nook of sandy beach, guests here are accommodated in attractive two-story bungalows that sit amid a tranquil mélange of blooming flowers, leafy gardens and trickling fountains. SuperClub also has a reputation for good food, entertainment and activities. Children under 16 are not accepted. Coming from Matanzas, the turn-off is 13km west of the Bacunayagua Bridge.
Eating is a grim prospect over this way unless you’re in a hotel. There are a couple of dodgy bars around selling microwave pizza. Striking up a friendly conversation with the locals pulling in their fishing nets and arranging a meal might yield better results.
Getting There & Away
The best – some would say the only – way to get to Playa Jibacoa is on the Hershey Electric Railway from Casablanca train station in Havana to Jibacoa Pueblo (Click here for times). There’s no bus to the beach from the station and traffic is sporadic, so bank on hiking the last 5km; a not unpleasant walk as long as you haven’t got too much gear. The electric train also stops at Arcos de Canasí, but that’s still 6km from the beach and it’s not a good walking road.
Another option is to take crowded bus 669 from outside Estación La Coubre (Desamparados), just south of Havana’s Estación Central, to Santa Cruz del Norte. Unfortunately, this bus only operates three times a day and you’d still have to taxi it 9km further east to Jibacoa. Your best bet is probably to go to the Havana bus station and take any bus headed for Matanzas along the Vía Blanca. Talk to the driver to arrange a drop-off at Playa Jibacoa, just across a long bridge from Villa Loma de Jibacoa.
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JARUCO
pop 25,658
Jaruco, set back from the coast halfway between Havana and Matanzas, is a good day trip for travelers with a car/moped/bike who want to give the beaches a body-swerve and capture a bit of quintessential rural quiescence. The Parque Escaleras de Jaruco, 6km west of Jaruco village, is a protected area featuring interesting forests, caves, limestone cliffs and a high degree of endemism, and a gander along its hushed unmarked lanes via the small village of Jaruco can make for a highly satisfying scenic sojourn. It’s 32km to Jaruco