Add a review about Bakonao National Park

The Bakonao National Park is an ideal place for those who would like to admire during one excursion and enjoy natural riches, and how to have fun .The park covers an area of ​​more than 85 thousand .ha between the Caribbean Sea and the majestic mountains of the Sierra Maestra, in the vicinity of the southern outskirts of Santiago de Cuba .According to the local legend, the park got its name from the magic tree of the "Bakon", under which one Indian boy (it was still in the pre-Columbian era) loved to fish .While waiting for the catch, he was sitting in the shade of a tree, and one day he decided to teach the boy to play at shells .These sounds evolved into a pleasant melody audible in the surrounding villages .When the boy, nicknamed Baconao, left these parts, the music did not stop, but continued to be heard from the foliage of the tree .So this name was fixed - Bakonao - first at home, and then everywhere .In 1987, .UNESCO assessed the uniqueness of the park and recognized it as a biosphere reserve .

The Bakonao National Park is an ideal place for those who would like to admire during one excursion and enjoy natural riches, and how to have fun.

What to see

Visitors to the Park of Bacao are expected to have quite a variety of adventures. Firstly, this is a prehistoric dinosaur park - the main pride and the visiting card of the park. A huge territory (more than 11 hectares) is "inhabited" by figures of prehistoric animals, just over 200 gypsum and concrete tyrannosaurs, diplodocus and triceratops are made in full size under the canopy of trees. Between them modestly sheltered and our distant ancestors - Cro-Magnon.

Studying the sights of the Park Bakao, pay attention to small buildings in the form of peasant huts with thatched roofs. This bohio is a typical structure of the countryside of the island of Svoboda.

Coffeemans will probably be interested to learn how in ancient times cultivation and drying of coffee were carried out. This and much more will be told to you by guides during an excursion to the ruins of ancient coffee plantations. Here you can see the remains of the colonial cemetery and an old mansion. By the way, visiting these places is included in the route of the excursion on horseback.

For children, the show of dolphins and seals in a local aquarium will seem incredibly fascinating. In addition, the kids, along with their parents, will be able to walk along an underwater tunnel 30 meters long and observe the marine life in the natural environment. Other entertainments are prepared for the young guests of the park. Those who still have the strength to entertain, are waiting for the amusement park "El Mundo de Fantasia" and the amusement park "Sigua Central".

Quite unexpected, but very informative is the presence in the national park of its own museum of land transport. Be sure to check here if you want to see 2000 miniature cars and an interesting exposition of retro cars.

Aquarium Bakonao

Helpful information

Address: Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, avenida Raul Puhol.

Geographical coordinates: latitude: 19.90; longitude: -75.46.

If you are limited in time, then to get acquainted with the park it is better to rent a car, so you can visit all interesting places in one day. If the travel schedule allows, stay overnight in one of the local hotels, so you can get to the most remote and beautiful places of the park. For example, on a hiking trail, go up to the top of the Gran Piedra.

The entrance to the park of Bacao is located on the outskirts of Santiago, on a rented car you can reach it via the Raul Pujol highway. Also to the park there are tourist buses (landing at the city bus station).

For the entry directly to the territory of the money is not taken, but for visiting the sights have to pay. Photography is also paid.

There are several restaurants in the park that specialize in traditional Cuban cuisine. Try the famous national dish of congri - fried pork with lots of garlic and be sure to finish your dinner with a cup of Cuban coffee.