Baconao Park Areas of Natural Interest, Santiago de Cuba. Cuba

• Parque Baconao. Santiago de Cuba
• Destination: Santiago de Cuba
• Open: Daily
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Baconao Park

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The sea, mountains, history and legends magically combine in this beautiful region Santiago. Located south of the province of Santiago de Cuba, is situated at the eastern end of the Grand Sierra Maestra National Park. Recognized by the National System of Protected Air, Baconao Park received the status of a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1987. It covers 84 000 985 hectares and includes on its surface well defined three biogeographic zones of rugged terrain with steep slopes: the Plateau of Santiago de Cuba, the Sierra de la Gran Piedra and the plateau of Saint Mary of Loreto. Its flora comprises various types of mountain forest and coastal forests, galleries, pine forests and dry forests. In the reserve there are a thousand Baconao 800 plant species identified, with high botanical, medicinal, food, industrial and religious. Of great importance are the ancient ruins of nearly 70 coffee plantations founded by the French, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Another attraction of great importance it is certainly La Gran Piedra, it is a world record for being the rock of its size in the world greater height 1234 m above sea level, a high value area of ​​endemism. The Prehistoric Valley is one of the attractions of the park receives more visitors Baconao. It is an open area of ​​227 large sculptures that recreates the prehistoric reptiles, a space that children and adults enjoy. Other attractions of the park are Baconao iron and manganese mines, exploited by the Americans in the nineteenth century where you can see remnants of locomotive and rail. Baconao Lagoon is a significant place of beauty where you can enjoy the contrast between the water and the surrounding mountains. A footpath runs along the shoreline of the lake for about 3 miles where you can observe the flora and fauna, this haven of quiet waters is also a haven for migratory birds. In Baconao combine beaches, forests and cultural offerings including museums and outdoor exhibitions. Optional programs are designed to satisfy those who wish to tour throughout the geography of the park. From the hotels associated with the beaches in the area can be horseback riding through trails with natural viewpoints interesting and abundant vegetation. We also rent boats and there are conditions for diving as well as for sport fishing. The infra structure Baconao tourist park has 5 hotels totaling about 700 rooms that combine different products such as sun and beach, nature and health tourism. History and legend: The area occupied by the current Baconao park was inhabited since the time of the aborigines and their hills served as a refuge for immigrants from the nearby island of Haiti, who built the ranch comfortable place for the implantation of settlers who were big producers coffee. The name comes from a legend Baconao local Aboriginal, the story of an Indian boy who lived in the south of Cuba during the pre-Columbian period. Legend tells of a magical tree called Bacona, who taught the young Indian to play music using the pond snails. The boy used to sit in the shade of the tree to make music Bacona your snail. Everyone in the village were fascinated and thought the music playing skills of a snail were given by the tree. So the boy started calling Baconao. Type the indecito snail used, according to legend, to get music from it. One day, the boy went for regular walks around the outskirts of the town, and never heard from him. Eventually the music that produced the child with snails was heard in the forest and the people thought that the magic of the child had remained in the trees, and over time, they began to call the area Baconao. Baconao Park is a site of national preference and foreigners visiting the Caribbean Cuban city, its lavish nature, its rich history and legends are a memorable keepsake visitors.

Mapa de Baconao Park

Baconao Park is located in Santiago de Cuba

It limits to the north with the province of Holguín; to the west with Granma; to the south with the Caribbean Sea, and to the east with the province of Guantánamo. The province covers a total area of 6 343 21 , Km². You can get here through Antonio Maceo International Airport, also by road from any other part of Cuba, or by sea ─in this last case, requesting the services from Punta Gorda Marina.

Two particular features characterizes Santiago de Cuba that make it exceptional: its hospitality, with people of happy and relaxed temperament and its rich historical-cultural wealth. Its Caribbean identity is evident in its popular music and in folklore manifestations. It depicts the title of Heroine City of the Republic of Cuba for the role carried out by its inhabitants in the revolutionary struggle during the decade of 1950. Privileged by its historical past, in Santiago de Cuba there are two of the Cuban places distinguished by UNESCO with the title of World Heritage: the San Pedro de la Roca Castle and the ruins of the first French coffee plantations in La Gran Piedra. The Santa Ifigenia cemetery , the 26 of July Historical Museum and the Siboney Farm, are places indissolubly linked to the history of Cuba.

Cayo Granma and Baconao Park (Biosphere Reserve) also part of the attractiveness of this region. As a tourist destination, Santiago de Cuba, combines excellent possibilities for the enjoyment of beaches, city and nature tourism for to the places of interest in those three scenarios.

For those who arrive in Santiago de Cuba, there are diverse lodging options in the city and in its surroundings, linked as much to the sea as to nature. With a variety of categories and levels of comfort, it will always be a guarantee for the visitors looking for harmony and soothing rest. There are other things, among so many, that make people from Santiago proud: to be the birthplace, par excellence, of almost all the musical genres of Cuba, a country where the music is soul and root; also, the carnivals that every month of July take place here, are the most spectacular in the country; as well as their rum, the well-known Fiestas del Fuego and the already traditional Festival of the Caribbean.

The region of Santiago de Cuba has the necessary infrastructure to encourage tourism of events and congresses; it also has in its mountainous and seafaring environment the conditions to develop nature and adventure tourism, trekking, nautical activities, and health tourism. But there is nothing better than walk its undulating and narrow streets loaded with history and music at the same time.