Cienfuegos: Cuba’s nautical city
From the foundation date of Cienfuegos (formerly called the Village of Fernandina de Jagua) in the first quarter of the 19th century, the sea has meant to be a coexistence element in both its formation and development into one of the shorelines of the peaceful Jagua Bay, considered by many for over two and a half centuries one of the best preserved big gullies in all Hispanic America.
Maybe that explains why seven decades before its peculiar foundation by French settlers, its entrance was already guarded by the stunning fortress of Our Lady of the Angels of Jagua that jealously watched over the only access point through the waters of the Caribbean Sea. At the time, the fortress was labeled the third major military fortification built by the Spaniards on the island of Cuba.
The depths of its calm and crystal-clear waters, the magnificent protection provided by this bag-shaped bay of 18.5 kilometers long and 6.4 kilometers wide, and even the existence of keys and lesser gullies inside, soon turned this port into a safe haven from the storming and choppy seas of yesteryear.
Those same blessings –now buttressed by the presence of a permanent city, a well-preserved natural environment and improved infrastructure- have helped plan regattas and other nautical events featuring speedboat and aqua bike races in recent times, let alone the opportunity of developing a tourist modality that has growing on a steady basis in different spots across Cuba: cruise tourism.
That's how the Southern Pearl –as Cubans usually dub this oceanfront city some 250 kilometers from the nation's capital and marked by a perfect mesh of straight streets- has worthily been nicknamed Cuba's nautical burg, thanks in part to its ingrained maritime traditions.
EVERLASTING CHARMS Cienfuegos' maritime charms reach outside the boundaries of the only Cuban city that back in the early 20th century sported a replica of world-known Arch of Triumph.
Its two marinas –one of them right in the bay- and three scuba diving centers in the Horizontes Rancho Luna, Faro Luna and Villa Guajimico hotels, give travelers the chance of reveling in one of the premiere attractions this maritime town has to offer.
Trapped between the bay and an area known as Boca Ambuila, there are over 50 diving sites with sea bottoms that stand out for their gaudiness, beauty, a variety of marine life and an exuberance of coral reefs that shelter a considerable chunk of this Caribbean coastline.
Underwater caves and valleys, sunken ships and one of the region's most populated coral reefs teeming with abundant marine life make up part of the secrets these formidable waters keep under their magic and blue-hued surface.
However, the wonder that really steals the spotlight in this underwater paradise is no other than Notre Dame, the biggest column-shaped coral of the Americas. What really meets the eye about this seven-meter-high formation is its resemblance with the Gothic-style steeples that crown the world-known Parisian cathedral. Not far from there, travelers can find top-notch beaches like the almost unexplored Playa Ingles, or Rancho Luna Beach, featuring powder-thin sand and calm waters. The coastal platform is quite rugged and offers countless sites for scuba diving buffs. Some cases in point are the coral reefs spotted both in shallow and mid-deep waters in the Barreras and Las Playitas gullies.
A tad farther from the southern city, Guajimico is the right setting for trailblazers keen to combine coastal and sea tourism. The village –perched on the mouth of La Jutia River- is the undisputed choice for scuba divers and for water sport enthusiasts.
“THE CITY I LIKE THE MOST” Benny More –unanimously voted the Highest Son Singer in a country where music spurts out of every nook and cranny- dubbed Cienfuegos “the city I like the most.” And this is no doubt a phrase that truly conveys a feeling that many people share and suggest from the bottom of their hearts.
The Southern Pearl offers visitors the possibility of catching on the healthiest maritime environment as they trudge along its bustling Malecon driveway and make out the numerous keys that dot this huge bay. And even as they sign up on the many boat rides around the bay all the way to nearby Carena Key –former summertime getaway of the city's well-heeled families- or take a tour to the small fishermen village of El Perche, whose picture-perfect wooden houses match the majestic Our Lady of the Angels of Jagua Fortress, simply called the Jagua Castle among local dwellers.
Another choice for those who like maritime strolls –some of them include a relaxing fishing trip- is a visit to the Guano del Este Key lighthouse some 45 nautical miles off the port of Cienfuegos, or a similar watchtower located in Los Colorados Cape, right between the Pasacaballo and Rancho Luna hotels.
FAST AND FURIOUS Speed will soon stage a comeback in the unruffled waters of the Jagua Bay. In this gorgeous one-nautical-mile-long racetrack in Cienfuegos, the second round of the World Aqua Bike Grand Prix will take place from April 11 to 13, following a couple of other competitions that include the Glass Cup and the LG Cup (both in professional category) scheduled to be held in the bay of Santiago de Cuba from April 4 through 6 this year.
Fans and onlookers of the world's premiere circuits of nautical racing will this time around have the chance of buying travel packages at very affordable prices designed by Cubanacan Travels, the official sponsor of the World Aqua Bike Championship.
Two world-class lodging facilities in Cienfuegos –the downtown La Union Hotel run by Cubanacan S.A. and the refurbished Gran Caribe Jagua resort- will provide accommodations for both racers and fanfare with special-priced packages that include transportation to and from the hotel, attendance to official and competitive ceremonies and a guide-assisted panoramic tour.
Moreover, on the days of the tournaments travelers may buy tour packages inside the city of Cienfuegos featuring a stroll down the historic core that was declared a National Monument. They could equally enjoy an unforgettable night at the Benny's playing Cuba's best traditional music, and sign up on the abovementioned boat rides across the Jagua Bay, that same bay that has contributed so much to Cienfuegos' moniker: the beautiful city by the sea.
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