November 2009
You are currently browsing the articles from Dunas Cayo Santa Maria written in the month of November 2009.
Planning Cuban holidays? Well, out of all the Caribbean Islands, Cuba is definitely one with more to offer than just a beach holiday. The people are bright, self-assertive and handsome. Their cultural heritage is colourful, as are the monuments of their often tumultuous, always fascinating history. A holiday to Cuba is something you should really consider in your agenda.
These are just some of the facts to consider and places and things you should not miss in your holidays to Cuba.
The country has evolved with a strong personality from its experience from Spanish colonization, slavery, civil war, invasion, revolution and relentless economic embargo. Havana the islands proud capital is energetically restoring the buildings of its elegant historic quarters and the grand old cities of Santiago de Cuba and Trinidad still recall their 16th century beginnings.
The island extends some 1,300 km (over 800 miles) in length. At its widest point, it measures about 200 km (124 miles), and at its narrowest, just 5 km (22 miles) across. Cuba comprises an archipelago of around 1 ,600 isles and cayos (cays), the largest being the Isla de Ia Juventud (Isle of Youth) south of Bataban Bay. Sheltered by long coral reefs, the coastal beaches face the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, Jamaica and the Caribbean Sea to the south.
One in three visitors to Cuba heads straight for its biggest resort, Varadero, some 100 km (60 miles) east of Havana. Many can not tear themselves away from its magnificent beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. At the western end of the island, beyond Havana in the Pinar del Rioprovince, enjoy the quieter, slower pace of rural Cuba in the pretty country side hugging the Cordillera de Guaniguanico mountains. At Vinales, you can go horseback riding to admire the strange mogote mounds and explore the caves.
Three mountainous regions account for more than a third of the total land mass. In the south- eastern oriental region, The Sierra Maestra range, extending from Cabo Cruz to Guantanamo is rich in flora and fauna and includes the island’s highest peak, Pico Turquino, alt: 1,972 metres (6,470 ft).
There is a lot more to see and do in Cuba other than this few interesting places. The options are immeasurable for your holidays to Cuba. Keep reading as much as you can about Cuba so that you can get the most out of your Cuba holidays.
Jose Garces is a reservation consultant specialist in organizing Cuba Holidays, Vietnam Holidays and India Holidays
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Written by Jose Maurette Garces on November 26th, 2009 with no comments.
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I get this question all the time and I always try to get as much information as possible from my clients in order to recommend the best hotel in Havana for them. As I am not going to be able to do this now I will be as fair as I can be and I will leave down to you which hotel to go for.
In this article I am going to focus on the hotels located in the Old Town area or Havana Vieja which is the way everybody in Havana knows it. One thing that makes the hotels in this part of Havana different from the rest is the fact that very few of them were originally built to be hotels. Each of them has a very unique architecture style and some of them date back 200 years ago.
I have to start with Santa Isabel Hotel, located in the very heart of Habana Vieja right next to the place where the city was founded. Originally built for the governor of Cuba more than 200 years ago; this building is one of the most representative examples of the Spanish-Moorish colonial architecture.
I definitely recommend the junior suites at Saratoga Hotel as these ones do have balconies overlooking the streets of surrounding the Capitol of Havana ? an area that many consider the most interesting in terms of places o visit.
Parque Central Hotel also in the Old Town shares the top range of the tourist market together with Saratoga Hotel. Its fa?ade is not an architectural jewel but its beautiful lobby has been decorated following the colonial style guidelines. It also has a roof top swimming pool with fantastic views of the old town.
There are lots of very good hotels in the Old Town that I also like to recommend like Florida, Condes de Villa Nueva and Raquel Hotel and little but very cozy hostels like Valencia, Comendador and Beltran de Santa Cruz.
I am going to leave now hoping to help you make up your mind and decide which hotel is better for you. You can find detailed information at www.quest2cuba.co.uk
Before booking your Holidays to cuba. Visit www.quest2cuba.co.uk for more information on the best Cuba Tours.
categories: cuba holidays,cuba travel,caribbean travel,caribbean holidays,travel,holidays,outdoors,leisure,recreation,travel tips
Written by Jose Maurette Garces on November 15th, 2009 with no comments.
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In this article I want to introduce you to one of the best escorted tours in Cuba. you can get. It is focus on the western half of Cuba and if you are interested in culture and nature then this is the right tour for you.
DAY 1: Meet on arrival at Havana airport by your tour guide and private transfer to your hotel in old Havana. There are plenty of options in terms of accommodation and you can decide which one you want to go for. Dinner is provided for clients on Half board basis.
DAY 2: Morning sightseeing of Old Havana and tour by horse carriage through the historical centre. Lunch at the local restaurant Cafe Taberna followed by panoramic modern Havana sightseeing by classical cars (50’s American style) terminating at your hotel. In the Evening assistance to Canon Blast Ceremony at the Fort.
DAY 3: After breakfast, depart Havana for Pinar del Rio province to Las Terrazas eco-reserve and book into La Moka lodge hotel for next 3 nights. Free time to explore local area. Possibility to hire bicycles and scooters at La Moka. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 4 : You will have a guided tour in this complex visiting coffee plantations, rivers, waterfalls and from the place you will have lunch you will be able to appreciate one of the most fantastic views Cuba Has to offer.
DAY 5: Full day excursion to Cayo Levisa, where you will spend all day at leisure enjoying the remote white sandy beach (lunch included).
DAY 6: Just before lunch time you will be arriving to Los Jasmines Hotel located on the beautiful Viales Valley. You will be staying in this hotel for the next 2 nights. Your first day will be at leisure.
DAY 7: Early morning tour of Viales Valley visiting tobacco plantations, caves and rivers. Lunch is included in the package and it will be held on a beautiful restaurant called The Mural of Prehistory.
DAY 8: This is the last day of the tour and after breakfast you will be transfer to either the airport in Havana to take your international flight or to your next destination in Cuba. This transfer is also included in the package. As you can realize this guided tour last only one week, it is not packet with activities so you will be able to appreciate Cuba without having to rush from one place to the next.
Jose Mauricio is the Director of Quest World Travel Ltd and a specialist in organizing Cuba Holidays, Vietnam Holidays and India Holidays.
categories: cuba holidays,cuba travel,travel destinations,travel tips,cuba tours,holidays,tours,cuba,tourism,travel,leisure,outdoors
Written by Jose Mauricio Maurette on November 7th, 2009 with no comments.
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In this write up I want to provide my observation about these beach holidays to Cuba that are offered by big tour operators at a very attractive price. Cuba has an enormous demand as a tourist target for holiday hunters and one of its major features is its beaches.
There are plenty of alternatives in terms of beach destinations in this Caribbean island and the vast majority of them have international arriving point close by. To take an example, let us look at Cayo Santa Maria, this heaven of turquoise color beaches and white sand is a preferred among vacationers and has a small international airport located in Santa Clara province only 1 hour far from resorts.
In this beach location you will get absolute relaxation and accommodation facilities that go from 3 to 5 star quality hotels. There are only few resorts in the vicinity so the overcrowded factor is out of the question. It is suitable for either families, as some of them count with excellent kids clubs, or adults only and for those I particularly recommend Paradisus Rio de Oro hotel.
All of the hotels in this tiny deserted island are all inclusive so you do not require to go seeking where to eat or amusement outside the hotel. Superb spectacles are offered by the staff and choreographers of the hotels in their outdoor theaters in the evenings or in the swimming pools in the afternoons. Fishing, diving and all kinds of tours are also accessible from the excursion counters at the reception area of each hotel.
Lots of table games, archery, salsa and Spanish lessons and water sports that do not require fuel are included within the price you paid for you package holiday. You will not be required to spend a penny while staying in your hotel. All of them have one buffet restaurant and at least 2 or 3 a la carte restaurants. These last ones will require a reservation made from the reception of the hotels everyday from 7 to 12 AM.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this articles this packages are mainly provided by big tour operators. They exclusively deal with this kind of holidays and because the only commercialize few hotels they have excellent prices. But when you want to do something that is not in their portfolio of services then things get more complicated and pricy.
If this is what you want then I recommend you contact any of the small tour operators that specialize in tailor made holidays. They have contracts with hotels all over Cuba and most likely their price is going to be cheaper that any of the big tour operator’s packages. You will be provided with flights with schedule airlines which will land at Havana airport and then your itinerary will follow including as many locations as you want.
If you don’t come across any tailor made holidays specialist I still suggest you book overnight excursions to any of the Cuban major cities from the excursion desks in your hotel. So you can have a good feeling that you have been to Cuba this is a must. Having said this I will leave you hoping your trip to Cuba will be an unforgettable experience.
Before you decide to go for you Cuba holidays make sure you visit Havana Hotels in J.M. Maurette’s Website
categories: Cuba travel,cuba holidays,travel tips,travel,holidays,vacations,leisure,recreation,family,outdoors
Written by Jose Mauricio Maurette on November 6th, 2009 with no comments.
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