Marea
del Portillo Beach is a dark-sand beach located on a spectacular
cove, with mountains as a backdrop. A peaceful place with tremendous
natural attractions, it is a part of the Sierra Maestra Natural
Park. It has a profusion of coconut palm trees and is an excellent
place for scuba diving, snorkling and other water sports. There
are 17 scuba diving sites in the area. The seabed has tall hillocks
sepersted by narrow valleys covered with beautiful invertebrate
fossils, forming caves and tunnels where fish, crustaceans and molluks
hide. Its treasures include two very well preserved ships of the
Spanish fleet that where sunk by the US navy during the Battle of
Santiago de Cuba in 1898.
Further
west, towards Cruz Cape, there are coral formations, gorgonians,
Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.) and colorfull fish-a tropicalparadise
that's within your reach from the Maria del Portillo Scuba Diving
Center. The area also has marine terraces which reach eight levels
on some places of the coast and extend underwater, as well. They
are the best-preserved such terraces in Cuba and make dives in this
area even more interesting.
Location
and How to Get There
Marea
del Portillo Beach is linked to the other part of the Granma province,
in southeastern Cuba, by road. It is over 550 miles (900 km) east
of Havana, near Santiago
de Cuba and Holguin. Bayamo,
capital of the province, has an airport for domestic flights, and
Manzanillo-the closest city to Marea del Portillo-has an international
airport. The province also has road ans rail connections with the
rest of the country. The Granma highway, which links it to Santiago
de Cuba Province, is 130 miles (210 km) in length and has 32 bridges-one
of which is 2690 feet (820 meters) long- that span the mouths of
several rivers and offer some particularly stunning views.
What
to Do
Activities
include scuba diving and snorkling at the coral reef, fishing, other
water sports, going for all-day boat rides to nearby cays, hiking,
exploring the nearby mountains by jeep or on horseback (as you climb,
you can note changes in the lush tropical vegetaion and see towering
peaks, valleys, rivers and virgin forests) and drives along the
coastal highway (with scenes of great beauty). In addition, there
is evening entertainment.
Accomodations
and facilities
The
3- and 4- star Marea del Portillo and Farallon del Caribe Hotels
have around 270 air-conditioned rooms, each with satelite TV. Their
services and other features include games rooms; a swimming pool
with special areas for children; several restaurants and bars; transportation
appropriate for use in the valleys or mountains; equipment for snorkling,
scubadiving and other water sports; a doctor on call 24 hours a
day; and shops.
Nearby
Places of Interest
During
your stay at Marea del portillo beach, you can visit Turquino National
Park, in the western part of the Sierra Maestra Mountains. The park
contains the highest peaks in the country. Climb up to La Plata,
where the simple building which was once the Rebel Army's headquaters
has been turned into a museum, or go down to Las Coloradas Beach,
where the water is warm and there is a museum honoring the 82 men
who returned to Cuba from Mexico aboard the Granma cabin cruiser
in 1956 and landed here to form the nucleus of the rebel army.
Take
the El Guafe ecological and archeological trail to see the cave
systems in which Cuba's original inhabitants once lived and still
bear signs of that culture. Or go up to the Yaguas Look-Out Point
for a panoramic view of the mountains and sea; to Cruz Cape, to
see its beautiful marine terraces; or to Hicacos Point, which has
nearly 2 miles (3 km) of fine sandy beaches. While in the province,
visit its capital, Bayamo (founded
in 1513), where Cuba's National
Anthem was sung for the first time. The oldest part of the city
is well preserved and contains the Main Parish Church; the house
in which Carlos manuel de Cespedes (the Father of this country)
was born (now a museum); several hotels, restaurants and cabarets;
and an adequate service infrastructure.
Other
points wirth visiting include Manzanillo (founded in 1784), a pictoresque
coastal city which has the main port in the province; the La Demajagua
Park, that surroundings the sugarmill at which Cuba's first War
of Independence began, in 1868; and the Birma Hunting preserve,
a natural preserve with at least 30.000 birds and comfertable accommodations.
A crocodile-breeding center is in the same general area. |
