Cuba, and ideal tourist destination in the Caribbean, prepares a large portfolio of offers including from the traditional sun and beach options to nature and historical tourism.

The recreational options are available for everyone, for the more than two million foreign visitors who arrive in the country every year, as well as the thousands of domestic tourists who are interested in knowing their own country from a unique perspective.

The warm waters that surround the island provide vacationers with the possibility of enjoying nautical activities that complement the traditional sea bathes.

In this sense, over 70,000 kilometers of the island shelf are available for diving, with nearly 5,000 kilometers of coasts bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Three dozen specialized diving centers operate in the territory, including facilities for basic diving courses and diving in coral reefs and caverns under the international standards for such activity.

In addition, visitors can have the opportunity to come closer to nature from a beach or city tourist option, a fact which contributes an added value supported by the growing interest of tourists in knowing the reality of the Cuban countryside and enjoying themselves in an almost virgin environment of adventure.

The Cuban archipelago is characterized by a unique natural richness which is distributed through more than 4,000 keys and islets where several variants of nature tourism, like bird watching, can be enjoyed.

In this sense, the Cuban avifauna is very diverse with more than 350 species which can be found in the islets and keys which make up the archipelago, where endemic birds to the different regions can be watched.

Also, the Cuban fauna includes about 16,500 recorded species; and several zoological groups show and endemism above 90 percent.

Natural reserves, biosphere reserves, natural landscapes, natural parks and protected areas make up a large network of options characterized by their richness, excellent preservation and unique features which distinguish them in the region.

Cuba also has a well-preserved heritage from colony time including buildings, plantations and remains of sugar mills which are highly attractive for visitors.

Other unique leisure and recreational options are available across the country to meet the most demanding tastes.

In this scenery, the city of Santiago de Cuba, the second most important city in the island and regarded by many as the capital city of the Caribbean, is favored by its geographic position and its millenary history.

Not far from the city, La Gran Piedra, recorded in the Guinness book as the largest rock in the world, stands out. Weighing almost 70,000 tons, it majestically seats about 1,220 meters above sea level.