Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba, the second largest city in Cuba,
is Havana's rival when it comes to literature, music
and politics, and is regarded as the 'cradle of the
revolution' because of the pivotal role it played
in overthrowing the Batista regime. The city overlooks
the Bahía de Santiago de Cuba and, unlike other
Cuban towns, has a distinct Caribbean flavour due
to the influence of French planters and Haitians who
settled in the 19th century. The city's character
is also due to its isolation from Havana, and its
history is just as colourful.
Trinidad
Trinidad was founded in 1514, but remained a backwater
haven for smugglers until the late 18th century. This
changed in the early 19th century when a slave revolt
in Haiti caused French planters to flee to Trinidad,
where they re-established their mini-empires. Trinidad
boomed until the Wars of Independence devastated the
region's sugar plantations and the town again fell
into obscurity. The legacy of this short-lived sugar-boom
wealth can be seen in the town's baroque church towers,
Carrara marble floors, wrought-iron grills and run-down
mansions.
Bayamo
Bayamo is the capital of Granma Province, the country's
southernmost point. Rarely visited, the area boasts
many historic places of interest, including the site
where José Martí was shot, and one of
Cuba's greatest national parks, Gran Parque Nacional
Sierra Maestra, to the south of Bayamo Township. This
area was important in the Cuban struggle for freedom:
Castro and 81 rebels landed here aboard the Granma
(hence the province's name) in 1956, and the first
War of Independence was launched here in October 1868
when a Creole planter freed his slaves, formed a militia
and overran the region.
Isla de la Juventud
Although 350 islands make up the Archipiélago
de los Canarreos, Isla de la Juventud is by far the
biggest one. Most of it is pretty flat but it does
have the Ciénaga de Lanier, Cuba's second-largest
swamp. This region is administered from the island's
capital, Nueva Gerona. Isla de la Juventud is the
least populated region of Cuba, with most people living
in the north of the island. Once known as Parrot Island,
it was a hideout for pirates like Francis Drake, John
Hawkins, Thomas Baskerville and Henry Morgan, and
it inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.
Hotels
All the hotels we recommend are clean, well located
and comfortable hotels varying in services as according
to their category. We rarely use hostels as the price
difference is negligible between a good hostel and
a hotel. In places like the national reserves areas
we do work with some very good lodges. Cuba boasts
an excellent range of hotels from three star hotels
to 5* Deluxe hotels, so you are able to choose the
best hotels in line with your budget. We will always
quote you with good hotels on all our programmes but
upgrades or downgrades will be available as per your
request. However, as the price will decrease with
downgrades, this will ultimately reflect in the services
and standards of the hotel.
Flights
Unless otherwise stated, we provide all internal flights
in your programme, excluding the airport taxes. We
also provide international flights around Central
and South America and the Caribbean and can quote,
upon request, your international flight to Cuba. We
work directly with the best airlines in Central and
South America and the Caribbean but are not responsible
for any changes in flight schedules or cancellations
made by the airlines. This is the responsibility of
the airline in question. We will always endeavour
to minimise any delays or changes but cannot guarantee
a successful outcome.
Insurance
It is a mandatory requirement that all our customers
take out adequate travel insurance cover. Once you
have obtained your insurance, it is company practice
to check the validity and cover of your insurance
policy and we hold the right to refuse travel to anyone
whose insurance does not satisfy Amazing Peru's stringent
criteria. These include cancellation and curtailment,
death or injury, medical insurance, emergency repatriation,
delayed baggage, loss and theft etc.
Varadero –
Along the Via Blanca, 140km east of Havana is Varadero,
easily one of the most popular beach destinations
for mainstream tourists hailing from North America
and Europe. The
beaches of Varadero are some of the most beautiful
in the world and so if you are so inclined, it is
worth a visit, especially since there are no good
beaches in Havana. To get there you can either take
the bus at the Terminal de Omnibus Interprovinciales
at Avenida de la Independencia and Calle 19 de Mayo
(near Plaza de la Revolucion), or rent a car. It is
difficult to find inexpensive one-night accommodations
in Varadero, particularly on the beach, so keep that
in mind should you decide to stay.
Baracoa
Laid-back Baracoa, with its palm tree-lined coast,
sits on a headland between two picturesque bays near
Cuba's easternmost point of Cabo Maisí. Founded
in 1512 by Diego Velázquez, this is Cuba's
oldest European settlement. Baracoa, accessible only
by sea up until the 1960s, was an important Spanish
outpost, as evidenced by the three impressive forts:
Fuerte Matachín, now housing the museo municipal;
Fuerte de la Punta, now refitted with a restaurant;
and El Castillo de Seboruco, now a pleasant hotel.
Pinar del Río Province
Naturalists will love this westernmost part of the
country. It boasts two UNESCO biosphere reserves protecting
some of the country's loveliest landscapes, including
parts of the 175m-long (574ft) Cordillera de Guaniguanico,
which is something of a hiker's paradise. The province
is famous for its surreal and beautiful limestone
pincushion hills. The area is riddled with caves carved
by underground rivers, some of which make for great
diving. If you'd rather scuba through saltwater, María
la Gorda boasts some of the finest underwater scenery
in the Caribbean.
Antarctica tours
