Las Tunas Province

%31 / Pop 538,000

Why Go?

Most travelers say hello and goodbye to Las Tunas province in the time that it takes to drive across it on the Carretera Central (one hour on a good day). But, hang on a sec! This so-laid-back-it’s-nearly-falling-over collection of leather-skinned cowboys and poetry-spouting country singers is known for its daredevil rodeos and Saturday night street parties where barnstorming entertainment is served up at the drop of a sombrero.

Although historically associated with the Oriente, Las Tunas province shares many attributes with Camagüey in the west. The flat grassy fields of the interior are punctuated with sugar mills and cattle ranches, while the eco beaches on the north coast remain wild and lightly touristed, at least by Varadero standards.

In this low-key land of the understated and underrated, accidental visitors can enjoy the small-town charms of the provincial capital, or head north to the old mill town Puerto Padre where serenity rules.

When to Go

AThe wettest months are June and October, with over 160mm of average precipitation. July and August are the hottest months.

ALas Tunas has many festivals for a small city; the best is the Jornada Cucalambeana in June.

AFestival Internacional de Magia (Magic Festival), held in the provincial capital in November, is another highlight.

AThe National Sculpture Exhibition, an event befitting the so-called ‘City of Sculptures,’ happens in February.

Best Bucolic Escapes

A Monte Cabaniguan

A El Cornito

A Playa La Herradura

Best Places to Stay

A Hotel Cadillac

A Mayra Busto Méndez

A Roberto Lío Montes de Oca

A Brisas Covarrubias

Las Tunas Province Highlights

1 Hunt for the imaginative sculptures embellishing the sleepy cityscape of Las Tunas.

2 Check out the dudes with lassos in Parque 26 de Julio, Las Tunas' celebrated twice-annual rodeo.

3 Enjoy the unkempt beaches of Playa la Herradura, before resort developers shatter the tranquility.

4 Linger awhile in friendly, out-on-a-limb seaside town Puerto Padre.

5 Roll into El Cornito in June to experience some country crooning at the Jornada Cucalambeana music festival.

6 Enjoy some slick private enterprise in Las Tunas' new Italian restaurants.

7 Go diving in the largely undiscovered reefs off Punta Covarrubias.

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 War of Independence, but repeated Spanish successes in the area soon led the colonizers to rename it La Victória de Las Tunas. During the Spanish-Cuban-American War the Spanish burned Las Tunas to the ground, but the Mambís fought back, 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 1976 during Cuba's post-revolutionary geographic reorganization.

Las Tunas

Pop 154,000

If it was down to sights and historical attractions alone, it's doubtful many people would bother with La Victória de Las Tunas (as it's officially known), a sleepy agricultural town that seems like it hasn't woken up to the fact it's been a provincial capital almost 40 years. Its sleazy reputation for being the Oriente's capital of sex tourism hardly helps. But, thanks to a handy location on Cuba's arterial Carretera Central, handfuls of road-weary travelers drop by.

Referred to as the 'city of sculptures,' Las Tunas 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, go wild at one of the city's riotous Saturday-night street parties or wax lyrical at the weird and witty Jornada Cucalambeana, Cuba's leading country-music festival. Go on, give it a whirl!

Las Tunas

1Sights

1La Fuente de Las AntillesA4

2Memorial Vicente GarcíaB4

3MestizajeC4

4Monumento a AlfabetizaciónD2

5Museo Provincial General Vicente GarcíaC3

6Plaza de la RevoluciónF4

7Statue of José MartíC3

4Sleeping

8Caballo Blanco – PepeC3

9Hotel CadillacC4

10Hotel Las TunasF4

11Mayra Busto MéndezC3

5Eating

12CachéC4

13Cremería las CopasB3

14La PatronaC3

15Mercado AgropecuarioF1

16Restaurante la BodeguitaC3

17Ristorante La RomanaB3

18Supermercado Casa AzulB3

6Drinking & Nightlife

Cadillac Snack BarC4

19Casa del Vino Don JuanC4

20Piano BarC4

3Entertainment

21Cabildo San Pedro LucumíC3

Casa de la CulturaC3

22Estadio Julio Antonio MellaE1

23Parque 26 de JulioA4

24Teatro TunasC3

7Shopping

25Biblioteca Provincial José MartíC3

26Fondo Cubano de Bienes CulturalesC3

27Galería Taller Escultura Rita LongaC2

1Sights

Memorial a los Mártires de BarbadosMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; Lucas Ortíz No 344; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat)F

Las Tunas' most evocative sight is in the former home of Carlos Leyva González, an Olympic fencer killed in the nation's worst terrorist atrocity: the bombing of a Cubana airliner in 1976. Individual photos of victims of the attack line the museum walls, providing poignant reminders of the fated airplane.

On October 6, 1976, Cubana de Aviación Flight 455, on its way back to Havana from Guyana, took off after a stopover in Barbados' Seawell airport. Nine minutes after clearing the runway, two bombs went off in the cabin's rear toilet causing the plane to crash into the Atlantic Ocean. All 73 people on board – 57 of whom were Cuban – were killed. The toll included the entire Cuban fencing team fresh from a clean sweep of gold medals at the Central American Championships. At the time, the tragedy of Flight 455 was the worst-ever terrorist attack in the Western hemisphere.

Museo Provincial General Vicente GarcíaMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Francisco Varona & Ángel de la Guardia; admission CUC$1; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat)

Housed in the royal-blue town hall with a clock mounted on the front facade, the provincial museum documents local tunero history. A member of staff will happily lead you through the exhibits.

Memorial Vicente GarcíaMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Vicente García No 7; admission CUC$1; h3-7pm Mon, 11am-7pm Tue-Sat)

A colonial-era structure near the eponymous park 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 building was once García's house, but only a small exposed section of floor tiles remains from the original structure. The museum's four rooms are best navigated with a guide who'll fill in the many historical gaps.

Plaza de la RevoluciónSQUARE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

Las Tunas' Revolution Square is huge and bombastic, particularly for such a small city. Photo opps abound. Check out the huge Lenin-esque sculpture of Vicente García, sword raised, and the giant Che Guevara billboard.

El CornitoOUTDOORS

(Carretera Central Km 8; h9am-5pm)

The grounds around Motel El Cornito (about 6km outside town) are bamboo woods which offer a welcome, shady diversion from the scorching city bustle. You'll find ranchón-style restaurants (favoring the usual booming reggaetón music), the site of the old farmhouse of great Las Tunas poet Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo (aka El Cucalambé) and a reservoir where you can swim.

Back toward the main road, there's a zoo, a fun park and a motocross circuit. A taxi here costs CUC$5 to CUC$7 return.

SCULPTURE IN LAS TUNAS

It might not be Florence, but Las Tunas has an eclectic, sometimes eccentric collection of urban sculptures, over 150 of them in fact, dating back to a pioneering sculpture expo that was held in the city in 1974. For a small but precocious précis of the town’s new young talent, check out the Galería Taller Escultura Rita Longa, while true sculpture vultures should aim to visit in February (even-numbered years) for the Bienal de Escultura Rita Longa – a celebration of all things sculpted.

Las Tunas’ most important and emblematic statue is Rita Longa's La Fuente de Las Antilles ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ). First unveiled in 1977, it was elemental in reviving Cuba’s sculpturing traditions and making Las Tunas its HQ. The sculpture comprises a huge fountain filled with elaborate interwoven figures symbolizing the emergence of the Greater Antilles' indigenous peoples from the Caribbean Sea. Cuba is represented by an India dormida (sleeping Taíno woman). The work reawakened interest in indigenous-themed art in Cuba and has spawned other complex sculptures, such as Mestizaje ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), a multifaced representation of Cuba’s mixed races in the Parque de la India near the bus station.

In the central hub of Plaza Martí is another Longa work, an inventive bronze statue ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) of the 'apostle of Cuban independence', José Martí, which doubles as a solar clock. It was opened in 1995 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Martí's death.

Elsewhere in town you'll find sculptures with revolutionary themes. The 8m-high abstract Monumento al Trabajo ( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Carretera Central & Martí), by José Peláez, pays cubist homage to Cuban workers, while the pencil-like Monumento a Alfabetización ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Lucas Ortíz) marks the 1961 act passed in Las Tunas to stamp out illiteracy.

Further afield, the Janus-inspired Cacique Maniabo y Jibacoa is a two-headed Taíno chief looking in opposite directions, which dominates the surroundings at the rustic Motel Cornito 6km west of town. Also at Cornito is the Columna Taina, a kind of native totem pole, along with Las Tunas’ newest sculpture, the Cornito al Toro (2013), a legendary bull made out of metal and cement that guards the approach road to the complex looking down from a giant pedestal.

zFestivals & Events

Bienal de Escultura Rita LongaSCULPTURE

(hFeb)

Held in February in even-numbered years in this so-called ‘City of Sculptures.'

Jornada CucalambeanaMUSIC

(hJun)

Jornada Cucalambeana is Cuba’s biggest celebration of country music, where local lyricists impress each other with their 10-line décima verses. It happens in June, just outside Las Tunas, by Motel El Cornito.

Festival Internacional de MagiaMAGIC

(hNov)

Magic festival held in the provincial capital each November.

4Sleeping

After years in the doldrums, Las Tunas has at least one decent hotel (the Cadillac). Several private houses rent clean, affordable rooms along Calle Martí and Calle Frank País near the center.

oMayra Busto MéndezCASA PARTICULAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-34-42-05; Hirán Durañona No 16, btwn Frank País & Lucas Ortíz; CUC$25; pa)

Blink. The sheen coming off the furnishings in this immaculate bungalow might otherwise dazzle you. It's Tardis-like inside, too. The size of the room on the left could encompass a couple of most all-inclusive hotel rooms.

Caballo Blanco – PepeCASA PARTICULAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-37-36-58; Frank País No 85 Altos; r CUC$20-25; a)

Dazzling tiled floors, hotel-standard bathrooms, wall-mounted TVs and operating-room-level cleanliness (no surprise that Pepe is a doctor). There's a new privately run restaurant out back.

Hotel Las TunasHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-34-50-14; Av 2 de Diciembre; s/d CUC$27/43; paWs)

A last-gasp option: out-of-the-way location, austere rooms, dodgy restaurant and a wake-you-up-at-2am disco. Room TVs pick up HBO and there's wi-fi – small consolations.

oHotel CadillacHOTEL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-37-27-91; cnr Ángel de la Guardia & Francisco Vega; s/d CUC$45/70; a)

A Las Tunas hotel that doesn't give you flashbacks to the Khrushchev and Brezhnev years. Opened in 2009, this rehabilitated, centrally located 1940s beauty is verging on boutique standard with just eight rooms including a lovely corner suite. There are flat-screen TVs, up-to-the-minute bathrooms and a dash of old-fashioned prerevolutionary class. Out front is the lively Cadillac Snack Bar.

THE BALCONY OF THE ORIENTE

Thanks to the nature of its colonization and the vast array of outside influences that have washed up intermittently on its shores, Cuba exhibits distinct regional differences. The most marked are those between the west (Occidente) and east (Oriente), demarcated by a line that runs roughly through Las Tunas, a province popularly known as El Balcón del Oriente (The Balcony of the Oriente).

Prior to 1976, Las Tunas and the four provinces to the east (Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma and Holguín) were encased in a single culturally distinct province known simply as ‘Oriente.’ Although the political barriers were removed in the 1976 provincial shake-up, regional identity remains strong, especially among the traditional ‘underdogs’ from the east.

Geographically closer to Haiti than Havana, Cuba’s Oriente has often looked east rather than west in its bid to cement an alternative Cuban identity, absorbing myriad influences from Jamaica, the Lesser Antilles and, in particular, French Haiti. It is this soul-searching, in part, which accounts for the region's rich ethnic diversity and long-standing penchant for rebellion.

It's no accident that all of Cuba's revolutionary movements have been ignited in the Oriente, inspired by such fiery easterners as Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (from Bayamo), Antonio Maceo (from Santiago) and Fidel Castro (from Birán near Holguín). The region has also been a standard-bearer for the lion's share of Cuba's hybrid musical genres, from son and changüí to nueva trova. Cuban hip hop might have had its genesis in Alamar, a suburb of Havana, but most of its instigators were eastern migrants from Santiago de Cuba.

Today, Cuba's east–west rivals continue to trade humorous insults on all number of topics. Listen carefully and you’ll notice that people from the Oriente have a strong 'singsong' accent. They are also generally less well-off economically, resulting in the longstanding trend for easterners to migrate west for work. More subtle are the musical and religious nuances. The Oriente hides copious Afro-Haitian traditions left over from the era of slavery. These are most clearly manifested in Santiago’s folkloric dance troupes and its manic July carnival.

5Eating

Las Tunas has an abundance of Italian restaurants for a city of its size. The local culinary claim to fame around these parts is caldosa kike y mariana, a stew of meat and root vegetables with banana: it's even been sung about. Ask around.

CachéINTERNATIONAL

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-99-55-57; Francisco Varona, btwn Nicolás Heredia & Joaquin Agüera; sandwiches & burgers CUC$2-5; hnoon-2am)

Proof that things could really be changing in Cuba is the presence of this new swanky cocktail bar/cafe/restaurant that attempts to bring the taste of Miami to Las Tunas of all places. The dimly lit, air-conditioned interior is dressed to impress with leather seats, dexterous cocktail waiters and a menu heavy with deluxe burgers and club sandwiches.

La PatronaCUBAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-34-05-11; Custodio Orive No 94; meals CUC$3-4; h11am-11pm)

A new, largely local place with highly reasonable prices and equally reasonable food. The mains are primarily comida criollla, but they also do eggs and pasta for as little as CUC$0.75.

Cremería las CopasICE CREAM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Francisco Vega & Vicente García; ice creams CUC$0.50-1; h9am-3:30pm & 4:45-11pm)

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. If only they didn't rush you it would be one hugely enjoyable experience.

Restaurante la BodeguitaCARIBBEAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Francisco Varona No 293; meals CUC$5; h11am-11pm)

A Palmares state-run joint, meaning that it's a better bet than the usual peso parlors. You'll get checkered tablecloths, a limited wine list and what the Cuban government calls 'international cuisine' – read spaghetti and pizza. Try the chicken breast with mushroom sauce.

oRistorante La RomanaITALIAN

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %31-34-77-55; Francisco Varona No 331; meals CUC$6-8; h12:30-11pm)

Spotted any Italians yet? No? Then drop by this new Roman abode on the main boulevard where the olive oil's extra virgin, the pasta's homemade and the coffee's Lavazza. The food – including the starter bruschettas – is molta ottima, according to Las Tunas' bevy of Italian visitors.

Self-Catering

To stock up on groceries (or to break bigger bills), try Supermercado Casa Azul ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Vicente García & Francisco Vega; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat, to noon Sun). Mercado Agropecuario ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Av Camilo Cienfuegos) is a small market not far from the train station.

6Drinking & Nightlife

Casa del Vino Don JuanBAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Francisco Varona & Joaquín Agüera; h9am-midnight)

Wine-tasting in Las Tunas probably sounds about as credible as food rationing in Beverly Hills, yet here it is; only 7 pesos for a shot of the local poison, a sickly sweet red called Puerto Príncipe. Go just to say you've been there.

Cadillac Snack BarCAFE

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Ángel de la Guardia & Francisco Vega; h9am-11pm)

This offshoot of the Hotel Cadillac has tables on a terrace overlooking the Plaza Martí action and serves decent cappuccinos thanks to its high quota of mature Italian guests who come here with their much (much!) younger Cuban escorts.

Piano BarBAR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Colón & Francisco Vega; h9pm-2am)

A little more suave than the blazing hotel discos, this place is where you go to hear local Oscar Petersons tinkle on the ivories while you knock back CUC$1 mojitos.

REMEMBERING OLD FLAMES

Back in the revolutionary days of the mid-19th century, Las Tunas was no backwater, but considered key to controlling the entire Oriente. This made it a focal point during the Wars of Independence when the city was burned three times. One such burning in 1876 was at the hands of native son General Vicente García (you don't have to look far around town to see his legacy in everything from street names to museums), who famously said he would see Las Tunas 'burnt rather than enslaved.' They were heated words and the people of Las Tunas haven't forgotten them. Flames, fireworks, torchlight parades and historical re-enactments of García's heroics are part of the moving Fundación de la Ciudad festival held every September 26.

3Entertainment

Las Tunas comes alive on Saturday night 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 modern reggaetón (Cuban hip-hop); and Parque 26 de Julio.

oParque 26 de JulioFAIRGROUND

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Av Vicente García; admission free; h9am-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 and kids' activities.

Cabildo San Pedro LucumíCULTURAL CENTER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Francisco Varona, btwn Vicente García & Lucas Ortíz; hfrom 9pm Sun)F

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 TunasTHEATER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Francisco Varona & Joaquín Agüera)

This is a recently revitalized theater that shows quality movies and some of Cuba's best touring entertainment including flamenco, ballet and plays.

Cabaret el TaínoTHEATER

( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Vicente García & A Cabrera; admission per couple CUC$10; h9pm-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 CulturaCULTURAL CENTER

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Vicente García No 8)

The best place for the traditional stuff with concerts, poetry and dance. The action spills out into the street on weekend nights.

Estadio Julio Antonio MellaSPORTS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1ra de Enero)

From October to April is baseball season. Las Tunas plays at this stadium near the train station. Los Magos (the Wizards) haven't produced much magic of late and usually compete with the likes of Ciego de Ávila for bottom place in the East League. Other sports happen at the Sala Polivalente, an indoor arena near Hotel Las Tunas.

7Shopping

The 'city of sculptures' has some interesting local art.

Galería Taller Escultura Rita LongaGALLERY

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Av 2 de Diciembre & Lucas Ortíz; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat)

The small gallery pulls together some fine local work for perusal or purchase.

Fondo Cubano de Bienes CulturalesARTS & CRAFTS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Ángel de la Guardia & Francisco Varona; h9am-noon & 1:30-5pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-noon Sat)

This store sells fine artwork, ceramics and embroidered items opposite the main square.

Biblioteca Provincial José MartíBOOKS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Vicente García No 4; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat)

Books galore.

8Information

Banco Financiero InternacionalBANK

( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Vicente García & 24 de Febrero; h9am-3pm Mon-Fri)

CadecaEXCHANGE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Colón No 41)

Money changing.

Etecsa TelepuntoTELEPHONE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Francisco Vega, btwn Vicente García & Lucas Ortíz; h8:30am-7pm)

Spanking modern air-conditioned haven on the shopping boulevard.

Hospital Che GuevaraHOSPITAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %31-34-50-12; cnr Avs CJ Finlay & 2 de Diciembre)

One kilometer from the highway exit toward Holguín.

InfoturTRAVEL AGENCY

( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Ángel de la Guardia & Francisco Varona; h8:15am-4:15pm Mon-Fri & alternate Sat)

Possibly the friendliest information office in Cuba.

Post OfficePOST OFFICE

( GOOGLE MAP ; Vicente García No 6; h8am-8pm)

8Getting There & Away

Bus

The main bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; 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).

There are five daily buses to Havana (CUC$39, 11 hours) leaving at 4:30am, 9:10am, 12:25pm, 9:45pm and 10:40pm; four to Holguín (CUC$6, 70 minutes) at 2:40am, 6:35am, 8:30am and 3:30pm; one to Varadero (CUC$33, 10½ to 11 hours) at 12:55am; one to Trinidad (CUC$21, 6½ hours) at 12:25am; and four to Santiago (CUC$11, 4¾ hours) at 2:40am, 8:30am, 3:30pm and 6:10pm.

Most of these buses make stops at Camagüey (CUC$7, 2½ hours), Ciego de Ávila (CUC$13, 4¼ hours), Sancti Spíritus (CUC$17, 5½ to six hours), Santa Clara (CUC$22, seven hours) and Entronque de Jagüey (CUC$26, 9¼ hours). Santiago buses stop at Bayamo (CUC$6, 1¼ hours). To get to Guantánamo or Baracoa, you have to connect through Santiago de Cuba.

Train

The train station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Terry Alomá, btwn Lucas Ortíz & Ángel de la Guardia) 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 and Santiago (via Camagüey and Santa Clara) leave two days out of three (check ahead). There are daily services to Camagüey and Holguín.

Truck

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.

8Getting Around

Taxis hang around outside the bus station, Hotel Las Tunas and the main square. Horse carts run along Frank País near the baseball stadium to the town center; they cost 10 pesos.

Cubacar ( GOOGLE MAP ; Av 2 de Diciembre) is at Hotel Las Tunas. An Oro Negro gas station ( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Francisco Varona & Lora) is a block west of the bus station. The Servi-Cupet gas station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Carretera Central; h24hr) is at the exit from Las Tunas toward Camagüey.

RODEOS

Cattle-herding has a long history in Cuba. Before the Revolution, Cuban cows produced some of the best beef in the Western hemisphere and, although the succulence of the steaks might have suffered since Castro nationalized the ranches, the skill and dexterity of the vaqueros (cowboys) has gone from strength to strength.

The cathedral of Cuban rodeo is the Rodeo Nacional in Parque Lenin in Havana – the host, since 1996, of the annual Boyeros Cattleman's Fair. But for a more authentic look at cowboy culture in the island's untrammeled hinterland, head to the prime cattle-rearing provinces of Camagüey and Las Tunas, where the cowboy spirit is particularly strong thanks to famous local son Jorge Barrameda.

Cuban rodeos exhibit all of the standard equestrian attractions with a few quirky Caribbean extras thrown in. Expect myriad horseback-riding events, obnoxious clowns, dexterous vaqueros lassoing steers, and rugged Benicio del Toro look-a-likes bolting out of rusty paddocks atop ill-tempered 680kg bulls to rapturous cheers from a noisy audience.

The Las Tunas rodeo is reason alone to visit this small city: main events take place twice annually in April and September, in Parque 26 de Julio, but there are other, more impromptu rodeos: ask at the Infotur office.

Rodeos in Cuba operate along much the same lines as they do in other countries, and various organizations worldwide oppose them for being cruel to animals. For more information check the website of the Humane Society of the United States (www.humanesociety.org).

Monte Cabaniguan

This fauna refuge just south of the municipality of Jobabo on the alluvial plains of the Río Cauto is a vital nesting ground for aquatic birds such as flamingos, the endangered Cuban parakeet and the Cuban tree-duck. The swamps are also the largest nesting ground for the American crocodile (cocodrilo acutus) in Latin America. The area is protected internationally as a Ramsar wetlands zone. Ecotur runs short boat trips here for aspiring twitchers.

Puerto Padre

Languishing in a half-forgotten corner of Cuba's least spectacular province, it's hard to believe that Puerto Padre – or the 'city of mills' as it is locally known – was once the largest sugar port on the planet. But for die-hard travelers the wanton abandonment inspires a wistful sense of curiosity. Blessed with a Las Ramblas–style boulevard, a miniature Malecón, and a scrawny statue of Don Quixote standing rather forlornly beneath a weathered windmill that has registered one too many hurricanes, the town is the sort of place where you stop to ask the way at lunchtime and end up, a couple of hours later, tucking into fresh lobster at a bayside eating joint.

1Sights

Museo Fernando García Grave de PeraltaMUSEUM

(Yara No 45, btwn Av Libertad & Maceo; admission CUC$1; h9am-4pm Tue-Sat)

Lashed regularly by hurricanes, the municipal museum – when it's not being renovated – contains the usual round of fallen revolutionaries, stuffed animals and antiques. Look out for the antique record players.

Fuerte de la LomaFORT

(Av Libertad; admission CUC$1; h9am-4pm Tue-Sat)

This fort at the top of the sloping Av Libertad, also known as the Salcedo Castle, is testimony to Puerto Padre's former strategic importance. There's a small military museum with temperamental opening hours.

4Sleeping & Eating

There are about a dozen casas particulares and little demand.

oRoberto Lío Montes de OcaCASA PARTICULAR

(%31-51-57-22; Francisco V Aguilera No 2, btwn Jesús Menéndez & Conrrado Benítez; r CUC$20-25; a)

The freshly painted pink facade of this house shines out amid Puerto Padre's ubiquitous dilapidation and acts as a portent for what's inside. The one prettily decorated bedroom smells, looks and is clean. Breakfast and dinner are available from the young hosts for CUC$3 and CUC$5 respectively.

El Bodegón de PoloCUBAN

(%31-51-23-57; Calle Lenin 54; meals CUC$2-5; h11am-11pm)

Keen-to-please local restaurant serving delicacies such as crab, octopus and swordfish on an upstairs terrace. Best deal in town and friendly with it.

3Entertainment

There is a Casa de la Cultura (Parque de la Independencia) for nighttime activities or you can just surf the streets in search of friends, conversation or overnight accommodations in a casa particular (private homestays). The town also has Cuba's newest branch of Uneac (Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba; Union of Cuban Writers and Artists), which puts on shows, dancing and art expos.

8Getting There & Away

Puerto Padre is best accessed by truck, leaving from Las Tunas train station, or with your own wheels. A taxi from the provincial capital should cost approximately CUC$30.

Punta Covarrubias

Las Tunas province's only all-inclusive resort is also one of the island's most isolated, situated 41 rutted kilometers northwest of Puerto Padre on a spotless sandy beach at Punta Covarrubias. Sitting aside the blue-green Atlantic, the Brisas Covarrubias (%31-51-55-30; s/d CUC$88/132; pais) has 122 comfortable rooms in cabin blocks (one room is designed for disabled guests). Scuba diving at the coral reef 1.5km offshore 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$25.

8Getting There & Away

The road from Puerto Padre to Playa Covarrubias is what Cuban taxi drivers call mas o menos (more or less) due to regular hotel traffic. West to Manatí and Playa Santa Lucía is an African-style hole-fest. Drive slowly and carefully!

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 by yourself while you can. There are a handful of houses legally renting rooms (look for the blue-and-white Arrendador Divisa sign). A long-standing choice is Villa Rocio (%52-77-39-21; Casa No 185 ; CUC$20), close to the beach with a rustic interior and good food. Ask around. The place isn't big and everybody knows everybody else.

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 very end of the road at 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. 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.

8Getting 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, changing at the town of Velasco.

Driving is the best shot. The 52km between Las Tunas and Puerto Padre are well paved; after that it gets decidedly iffy. Taxis will often ask for more payment due to the bad driving conditions.