Holguin - The Province of Great Waterfalls

Holguin was the place from where  Christopher Columbus started his exploration of the Cuban Islands. The location where Columbus first spotted the new world has a famous park containing statues displaying the meeting between the indians and the Europeans.

The mountainous landscape and exquisite beaches enhance the beauty of this provincial region. The province offers great ecotourism opportunities for tourists with splendid beaches, bays, and lagoons. Some other important tourist attractions include the presence of six waterfalls and 34 rivers in the province. Guayabo, the largest waterfall in Cuba is located in this province. Holguin also provides great tourist infrastructure facilities with 19 cultural and historic sites to visit. There are more than 130 archeological sites for performing research activities.

Provincial capital of Holguin, known as San Isidoro de Holguín, is famous across Cuba as the ‘city of parks’. This pleasant city offers a great day trip to tourists with its limited attractions. The Loma de la Cruz is another famous destination in the city, featuring a huge 450 step stairway that has a lot of history associated with it. The city is also close to great places like Gibara and Banes. Tourists can quickly travel to these destinations and have a great outing.

There are more than 20 costal bays located in this province with about 50 kilometers of beautiful white sandy beaches. Guardalavaca, a famous beach in this province provides tourists with amazing vegetation, coral reefs, and interesting cliffs along with clear blue water as well as a white sandy surface. The shell like appearance of the beach is a great attraction for tourists. There are certain places like El Salto and Boca de las Esponjas that provide great scuba diving opportunities.

Another great tourism destination is the Bahía de Naranjo Nature Park, with 247 acres of lush green and open environment. The major attraction is the “Las Guanas” nature trail, sailing in yachts, and getting to taste the delicacies of the countryside. There is a wealth of rich flora and fauna in this region. The Pinares de Mayari is another destination with endemic species of plants and animals and is a world preserve of the biosphere as declared by UNESCO.

The Dolphin Aquarium is a great tourist attraction, and is part of a man-made Island right in the central region of the bay. Trained dolphins’ show their skills and share the sea with excited viewers. They provide great amusement to everyone with their display of jumps, dances, and rapid movements in the water. The aquarium has an exquisite natural setting, where dolphins and sea lions, show their skills and pose beside tourists for photographs.

The tour of Holguin remains incomplete without a visit to Baracoa, the most scenic location in the whole of Cuba. This picturesque spot is a must visit for tourists to enjoy the natural wonders of tropical vegetation and refreshing rivers. The historical village at Baracoa is part of an oyster-shaped bay. The scenic backdrop is completed by El Yunque, a flat-topped mountain in this location. Another great destination for wildlife lover is Saetía Key, where tourists can watch some of the largest wild animals in their natural habitat.

Accommodation is easy to find with a wide variety of hotels and resorts present both within the city and near the picturesque beaches of the province. The night life is exciting with great music, lots of beer and dancing all through the night. Some of the popular places to hang out while in Holguin are Río de Oro, La Roca, El Pétalo, Nocturno, and El Mirador. The nightly entertainment cost varies as the stage, dancers, and musicians increase in quality depending on the amount of money spent.