When on October 28, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the Bay of Bariei, in the east of Holguín province (Cuba), he did not imagine that five centuries later his statue would be installed here and a whole national historical park was laid out around the memorial complex. Having become a part of world civilization, the island carefully preserves the history and culture of local tribes.
A part of the Bariei park is the folklore village of Taino, in which the descendants of the Arawak people live. There you can fully experience the features of the ancient Indian culture and life. And having visited a small copy of the Spanish fortress, believable in every detail, you will feel like a conquistador-conqueror. An excursion to the island of Bariei with a landing at the place where the foot of a European first set foot and from which the new history of Cuba begins is especially popular among tourists.
Another significant park in the province of Holguin is the natural park "/>
Holguin's beaches are renowned for their cleanliness and seclusion. Keeping an inviolable and natural appearance, they are attractive for many lovers of sea recreation and are now experiencing a real tourist boom.
The most famous beach is Guardalavaca with an impressive coral seabed. According to one version, this name means "/>
Cuba is attractive not only for its picturesque corners, but also for its relative cheapness. A boat trip with a stop at a coral reef for scuba diving will cost 40-60 CUC. As a rule, there is an open bar on board the ship, and the journey itself will take 2-4 hours. Thus, if you go on a small cruise in the evening, then you are guaranteed to enjoy the sunset of the Caribbean Sea on the way back.
The most beautiful coral gardens attract drivers from all over the world. The Eagle Ray Scuba Diving Center offers over ten dive sites. One of the challenges: to walk under the waters of the old Bahamas canal along the vertical wall, which is replete with black corals at a depth of 40 meters. Take the risk?
In the province of Holguin during the winter months, the air and water temperatures are slightly higher and the winds are less than in Varadero and in the rest of Cuba due to the fact that the resort area is covered with forest and hills. This circumstance, combined with the beautiful coral plains, tunnels and underwater caves, attracts divers from all over the world to Holguin.
Esmeralda Beach, located near Guardalavaca and almost one kilometer long, fully lives up to its name. Indeed, in translation "Esmeralda" means "emerald". The sea here is amazingly clean and with such a greenish-turquoise hue that, having dropped the emerald to the bottom of the sea, it will be almost impossible to find it.
Playa Pesquero is located 40 km from the provincial capital of Holguín - closer than the above beaches. This is a fairly young, well-equipped resort area. The eponymous hotel is one of the largest five-star hotels in Cuba with a full package of entertainment and amenities according to the best European standards. The length of the beach is 900 meters. Playa Pesquero is a quiet, secluded place for a measured holiday for families with children.
Cayo Saetia is a beach on an island with untouched nature, where wild animals live in their natural environment - ostriches, zebras, deer, antelopes, wild pigs, wild bulls, iguanas and innumerable species of birds. If you want to know what a Cuban safari is, and you are not afraid of places far from the tourist routes, Cayo Saetia is the perfect choice. Unlike other beaches in Cuba, where the seabed slowly disappears from under your feet, and you go for a long time to the desired depth, there is space for diving rather quickly here, as if it were not the Atlantic coast, but the Mediterranean.
The resorts of the Holguin province are little known in the Russian tourist market, although thousands of Europeans rest here all year round. This is all the more strange when you consider that there is a direct flight from Moscow to Holguin. If you've been to Cuba before and would like to visit new places - these provinces are perfect. It will be interesting for couples, families with children, and wildlife lovers - everyone who wants to get acquainted with the real Cuba!
