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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.
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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