Cuba Guide
Northern Oriente
Guardalavaca
Despite being the province's main tourist resort, Guardalavaca, on the north coast 72km northeast from Holguín, retains a charmingly homespun air. The area's name pays tribute to a buccaneer past – Guardalavaca meaning "keep the cow safe", which is thought to refer to the need to protect livestock and valuables from marauding pirates who once used the area as a refuge point. Surrounded by hilly countryside and shining fields of sugar cane, the resort combines small-scale intimacy with a vibrant energy lent by its youthful clientele. The lively Playa Guardalavaca and Playa Las Brisas have one plush hotel complex each, while the two exclusive satellite resorts to the west, Playa Esmeralda and Playa Pesquero, which incorporates the nearby Playa Turquesa, are popular with those seeking luxury and solitude. The town of Guardalavaca, which backs onto its namesake resort, is little more than a clutch of houses.