Travel in Cuba is straightforward, with long-distance Viazul buses going to all places of importance, but tickets need to be reserved. There are also minibuses and private cars, often of considerable vintage, but those can deliver you to the place you want to stay. And, of course, there are internal flights by Cubana as well.
Travelling by private taxis sometimes involve changing vehicles at roadhouses, as they may have a set route and cooperate among themselves. There are lovely views to be had along the southern coast. Between Santiago and Baracoa, the road leads through the city of Guantánamo and around Guantánamo Bay, with signs warning it is an “area of high sensitivity for defence” adjacent to the infamous US military base and prison still occupying the area. And there are impressive mountain views from the Alto de Cotilla, the 560-metre high pass between Cajobabo on the south coast and Baracoa on the north coast, 45 kilometres away on the road “La Farola”, built in 1964.