FEBRUARY 6-13, 2010
Escorted by John Johnson

Synopsis of the Itinerary

Saturday February 6, 2010
Depart Toronto on a charter. Flight times to be determined. Arrival in Holguin where we will be met by our Cuban guide and driver and brought to the all inclusive beach hotel Sol Rio Luna y Mares, (see Hotel “A”) welcome cocktail. (D)

Sunday February 7, 2010
After breakfast and a short briefing, we will bicycle into Holguin to tour the city. We will have a box lunch in the city and return to our hotel in the afternoon. (B, L, D)

Monday February 8, 2010
We depart towards Santiago, the first capital of Cuba discovered in 1511. We will go by way of Guantanamo and have a box lunch on the way. When we arrive in Santiago we will stay at the Melia Santiago (see Hotel “B”) in the city. Dinner is at the hotel. (B, L, D)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Today we do a Santiago tour. We will visit the Santa Efigenia Cemetery, the Moncada site of the 26 July uprising, and the El Cobre Cathedral, the holiest site in Cuba. We will have lunch enroute before returning to our hotel. This evening is free to dine out at a city restaurant and perhaps visit the Casa de Musica near Central Square. (B, L)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
After breakfast and check out from our hotel we depart along the coastal road to Marea del Portillo, where, after our box lunch and continued biking along the picturesque coastline, we will check into the Club Marea del Portillo (see Hotel “C”) All Inclusive Beach Resort for three nights. (B, L, D)

Thursday, February 11, 2010
After a leisurely morning we will bicycle to Pilón and Niguero. Niguero is a municipality and city in the province of Granma. It is located in the coastal region of the province, bordering the Gulf of Guacanayabo. Niguero is where Fidel Castro was to land on the vessel Granma in 1956, and where Celia Sanchez was set to meet him. But after being spotted he landed about 15 miles south and headed to the Sierra Maestra Mountains from where he led the Revolution. We return to the hotel for a sunset cruise after dinner. (B, L, and D)

Friday, February 12, 2010
Today is a free day either to relax at the beach, go scuba diving ($) or snorkel ($). If you feel like biking you may wish to go to the mountain bicycle course, a short ride from the hotel and test your skills on the mountain bike course. (B, L, D)

Saturday, February 13, 2010
Our last day sees us packing up and head out via our bus for Holguin and the flight home. (B)

Inclusions in the tour:
Direct return airfare from Toronto to Holguin, 7 nights hotels of which 5 nights are at all inclusive beach resorts where all drinks are included, all transfers in an air conditioned coach, services of an English speaking guide, Air Conditioned bus equipped for bicycle transfers, all entrance fees as indicated, all meals as indicated, Cuba entrance visa, Sunset Cruise at Marea del Portillo, water, juices and snacks during the trip. Modest gratuities are included for the guide and driver.

Not Included:
Cuba Departure tax, bicycle transportation fees, items of a personal nature, gratuities to hotel staff, travel insurance.

Cost per person is: $2099 based on double occupancy
and $399 Cad for a single supplement.
Taxes are $210.00 per person.

Added Feature: Stay and Play a Second Week!

Join the 3rd Annual Eco Snorkel Adventure Tour on Beautiful Reefs with our Marine Biologist, Sharilyn Kennedy. Sharilyn Kennedy graduated with honors from the University of Guelph with a Bachelor of Science in Marine and Fresh Water Biology. During this time she studied in New Brunswick and Barbados where she examined oceanography, tropical marine biology and aquatic toxicology. Excluding Canada, She has been diving in Malaysia, Japan, Puerto Rico, Italy, Barbados and most recently Cuba. She has enjoyed
snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and the second longest reef in the world in Belize. Sharilyn also worked in the aquatic ecology lab at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. She was tasked with identifying zooplankton and invasive species of the Great Lakes watershed. Sharilyn currently resides in Kingston Ontario where she is a Master’s student in biology at Queen’s University.

On the 12th of February you will join our group at the Marea Del Portillo Hotel for your first of 5 snorkel adventures with equipment provided (masks and fins). Delve into the underwater mysteries of Marea del Portillo, Cuba on an exclusive eco-snorkeling adventure! Your home for a week is situated in a secluded and unspoiled sheltered bay of black sands surrounded by the Sierra Maestra Mountains and bordered by coconut palms and exotic flora. Explore the coral reefs and mangroves with a marine biologist where a profusion of tropical fish and sponges abound. Learn about the delicate life of underwater creatures through hands-on snorkeling adventures and informative lectures. Be directly involved in an international project of a coral reef monitoring program for a leading non-profit environmental organization (Project Aware). This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn, experience and contribute to the protection of our coral reef ecosystems while enjoying a truly unique vacation adventure.

You will be provided underwater identification charts, a waterproof flashlight for the night snorkel, and P&G Snorkel shirt, other activities are included such as an inter-tidal walk and slide presentations on a daily basis. The Eco-Snorkel group arrives at Marea Del Portillo on the 11th of February and will depart on the 18th. You will be free on the 19th at the hotel and then will be transferred on the 20th to Holguin for your flight home. The cost to stay the extra 7 nights at the Marea Del Portillo (13-20 February), the Snorkel package with Sharilyn Kennedy and a private transfer to Holguin Airport on the 20th of February is $729.00 per person based on double occupancy and $879 based on a single occupancy.

Please contact Judy Gallant at judy@pgtravel.ca with any questions. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is required upon booking. Final payment is due December 15, 2009.

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Hotel Overview
The All inclusive resort made up of the Sol Río de Luna and the Sol Río de Mares is found on the Playa Esmeralda Beach, at Holguín, on the east coast of Cuba. It is set in immense gardens in the Parque Marítimo Bahía de Navajo.

Rooms	Services and Facilities
•   Terrace/Balcony •   Fully equipped bathroom •   Air-conditioning •   Satellite TV •   Direct dial telephone •   Hair-dryer •   CD Player •   Ironing board •   Mini-bar •   Safe	•   Currency exchange •   Gift shop and Boutique •   Car rental •   Tour desk •   Hairdresser and Beauty Parlor •   Babysitter and Doctor on request •   Laundry service •   Facilities for the disabled •   Parking
Restaurants and bars	Leisure
•   2 Buffet-style Restaurants, serving a wide range     of international and regional specialities, open for     breakfast, lunch and dinner •   Mediterranean Restaurant on the beach, with     international dishes at midday and typical     Mediterranean cuisine in the evening; once every     week special Romantic Night •   Italian Restaurant, poolside, featuring snacks     during the day and Italian specialities in the     evening; at 11pm a light nighttime dinner is     offered •   Mexican Restaurant next to the pool, with snack     service all day long and Mexican cuisine for     dinner •   Cuban Restaurant on the beach, specializing in     international dishes for lunch and authentic     Cuban cuisine for dinner •   Pool bar •   Bar with natural fruit juices, exotic cocktails     prepared with Cuban rum, etc. •   Tea Corner & Bar open 24-hours, serving coffee     & tea (5pm to 6pm), drinks as well as     inter-/national liquors •   Lobby bar open until 2am	•   2 Swimming pools with sunbeds, sunshades and     towel service •   Daytime entertainment programme, including     archery, aqua-aerobics, darts, dancing and     Spanish classes, ecological tours, badminton,     mini-golf, bikes, horseback-riding, etc. •   Mini Club and Playground •   Non-motorized water sports: windsurfing, sailing,     kayaks, snorkelling •   Diving centre nearby •   2 Tennis courts •   Gym with sauna and massages •   Golf training area •   Live shows in the evening •   Beach Discotheque

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Hotel Overview
The Meliá Santiago de Cuba hotel, built in 1991, is located in the heart of the most Caribbean city of Isla Grande, in one of the most elegant areas of Santiago de Cuba. Right on the busy Avenida de las Americas, 1 km from the International Hospital and the Convention Center, 1.5 km from the shopping mall, 2 km the historical city center, 11 km distance from the Internation Airport Antonio Maceo, and 25 km distance from the beach.

Located on the Southeast coast of Cuba, the famous Marea del Portillo Beach is at the foothills of the Sierra Maestra Mountains. This provides a dramatic backdrop to the exotic black sand beach that stretches over 2 km. Not far from Marea on the road to Santiago de Cuba you will come across an amazing view of the highestmountain in Cuba, 2005m Pico Turquino.

Rooms	Services and Facilities
•   Rooms for non-smokers •   Bathroom with hair-dryer •   Satellite TV with 12 channels •   Telephone with modem/fax connection •   Mini-bar •   Safe deposit box •   24-hours room service	•   Business Center with secretarial services •   Car rental •   Tourism bureau •   Boutique and shop with local art •   24-hours medical attention Parking
Restaurants and bars	Leisure
•   Restaurant La Casona, serving a regional and     international buffet with show-cooking service •   Gourmet Restaurant La Isabélica with     international cuisine, a selected wine card and     excellent Cuban coffee •   Italian Restaurant La Fontana •   Snack Bar Colmadito •   Bar-Lookout Pico Real on the 15th floor •   Santiago Café, with capacity for up to 200     persons, just perfect for banquets, cocktails,     theme parties and gala dinners •   Lobby bar •   The Alameda Snack Bar •   Grill Restaurant El Criollo	•   3 Swimming-pools set in spacious gardens and     terraces, one of them for children •   Daytime and evening entertainment program     with dancing lessons, shows, etc. •   Domino •   Gym with new equipments including a better     service for Sauna and Massage Services •   Multifunctional Court

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Guide to Playa Marea del Portillo
Marea del Portillo is the most important tourist resort in the Granma province.

Located on the Southeast coast of Cuba, the famous Marea del Portillo Beach is at the foothills of the Sierra Maestra Mountains. This provides a dramatic backdrop to the exotic black sand beach that stretches over 2 km. Not far from Marea on the road to Santiago de Cuba you will come across an amazing view of the highest mountain in Cuba, 2005m Pico Turquino.

Also close to Marea del Portillo lies the Desembarco del Granma (Granma Landing) National Park, which was declared a World's Natural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The beautiful El Salto Waterfalls is about two hours from Marea del Portillo.

In addition, just 500 meters away from the beach is Cayo Blanco, a small islet considered an ideal place for romantic people and boasting exceptional sea bottoms.

You can dive to an old Galleon with 36 canyons and their characteristic round balls, as well as other of the ships belonging to the squad of Cervera, the "Christopher Columbus" which still shows a high degree of preservation.

Towards Cabo Cruz, in the Southeast edge of the eastern region, fabulous sceneries open up around the coral reef located here with moose horns corals, sea fan and all sort of fish that you can admire due to the existence of Marea del Portillo diving center.

If you accommodate in any of the hotels of Marea del Portillo, you will be able to discover the charms of Cayo Blanco and its underwater beauties as well as to access to the facilities and services that its marinas offer.