Completed in the mid-1960s, the La Farola road (El Viaducto de la Farola) traverses the Cuchillas de Baracoa mountains and the Sierra del Purial range, connecting the northern coast of the far eastern end of Cuba with the southern one. Its primary goal was to open access to Baracoa, isolated for far too long despite being Spanish first capital in Cuba. Even after independence in 1902, the only access to Baracoa – the overland route along the northern coast – did not become a reality until the late 1950s, following the discovery of the nickel-cobalt ore near the Moa Bay. To date, the La Farola road remains in excellent condition by comparison to its north coast counterpart highway from Moa to Baracoa.
The devastation by the hurricanes is most noticeable by the “disheveled” appearance of the palms covering the Chuchillas.
Read more: CYCLING CUBA: Bicycle touring Eastern Cuba