Granma, Cuba

Gramma Province in southeastern part of Cuba is the heartland of Cuban Independence. The region has shown strong support for rebel and opposition forces from the beginning of recorded Cuban history. Hatuey, the leader of a local indigenous tribe, was one of the first to rebel against the intrusive Spanish. Hatuey died defending his people's land from the Spanish, and is today a national hero, with museums and monuments.
Early revolutionaries of the 19th century also fought in this province; in 1868 Carlos Manuel de Cespedes rang the Demajagua’s bell to signal the freeing of his slaves and the beginning of the First War of Independence, and José Martí was killed in battle in the town of Dos Ríos.
In 1976, the province was named after Granma, the yacht that Fidel Castro's and other revolutionaries disembarked when returned to Cuba from Mexico aboard the Granma’s cabin cruiser in 1956 and landed here to form the nucleus of the rebel army to begins the last battle for the freedom.
Granma's capital is the city of Bayamo, located just about in the province's geometrical center.

The northern part of the province is mainly grassland, bordering the provinces of Las Tunas and Holguin. Traveling south through the province, the terrain changes to rolling plains and foothills, and eventually becomes very mountainous.
The province also has many natural attractions; these include the Desembarco del Granma National Park -which UNESCO has declared a part of world natural heritage, because it contains important flora, fauna and geographic features -Turquino Peak, the highest elevation in the country (1974 meters, above sea level); and Marea del Portillo Beach, which has volcanic sand and a stunning backdrop of mountains.

Marea del Portillo Beach is a dark-sand (volcanic sand) beach located on a spectacular cove, with mountains as a backdrop. A peaceful place with tremendous natural attractions, it is a part of the Sierra Maestra Natural Park. It has a profusion of coconut palm trees and is an excellent place for scuba diving, snorkeling and other water sports. There are 17 scuba diving sites in the area with seabed that has tall hillocks traversed by narrow valleys covered with beautiful invertebrate fossils, forming caves and tunnels where fish, crustaceans and mollusk hide. Its treasures include two very well preserved ships of the Spanish fleet.

Further west, towards Cruz Cape, there are coral formations, gorgonians, Common Sea Fans (Gorgonia spp.) and colorful fish-a tropical paradise that's within your reach from the Maria del Portillo Scuba Diving Center. The area also has marine terraces which reach eight levels on some places of the coast and extend underwater, as well. They are the best-preserved such terraces in Cuba and make dives in this area even more interesting.