Cuba, a fast-growing tourist destination in the Caribbean region, offers a wide range of natural attractions to thousands of foreign vacationers who visit the island every year.

Dozens of kilometers of white-sand beaches and pristine regions are some of Cuba's offers, in addition to its rich history and culture.

The island's nature, distributed in more than 4,000 keys and islets that make up the Cuban archipelago, is a plus for those interested in ecotourism.

Traditional options are complemented by the country's natural wonders, 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.

In addition, the archipelago's geographic location turns Cuba into a corridor for migratory birds that travel long distances from North America to South America and vice versa.

Nature enthusiasts can enjoy Cuba's great diversity, especially in the central part of the country, where Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus provinces have a huge potential for ecotourism.

In Villa Clara, tourists can visit the Hanabanilla, the country's only lake surrounded by mountains, into which the rivers Negro, Hanabanilla and Guanayara flow.

In western Matanzas province, vacationers can visit the Zapata Swamp, which is part of the Montemar Grand Natural Park. It is one of the most attractive tourist options in the region, in addition to being a natural paradise for ecological tourists.

White-sand beaches, exotic forests, rivers, lakes, flooded caverns, natural pools, pristine areas and typical swamp savannas are a safe haven for 30 percent of Cuba's native fauna, including a variety of Cuban crocodile and manatees, which are the crown jewels of Cuban fauna.

In Pinar del Río is the Viñales Valley – declared a Cultural Landscape and Humankind's Heritage – which is characterized by peculiar round-topped hills, called "mogotes".

The imprint left by Cuba's first inhabitants can be found in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, in the westernmost tip of the province. The region was named after a tribe that settled in the area. The peninsula is a biosphere reserve and a safe haven for many animal species.

In central Cuba, Topes de Collantes, which is 800 meters above sea level, is an excellent place for nature and health tourism. The 110-square-kilometer area is a safe haven for endemic plant and animal species.