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The history of this province is quite
colourful, or so legend would have you believe. The story
goes that , in 1519, a Spaniard by the name of Alonso de
Ojeda lost his ship went down, Alonso salvaged a statue of
the Virgin Mary and, on making land, credited her with
aiding him in his miraculous escape from certain death.
As he made his way across the land he
vowed to offer the statue to the first village he came
across, and on reaching the Indian village of Cueyba, he
gave it to the local chief, instructing him to build a
church in honour of her divinity.
The flora and fauna of La Isleta in the
municipality of Manati and Monte Cabaniguan in southern Las
Tunas could make these areas tourist magnets in the future.
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Las Tunas City:
The capital of the province is the city of the
same name which lies 662 km east of Havana. The city, originally
named Las Tunas was, in 1869, renamed Victoria de las Tunas, a title
given it by its Spanish governor to commemorate a colonial victory
over the Cubans. The name reverted to plain Las Tunas in 1895,
following the battle in which the Cubans finally took back the city.
These days Las Tunas is a centre for trade in the
production of sugar and chemicals.
There are two tourist hotels one (Hotel Las
Tunas) located on the outskirts of the city, the other (Hotel el
Cornito) 10km southwest.
A thorough exploration of the city's places of
interest can be undertaken in the time it takes to mix a mojito and
drink it. Cerro Caismimu, a hunting preserve around 18km outside the
city, is worth a visit if you're that way inclined. Alternatively,
the beaches around Playa Covarrubias on the north coast of the
province are good for sunbathing, swimming and scuba diving.
The city itself is a friendly place and if you
walk around the central square area you are bound to attract
attention from curious locals.
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