Towards the coast of the province you should take the road that leads to Gibara, which is going to be the departure point to visit the whole Northern coast. This city is less than 35 km from Holguin. The whole trip is hilly, with small elevations. In map number 20 of your Road Guide you can observe the totality of the province coast, note that it is very different from those you have visited so far: a great number of beaches very close to each other, more than 20 bays and places of great historical interest, from the national and international point of view. The options are so many that it becomes difficult to make a choice.

Remember what we always advise: In Gibara there is no comfortable hotel, so you have two choices: booking in a hotel located more to the East, be it Villa Don Lino, the nearest one, or the camping site Silla de Gibara (Gibara Chair), before arriving in Bariay, which is your next destination after Gibara. The hotels are excellent and this camping site is comfortable and located in a natural picturesque place.

If you choose the camping site, you have more time to enjoy the trip for it is nearest to Gibara. Although it is not a place with the most comfort, the ambience is natural and has an interpretative path on a nearby hill. Make a choice and book your hotel before going to Gibara.

Once in Gibara, which is by the bay of the same name and known as Villa Blanca (The White Villa), it is recommended visiting not only this city and its surroundings but also the beaches located to the West of it. Gibara preserves one of the most important urban architectonic ensembles of the country as well as very valuable ruins as the Cuartelon and the Fernando VII Battery. We suggest visiting the Museum of Cuban Colonial Ambience and that of Natural Sciences. The first one has objects of great interest and is located in a spacious house of neoclassic style, built in 1872. The second possesses one of the best collections of diurnal and crepuscular butterflies of the Antilles.

Towards the West and bordering the coast, you can find very beautiful natural beaches, among the most outstanding, La Escobacha, Los Caletones and Playa Caliente (Hot Beach). The road is in good shape and adjoining a low forest on one of its sides, while on the other it is limited by the sea. You should try to arrive at your hotel before night.

If you choose the camping site, you should take the road that leads you to Bariay. At less than 20 km there is Fray Benito village, where you should follow the way that goes to the hotel area, located between Bariay and Naranjo Bays, at almost 30 km. You will find the adequate traffic signs. The place is really beautiful. The whole seaboard until the Nipe Bay can be visited because of the values it possesses and the good infrastructure of the roads. That is why we suggest selecting one of the hotels by the coast, which location we will indicate to you next.

At Bariay Bay, in the proximities of Viejo Pesquero  Beach, is the Islazul Villa Don Lino Hotel (3*). Then comes Vita Bay, where you can find the International Marina Puerto de Vita. Next, you have Pesquero, El Estero, Pesquero Nuevo and Yuraguamal beaches. Following and near Naranjo Bay, there are several holguin hotels: Playa Pesquero (5*),  Blau Costa Verde (4*), Sirenis Playa Turquesa (4*) and Playa Costa Verde (4*) (Green Coast). In the same Naranjo Bay there is a heliport and the hotels Cayo Naranjo (4*) (Orange Tree Key) , Sol Rio de Mares (4*) and Sol Rio de Luna (4*). And last, in the direction of Guardalavaca Beach you find the adults only Paradisus Rio de Oro (5*) (Paradise Golden River), Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca (3*) and Brisas Guardalavaca (3*) Holguin Hotels. Near these hotels is a heliport and two nautical bases.

From any of these hotels in holguin you can visit the beautiful beaches we have mentioned, as well as other interesting places we will refer to now.

To begin with, we suggest visiting Bariay Bay. In this place, Christopher Columbus landed in Cuba on October 27, 1492, with his three caravels. The area was declared National Park Monument. Actually, they are two small bays separated by a peninsula: that of Jururu on the left and the one known as Bariay on the right, where the actual first landing took place. In the park you can see a Spanish fortress and a stable where you can go horse riding. On the landing place, there is an archaeological site and a replica of an aboriginal village, built in accordance to the descriptions of the Admiral's Diaries. Towards the North and near the open sea, a monument devoted to the Encounter of Two Cultures lies.

Another interesting place is the so called Chorro de Maita. This site is considered the biggest native burial place of the Antilles, with a number of about a hundred remains. This place was thickly populated by the firsts Cuban inhabitants almost until the arrival of the Spanish. Near to it, is a replica of a village with everything those natives used, including statues of them with their clothing and other interesting things.

In the near Banes village, is the Indo-Cuban Bani Museum, the most important in relation to the Cuban cultures developed before the arrival of the Spanish.  Many of the remains of the first Cuba inhabitants have been discovered in this province. This museum exhibits many samples, almost 20 000 pieces.

It is also of great interest the so-called natural park Bahia de Naranjo. It has an extension of about 1000 hectares. For nature lovers this is an ideal place, for it offers tours along the eco tourist paths such as Las Guanas and Laguna Dorada (Golden Pond). They are both near the Esmeralda Hotel. The first is located in a protected coastal ecosystem, not very long but with more than 127 plant and migrating bird species. You can reach it walking, by bicycle or by motorcycle.
The second is a center where several species of the Cuban fauna and flora are reproduced in captivity and then given back to a natural pond. Migrating birds are also abundant.

From the hotels, excursions by sea to these places are organized. We will refer to them in the next article.

About the Author:
Martin Luis López is a Cuba hotels and Cuba Vacations specialist working with Umbrella Travel.

Author: Dr. Martin Luis López