Cienfuegos Province - Capital: Cienfuegos City

Cuba's smallest province with some sugar industries and some coffee. The province has of everything a bit, or as Cubans say un tin, some flat land, some mountains (Sierra Escambray) shared with other provinces, but this province has his capital city Cienfuegos, a beautiful city where lots of tourists love to come back to each year. As it could be for it's beautiful beaches or scuba diving or eco tourism.

Cienfuegos Province Information

Racho Luna Beach

This beautiful beach is near both the city of Cienfuegos-one of the loveliest in the country-and Trinidad, which has been declared a part of the world heritage. The beach has good hotels, ecotourism programs, and scuba diving and other water sports, offering you a fulfilling and relaxing stay.

What to Do
Activities include sunbathing, swimming, scuba diving, snorkling and other water sports; minature golf; tennis; beach volleyball; tours along the attractive coast; excursions to nearby natural attractions, the city of Cienfuegos (international water sports competitions are held in its bay on a regular basis) and a nearby dolphin center (with dolphin and sea lion shows). In the evenings, entertainment put on excellent shows.

Accommodation and Facilities

The 3-star Horizontes Rancho Luna Hotel has 222 airconditioned rooms, including suites, mini-suites and double rooms, each with private bath , satelite TV and safe. It also has buffet and speciality restaurants, a snack bar, a lobby bar, a grill, a swimming pool for both adults and children, a tennis court, a miniature golf course, a recreation club, a games room, shops, a post office and rental cars.

The Whale Shark Scuba-Diving Center offers beginners courses in scuba diving, rental equipment, scuba diving during the day and at night, and marina services-with 30 moorings, drinking water, 110- and 220- volt electricity, fuel, facilities for mantainmence and minor repairs, commissary service, protection 24 hours a day, port authorities, immigration and Custom offices, international communications, and bathrooms with shower.

Nearby Places of Interest

Cienfuegos (founded by a group of French settlers in 1819), is one of the most beautiful cities in Cuba. It has an enveloping sense of tranquility, a large number of mansions with cupolas, several public squares and -the legacy of its French founders- perfectly drawn streets and well-preserved neoclassical architecture. In addition, there are interesting frame structures on Gorda Point (Punta Gorda).

The Bay of Cienfuegos, which is one of the most magnificent bays in the country, is nearly 35 square miles (90 square km) in size and is dotted with pitoreque cays. We recommend a boat ride around the bay, where you can sometimes see dolphins leaping from the water. It is the venue for annual motorboat races and regattas, and cruise ships put in here , as well. There is a marina (at 22 18'N latitude, 80 28'W longitude-for radio communication, turn to HF 7462 or VHF 16) with a modern recreation room; aquabikes; yachts; catamarans; and equipment for snorkling, scuba diving and water skiing.

Founded in 1901, Cienfuegos's Botanical garden is one of the oldest in the Americas. Its 90 hectares contain over 2000 species of plants, most of them exotic, including a collection of palm trees which is considered one of the ten best in the world.

Valle Palace, near Jagua Hotel, at the very end of Punta Gorda (which gives you a fabulous view), is a mixture of the Mudejar, Gotic-Roman, Arabian and Indian styles. It has a fancy restaurant.

The city has two cemeteries: reina (founded in 1839), the only one in Cuba that has vertical burial vaults (it also has some beautiful statues), and Tomas Acea, the first garden cemetery in Cuba, which is also noted for its beautiful decorations and sculpture.

At a mile and a quarter (almost 2 km) long, Prado Avenue is the longest street in Cuba; it is flanked by beautiful buildings. Cienfuegos also has several museums (including one on a naval history and the Nuestra Senora de los Angeles de Jagua Polyvalent Museum, which is housed in a fortress dating from the 18th century); the Terry Theater, which is one of the three oldest theaters in Cuba that are still being used; and Villuendas and Marti Parks (the only arch of triumph in Cuba is in the latter).

The city has several good hotels and restaurants offering all kind of food (with the accent on seafood), bars, cabarets, discoteques and other places providing evening entertainment.

Attractions near the city include the Ciego Montero Spa (with excellent medicinal mineral water and accomodations); Martin Infierno Cave (which contains the largest stalagmite in the Americas, around 220 feet, or 67 meters high) and Cuba-Magyar Cave (which is 1542 feet, or 470 meters deep), both of them in the Escambray Mountains; and El Nicho area of the Escambray, which has several waterfalls between 65 and 115 feet (between 20 and 35 meters) high. When visiting any of these waterfalls, treat yourself to a dip in their crystal-clear pools.

Cienfuegos 's coast is famous for its seabed. There are two scuba-diving centers in addition to the one at Rancho Luna Beach: the Faro Luna Scuba-Diving Center, next to the 3-star hotel of the same name, on the road to Rancho Luna, and the Guajimo Scuba Diving Center, at the 3-star villa of the same name, on the road to Trinidad. The offshore area has over 50 diving sites, many species of coral and fish, caves impressive underwater walls, sunken ships and coral formations such as "Notre Dame", which looks like the towers of that Parisian cathedral and is nearly 11 feet (6 meters) high. Stick around, and you'll see turtles, Barracudas (Spyreana barracuda), enormous Jewfish (Epinephelus itajara), Spotted Eagle Rays (Aetobatus narinari) and impressive but harmless Whale Sharks (Rhincodon typus).

Along the road to Trinidad, between the mountains and the sea, in addition to several ecotourism offers, you'll find a number of beaches, some of which have excellent accommodations.

Nature

Guanaroca Lagoon
It is formed by the Arimao River before it flows into the bay. It is declared a protected area and includes the Labyrinths of los Naturales, Cayo Ocampo, and other smaller keys towards the inside of the bay. Its coastal environment is very attractive because of its mangrove swamps and natural refuges of autochthonous and migratory avifauna. Amongst the noteworthy is a colony of more than 2000 pink flamencos and more than seven types of species of heron. There are important archeological sites of past aborigine and of Spanish Colonization. Cayo Ocampo was visited by the Spanish navigator of the same surname, when he sailed around Cuba, and by Diego Velázquez, in 1515. Very close to the lagoon was a site where el Padre de las Casas, Protector of the Indians, settled.

The mountain range of Escambray or Massif of Guamuahaya
The most important mountainous group of Central Cuba. It is characterized by steep peaks and deep intramountainous valleys, by its exuberant vegetation, its endemic species of flora and fauna, waterfalls and natural pools, its cavernous systems and its natural pathways that run all over this landscape. In the Martin Infierno Cave, one of the biggest stalagmites in the world can be found with a height of 67.20 meters. El San Juan is the tallest summit of the Escambray, measuring 1156 mts. The most attractive zones are: El Nicho, Topes de Collantes, San Juan Peak, and the Hanabanilla dam. The most spectacular waterfalls are Los Desparramaderos and Tres Deseos in El Nicho, respectively. In Topes de Collante it is El Caburní, Rocío and Charco Azul. The visit to these mountains also permits that you get to know the rural life associated with coffee plantations and other agricultural activities

Yaguanabo Valley
It is located at the foot of the mountain, between the Escambray and the coast, close to the Cienfuegos to Trinidad highway, just 55 km from Cienfuegos. Its country landscapes are stunning, especially those visual sights towards the Caribbean. The Yaguanabo River crosses the valley, reserving beautiful scenery. It is possible to get to know agricultural activities of the zone linked to livestock raising and contemplate the flora and fauna.

Natural Montemar Park
It is in the Zapata Peninsula, declared by the UNESCO a Reserve of the Biosphere. It is the biggest marsh of insular Caribbean. This ecosystem possesses a great diversity and endemicism. There are multiple archeological sites and testimonies of the Bay of Pigs mercenary invasion in 1961.

To Do in Cienfuegos Province

Castillo de Jagua

Near the entrance to Bahía de Cienfuegos, first visited by Christopher Columbus, is the Castillo de Jagua, a fortress erected (1740-1745) for protection against Caribbean pirates. A nice fishermen's village around the fortress to visit. From Cienfuegos you can go to the fortress by the ferry. It leaves at the corner of 23 and 46. The trips cost for tourists fifty USD cents. There's also a posibility to leave from the Marina Puertosol (Punta Gorda - Street 35 between 10 and 11) but this service is only for tourists and you will pay a lot more!

Jardin Botanico Soledad
	A botanical garden owned by Instituto de Egocolica y Sistematic This Botanical Garden is another good offer of the province. In its 97 hectares -seven of which cover a nature reserved forest area- visitors will find more than two thousand plant species comprising 670 varieties and 125 families.

Guajimico
	To the south of the central region of Cuba, in the highway that unites the cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad, a paradise of name aborigine rises: “Villa Guajimico.” With more than fifty cabins whose architecture is integrated organically to the gentle and natural environment, “Villa Guajimico” it is an ideal destination for those who prefer to combine the coast tourism and sea, with the practice of the diving and the hiking. Many are the attractions that you will find in “Villa Guajimico”, the most attractive will surely be the initiation and diving practice in an area that reserves you a surprising landscape.
This picturesque village also has always the warm and professional treatment of those that only want for you, the pleasant memory of some wonderful days.

Hanabanilla
	River inside of the Escambray Mountains. The source of the river Hanabanilla is located in a marvellous landscape of the Sierra Escambray. You have a nice view to the ... of the Hanabanilla and also the province of Santa Clara. You can also take a bath under the waterfalls of Hanabanilla. El Nicho is up to now not touristic so you can find only one restaurant with horrible prices. Because of that it's better to carry food and drinks by yourself.
This place is really worth to do a trip although it's rather dificult going there. By public transport it's not posible to do the trip in one day. When you go by taxi you will have to pay a lot - this only works when there are four paying people in the cab. So I think the best way to go is to rent a "moto". The rent will cost you about 24 USD a day. You can rent them at the hotel "La Jagua". But be aware, also the street isn´t in the best condition. So, if none of these posibilites was one for you, the last (for me) but the easiest one... Go organized. This will cost you about 30 USD with transport, guide and meal.

Other Cities/Towns in Cienfuegos Province

Abreus
Yaguaramas: lugar donde cayó Henry Reeve, “El Inglesito”
Carretera de Yaguaramas
a Horquita, Abreus

Cruces
Batalla de Mal Tiempo
Carretera de Mal Tiempo, Cruces

Rodas
Cueva de Palo Liso o Santa Ana
Monument
Carretera de Congojas a Cartagena,
Rodas

Palmira
Vivienda de General Alemán No. 89
Monument
General Alemán No. 89, Palmira

Escambray
Pico San Juan
Sitio de interés
More about Escambray >>

Cumanayagua

Water Sports

Diving

Harbours