Page 203 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

CENTR AL CUBA – EAST  201

Isla Turiguanó, the unusual “Dutch village” near Morón
a short distance from town, reserves: the Coto de Caza between the archipelago
including a famous statuette, de Morón and Coto de Caza and mainland Cuba, makes
the Idolillo de Barro. Aguachales de Fala. it easy for visitors to get to
the lovely beaches, the coral
E Museo Municipal reef, and the beach resorts
Calle Martí 374 e/ Antuña y Cervantes. 8 Jardines del Rey which are currently
Tel (33) 504 501. Open 9am–5pm Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey. concentrated on Cayo
Tue–Sat, 8am–noon Sun. Closed 1 Jan, Road Map D3. Coco and Cayo Guillermo
1 May, 26 Jul, 25 Dec. & 8 ^ (see pp202–3). Visitors must
In the Atlantic Ocean, north of pass a tollgate on the
Environs the province of Ciego de Ávila, causeway. Cayo Paredón
North of Morón are two the Sabana and Camagüey Grande, 6 km (4 miles) long,
freshwater lagoons: the Laguna archipelagoes, known is the third largest island in
Redonda, which owes it name collectively as “Jardines the Jardines. Although there
to its almost circular form and is del Rey”, include about are no hotels, it is
known for its great abundance 400 small islands, worth visiting for
of trout, and the Laguna de almost all of which the lovely beaches,
Leche. The latter is called the are uninhabited. and the coral has
“Lagoon of Milk” because of its They were some fine dive
colour, caused by the limestone discovered in 1522 The lighthouse at Cayo sites, too. There
deposits in the water. It is the by the conquistador Paredón Grande are good views of
largest stretch of brackish water Diego Velázquez, who the distinctive black
in Cuba, with a surface area of was so struck by them that and yellow Diego Velázquez
67 sq km (26 sq miles). It abounds he dedicated them to the king Lighthouse, built by Chinese
in carp and pike and is a refuge (rey), Carlos V. They later became immigrants in 1859.
for herons and flamingos. a hiding place for pirates and, Although part of the
Immediately north of the after the official abolition of province of Camagüey, Cayo
Laguna de Leche is the Isla slavery, a clandestine landing Romano belongs naturally
Turiguanó, a peninsula with a point for slaves. to this archipelago. Its marshy
village of Dutch-style houses A causeway 27 km (17 miles) coastline is the habitat
surrounded by grazing land long, built in 1988 as a link of manatees.
for cattle. The animals
are also Dutch, having
been imported by Celia
Sánchez (see p55).
Florencia, about 20 km
(12 miles) west of Morón,
is the starting point for
hikes in the small Sierra
de Jatibonico.This range
can be explored on
horseback, along the
route followed by
Camilo Cienfuegos’s
column in 1958 (see p52).
The Canal Viejo
de Bahamas is used
for platform fishing for
large tropical fish. There
are also hunting Sailing boats at a pristine beach on Cayo Coco island

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