GUARDALAVACA
Area: Cuba
Country: Cuba


Location:
Towards E end of Cuba's N coast. 500 mls SE of Havana. 15 mls NE of Santa Lucia. 45 mls NE of Holguin and its airport.

Telephone code from UK:
53 24

Website:
http://www.dtcuba.com

Position:
Stretch of rocky, NW-facing shoreline with several fine beaches backed by featureless grassy agricultural land.

Description:
Originally a farming community (its name means "guard the cows", referring to 16th-century pirate raids), horse rearing is still a local speciality although the shoreline area _ about 1 ml from end to end _ is now given over totally to tourism. Inland, the village comprises several blocks of rundown apartment blocks and is home to about 200 inhabitants. The whole place depends completely on its superb, carefully maintained beaches.

Suitability:
Strictly for get-away-from-it-all brigade seeking sun, sea and sand. Water sports and scuba-diving enthusiasts catered for. Lots of Canadians and smattering of Europeans.

Accommodation:
Mainly all-inclusive options, some sited at Playa Esmeralda, 3 mls away. However, the one thing for sure about "all-inclusives" is that they are not. Most exclude motorised water sports and some limit drinks to locally produced items, mainly rum and beer. So if you want to drink French champagne and water-ski every day for free, check operator's brochure very carefully.

Shopping:
Rather tatty shopping centre by beach caters mainly for locals but does have bank, minimarket and travel agency among other outlets. A few other embryo businesses scattered about. Hotels all have more attractive offerings. For important information on Cuban currency regulations, see under Currency section in Cuban country report.

Beach:
Main beach is picture-postcard Caribbean variety with sand the colour and texture of caster sugar shelving gently into clean, warm turquoise water; 800 yds long and up to 60 yds wide, backed by trees for shade and with a picturesque flower-lined promenade. It features diving centre, water sports, pedalloes, catamarans, sun loungers, bars, restaurants and even a disco. Private beach in front of Hotel Las Brisas is artificial. Playa Esmeralda is similar to main Guardalavaca beach and is effectively for private use of guests at its hotels.

Entertainments:
Daytime: apart from activities provided by hotels, very little apart from beach, water sports and scuba diving. Nightlife: disco near beach; otherwise, all hotels provide nightly entertainment.

Eating:
Main choice in hotels, where the better, foreign-managed properties make a valiant effort with limited availability but even they struggle to satisfy European expectations. A few independent offerings: seafood, Italian and Cuban/international. Food everywhere in Cuba is restricted in choice and often of comparatively poor quality so it is definitely not a destination for gourmets.

Public-transport:
None. Taxis available. Car, moped or cycle hire. Horse-drawn carriages.

Local-excursions:
Full day: Cayo Saetia for beach and snorkelling (by helicopter or coach); Holguin city tour; Santiago de Cuba city tour (by helicopter or coach); Bahia de Naranjo Nature Park; deep-sea fishing; countryside tour; Bariay National Park; Taino village (recreation of life of native Cuban Indians). One/two days: Havana (by air).