"Holguin Province" Top 5 Page for this destination Holguín by Babzz

"Christopher Columbus landed in what is today Holguín province on October 27, 1492. He declared that it was "the most beautiful country human eyes had ever seen".

Like much of Cuba, Holguín's economy is based around sugarcane, though mining, corn and coffee are also large earners for the province.

Tourism has only recently begun to be experimented with by the Fidel Castro government, and in Holguín, there are numerous hotels around the Guardalavaca area."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holgu%C3%ADn_Province

I've divided my trip into four pages: Holguin, Guardalavaca, Yaguajay, and Canadon. I did so because technically we only passed through Holguin so the things we did and saw happened in these smaller towns and villages.

The hotels of Holguin are actually located on the northern coast about 45min-1h away from Holguin, either in Guardalavaca, or in remote areas outside Guardalavaca. Most tourists who venture off their resorts will likely visit these areas.

For the full scope of our travels and experiences, check out these pages as well. Happy travelling and get off the resort!

"Cuba has a flora of striking richness, with the total number of native flowering species estimated at nearly 6,000. The mountainous areas are covered by tropical forest, but Cuba is essentially a palm-studded grassland. The royal palm, reaching heights of 15 to 23 m (50–75 ft), is the national tree. Pines like those in the southeastern US grow on the slopes of the Sierra de los Órganos and on the Isla de Juventud (Isle of Youth). The lower coastal areas, especially in the south, have mangrove swamps. There is a small area around Guantánamo Bay where desert plants grow.

Only small animals inhabit Cuba. These include tropical bats, rodents, birds, and many species of reptiles and insects."

Source: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Cuba-FLORA-AND-FAUNA.html

"Cuba's most abundant land fauna is reptilian and includes crocodiles, iguanas, lizards, salamanders, turtles and 15 species of nonpoisonous snakes. The largest land mammal is the jutía (Capromys), a tree rat which grows to about 60cm in length. The world's smallest bird comes from Cuba: the bee hummingbird, or zunzuncito (Mellisuga helenae), is just bigger than a grasshopper and weighs only two grams. The tocororo (Priotelus temnuros) is dubbed Cuba's national bird due to its red, white and blue plumage - the colors of the Cuban flag.

There are more than 6000 plant species in Cuba, around half of which are endemic. The ever-present royal palm (Reistonea regia) is represented on the country's coat of arms; there are said to be 20 million palms in Cuba. Cuba's other flora includes the rare and prehistoric cork palm (Microcycas calocoma), a throwback to the Cretaceous Period; the jagüey, a fig with aerial roots; the palma barrigona (big belly palm); the ceiba, the sacred silk-cotton tree, and the mariposa (butterfly jasmine), the white national flower. Much of the southern coast has mangrove swamps that support small fish and birdlife while the majority of the northern coast is bordered by rugged beaches."

Source: http://www.gran-caribe.com/english/explore_environment.htm

• Pros:Not as touristed as Varadero; natural beauty
• Cons:Distances to attactions