By: Dr. Martin Luis

After leaving Camaguey, before arriving in Santa Lucia, you were suggested to stay at Nuevitas Harbor, on the Northern coast, to continue towards the East of Cuba. We suggest doing so because there are still two interesting places to visit on the North of the province: Cubitas Mountain Range and one of the largest islands of the King´s Gardens archipelago, Sabinal. Then, you continue to the Eastern provinces about which we will give you general information before continuing your trip. You can stay at the hotel in Nuevitas when you are still in Camaguey. There is one in Nuevitas: Isla Azul Caonaba ( 2 *).

There are almost 94 km from Camaguey to Nuevitas and only one way of arriving there: the road that goes to Minas town. Continue towards Entronque de Lugareño without going into Minas. There are several branch roads: take the one that leads you directly to Nuevitas. Always carry with you the Road Guide, recommended since the very first articles.

Nuevitas is a harbor located in the bay of the same name, one of the largest in Cuba. There you will find several places we suggest visiting, which are protected areas: Ballenatos and Cubitas Mountain Range. In former works, we informed you that the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (CITMA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, in its department Flora and Fauna (ECOTUR), are in charge of regulating the visits to the protected areas. To go to the places we have suggested, you should address these offices, always from the province capitals, in this case Camaguey.

The Ballenatos are very interesting keys because of their environment, its flora and fauna. As for the Cubitas Mountain Range, you should not miss the Maximo River to see its “canjilones”, the natural pools of this river. Here you can also find the camping site known as Canjilones. In this mountain range, there are “interpretative” paths that allow you to watch the flora and fauna of the place, besides visiting Maria Teresa Cave, the Bonet depression and the Paso de los Paredones, a gorge of about 100 meters of height. Next to it, there is the Vilato community where you can see the production of Corojo oil (made from the fruit of a type of Palm Tree) and the Casabe (Tapioca), something not very frequent to admire in this part of Cuba.

The following day, you have two choices to visit Sabinal: you either drive your car along the road that goes parallel to the North coast from Nuevitas, take the pedraplen (a road built on the water to join the main island with keys and small islands) that crosses the island by its West side and visit its beaches, such as Los Pinos and Bonita; or take the way that leads you to Santa Lucia Beach, which borders the whole bay, until you get to the mentioned beach, traveling a distance of about 60 km. Anyway, from Santa Lucia there are also organized tours to Sabinal. You choose.

To go to Santa Lucia, you should take the road that led you from Camaguey up to an intersection that passes Santa Maria and Las Flores communities next to San Miguel de Baga. There are traffic signs to help you reach Santa Lucia. In case you do not find the signs, take the road that goes to San Basilio and 5 km away take the intersection on the left which will lead you directly to the beach. From this moment on, you will find scattered dwellings and before arriving at the coast you will pass forest areas. Continue straight ahead and very near the sea there is a fork: the road to the right leads you to the camping site Punta Ganado, located on the Eastern part of Santa Lucia; whereas the road to the left drives you, next to the coast, up to the tourist resort Santa Lucia Beach, which occupies almost the whole beach of the same name. Be welcome to the Santa Lucia Beach.

This is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba and, even if it sounds awesome, it was almost unknown until the end of last century. Yet, it has a cultural and literary background for these waters and all the near islands and keys were frequented by the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway on his boat Pilar (one of the beaches has this same name) during his fishing expeditions. In former articles, we have recommended to visit them (Romano Key, Guajaba and Sabinal, Cruz Key, La Garza, etc). It is said that these spots, together with his personal experience, were the inspiration to write his novel “Islands in the Stream”.

This place is really dreamy. In Santa Lucia you may choose among these hotels: 4 star Hotel Brisas Santa Lucia ,Club Amigo Mayanabo (3*), Club Amigo Caracol (3*) and Club Santa Lucia (3*).

The sea will always make you company in Santa Lucia. The beach has a length of about 20 km and its sand has a golden white color. Other natural beaches, as Las Tumbas for instance, located at the westernmost point of Cuba, are also fascinating, isolated and of very transparent deep blue waters. However, it has a very pronounced decline in the sea bottom so, not far from the shore, the water already covers bathers. This is another important aspect to take into account, especially if you travel with small children.

On the contrary, in Santa Lucia, the decline is not abrupt and the sea is always calm even if the wind blows strongly. This is due to the fact that in front of it, at about 2km, there is an almost continuous coral reef, which extends from the mouth of the Nuevitas Bay up to Nuevas Grandes Bay, at the limits of Las Tunas province. Between the beach and the coast there is a lagoon system (about five of them), which is crossed almost in its center by a road called Vial Sur. The road that borders the coast next to the beach, as the Vial Sur, ends at the entrance of the Nuevitas Bay. This makes possible to enjoy the place not only at the beach but you can make a tour around the lagoons and watch the flora and fauna.

The hotels are very near from each other. You can also find other places of interest and recreation such as the International Diving Center and the Marlin Marina, besides restaurants and travel agencies. But the best are the different optional tours that will make you pass unforgettable days at the sea as well as in Sabinal Island and the nearby places. Here you have several suggestions, some of them including departure and return to the hotel.

- A visit of about 8 hours along the coast bordering Santa Lucia by catamaran until Bonita Beach, located at the North of Sabinal Island. It comprises walking on the beach, snorkeling to contemplate underwater species, including sea stars.

- Another suggestion of about 7 hours is going further than the previous area, traveling the channel to the entrance of the bay where you can see a fortress of the colonial times, you visit the South of Sabinal Island and watch a colony of pink flamingos. Have lunch in this island.

There is also a tour along a path that leads to a belvedere where you can watch the indigenous flora and fauna. During the trip at the interior of the bay you can see dolphins.

- A possible option of about 3 hours is navigating to the coral reef, where the water is calm and not deep to practice snorkeling, the visibility is good and there is the very best safety to practice this modality.

Other modalities related to fishing are offered to fans. Enjoy all the possibilities that a tropical sea offers you these days. When you travel towards the Cuban East, other similar beaches and different warming places await for you.

Wait for upcoming articles.

By: Dr. Martin Luis

The Central Road was built in the decade of the 30´s of last century, following the old road of the colonial times, in this case, the Vueltabajo Road, which was the name given to the “royal road” that crossed the current province of Pinar del Rio. It traverses the main municipalities of the South of this province. Regarding the National Highway, it does not allow you to enjoy good views of the surroundings. However, the Central Road has the taste of the countryside, not that of modern sites. It is highly recommended to watch the life in towns and villages of Western Cuba.

A trip along this road has the advantage of having a bigger variety of things to observe: the trees planted in sections next to the road, the gardens, the different kinds of houses and public buildings, the parks, the churches, the schools, the cemeteries, the bridges and other constructions. Besides, there is a largest variety of crops, cattle and of people’s different ways of life. In general, the Highway is rather monotonous while the Central Road is quite varied. Some people define this as “glimpses of life” along the tour.

The distance and the time of arrival in Pinar del Rio is not the same if you take the Highway; in this case the distance is of about 144 km and you can speed up, while through the Central Road , it is of 180 km and with speed limits. The Highway has six lanes, while the Central Road has only two, one in each direction. Regarding signs, there is no much difference between them. One difference is that the Central Road has more local traffic than the Highway, for instance, tractors and bikes, as well as people travelling from one village to another; that is why sometimes there are traffic jams so you have to slow down to move on (read the introduction of the Road Guide, a special publication of the Tourist Directory of Cuba, very much updated, recommended in our article “A Trip from Havana to Viñales along the National Highway”).

In that article, we also said that it is necessary to use two maps when travelling in Cuba: one for the big cities, particularly Havana, and another for the rest of the country. Moving around in Havana needs skills, so if you want to arrive easily to the Central Road section that leads to Pinar del Rio, it is recommended to get to any of its intersections at 51 Avenue, to cross Arroyo Arenas (it was a surrounding town to Havana and today is one of its neighborhoods) until you get to a square under a bridge as a level-crossing. This place is known as Novia del Mediodia (Noon Bride). Until the 60’s of last century, there was a drive-in in this place that opened at night, with a big screen at open air, where drivers could have some food in their own cars and at the same time amuse themselves watching a movie. The parking space is still there.

Boarding the square and turning right at the second lane, next to which there is a gas station, you continue straight, crossing Punta Brava town (the limit between Havana and Havana City provinces). The Northern coast can be seen, and, as you go further, the road crosses some pastures and crops, passing Anafe village (no more that 15 houses), as well as very small Bauta and Caimito del Guayabal towns (this last one very next to a quarry). On the left, we can see the Cayo La Rosa (Rose Key) textile factory, one of the most important in Cuba.

Then, you go through two villages: Guanajay and Artemisa. Large crops and pastures border the road. Before arriving in Artemisa, you see the monument to Artemisa’ heroes, consisting on rock blocks, lined one after the other, in each of them the name of a hero is carved. This is one of the most important villages of the West of Cuba. Leaving this village, you cross the railroad that joins Havana and Pinar del Rio.

While to cross Guanajay you have to pay attention to the signs, in Bauta, Caimito del Guayabal, Artemisa and the other cities, villages and towns that you will cross until you arrive in Pinar del Rio, you do not need to, for these places are narrow and their main streets go through them from one side to another in the same direction of the Central Road. In all these towns, there are still many wooden houses with their roof-covered tiles, the concave ones known as creoles and the squared ones known as French tiles. As you travel towards Pinar del Rio, this last type of tiles is less frequently seen. Many of the houses are two-floored “Sandino” type, and buildings, where you can still see small gardens in their fronts and patios.

About 20 km from Artemisa, after crossing the limits between Pinar del Rio and Havana, there is Candelaria town. Here, as well as in San Cristobal and all the villages you pass, the parks are on the main street. They are the center of public life and it is interesting to stop and watch the churches and some constructions and to be, for a few minutes, part of these places that people seem to visit any time of day or night. This is a very pleasant experience.

In all villages, next to the parks, are small restaurants where you can pay in the national currency; sometimes, also in c.u.c.

It is good to point out that from San Cristobal on, rivers are more numerous, this is due to the fact that the plain is covered by sediments brought by them, which come from the near mountains. In their flooding, they have covered a certain type of lands, thanks to which the waters can flow on the surface and not infiltrate. Over the rivers San Cristobal, Bacunagua, Los Palacios, Santa Clara, Hondo and Paso Viejo, big iron bridges are still in use, with a solid structure built in a way that both handrails are joined in their upper part so it seems as if the road were partially covered by a roof. They were built in the XX century. There are not many bridges of this type still in use in Cuba, so they are well taken care of for its historical importance.

Crops at both sides of the road are ever present and do not vary much. In the highest places there is corn (Zea mais), sweet potato (Ipomoea batata) and manioc (Manihot sculenta), while in the lower places there is rice (Oryza sp). This repeats all along the trip.

After passing San Cristobal, there is a restaurant at the community known as Los Pinos. The road continues towards Pinar del Rio and is bordered by scattered trees, pastures and season crops. Tobacco drying houses are seen now and then. At a distance you see the Sierra del Rosario mountain range, with heights of more than 400 meters covered by vegetation. Several kilometres after the place known as Entronque de Los Palacios (Palaces Crossroads), the Central Road is interrupted because of a reservoir that was built and covered it. That is why you should pay attention to a sign that indicates a turn to the left.

You take this turn and cross a community named Paso Quemado, which in a way breaks the architectonic harmony of the place because there are family buildings in the middle of the landscape surrounded by peasants’ houses. The road intersects the National Highway; you will drive along it for a short time. A few kilometres further, you take another turn (there are no traffic signs), which allows you to get on the Central Road again at a point known as Loma Candelaria.

Going towards Pinar del Rio, the plain becomes more sandy and the vegetation stars to change. Palms trees are an excellent indicator of these changes. Two of them are endemic of the West of Cuba: the Cana Palm (Sabal parviflora) and the Big Bellied Palm (Colpothrinax wrightii). The first one has a regular trunk and short petiole leaves, while the other has a protuberance in the middle of its stem, reminiscent of a pregnant woman.

The trip continues to Pinar del Rio crossing private farms known as “vegas”. A few kilometers further, you arrive in Entronque de Herradura village where you can have some refreshments. From here there is also communication with Viñales and the Highway. Next town is Consolacion del Sur, one of the largest in Pinar del Rio. Its catholic church is one of the biggest and most beautiful of the province.

Getting closer to Pinar del Rio, fruit plantations are more abundant, particularly of mangos (Mangifera indica) and guavas (Psidium guajava). Before arriving in Pinar del Rio, two intersections crossed (known as entronques), Pilotos and Ovas (this last one has a road that leads to Viñales). The signs indicate the distance left to Pinar del Rio.

A few kilometers from the Entronque de Ovas, you cross the iron bridge over the Paso Viejo (Old Pass) River and arrive in the Pinar del Rio outskirts. On both sides of the road you find public buildings such as provincial schools and hospitals. Further on, the road bifurcates: you should take the one on the right and you will find traffic lights at an intersection with another road. You should turn right again to get to Viñales, this road originates at the National Highway at a distance of 25 km from Viñales.

Continue straight ahead without taking any other turn. You will cross neighborhoods built in the last 30 years, leaving Pinar del Rio behind and finding signs indicating the way to Viñales. During the trip you will see part of the Southern plain where buildings become more scattered, with crops and reservoirs dedicated to irrigation. At almost 10 km, you pass the intersection that, from the National Highway, communicates Viñales with the Entronque de Ovas and Ovas villages. Then, at almost 5 km, the road begins to ascend, crossing elevations of shale and slate rocks, these being higher as you go further up. A typical vegetation made up mainly of evergreen oak (Quercus oleoides) and two kinds of pine trees (Pinus caribaea var. caribaea and P. tropicales), all of them endemic.

It is recommended to drive carefully, for some curves are narrow and the road, although in good shape, is a one lane one. Not all the road is dangerous, only the 5 km after you climb up the elevations, but you should take into account that it is slippery when it rains. Then the curves are softer and you see pine forests on both sides of the road, so you will constantly find signs warning you of the necessity to protect the forest against fires. There is even a guard tower next to the road where the visitor can find out about the current situation of the danger of fire in this forest by means of a chart. There is also a research center of pine resin, where a careful work of preservation and use of pine is carried out.

Then the forest gets away from the road and some houses appear. In the distance you can see the “mogotes” (flat-topped hillocks) similar to a flock of sleeping animals. The road has a bifurcation: to the left you arrive in Los Jazmines village and in the hotel of the same name from whose belvedere, especially in the afternoon, you have a wonderful view of the whole valley. We should say that the valley was declared Natural National Monument in 1979 and it is Cultural Landscape of Humanity since 1999. The mogotes that surround the valley and the neighbor areas are part of Viñales National Park since year 2001.

At the bifurcation on the right, you pass the visitors center of Viñales National Park, where you can obtain information of all kind about Viñales, particularly in its 17 information panels in Spanish and English, including a big model of the area. Then the road goes down to Viñales, and you can see the whole valley on your left. It is suggested to do it slowly to enjoy the wonderful view before your eyes. In the lower area there are some peasants’ houses where you can stop to see everything related to their country life in Viñales. Then you arrive in Viñales town.
You will be welcome.