Guardalavaca

Despite being the province's main tourist resort, GUARDALAVACA, on the north coast 112km from Holguín, retains a charmingly homespun air. Surrounded by hilly countryside and shining fields of sugarcane, it combines small-scale intimacy with a vibrancy lent by its youthful visitors. Four hotels are centred on the lively Playa Guardalavaca and there's a more exclusive satellite resort at Playa Esmeralda, about 5km away. Guardalavaca town, which backs onto the resort, is little more than a clutch of houses, though the surrounding area has enough sights to keep you busy for a couple of days should you tire of sunning yourself on the beaches.