CUBA


	R

Central America and the Carribean

With lush mountains, fertile farmlands and inviting white sandy beaches lapped by turquoise waters, the Holguín region of Cuba draw international visitors to what has been developed into one of the country's prime tourist destinations. Mostly protected by coral reefs and shaded by thick tropical vegetation, Holguín's beaches contain some 12-nature preserves, including a Biosphere Reserve. They are some of the most picture postcard sands in the Caribbean. It is easy to see why, as the centuries-old story goes, Columbus, on landing at Bariay, near Guardalavaca, noted in his log that, "this was the most beautiful land human eyes had ever seen".

The vast majority of tourists who travel to this area in Cuba come to enjoy its beach milieu. The three most popular of the 41 small beaches in the Holguín region are Playa Guardalavaca, Playa Esmeralda and Playa Pesquero, all offering first-class resort hotels.

Guardalavaca:

Guardalavaca, a 2-mile beach of stunning white silvery sands and gentle deep blue waters, was the first beach developed for tourism in the region in the 1980s. Today, some 5,000 hotel rooms in the province of Holguín, mostly near to Guardalavaca and the neighbouring beaches, make the area the third most important tourist destination in Cuba, surpassed only by Varadero and Havana.

Located less than 1,000 feet from shore and protected by coral reefs, the area between shore and reef teems with a large variety of fish species. Atop the coral reef the waters are ideal for reef and scuba diving, and snorkelling. Also, from the beach one can go catamaran sailing, kayaking and windsurfing. Popular with the locals, it offers the folkloric beach culture of vendors selling drinks, snacks and souvenirs.

The small town of Guardalavaca, which literally means 'guard the cows', is so-named from the time of the Spanish conquest when many herds of cattle were raised in the surrounding countryside. In fact, it is said that the town's people always had guards on the shore scanning the sea for pirate ships that often raided the area for food and loot, especially cows. When a pirate ship was spotted a warning was quickly passed on to the townsmen: 'The pirates are coming! Guard your cows!'

Playa Esmeralda:

Playa Esmeralda with its shimmering blue waters and pristine sands is a picture-perfect beach, as is Paradisus de la Oro, three miles away, a well known honeymooners' destination. More private than Guardalavaca the half-mile-long beach is washed by still clear waters and edged by lush greenery on one side and coral reefs on the other.

Playa Esmeralda edges Bahia de Naranjo, a natural park noted for its aquarium featuring trained dolphins and sea lions that perform for visitors. Here tourists can pet the sea lions or swim with the playful dolphins, both unforgettable experiences. Bordering these beaches there are excellent tourist resorts. In winter they swarm with Canadian tourists followed by those from northern Europe, escaping the cold of the north.

In 2008 one of the Caribbean hurricanes struck this part of Cuba and uprooted many trees and devastated parts of most resorts. However, in three months most of the destroyed parts of the resorts were rebuilt and the uprooted trees cleared allowing the resorts to be ready for the winter onrush of tourists. Today, visitors can hardly tell that this part of Cuba had been hit by a hurricane.


	Playa Pesquero:
	Playa Pesquero:

Playa Pesquero, with its transparent waters and surrounded by tree-covered mountains, is noted for its huge Playa Pesquero Hotel. Set on 72 acres of land and with a staff of 900, it is the second largest tourist resort in Cuba with accommodations for up to 2,000 persons.

Close to Guardalavaca Beach the town of Banes, known as the capital of archaeology in Cuba, and the Chorro de Maita archaeological site with a unique museum. Other historic sites one can visit are the city of Gibara, the only city besides Havana that once was surrounded by walls. Also of special interest in this city is the Monument to the Meeting of the Two Cultures at Bariay, erected in 1992 to celebrate the 500 year anniversary of Columbus's landing in the New World. The monument features replicas of the Indigenous gods and columns representing the Europeans.

Cayo Saetia:

Also of interest to many visitors and accessible by catamaran is Cayo Saetia, a 16.2-square-mile island with 12 virginal sugar-white beach coves washed by deep blue waters and gentle surf. Cayo Saetia is considered the largest nature reserve in the country. Heavily forested but dotted with tiny areas for grazing, the island, once a private government game reserve, has become an enticing paradise for environmentalists because of its exotic flora and fauna.

Amid this greenery, Cayo Saetia has been stocked with both local and introduced wild animals such as antelopes, boars, crocodiles, deer, hutias, iguanas, ostriches, rheas, turtles, water buffalos, zebras and others. To help keep the environmental balance, hunting is allowed under strict observance of national and international laws and regulations. Unlike other Cuban regions, the need to cull excessive numbers of certain animal species and the forested nature of Cayo Saetía have made it the largest and best hunting ground in the country.

The Hotel Villa Cayo Saetía is the only abode on the island--and its 12 rooms are air-conditioned. It is a true hideaway resort and a perfect place for a honeymoon or a peaceful retreat. Located at the entrance of the Bay of Nipe, it also draws visitors because of its small beach of fine white sand, crystal-clear waters and unique brown rock formations as well as its isolation. This small hotel offers many of the facilities that are found in the larger hotels. In addition to making arrangements for hunters, most of the island’s excursions, including boat rides, horseback riding, jeep safaris, and snorkelling can be booked from the hotel.

Though honeymooning, culling wild animals and nature viewing may seem like an incongruous combination of activities, the island remains an interesting site for visitors who love summer sports with or without firearms or who merely wish to enjoy its exotic flora and fauna or the surrounding coral reef with its great quantity of sea life.

Holguin City:

As a cap to a visit to the Holguín region, visitors can drive an hour from Guardalavaca through sugarcane fields and a rolling green countryside dotted with Royal Palms to the city of Holguín, capital of the province with the same name. The province is noted for its cattle herds and produces beans, corn, sugarcane and tobacco, which have given it the label, 'Cuba's granary'.

Established in 1523 by the Conquistador Garcia Holguín and moved to its present location in the 18th century, the city is a prosperous commercial center in a fertile agricultural region. It is also an industrial town, manufacturing sugarcane and rice harvesters and the hub of nickel mining in Cuba.

The birthplace of Fidel Castro and the fourth largest city in Cuba, Holguín features eight colonial shaded plazas and parks, numerous museums and a cigar factory, producing almost all 72 brands of Cuban cigars. It is on every city tour offered at the beach resorts. Holguín's most important landmark is Loma de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross), a high point offering a wonderful view of the city and beyond. It features a 450-step stairway, a small fort and a large wooden cross erected May 3, 1950. For many visitors the stairway is a challenge, but there is easy access by car. The anniversary of the cross is celebrated every year with a pilgrimage, a mass and demonstrations of typical dances.

Among the city's many attractions the following are all worth investigating: Calixto Garcia Park, located in Holguín's heart is the center of the city's life; Carlos de la Torre Huerta Provincial Museum of Natural History, its eleven rooms housing the most important collection of ornithology and malacology (the study of mollusks) in the Caribbean; Le Periquera Provincial History Museum, displays in chronological order the key parts of the eastern region of Cuba; San Isidoro Cathedral, an 18th century structure with appealing architecture; and San José Church, one of the city's most important architectural monuments.

The city of Holguín is lively, and there are many things to see and do. The Cultural House, the playground of artists, folk dancers, pop singers, medieval troubadours and many other types of cultural events take place in this center. The city also has an active nightlife, and there are tours offered to numerous destinations in the state and beyond.

Many foreign tourists, especially Canadians have discovered the attractions of the Holguín region with its excellent beaches and luxury resorts that boast an 80% occupancy at the peak season from January to April. About half of the tourists on its beaches are Canadians, followed by those from Great Britain, then from other countries on a smaller scale.

The finest resort area in the eastern half of Cuba, the Holguín region draws some 250,000 tourists annually. However, it remains low-key and is fast becoming one of the most sought after spots on the island, most particularly by visitors from cold northern climes.

Some of the Fine All-Inclusive Resorts Edging Holguín's Beaches

Playa Pesquero: a 5-star villa type spread-out hotel on Playa Pesquero, 10 minutes from Guardalavaca Beach and 1 hour from Holguín airport . http://www.cuba-playapesquero.com/

Paradisus Rio De Oro: a 5-star hotel on Playa Esmeralda, noted for its honeymoon and wedding facilities a little more than 1 hour from Holguín airport . http://www.solmelia.com/solNew/hoteles/jsp/C_Hotel_Description.jsp?codigoHotel=5874

Brisas Guardalavaca Hotel: a 4-star hotel on Guardalavaca Beach. http://www.cubahotelbookings.com/hotel-view.asp?lID=1&hID=257

Playa Costa Verde: a 4-star hotel located on Playa Pesquero. http://www.allseasons.org/PlayaCostaVerde.htm

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: a 4-star resort on Playa Esmeralda. http://onlinetravelcenter.ca/Sol_Rio_de_Luna_y_Mares_Resort_(Mares_section).php

For Further Information, Contact Cuba Tourist Board:

Cuba Tourist Board, Toronto: 1200 Bay Street. Suite 305. Toronto. ON. M5R 2A5. Tel: (416) 362-0700. Toll Free: 1-866-404 CUBA (2822). Fax: (416) 362-6799 e-mail: info@gocuba.ca;
Cuba Tourist Board, Montreal: 2075, rue University, Bureau 460 Montréal, Québec, H3A 2L1 Tel: (514) 875-8004 Fax: (514) 875-8006 e-mail: montreal@gocuba.ca Website: http://www.gocuba.ca/en/index.asp

IF YOU GO
Facts to Know About Cuba:

1) To increase tourism, plans are afoot for golf courses, a cruise port and a theme park in the Holguín region.

2) Visitors to Cuba must use convertible pesos (CUC ). At present, approximate exchange rates: 1 CUC = $1.40 Canadian; €0.80 Euros; $1.08 U.S. Dollars. The Cuban peso, which can only be used by tourists to purchase such products as fruit and vegetables, converts at about 1 CUC to 25 pesos. For Cuban currency information, see website: http://www.webhavana.com/main.php?lang=en&page=cuba_currency.php

3) Rental cars are expensive - around 50 to 80 CUC a day and up and gas is around .75 CUC a liter.

4) In spite of the shortages, all of Cuba is still safe, thefts are rare and tap water is drinkable, even in the villages. However, for tourists to feel safe, they should drink bottled water, available everywhere.

5) The best buys in Cuba are rum and cigars. Beware of black market cigars - often they are not authentic. Seven-year-old Havana Club is the top rum in Cuba. It is smoother than brandy and sells at around 12 CUC a bottle.

6) The best time to travel to Holguín is from December to the end of April - the dry season. However, this could be extended to May when Las Romerias de Mayo is celebrated.

7) Remember to keep 25 CUC for the departure tax.

8) All the prices quoted are in CUC pesos.

PHOTO CREDITS: Habeeb Salloum


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