Cienfuegos
Cuba’s smallest province where sugar mills and sugarcane plantations dot the landscape
Cienfuegos is one of the provinces of Cuba. The capital city of the province is also called Cienfuegos and was founded by French settlers in 1819. Cienfuegos is the smallest province in Cuba with an economy almost entirely dedicated to the growing and processing of sugar. Sugar mills and sugarcane plantations dot the landscape. There are waterfalls in the sierra of the province.Scuba diving off of Cienfuegos province is extremely popular both with tourists and locals. There are numerous underwater caves and well over 50 dive sites in the province. The provinces of Cienfuegos, Sancti Spíritus, and Villa Clara were once all part of the now-defunct province of Santa Clara.
Cienfuegos City
Called “The Pearl of the South” because of the impressive beauty of its bay; because of its seductive city which provokes the wonder of all who know it, and because of that innate nobility which characterizes those born in Cienfuegos. The history of Cienfuegos possesses interesting antecedents and is rich in aborigine and Hispanic legends.
Cienfuegos Botanical garden
Founded in 1901, is one of the oldest in the Americas. Its 90 hectares contain over 2000 species of plants, most of them exotic, including a collection of palm trees which is considered one of the ten best in the world.
The Bay of Cienfuegos
Which is one of the most magnificent bays in the country, is nearly 35 square miles (90 square km) in size and is dotted with picturesque cays. We recommend a boat ride around the bay, where you can sometimes see dolphins leaping from the water. It is the venue for annual motorboat races and regattas, and cruise ships put in here, as well. There is a marina with a modern recreation room; aqua bikes; yachts; catamarans; and equipment for snorkeling, scuba diving and water skiing.
The Faro Luna Scuba‐Diving Center
Next to the 3‐star hotel of the same name, on the road to Rancho Luna, this offshore area has over 50 diving sites, many species of coral and fish, caves impressive underwater walls, sunken ships and coral formations such as “Notre Dame”, which looks like the towers of that Parisian cathedral and is nearly 11 feet (6 meters) high. Stick around, and you’ll see turtles, Barracudas, enormous Jewfish, Spotted Eagle Rays and impressive but harmless Whale Sharks.
