The arrivals of vacationers in the largest Antillean Island, who are attracted by the richness of Cuba's nature, culture and history, is complemented by a wide gamut of options to enjoy leisure.

Hundreds of kilometers of excellent beaches, offers to practice scuba diving and ecotourism, and tours of historic sites and other places linked to the Island's traditions, are included in an agenda in which speleology has not been overlooked.

Research has revealed that two thirds of the Cuban archipelago is made up of chalky rocks, and that the Island's climate has contributed to creating the largest cavern systems in the region.

For amateur speleologists, the Cuban territory holds some 10,000 caverns of different sizes, many of which have evolved over the past 25 million years.

Cuba's largest caverns are located in the western part of the country, specifically in the province of Pinar del Río, a stronghold for nature tourism, where caves that run through the "mogotes" (round-top hills with vertical slopes) can be found in places such as the Sierra de los Organos.

The caverns within these hills are rich in paleontological deposits, with fossils of animal species from the Pleistocene, some of which are one of a kind.

Many of these caves have a fluvial origin, with overlapped routes that have created impressive systems, like in the case of the so-called Santo Tomás Cave, the largest in Cuba, with 45 kilometers of unexplored galleries.

It was named after the Santo Tomás Creek, which, along with its tributaries, originated these huge underground galleries, which are full of scientific treasures, natural beauties and fossils that remind us of the evolution of life in the Cuban archipelago.

Among the largest underground systems in the province of Pinar del Río are two colossuses: the groups Palmarito-Novillo - which is 42 kilometers long - and the Majagua-Canteras (35 kilometers).

In Cuba's westernmost region, the Guanacahabibes Peninsula, research led to the finding in the La Barca Cave of a species of bat that was thought to be extinguished on the Caribbean Island.

Moreover, the remains of 164 individuals from aboriginal communities were identified in the Perico-I Cave, in Bahía Honda, so this place has become the largest pre-agricultural cemetery in the Antilles.

In the breathtaking Viñales Valley, vacationers can visit the Cueva del Indio, which was rediscovered in 1920 and became famous after human remains and artifacts that belonged to the inhabitants of the region were found. In addition, this place is an excellent option for excursions on the river that runs through the cave, so visitors can enjoy the rocky formations inside the cavern.

Pinar del Río's many attractions show once again that Cuba's leisure industry is more than just an offer of sun and beaches, since its options can meet the needs of the most demanding vacationers.