Las Tunas Province

      

   LAS TUNAS
   PUERTO PADRE
   PUNTA COVARRUBIAS
   PLAYAS LA HERRADURA, LA LLANITA & LAS BOCAS



It’s an onerous label, but some place has to live with it. Wedged between uppity Camagüey to the west and the cultural powerhouse of the Oriente to the east, Las Tunas is Cuba’s least touristy province and, for most travelers, its least interesting. Overlooked for centuries, its historical legacy rests on two longstanding myths: the mastery of Victoria de Las Tunas, a 1897 War of Independence battle won by Mambí general Calixto García; plus a flimsy but not totally disproved notion that Columbus actually anchored in Puerto Padre before he moved on to Gibara and Baracoa.


With such a lackluster role of honor, it would be easy to forgive the unassuming Tuneros a little pique. But the inhabitants of this most down-to-earth province aren’t the wallowing sort. Check out the provincial capital on Saturday night when there’s a rodeo in town, or drive-by Puerto Padre on any given Sunday to shoot the breeze with the salt-of-the-earth locals.


In the fame game, Las Tunas has produced two national heroes of note: Cuba’s greatest ever boxing champion, Teófilo Stevenson, the man who once – with typical Tunero modesty – turned down a US$5 million offer to fight Muhammad Ali; and the witty musician-cum-poet Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo, better known as El Cucalambé, whose décima (10-stanza) verses brought to life the day-to-day travails of the rural Cuban peasant.


Marshy in the south, Las Tunas’ north coast is a largely undiscovered nirvana of colorful coral reefs and deserted eco-beaches that, to date, hosts just one all-inclusive resort. Long may it continue!

History

The settlement of Las Tunas was founded in 1759 but wasn’t given the title of ‘city’ until 1853. In 1876 Cuban General Vicente García briefly captured the city during the First War of Independence, but repeated Spanish successes in the area soon led the colonizers to rename it La Victoria de Las Tunas. During the Spanish-Cuban-American War the Spanish burned Las Tunas to the ground, but the Mambís fought back bravely, and in 1897 General Calixto García forced the local Spanish garrison to surrender in a pivotal Cuban victory.

Las Tunas became a provincial capital in 1975 during Cuba’s postrevolutionary geographic reorganization. Its population has mushroomed in the years since.

Getting There & Around

Las Tunas is on the Carretera Central and Cuba’s main west–east railway line. Víazul buses stop in the provincial capital daily as do a more limited selection of cross-country trains. The north of the province is the preserve of trucks and local buses, and roads here are often rutted and slow.

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LAS TUNAS

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First impressions matter – but they’re not always right. If it was down to sights and historical attractions alone, it’s doubtful that many people would bother with Las Tunas. But, thanks to its handy location on Cuba’s arterial Carretera Central, handfuls of road-weary travelers drop by. Some give it a once-over and quickly rejoin the highway, bound for Santiago or Havana; others, swept up in one of the city’s riotous Saturday-night shindigs, come over all affectionate and book another night.

Referred to euphemistically as the ‘city of sculptures,’ Cuba’s least-heralded provincial capital is certainly no Florence. But what it lacks in grandiosity it makes up for in small-town quirks. You can see a thigh-slapping rodeo here, admire a statue of a two-headed Taíno chief, or wax lyrical at the weird and witty Cucalambeana, Cuba’s leading country-music festival. Go on, give it a whirl.

Orientation

The train station is on the northeastern side of town and the bus station is east of the center. Most of the things to see are in the center. A circunvalación (bypass road) runs around the south side of the city if you want to avoid Las Tunas altogether.

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Sights

Las Tunas’ most evocative sight, Memorial a los Mártires de Barbados (Lucas Ortíz No 344; admission free; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat), is located in the former home of Carlos Leyva González, an Olympic fencer who was killed in the nation’s worst terrorist atrocity: the bombing of Cubana Flight 455 in 1976 (see boxed text,). Individual photos of the victims of the attack, which included the entire 24-member Cuban Olympic fencing team, line the museum walls and provide a poignant reminder of the fated Flight 455.

Housed in the royal-blue town hall with a clock mounted on the front facade, the Museo Provincial General Vicente García ( 34-82-01; cnr Francisco Varona & Ángel Guardia; admission CUC$1; 11am‑7pm Tue-Thu, 2-10pm Fri & Sat, 3-7pm Sun) documents local history. Congenial guides will fill in the gaps.

Nearby is the Memorial Vicente García (Vicente García No 7; admission CUC$1; 3-7pm Mon, 11am-7pm Tue-Sat), a colonial-era structure that commemorates Las Tunas’ great War of Independence hero who captured the town from the Spanish in 1876 and torched it 21 years later when the colonizers sought to reclaim it. The limited exhibits include antique weapons and some grainy photos.

Popularly called the ‘city of sculptures’ (there are more than 100 in town), Las Tunas’ alfresco art is dotted around the city. In Plaza Martiana, opened in 1995 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of José Martí’s death, you’ll see an inventive bronze statue of the apostle by Rita Longa, that also acts as a solar clock. Other notables include the Monumento al Trabajo (Carretera Central & Martí), commemorating Cuban workers, and the pencil-like Monumento a Alfabetización (Lucas Ortiz), marking the act passed in Las Tunas on November 16, 1961 to stamp out illiteracy. You’ll have to get out to Motel El Cornito to see the emblematic Janus-inspired Cacique Maniabo y Jibacoa, a double-headed Taíno chief looking in opposite directions. Back in town the small Galería Taller Escultura (cnr Av 2 de Diciembre & Lucas Ortiz) pulls together some fine local work.

Las Tunas’ Plaza de la Revolución is huge, bombastic and worth a once-over. Check out the huge Lenin-esque sculpture of Vicente García, sword raised.

Festivals & Events

Lovers of Cuban country music gather at Motel El Cornito in late June for the Jornada Cucalambeana, Cuba’s greatest celebration of rural culture. The town hosts a National Sculpture Exhibition in February and the rather esoteric Festival Internacional de Magia (Magic Festival) in November.

Sleeping

Unless you’re up for a night in the grim and gritty Hotel Las Tunas, a private room is your best bet for accommodation. Several houses rent clean, affordable rooms along Calle Lucas Ortíz, between the train station and the center.

CASAS PARTICULARES

‘Doña Nelly’ – Nelly Tamayo Vega ( 34-25-26; Lucas Ortíz No 111; r CUC$20-25; ) Doña Nelly runs a pleasant colonial house with rockers on the front porch. Setting the scene for a tranquil few nights in Las Tunas, she rents one room with a private bathroom separated from the bedroom. There’s a fridge and you can use some of the house’s facilities.

Carlos A Patiño Alvarez ( 34-22-88; Lucas Ortíz No 120; r CUC$20-25; ) There are two apartments here, each with their own kitchen, bathroom and sitting room. The upstairs one is brighter and has its kitchen on a terrace equipped with pots and pans.

HOTELS

Motel El Cornito ( 34-50-14; Carretera Central Km 8; r CUC$20) A Cuban-oriented place located outside of town near the site of El Cucalambé’s old farm. The annual country music festival takes place here. You might get lucky with one of the basic bungalows. Phone ahead.

Hotel Las Tunas (Islazul; 34-50-14; Av 2 de Diciembre; s/d CUC$28/40; ) What you see is what you get: unimaginative architecture, austere interiors, out-of-the-way location, dodgy restaurant and rooms that feel more like rabbit hutches than comfortable crash-pads. Then there’s the noise from the late-night disco.

Eating

PALADARES

For a small and little-visited city, Las Tunas has a couple of surprisingly good paladares.

Paladar La Roca (Lucas Ortíz No 108; meals CUC$7-8; noon-midnight) The pick of the bunch, for its luscious leg of lamb in gravy, a rarity in Cuba and something akin to a desert mirage in Las Tunas. Order it while you can.

El Bacan (F Suárez No 12; dishes 25-50 pesos) A peso place with big portions of comida criolla (Creole food) that mainly caters to Cubans.

RESTAURANTS

Cremería Yumurí (cnr Francisco Vega & Vicente García; 10am-4pm & 5-11pm) Las Tunas’ substitute Coppelia; queue up with your pesos for sundaes or tres gracias (three scoops) in flavors such as coconut and café con leche (espresso with milk). Not surprisingly, it’s insanely popular.

En Familla ( 37-15-23; Vicente García btwn Ramon Ortuño & Julián Santana; 11am-11pm) Promising sign, morbid surroundings, scant menu; but if you can rouse the pizza man from his catatonic slumber you might just get lucky.

Restaurante 2007 (Vicente García btwn Julián Santana & Ramón Ortuño; noon-2:45pm & 6-10:45pm) A new attempt at fine dining in Las Tunas (albeit in pesos), this place claims to be ‘reservations only’ and doesn’t exactly encourage non-Cubans. The plush interior and besuited waiters look promising, but you’ll get a friendlier welcome at El Baturro across the road.

El Baturro ( 34-90-11; Av Francisco Varona btwn Julián Santana & Ramón Ortuño; 11am-11pm) The walls are covered in scribbled prose – love notes and eulogies to murdered Chilean troubadour Victor Jara – and the plates are stuffed with better-than-average Cuban cooking, including a surprise rabbit dish, making this the best restaurant in Las Tunas – hands down!

Restaurante La Bodeguita ( 34-90-11; Francisco Varona No 293; 11am-11pm) A Palmares joint, meaning that it’s a better bet than the usual peso parlors. You’ll get checkered tablecloths here, a limited wine list and what the Cuban government calls ‘international cuisine’ – read spaghetti and pizza. Try the chicken breast with mushroom sauce for around CUC$5.

GROCERIES

To stock up on groceries (or to break bigger bills), try Supermercado Casa Azul (cnr Vicente García & Francisco Vega; 9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon Sun). Mercado agropecuario (Av Camilo Cienfuegos) is a small market not far from the train station.

Drinking

Casa del Vino Don Juan (cnr Francisco Varona & Joaquín Agüero; 9am-midnight) Wine-tasting in Las Tunas probably sounds about as credible as food rationing in Beverley Hills, yet here it is; and only seven pesos for a shot of Cuba’s – er – finest wine, the slightly vinegary Soroa (red or white). The Don Juan is a down-to-earth corner bar with large open doors, a handful of tables and only one product on sale. Go just to say you’ve been there.

Entertainment

Las Tunas comes alive on Saturday nights when packed streets and fun-seeking locals defy the city’s ‘boring’ image. The main hubs are: Parque Vicente García, where alfresco son music competes with more modern reggaetón (Cuban hip-hop); and the Feria Ganado.

Feria Ganado (Farm Fair; admission free; 9am-6pm Sat & Sun) Located in Parque Julio 26 where Vicente García bends into Av 1 de Mayo, it kicks off every weekend with a market, music, food stalls, kids’ activities and, if you’re lucky, a full-scale rodeo (you’ll see the large permanent arena as you walk in).

Cabildo San Pedro Lucumí ( 34-64-61; Francisco Varona btwn Vicente García & Lucas Ortíz; admission free; from 9pm Sun) Cultural activities happen at this friendly Afro-Caribbean association, HQ of the Compañía Folklórica Onilé. Drop in on Sunday for some dancing and drumming.

Teatro Tunas (Francisco Varona btwn Joaquín Agüero & Nicolas Heredia) A recently revitalized theater that shows quality movies and some of Cuba’s best touring entertainment including flamenco, ballet and plays.

Cine Disco Luanda (Francisco Varona No 256; 10pm-2am Sun-Fri, 10pm-3am Sat) The most popular disco in Las Tunas. There’s also a cinema here.

Cabaret Taino ( 34-38-23; cnr Vicente García & A Cabrera; admission per couple CUC$10; 9pm-2am Tue-Sun) This large thatched venue at the west entrance to town has the standard feathers, salsa and pasties show. Cover charge includes a bottle of rum and cola.

Casa de la Cultura ( 34-35-00; Vicente García No 8) The best place for the traditional stuff with concerts, poetry, dance etc. The action spills out into the street on weekend nights.

From October to April is baseball season. Las Tunas plays at the Estadio Julio Antonio Mella near the train station. Los Magos (the Wizards) haven’t produced much magic of late and usually compete with Ciego de Ávila for bottom place in Group C. Other sports happen at the Sala Polivalente, an indoor arena near Hotel Las Tunas.

Shopping

Fondo Cubano de Bienes Culturales (cnr Angel Guardia & Francisco Varona; 9am-noon & 1:30-5pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-noon Sat) This store sells fine artwork, ceramics and embroidered items.

Vide Cuba (cnr Lucas Ortiz & Francisco Vega; 8:30am-9pm Mon-Sat) For your photographic needs, try this place.

Getting There & Away

BUS & TRUCK

The main bus station ( 34-30-60; Francisco Varona) is 1km southeast of the main square. Víazul (www.viazul.com) buses have daily departures; tickets are sold by the jefe de turno (shift manager).

Havana buses also stop at Camagüey (CUC$7, two hours 30 minutes), Ciego de Ávila (CUC$13, four hours 15 minutes), Sancti Spíritus (CUC$17, six hours 40 minutes), Santa Clara (CUC$22, seven hours 15 minutes) and Entronque de Jagüey (CUC$26, nine hours 20 minutes). Santiago buses stop at Bayamo (CUC$6, one hour 15 minutes). To get to Guantánamo or Baracoa, you have to connect through Santiago de Cuba.

Passenger trucks to other parts of the province, including Puerto Padre, pick up passengers on the main street near the train station, with the last departure before 2pm. Buy your tickets at the window. It’s easier to reach Playa La Herradura from Holguín, but you can take a truck to Puerto Padre and connect with ongoing trucks there.

TRAIN

The train station ( 34-81-40) is near Estadio Julio Antonio Mella on the northeast side of town. See the jefe de turno for tickets. The fast Havana–Santiago Tren Francés doesn’t stop in Las Tunas so you’re left with slower, less reliable services. Trains to Havana (via Camagüey and Santa Clara) leave on odd-numbered days; the service to Santiago leaves on even-numbered days. There are daily services to Camagüey and Holguín. As ever, double-check these times and prices before you depart.

Getting Around

A taxi from the bus station to Hotel Las Tunas should cost approximately CUC$2, or you can walk. You can hail a cab here or anywhere around the main square. Horse carts run along Frank País near the baseball stadium to the town center; it costs 10 pesos.

Cubacar ( 37-15-06; Av 2 de Diciembre) is at Hotel Las Tunas. An Oro Negro gas station (cnr Francisco Varona & Lora) is a block west of the bus station. The Servi-Cupet gas station (Carretera Central; 24hr) is at the exit from Las Tunas toward Camagüey.

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PUERTO PADRE

Languishing in a half-forgotten corner of Cuba’s least spectacular province, the sizable town of Puerto Padre – or the ‘city of mills’ as it is locally known – is hardly a tourist mecca. But for the die-hard traveler therein lies the attraction. Blessed with a Las Ramblas–style boulevard, a miniature Malecón, and an emaciated statue of Don Quixote standing rather forlornly beneath a small windmill, the town is the sort of place where you stop to ask the way at lunchtime and end up, five hours later, tucking into fresh lobster at a bayside eating joint.

Unshakable Cuba junkies can scratch beneath the surface at the Museo Fernando García Grave de Peralta (Yara No 45 btwn Libertad & Maceo; admission CUC$1), effectively the municipal museum, or search the ruins of the Fuerte de la Loma (Libertad), also known as the Salcedo Castle. There is a Casa de la Cultura for nighttime activities or you can just surf the streets in search of friends, conversation or overnight accommodation in a casa particular.

Puerto Padre is best accessed by truck leaving from Las Tunas train station, or with your own wheels.

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PUNTA COVARRUBIAS

Las Tunas province’s only all-inclusive resort is also one of the island’s most isolated, situated 49 rutted kilometers northwest of Puerto Padre on a spotless sandy beach at Punta Covarrubias. Sitting aside the blue-green Atlantic, the Brisas Covarrubias (Gran Caribe; 51-55-30; s/d from CUC$70/110; ) has 122 comfortable rooms in cabin-blocks (one room is designed for disabled guests). Scuba diving at the coral reef 1.5km off-shore is the highlight. Packages of two dives per day start at CUC$45 at the Marina Covarrubias. There are 12 dive sites here. Almost all guests arrive on all-inclusive tours and are bussed in from Frank País Airport in Holguín, 115km to the southeast. It’s very secluded.

Self-sufficient travelers can turn in to the beach at the mirador (a tower with fantastic panoramic views), 200m before the hotel, or procure a hotel day pass for CUC$20.

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PLAYAS LA HERRADURA, LA LLANITA & LAS BOCAS

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of the road. A captivating alternative to the comforts of Covarrubias can be found at this string of northern beaches hugging the Atlantic coast 30km north of Puerto Padre and 55km from Holguín. There’s not much to do here apart from read, relax, ruminate and get lost in the vivid colors of traditional Cuban life.

From Puerto Padre it’s 30km around the eastern shore of Bahía de Chaparra to Playa La Herradura. The beach is a scoop of golden sand that will one day undoubtedly host an all-inclusive resort. Enjoy it while you can – by yourself. There are a handful of houses legally renting rooms (look for the blue-and-white Arrendador Divisa sign). A long-standing choice is Villa Papachongo (in Holguín 24-42-41-74; Casa No 137; r CUC$15; ), right on the beach with a great porch for catching the sunset. Other options are Villa Rocio and Villa Pedro Hidalgo. Ask around. The place isn’t big and everybody knows everybody else. If you want to explore more, push on to Playa Las Bocas where there are several more houses for rent along with a small snack store and an open-air bar at the entrance to town.

Continue west on this road for 11km to Playa La Llanita. The sand here is softer and whiter than in La Herradura, but the beach lies on an unprotected bend and there’s sometimes a vicious chop.

Just 1km beyond, you come to the end of the road at Playa Las Bocas. Wedged between the coast and Bahía de Chaparra, you can usually catch a local ferry to El Socucho and continue to Puerto Padre or rent a room in a casa particular.

Getting There & Away

There are trucks that can take you as far as Puerto Padre from Las Tunas, from where you’ll have to connect with another ride to the junction at Lora before heading north to the beaches. It’s much easier to get up this way from Holguín, but even this way there are only regular trucks to the junction at Velasco, from where you’ll have to connect with another ride north.

Driving is the best shot. Head out of Las Tunas 52km north to Puerto Padre (gas up at the Servi-Cupet here), east to the junction at Lora, then north to Playa La Herradura. A hired taxi should cost between CUC$40 and CUC$50 one-way. From Holguín, leave town on the Gibara road, then head northwest in Aguas Claras on Rte 123. Proceed through the town of Velasco and in Lora turn north on the rutted road to Playa La Herradura.


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