Description:

Located on the southeastern tip of Cuba, the mountain-encircled Bay of Santiago is connected to the Caribbean Sea and home to the 500-year-old city of the same name. A large seaport, the harbour contains a cruise ship dock and container terminal and pleasure vessels are only allowed into the harbour as far as Marina Marlin at Punta Gorda. The historic city of Santiago with its colourful colonial buildings, craft markets, music venues, cocktail bars, monuments, and parks is a ferry, car or bus ride away.

Cruiser Highlights:

Marina; clearance; ferry/bus to town; shopping; restaurants and bars; provisioning; tours; sightseeing; this is where the daiquiri was invented.

Entrance notes or cautions:

The entrance to the port is clearly marked by a large white lighthouse on the cliff top. This is also by the airport, which is invisible from the sea but you can see the planes take off and land. The channel is deep, around 10 to 13 metres for the commercial traffic, and is well buoyed. The Marlin Marina is reached by heading straight through the channel and then bearing to starboard, heading for a blue and white building. It is located in Gaspar Cove.

Position:

19° 58'N, 75° 52'21"W (entrance to the Bahia)

See this report for feedback from Cruisers who have visited this port.