In Granma Province we find Marea del Portillo, a remote but all-inclusive resort nearby the Parque Nacional Desembarco del Granma.

As the name of the place tells us, this is the place where Fidel Castro and his fellow revolutionaries landed on 2 December 1956, although according to Ernesto 'Che' Guevara "it wasn't a disembarkation, it was a shipwreck". In any case, Marea del Portillo and its surroundings have particular historic value and the town is still reminiscent of the Cuban revolution. Today, the yacht "Granma" is on display in a Havana museum.

From Marea del Portillo one can go on hiking and or horseback excursions, go scuba-diving and deep sea fishing. It's one of Cuba's far more rugged resorts, having a black sand beach and a stronger feeling of isolation than other beach resorts which are also tucked away.

Marea del Portillo has a stunning mountain backdrop and the surrounding countryside is a delight for exploring the variety of flora and fauna that can be found there. Cuba's largest waterfall, el Salton, makes for a great excursion, seeing fields of coffee and cocoa as you arrive at the magestic waters of the Sierra Maestra.

The beach extends for over 2000 metres and is backed by palm and coconut trees, but visitors to the resort don't tend to be ones who are looking for the beach.

Ecotourism and hiking are high on the agenda for many visitors, whilst others are looking to explore beneath the waves at the coral reef or sunken ships. There are 17 different diving sites from 10 to 35 metres deep where you can see the coral reef and tropical fish which include barracuda, trumpet fish, lobster and red snapper. There are various coral types that can be seen as well as sponges of immense size.

The nearest towns of size to Marea del Portillo are Manzanillo and Bayamo, which is capital of the province, but the village of Pilón about 11 km to the west, provides an insight into Cuban life and what was once a flourishing sugar town.