Cuba, a major tourist destination in the Caribbean region characterized by excellent beaches, tropical climate and a unique historic wealth, is also a great attraction for nature lovers.

Being close to nature from a beach or city adds value to Cuba's tourist product, which also attracts tourists interested in learning about the island's situation and its countryside life.

Cuba's fauna consists of 16,500 species, including some zoological groups whose endemism exceeds 90 percent. The native flora is made up of more than 6,300 species of different colors and shapes.

Natural and biosphere reserves, natural landscapes, national parks and protected areas make up a broad network of one-of-a-kind well-preserved options.

An excellent region to practice ecotourism is the Viñales Valley, in Cuba's westernmost province, Pinar del Río, where vacationers can see round-top hills called "mogotes" that are more than 400 meters tall.

Western Matanzas province holds the special marine park Cayo Piedras del Norte, which is an excellent place for scuba diving, and the ecological reserve in Punta Hicacos, a safe haven for 662 species of birds that live in Mangón Lagoon, in addition to the aboriginal pictographs in the caves of Ambrosio and Musulmanes.

In the southern part of that province is the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve, a stronghold for nature tourism, an ideal place for marine spelunking and the largest swamp in the Caribbean region.

In eastern Ciego de Avila province, tourists can visit Jardines del Rey (King's Gardens), considered the fastest growing tourist destination in Cuba. According to legend, due to the exuberant vegetation on Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo and Paredón Grande, Conquistador Diego Velázquez named the region after Spanish King Ferdinand the Catholic.

Large colonies of flamingoes and other migratory birds nest in the above-mentioned islets, so the preservation of the natural environment has been a top priority when carrying out tourist infrastructure projects in the region.

Marked by great diversity distributed in more than 4,000 keys and islets, Cuba is also an excellent place for nature tourism, including bird watching.

Traditional options usually mix with highly-demanded excursions to natural landscapes, including natural, ecological and biosphere reserves, protected areas and national parks.

Cuban fauna is very diverse and consists of more than 350 species birds that live on islets and keys throughout the country, many of which are endemic.