I have been to Cuba twice before: once in Varadero, and the second time in Manzanillo de Cuba, closer to Santiago de Cuba in the south of the country. I enjoyed both times, but I must admit that Varadero was too ‘touristy’ for me. A lot of university kids go there looking to party and the staff are not as warm and friendly as they are in other parts of the country. Indeed, Varadero has beautiful sandy beaches, but the beaches in other areas of the country can come just as close. My experience in Manzanillo was memorable. I made friends quickly with the staff and even went to a staff member’s family for lunch one time. The beach does not have beautiful white sand and clear waters, but the atmosphere at the resort there is great. And for the price, it’s an excellent choice.

Yet this time around I wanted to try something different. I had been hearing a lot of raves about Holguin and I thought it would be a good idea to try it. Indeed, it was ! Holguin is a province as well as a city. It is located in the south-eastern part of Cuba and has a rich culture. It is a sister city with Etobicoke, Canada; it has a baseball stadium so that even visitors can enjoy a baseball game at night or on a weekend; it also hosts the brewery Cerveceria Bucanero which is a joint venture which makes three brands of beer (Bucanero, Cristal and Mayabe) in partnership with Labatt of Canada.

Read more & see photo gallery here: Holguin, Cuba (cris2travel)