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Banes is a town full of irony. The history of the region around the town is unique as it is by far the richest aboriginal area of Cuba, one part of the land of the Araucos, neighbours of the Tainos, who lived further east near Baracoa. From the 16th century, the waters offshore were plied by pirates, corsarios and their prey. In 1823, the township of Gibara (100km west) added the region to its authority. In 1887, Alfredo Dumois Gessé born in Saint-Domingue and already a major exporter of produce from Cuba, established the Banes Fruit Company. But it is better known as the place where Fidel Castro Ruz was married in 1948 and Fulgencio Batista Zaldivar was born in 1901. From 1898 to the late Fifties, Banes was considered as a "company town", (almost wholly-)owned and operated by the infamous United Fruit Company (Chiquita bananas) which ran a sugar mill nearby called Boston. Its colonial past is not Spanish as it is American. Stories say the cane cutters (cortadores), who worked for UFC only during the three months of the zafra would cut off a finger to collect insurance and thus receive a regular revenue. In 1910, the town administration split from Gibara with its own mayor and it built a large central park, Parque Domínguez with, around it the Teatro Heredia, the Club Banes social club and its art deco church Nuestra Señora de la Caridad (photo at right). The city dwellers started enjoying the beach at Guardalavaca from 1926 and so went the golden era of the sugar mills with the money the UFC and other authorities pumped for essential services like water mains and sewers. Banes became well-knwon through its institutions like the well-respected Los Amigos College run by Quakers, the Colonia Española (turned into a Casa de la Cultura in 1978), the Workers Union, the Sociedad Minerva, Flor de la Caridad the town hospital sponsored by a rich woman named Batista. The Rotary Club founded the town's Biblioteca Rafael María Mendive. Noteworthy establishments included Teatro Hernández, the Palacio Municipal and, in 1953 Radio Banes. In 2005, there were (very) long-term plans from Gaviota S.A. to build resorts on presently-deserted Peninsula de Ramon, (west of Cayo Saetia; see maps) something in the order of 5-7,000 rooms (in lots of 500), eventually including a horseback riding center, 6 golf courses and a port for cruise ships. You can drive from here to El Ramon to enjoy its pristine nature. It's about a 55km via the village of Antilla. POPULATION 80,610 (2007) 
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 Casa en madera in a quiet riverside setting © Bond0700 panoramio •|• The famous church, Art Deco styled, built in 1952, la Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Caridad © Bond0700 panoramio  Larger regional map on click.  Calle Veguita © sogestour •|• Playa Puerto Rico  Rare gold statuette at Museo Indocubano Bani •|• Facade of said Museo located in the old Royal Bank of Canada building © Bond0700, panoramio  Playa Morales © Bond0700, panoramio •|• Zoom to the alturas © sogestour  Beach on Cayo Saetia •|• Cabin at Villa Cayo Saetia •|• hold-click : interior of cabin. © photobucket.com  Closest Viazul terminal : Holguin 2 x day via Santa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas — Ruta 16; three other rutas go through Holguin each day (links above) — Holguin Terminal de guaguas is located on Carretera Central No. 19 e/ 20 de Mayo e Independencia Tel. (24) 47-4430 EXCURSIONS • Parque Nacional La Mensura (25 km southwest of Mayari) • Parque Natural Cayo Saetia (100 km, via Mayari). An isolated, green-covered, 42 sq km key with imported fauna (antelopes, aras, ostriches, buffalos, camels, iguanas, tapirs and zebras) for the all-day photo safaris sold in the Guardalavaca all-inclusive resorts. Clients arrive in helicopter or in jeeps. • Some prefer staying at Villa Cayo Saetia, a Gaviota resort Tel. (24) 9-6900 with 12 bedrooms and 5 cabins (100cuc/day 3 meals) which lead to three lovely deserted playas : Gaviota, Almendra and Penon. SERVICES • Bus service from Holguin 6 times a day (no Viazul or Astro busses running). • If casas are all full, try the Motel Oasis (tel. 24-9-3447) : 28 bedrooms, bar and dining room. |
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 HEED THE HINTS IN THIS FINE PRINT ::: Make sure that in your first email or phone call you specify that you want to book a room in that particular casa and that you will reconfirm your booking on arrival in Cuba. Unless you only want a room in any house which may be of the same quality, not the specific casa you booked through photos on these websites ::: So as to not abandon expecting owners with empty rooms, reconfirm (or call ahead to cancel) your booking by phone as soon as you can after arriving in Cuba ::: Please write or phone a casa owner to cancel a booking. As late as it may seem, it allows them a chance to rebook. ::: Children under the age of 16 may share a bedroom with adults for free. Specify the child's age when booking. ::: Since October 2010, maximum bedroom capacity is not limited to two adults ::: Also, large casas are not limited to renting only two bedrooms per night. ::: At the end of the casa name, the V signals the casa was suggested by travelers or owners but not verified by the website staff. If you try it and like it, write us about it. ::: Unless otherwise mentioned, the average room rates and service prices are : 20-25cuc per bedroom per night [up to 40+ for 4 in a room]; breakfasts 3-5cuc, dinners 7-10cuc. ::: Note : monthly taxes have increased 15-50% for owners; this may be reflected on the aforementioned rates. ::: Any casa particular anywhere in Cuba must have a hot water shower, otherwise it cannot have a permit to rent. ::: On certain occasions in the past year, overbooking may have inadvertently hurt some travellers, some casa owners and some webmasters more than would appear and this prompted this webmaster to overreact by generalizing about individual realities; having hurt most casa owners, this webmaestro's self-righteous attitude [all action, no talk] was uncalled for. Lo siento mucho I am truly sorry and apologies given, Marcos 070112 ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net |
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BOOK BY PHONE • From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 24 for Banes). HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 24 for Banes). |
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See the casas in sequence.
 Click logo to move to next recommendation. |
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| COLONIAL GUEST HOUSE One large ventilated bedroom, private bath Calle H #1526F, e/ Veguita y Francisco Franco, at the entrance to town center. Tel. (24) 80-2204  |
SERGIO y LYDIA
Two aircon bedrooms, each with ensuite bathroom Calle Iglesia 4089, a bit passed the center, in reparto Nicaragua. Tel. (24) 80-2412 or 2472  |
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| ODALIS y MANOLO Two aircon bedrooms, each with ensuite bathroom Calle H #77, e/ avenida de Cardenas y Pisonero, on the street leading down to center. Tel. (24) 80-3120  |
EVELIN FERIA DIEGUEZ
Two vented bedrooms, each with ensuite bathroom Calle Bruno Merino 3401-A e/ Delfin Pupo y Jose Maria Heredia in town centre. Tel. (24) 80-3150 or 80-2561  |
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| JULIO y OMAYDA DANTA Two aircon bedrooms, each with ensuite bathroom Calle Roble #85 A, e/7ma y 8va in reparto Silva, near the hospital. Tel. (24) 80-3243 or 80-3648  |
NANCY BACALLAO DRIGGS
One aircon bedroom, private bath Calle Roble #85 A, e/7ma y 8va in reparto Silva, at the entrance to the town from Guardalavaca. Tel. (24) 80-3243 or 80-3648  |
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| SONIA DIAZ ABALÉN One aircon bedroom, private bath Calle Carlos Manuel Cespedes 119, entre Flor Crombet y Augusto Blanca in town centre reparto Cardenas Tél. (24) 80-2358  |
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Content & photos © sogestour Updated |
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