leave boat in Cuba marina

[Aden]

Our original plan is to sail from the southern Cuba to Havana along the west coast, and then head back to the west coast again. From there, we may get to Jamaica.

Now, we were thinking if it would be better to leave our boat somewhere safe in marina (may be Cienfuegos?) , then fly to the northern cuba Havana and Varadero for a week visit. any recommendations for the marina in the west coast?

[navysurfer]

Been to Cuba many times, Marina Hemingway is nice, have scene people leave their boats from all over the world.

Good luck

Pop's

[caradow]

I left my boat for a short time at the marina in Cienfuegos . It is a fenced area and guarded 24/7. Very pleasant environment and felt that it was quite safe. Also there is a Marina on the island of Cayo Largo that is quite safe and they have an airport with daily flights to Havana. Don't think there would be a problem with either one. Probably the safest places in the Caribbean to leave a boat.

[caradow]

We actually rented a van in Cienfuegos with a driver and went over to Trinidad which is a great old cobble stoned historic city then up to Havana and got to see some of the scenery. Better than flying IMO. When we were finished staying in Havana he came back and got us for the trip back to our boat.

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by Aden

...any recommendations for the marina in the west coast?

The 'marina' - I forget the name - at the west end of Cuba's no more than a quay and an open roadstead, nowhere to leave a boat. There's an enclosed marina on Isla Juventad, but you'll probably need to draw 3' or less to get in there. I did a report about 3 or 4 years ago called 'Wild West of Cuba' or similar which is on Noonsite, that'll have the details I can no longer remember.
Cayo Largo's definitely better protected weather wise than Cienfeugos, but also more expensive, I guess for just a week or so that's not so important, but I do recall - it may have changed - that Cuban marinas had a daily rate with no long-term discounts, it was the same daily rate whether you stayed for a night, a week, a month or a year.

[laika]

I think your plan is a good one, and hiring a car as described is a great way to see the island. The NW coast of Cuba is not wondrous to behold by boat..we had much more interesting travels thru that area by land. As of 2017 guarda frontera turns you away at pretty much every harbor between Cabo San Antonio and Havana, with few exceptions such as Cayo Levisa. NW by boat, you only get to see a very particular, manicured side of cuba (which is not much of it!!)

We very much want to return to explore more by land, and to cruise the south coast.