Hicacos Peninsula
Encyclopedia
Hicacos is a peninsula
on Cuba
's northern shore, in the province
of Matanzas
. The resort town
of Varadero is located on the peninsula. The name comes from a species of cactus.
It is located between the Bay of Cárdenas
and the Nicholas Channel
of the Atlantic Ocean
, and its extremity (Punta Hicacos) constitutes the northern most point of the island of Cuba. It has a length of 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) and its width varies between 0.5 km (0.310686368324903 mi) and 2.5 km (1.6 mi).
The cay
s developed off shore, such as Cayo Piedras and Cayo Cruz del Padre are the western most part of the Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago
.
The Kawama navigation channel was opened between the Bay of Cardenas and the northern shore, to allow faster transit of ships from the port of Cárdenas to the northern shore, making a bridge the only access to the peninsula. The highway that crosses it and runs the length of Hicacos is the northern extremity of the Via Blanca
highway, and it provides access to the resorts and marina located on the northern end.
The white sand beaches that line the northern shore lead to the development of the resort town of Varadero close to the mainland, while the farther end is lined with all-inclusive resort
s. The Josone Park sits between the two areas. A small marina and a dolphinarium
are located on the south-eastern shore. The Hicacos Point Natural Park is a 3.12 km² (1.2 sq mi) ecological preserve established in 1974 on the north-eastern tip. It contains the 250 m (820.2 ft) long Cave of Ambrosio, Mangón Lake (home to 31 species of birds and 24 species of reptiles) and the ruins of the La Calavera (The Skull) Salt Works, one of the first salt works to be constructed by the Spanish in the New World.
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
on Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
's northern shore, in the province
Provinces of Cuba
Administratively, Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality not included in any province. The last modification was approved in August 2010 , splitting Havana province into two new provinces: Artemisa and Mayabeque...
of Matanzas
Matanzas Province
Matanzas is one of the provinces of Cuba. Major towns in the province include Cárdenas, Colón, Jovellanos and the capital of the same name, Matanzas...
. The resort town
Resort town
A resort town, sometimes called a resort city or resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy...
of Varadero is located on the peninsula. The name comes from a species of cactus.
Geography
Bay of Cárdenas
The Bay of Cárdenas is a shallow bay on Cuba's northern shore, in the province of Matanzas.It is located on the Cuban coast, facing the Nicholas Channel, and is delimited to the north by the Hicacos Peninsula. To the north-east it is flanked by cays of the Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago, such as...
and the Nicholas Channel
Nicholas Channel
Nicholas Channel is a strait off the northwestern coast of Cuba. It lies east of Havana. It separates Cuba from the most southwestern of the islands of the Bahamas....
of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and its extremity (Punta Hicacos) constitutes the northern most point of the island of Cuba. It has a length of 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) and its width varies between 0.5 km (0.310686368324903 mi) and 2.5 km (1.6 mi).
The cay
Cay
A cay , also spelled caye or key, is a small, low-elevation, sandy island formed on the surface of coral reefs. Cays occur in tropical environments throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans , where they provide habitable and agricultural land for hundreds of thousands of people...
s developed off shore, such as Cayo Piedras and Cayo Cruz del Padre are the western most part of the Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago
Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago
Sabana-Camagüey is an archipelago that lines Cuba's north-central Atlantic coast. It is located off the northern coast of the provinces of Matanzas, Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus, Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey, and is bounded to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, specifically by the Nicholas Channel ...
.
The Kawama navigation channel was opened between the Bay of Cardenas and the northern shore, to allow faster transit of ships from the port of Cárdenas to the northern shore, making a bridge the only access to the peninsula. The highway that crosses it and runs the length of Hicacos is the northern extremity of the Via Blanca
Via Blanca (Cuba)
Via Blanca is a highway in northern Cuba, connecting the capital city of Havana and the city of Matanzas. A second section extends eastwards from Matanzas to the tourist town of Varadero.It is mostly a four lane highway, with some divided sections...
highway, and it provides access to the resorts and marina located on the northern end.
Tourism
All-inclusive resort
An all-inclusive resort is a holiday resort that includes a minimum of three meals daily, soft drinks, most alcoholic drinks, gratuities and possibly other services in the price. Many also offer sports and other activities included in the price as well. They are often located in warmer regions...
s. The Josone Park sits between the two areas. A small marina and a dolphinarium
Dolphinarium
A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a large pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or for public performances...
are located on the south-eastern shore. The Hicacos Point Natural Park is a 3.12 km² (1.2 sq mi) ecological preserve established in 1974 on the north-eastern tip. It contains the 250 m (820.2 ft) long Cave of Ambrosio, Mangón Lake (home to 31 species of birds and 24 species of reptiles) and the ruins of the La Calavera (The Skull) Salt Works, one of the first salt works to be constructed by the Spanish in the New World.