Travel To Baracoa Will Be Exciting

The small city of Baracoa lies at the farthest south-west tip of the island of Cuba, remote, unspoilt and approached only by a winding mountain road with nine bridges over steep valleys. Set on glorious Honey Bay (the Bahia de Miel), this almost untouched colonial settlement is guarded by Cuba's answer to Table Mountain (El Yunque), known as the Anvil of Baracoa. Surrounded by waterways and lush forests and as yet untouched by mass tourism, Baracoa is the ideal get-away-from-it-all destination.

The city is the oldest colonial settlement in Cuba, was its first capital in 1511, and is famed as the spot where Christopher Columbus finally touched land after his first epic voyage. Visitors who take the trouble to arrive here will find 18th-century fortifications, cobbled streets, secluded beaches and a famous cross said to have been planted on the beach by Columbus himself. For tourist information, the travel agencies of both Cubatur (on the Calle Antonio Maceo) and Ecotur (on the Coronel Cardoso) are the places to visit.
The beaches fronting Honey Bay are quite special and as result, see large numbers of summer holidaymakers. Just a short distance from Baracoa, the beachfront of Playa Maguana is one of Guantánamo's finest and features tropical palm trees and an azure blue waterfront, which lends itself to snorkelling. Away from the beaches, the colonial character of the city is often of interest to sightseers, who will enjoy walking around the old fortifications and admiring the magnificent architecture of the Cathedral of Our Senora of the Asuncion (Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion), which presides over the Triangle Square (Plaza Independencia). The harbour is a pleasant place to hang out at any time, with its views stretching as far as the El Yunque mountain and beyond, and its breathtaking sunsets. The 50+ pre-Columbian archaeological sites also warrant investigation and offer an insight into the lives of past Native American Indian tribes. More information about Baracoa Tourist Attractions.

When it comes to local landmarks, it is El Yunque that stands out and this towering mountain is just a short drive to the west, where it is possible to climb all the way to the summit, although only with a guide. Other sights to see line the lengthy La Farola road, which was nothing short of a modern engineering masterpiece, passing over giant gorges and providing easy access to the city. The River Toa is another important local landmark, although this time a natural feature, running through the city and forming a series of rapids and pretty waterfalls along the way. Around the centre of Baracoa, look out for the Plaza Independencia's bronze bust of Hatuey - a former Taino Cacique (chief), and the statue of Christopher Columbus - on the seafront promenade named the Avenidos Malecon. More information about Baracoa Landmarks and Monuments.
If you can drag yourself away from the beaches, the small selection of museums in Baracoa provide something different and a spot of culture, being ideal for a rainy afternoon. The Municipal Museum (Museo Municipal) is one of the most popular and is housed within an old fortress, which started life as a part of the city's fortifications and is today dedicated to documenting the regional history through a series of exhibits. On the southerly outskirts of Baracoa, the Paradise Cave Archaeological Museum (Las Cuevas del Paraiso Museo Arqueologico) comprises three galleries and an array of aboriginal and archaeological relics, as well as information relating to past civilisations and some 3,000-year-old petroglyphs. When it comes to appreciating Cuban art, the Eliseo Osorio Art Gallery is the place to visit. More information about Baracoa Museums andBaracoa Art Galleries.
The province of Guantánamo contains some very interesting attractions and those tourists planning a day trip will find it all the more easy with the assistance of a hire car. To the north-west of Baracoa, the sprawling Alexander von Humboldt National Park (Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt) boasts rainforest trails, orchids and mangrove swamps, while next to the extremely photogenic Yumuri Canyon is the town of Yumuri, where white water rafting is possible, as well as a number of other recreational activities. To experience the farming of cacao, coffee and coconuts, take an excursion to the Toa Ranch (Rancho Toa), or if chocolate is more your thing, then the nearby Fabrica de Chocolade (Chocolate Factory) is not to be missed, being inaugurated many years ago by none other than one of Cuba's most famous past revolutionaries, Che Guevara. Further afield, Santiago de Cuba lies to the west, and as Cuba's number two city, is perfect for a weekend getaway.

Tanzania Tourist Love

Whether you are looking for a wilderness adventure away from the crowds, a safari to watch elephants, lions and rhinos, or a beach holiday, Tanzania certainly provides plenty of choice. Fronting the Indian Ocean, many of the most popular beaches are conveniently based around Dar es Salaam, such as Coco Beach at Oyster Bay. The main islands of Zanzibar - Unguja and Pemba, are also home to some of Tanzania's most alluring beaches, with this coastline also being famed for its superb scuba diving and snorkelling. More information about Tanzania Beaches.
The national parks are the principal reason why so many tourists come to Tanzania and although the Serengeti Plains may well beckon, so too will the national parks of Arusha, Gombe Stream, Lake Manyara, Mount Kilimanjaro and Ruaha. At the Mahale Mountains National Park you can get up close to chimpanzees, and in the Selous Game Reserve, the native African creatures often spotted roaming the savannah and alongside the Rufiji River include antelope, elephants, kudus and colobus monkeys. Trips to Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria provide yet another way to experience nature in Africa and here you can take a cruise, swim, snorkel, dive and even fish. More information about Tanzania National Parks.

For sightseeing in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam is the place to hang out and a few days spent exploring this energetic city will reveal tourism gems such as the historic White Fathers' Mission House and Old Boma building. Located on Sokoine Drive and next to the waterfront, St. Joseph's Cathedral may now be sandwiched in between modern buildings, but its spire still towers high above the surrounding cityscape. For a leisurely family day out in the city, you can choose between the Botanical Gardens and Dar es Salaam Zoo. Those in Arusha may like to take time out to pay a visit to the Meserani Snake Park. More information about Tanzania Tourist Attractions.
The most obvious and photographed of Tanzania's landmarks tend to be clustered around Dar es Salaam and here you can tour sights such as the Askari Monument, the Azania Lutheran Church, the Old State House and the Uhuru Torch at the Mnazi Mmoja Park. If you are more interested in natural phenomenon, then the giant Ngorongoro Crater in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is sure to please, offering the chance to see zebras, rhinos, wildebeest and lions living in a unique enclosure shaped by past volcanic activity some three million years ago. Mount Kilimanjaro is certainly not the only eye-catching mountain in Tanzania, with the somewhat shorter Mount Meru measuring in as the second-highest of the country. Other landmarks of note include the Kalambo Falls and the still-active Ol Doinyo Lengai Volcano, as well as the archaeological Kondoa Irangi Rock Paintings and the Isimila Stone Age Site. More information about Tanzania Landmarks and Monuments.

As the busiest, largest and still the most important city in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam is understandably the place to come for culture and related tourist attractions. The National Museum and House of Culture has welcomed visitors since it first opened in 1940 and boasts exhibitions of fossils excavated from the Olduvai Gorge. Also in the city is the open-air Village Museum, where authentic rural-life exhibits, artefacts and information about age-old traditions are displayed for all to enjoy. Butiama, Mwanza and Arusha all also have a museum or two, the latter of which being known for its offerings dedicated to natural history, the Arusha Declaration and Tanzanite - a blue / purple mineral stone discoverd locally. More information about Tanzania Museums.
You could easily spend an entire month on holiday in Tanzania and still leave with attractions left unvisited. However, if you are here as part of an African experience, then you may have left time for excursions into one or more of the adjoining countries. To the north, Kenya is certainly one to add to any list and its capital of Nairobi is easy to reach. Head southwards and you will soon discoverMozambique, where the beaches of Bazaruto and Quirimbas really are some of Africa's finest. Also to the south is Malawi, and to the south-west, Zambia, while to the west is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to the north-west, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. More information about Tanzania Attractions Nearby.