| Cuban
Provinces & Cities
|
 |
Capital
City:
Must see:
|
| Cities
Towns Places |
| Bahia Honda |
Alonso de Rojas |
Bolivar |
| Candelaria |
Consolacion del Sur |
Cortes |
| El Moncada |
Entronque de Herradura |
Guane |
| Isabel Rubio |
La Bajada |
La Coloma |
| La Fe |
La Palma |
Las Terrazas |
| Los Palacios |
Mantua |
Manuel Sanguily |
| Minas de Matahambre |
Mirian |
Pinar
del Rio |
| Playa Bailen |
Puerto Esperanza |
Sabalo |
| San Andres |
San Cristobal |
San Diego de los Banos |
| San Juan y Martinez |
Sandino |
Santa Lucia |
| Sierra Maestra |
Soroa |
Vinales |
The Province West
of Habana, one of the more special
provinces of Cuba. Center of the tabaco plantations. A very relaxed
province
First thing everybody
mention are those weird looking mountains around Vinales area, called
"Mojotes" In between them the beautiful fields (vegas), in these
fields the best tabaco plants of the world are growing.
Most of this plantation
work happens by hand, from cutting the leaves till the making of
cigars. On these plantations you will notice a lot of triangle houses
without windows, these "Bohios" are used for the drying of the tabaco
leaves surrounded by palm trees
It is easy to drive
from Habana to Pinar del Rio, because there is a huge freeway to
it. Under the bridges you will see hitch hikers who would like to
have a free ride home. For a foreigner it will come in very handy
to take a Cuban hitch hiker with you, as he could show you the way,
because of the lack of signs at the road, and again, it is a fanastic
occasion for meeting locals.
Interesting links on Pinar
del Rio:
|
|
| Beaches
of Pinar del Rio Province |
| Maria
Gorda Beach |
|
This
beach was named for a woman (Fat Maria) who was supposedly sed on
shore here by pirates, who returned here now and again to visit
her between forays. Located on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, which
has been declared a world preserve of the biosphere, Maria la Gorda
Beach has left its rather raucous past behind and is now famed for
its senerity and sence of privacy. The beautiful beach, with fine
sand, is five miles (eight km) long. The seabed here is one of the
richestin Cuba in terms of biodiversity and has the largest colony
of black coral (Antipathes spp.) in the archipelago. At its 39 scuba-diving
sites, you can see gardens of gorgonians, sponges, a long wall with
grottoes, abnudant marine fauna and artefacts showing that both
pirate and merchant ships used to anchor here in the past.
| Location
and How to Get There |
Maria
La Gorda Beach is on Corrientes Bay, on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula,
93 miles (150 km) west of the city of Pinar del Rio and 188 miles
(304 km) from Havana. You can reach it by road or by sea, for it
has a marina (at 21 49'N. latitude, 84 29.8'W. longitude. For radio
communication, turn to VHF 16).
Scuba
diving (for both professionals and beginners) is the main activity
at Maria La Gorda, together with underwater photography, with modern
equipment and assistance from divers whose skill is attested to
by the World Underwater Federtion (CMAS). However, the area's tranquility,
fine white sandy beaches, many coconut palm treesand setting (with
great natural and archeological attractions) offer many other options
as well: sunbathing, swimming, other water sports, seafaris, lazig
around, reading, hiking, ecotourism, bird-watching, nature walks
and excursions to other points of interest on the Guanahacabibes
Peninsula.
| Cayo
Jutias |
This
peaceful islet place is so close to the mainland that a stone
causeway has been build to link the two. Even so, it exudes
an aura of isolation and is an ideal place for enjoying sensation
of having the beach to yourself-there are over four miles
(7 km) of white-sand beaches and a few people, so you can
always find a spot with nobody else in sight. It's a dream
destination for a day's excursion.
| Location
and How to Get There |
Cayo
Jutia is 56 miles (90 km) from the city of Pinar del Rio.
Take the road that goes to the town of Minas de Matahambre
and then the stone causeway.
Activities
include swimming and hiking. A beach shack offers snacks in
a delightful atmosphere. |
|
| Accommodation
and Facilities |
La
Villa, which is right on the shore, has 34 airconditioned
rooms, each with private bath and mini-bar and satelite TV.
It also has a restaurant, bar, games room, shop, international
telegraph and post office, fax, safe, laundry, car rentals
and specialized medical services. The International marina
has a good anchorage, drinking water, fuel, commisary, immigration
and Customs services, and harbor master's office.
|
| Nearby
Places of Interest |
Pinar
del Rio, capital of the province of the same
name, has museums of natural sciences and history, the library
which once belonged to the poet Dulce Maria Loynaz del Castillo
(winner of the Cervantes Prize in 1992), a distillery that
makes Guayabita del Pinar ( a local drink), a cigar factory
with a House of Habanos, a House of Rum, the Provincial Visual
Arts Center and a Troubadours' House.
The
province has several world-renowned natural attractions: Vinales
Valley, a part of world natural heritage, with impressive
pincushion hills with rounded tops. It also has one of the
most important cave systems in Latin America and several underground
rivers (one of which is navigable). The valley is an excellent
place for hiking, spelunking, bird-watching and other forms
of ecotourism, and the hotels blend in with their surroundings.
See the Mural of Prehistory and try the medical mineral water.
The
Sierra del Rosario world preserve of the biophere includes
Las Terrazas
Tourist Complex, a rural community boasting scores
of craftsmen and artists the ruins of many old French coffee
plantations, rivers which are excellent for swimming, an ecological
hotel, well-conserved forests of notable biodeversity which
conyain many endemic species of trees, the Soroa orchid gardens,
with over 700 species of orchides from all over the world
and 100 from Cuba, in addition to around 6000 species of other
ornamental plants, and a beautiful waterfall 72 feet (22 m)
high.
The
Guanahacabibes Peninsula world preserve of the biosphere is
a sparsely-populated area at the western tip of Cuba. It has
large forests, dozens of lakes, caves, abundant fauna, white
sandy plains and a beautiful strip of cliffs along its southern
coast. Here, you can see evergreen forests, mangrove thickets
and wetlands vegetation typical of sandy areas; several archaeological
sites at places which used to be aboriginal settlements; and
long, solitary beaches with fine white sand. At or near all
of these places, you will find dependable hotel services.
While
in the area, visit Jutia and Levisa Keys, off the nothern
coast, and the famous Vueltabajo tabacco fields, inland, where
the best tabacco in the world is grown.
| Las
Terrazas |
| Las
Terrazas (pop. 1200), though not significant in terms
of size, it is certainly one the area's most interesting
towns.
The
area's history of poverty began in the late 18th century
when coffee crops planted by French exiles from Haiti
began to fail. After that, the locals relied on sales
of charcoal to feed and clothe their families. Not only
did they become appallingly poor, but much of the area
had been clear-cut, and was ecologically dead. This
area became one of the poorest in the province of Pinar
del Rio.
Even
for years after the Revolution, the area was still impoverished
and fully reliant on charcoal exports. The people of
this area were still isolated from the health care and
education that would be necessary to escape the cruel
cycle of poverty. In 1967, noting the area's horrid
conditions, the government established programs of rural
development and ecological restoration in an attempt
to renew the community.
Similar
to the Agrarian Reform laws, and other projects around
the country, the people were provided with housing and
employment. In return, they were given the responsibility
of working to replant the area's forests. The area's
export of charcoal can now be considered a renewable
resource, as only those trees which are sick, dying,
or overcrowded are used for charcoal, and much replanting
is done.
The
town of Las Terrazas was founded in the early 1970's
to provide housing for the area's families. The town
was designed with good taste in mind, certainly a welcome
change from the functional but ugly Eastern bloc architecture
(example) found in many recent housing projects.
Besides
acting as a model community for progressive land uses
and ecological study, Las Terrazas has recently adapted
itself to host tourists. The type of tourism that this
community hopes to attract is different from that of
other parts of the country, however. The goal is to
provide tourists with an enjoyable stay at the park
but not to surround them with luxury. Thus, the biosphere
provides many ways for tourists staying at hotels near
the town to enjoy the area's natural beauty, such as
hiking through the extensive network of trails, and
swimming in los Baños de San Juan. The model
of tourism for Las Terrazas also encourages interaction
between tourists and the people of the area. The overall
effect is to create an enjoyable tourist experience
that is not loud, nor obnoxious, and does not leave
the Cubans feeling like second-class citizens.
|
|
|
| Addresses of Interesting
Places to Visit |
Casa de los Hermanos
Saíz Montes de Oca
Martí No. 41, San Juan y Martínez- |
Casa Natal
de Isabel Rubio
Isabel Rubio s/n, Guane |
Bosque de Piedra
de Isabel Rubio
Guane |
Orquideario de Soroa
Carretera de Soroa, km. 8,
Candelaria |
Cueva de los Portales
La Palma |
| Restaurants
& Paladars |
| Pinar del Rio |
Paladar
El Meson
Marti Este #205 |
Doñaneli
Panadería-Dulcería
Gerardo Medina No. 261,
Pinar del Río |
Doce
Plantas Cocina internacional
Maceo y Ferro,
Pinar del Río |
Paladar
Nuestra Casa
Colon Sur #161
E/ Ceferino Fernandez y Primero de Enero |
Paladar
Rodrigo
Colon Norte #167
E/ Mariana Grajales y Emilio Nunez |
Retaurante
La Casanova
Marti / Colon |
Restaurante
El Marino
Marti / Isabel Rubio |
Pinar
del Río Cocina criolla e internac.
Hotel Pinar del Río,
Pinar del Río |
Rumayor
Cocina criolla
Carret. a Viñales, km. 1,
Pinar del Río |
La
Taberna Cocina española
González Coro No. 101,
Pinar del Río |
| La
Palma |
El
Carey Comidas ligeras
Hotel Cayo Levisa,
La Palma |
Cayo
Levisa Cocina criolla e internac.
Hotel Cayo Levisa,
La Palma |
| Sandino |
María
Pescados y mariscos
Centro Intern. de Buceo
María La Gorda, Sandino |
| Candelaria |
El
Centro Cocina internacional
Hotel Soroa, Candelaria |
Castillo
Cocina criolla
Hotel Soroa, Candelaria |
El
Salto Cocina criolla
Hotel Soroa, Candelaria |
|
| Sports |
| Diving |
Diving World
Hoteles Horizontes
Cayo Levisa, La Palma
Telf: (53 226) 2-6471 al 73 |
María La Gorda
Marinas Puertosol
La Bajada, península de Guanahacabibes
Telf: (53 82) 77-1306 y 7-8131
Situación: 19°59’ N, 75°52’ W |
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