The Cuban YouTuber from the channel JSant TV documented the dilapidated state of a little-known coastal settlement located about 79 kilometers from Havana.
This unique Cuban town is known for its American-style mobile homes. It is located in Playa La Herradura, Artemisa province, but currently very few people go there for vacation. The YouTuber himself stated, "it doesn't even show up on maps."
Reaching the location was not easy. The content creator rented an electric tricycle for 2,000 Cuban pesos to the Playa stop, then boarded a truck to the Playa La Herradura junction and waited over an hour to obtain another electric tricycle, because there is more than 9 kilometers from the main road to the beach, a distance that makes it difficult to access on foot.
"One definitely had to be eager to swim at this beach to come this far with a trailer," he commented during the tour.
Once at the site, the filmmaker found a settlement that retains the outline of what was once a trailer camp, although most of the original units have disappeared or undergone structural modifications.
"One of the first things that impressed me was that it retains the aesthetic of a community of mobile homes, even though there are practically no original ones left since most have been modified, blending with concrete structures," he described.
A testimony included in the video explains the origin of the settlement: "These trailers were in Varadero, and others were in Guanabo, and they were moved to this location. From Varadero, they were moved to Playa Salado and Playa Baracoa, and then they were transferred to this site."
According to that same account, in 1984 the first trailers arrived, progressively shaping the current village. At their peak, the vehicles had their own license plates and electric lights.
What was once a vacation destination for families with access to those vehicles—generally linked to state structures—has gradually transformed into a semi-permanent settlement. Today, it serves as a small beach town with families from various parts of the country who, according to the testimonies gathered in the video, come to stay for a limited time.
JSant TV is one of the most popular YouTubers in Cuba. In his videos, he showcases aspects of the country that the state television omits. Among his previous reports, one stands out dedicated to the quarry in Matanzas where workers extract limestone by hand using 19th-century tools.
His work on the fishing huts in Risco Alto also went viral, structures that have been suspended over the sea since the 1980s.
Mobile homes are not common in Cuba. This video reflects a specific period in the social history of the island. Economic stagnation and system restrictions turned those temporary vacation residences into semi-permanent homes that today hardly resemble what they once were.
"An exclusive paradise with a unique beach that has nothing to envy from Varadero or the beaches of the east," summarized the YouTuber, describing a place that time and neglect have gradually erased from the map.
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