Page 251 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

EASTERN CUBA  249

Río de Miel, flowing through virtually virgin tropical forest between Baracoa and Boca de Yumurí
the most beautiful beach in d Parque Nacional Here you’ll find a variety of birds,
the province, with dazzling Alejandro de snails, scorpions, frogs, birds,
white sand. The beach’s Taíno and the rare Cuban solenodon
name refers to the presence of Humboldt (Solenodon cubanus), which
a nearby archaeological site. Road Map F4. looks like a giant shrew with
A 2-km (1-mile) coral reef lies an extraordinarily long snout.
only 500 m (1,640 ft) from the This mountainous rainforest At the edge of the park is the
shore. Be warned though that 56 km (35 miles) north of stunning Bahía Taco bay, home
the sea can often be rather Baracoa is Cuba’s most richly to a small group of manatees.
choppy in this area. biodiverse park and a UNESCO The Ecotur office in Baracoa (see
There is a smart, rustic hotel World Heritage Site. Named p247) can help with arranging
hidden among the coconut after the 19th-century German walks and boat trips in the bay.
palms, where villas can be naturalist and explorer
rented, but this place is still Alexander von
delightfully unspoilt. Humboldt, f Boca de Yumurí
Road Map F4.
Polymita Snails
Around 30 km (18 miles) east
A genus endemic of Baracoa, this village of
to the Baracoa area, bohíos (traditional dwellings
the Polymita is a snail with with palm-leaf roofs) takes its
a brilliantly-coloured shell. Patterned Polymita name from the Yumurí river,
According to the colour, six shells which flows into the sea here.
species of Polymita can be Its inhabitants live by fishing,
identified: P. picta, P. muscarum, P. sulphurosa, P. versicolor, but earn a little extra by taking
P. venusta and P. brocheri. All these species live on trees and tourists on river boat rides.
plants, and feed on mushrooms and lichens, contributing to A short boat ride across
the health of the plants, especially coffee trees. Polymita snails the Yumurí river will take you
can be easily recognized, because the shell with coloured to an enchanting beach.
stripes looks as though it has been painted, and stands out
clearly against the bright green vegetation. Another interesting trip is to
One of the many legends that explains how the snail go upstream, where the river
acquired its colours tells of a young Indian who had no pearls course reaches an impressive
or jewels to give to his beloved, so he painted a snail shell. He canyon with walls as much as
used the yellow of the sun, the green of the woods, the red of 180 m (590 ft) high.
the flowers, and the white from the foam of the waves. But The Río Yumurí flows through
when he decided to take the blue from the sky, it was too late an area interesting for its
in the day, and he had to be content with the black of night. ecology. Colourful tropical
Today this snail, highly prized for its shell, is an endangered birdlife abounds, including the
species. Selling or gathering Polymita is not permitted. zunzún, the tocororo and the
cartacuba (see pp24–5).

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