Sport & Activities
All sporting events are free for Cubans. The country participates in many sports in the Olympic Games. Baseball is the national sport; soccer and a variety of ball games are also played. There are many stadiums, and both playing and watching sport is one of the national pastimes.
Watersports
Diving can be practised at major resorts and at some lesser-known locations. The 21 km-/13 mile-long Varadero Beach, one of Cuba’s best-developed resorts, offers good diving and snorkelling. For those not wanting to venture underwater, boat tours to the reef are available. Cayo Largo, an island to the south of Cuba, also has a beautiful beach, with facilities for snorkelling, diving, windsurfing and fishing. Lesser-known resorts offering good facilities include Cayo Coco, an island off the northern coast, Cayo Guillermo, accessible along a causeway from Cayo Coco and Guardalvaca, to the north of Holguín. The Isla de la Juventud, a large island to the south of Cuba, offers excellent reef diving. Wildlife, including turtles and iguanas, can be observed on the coral keys to the east. Expeditions leave from hotels on the west side of the island. There is also very good diving from resorts in the Pinar del Río province in the northwest of the island, an area characterised by clear water and long white-sand beaches. Beautiful corals can be seen off the coast. Some of the best fishing is to be had off the more remote beaches, which can be difficult to get to without one’s own transport. Local dive operators offer organised dives, equipment hire and tuition.
Trekking and horse riding
Although possible in some of the more remote areas of the island, permits may be required. Check with the authorities before departure. There are few marked trails, so it is best to hire a local guide. There are three main mountain ranges in the west, centre and east of the island. Beautiful and unspoilt scenery can be found all over Cuba. Pico Turquino, Cuba’s highest mountain, is in the Sierra Maestra range, offering good hikes and treks. The Sierra de Cubitas range near Camaguëy is characterised by river gorges and cliffs, while the Escambray Mountains near Trinidad contain dense rainforest. Guama, on the Zapata peninsula is an extensive marshy area, which hosts many interesting varieties of birds, including parrots. The Cordillera de Guaniguanico in the north of the island features spectacular scenery with rivers and limestone mountains and caves. Horse riding is available at special tourist ranches at Baconao and Trinidad.
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