Central Cuba, comprised of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus provinces, offers unique attractions for tourism in places like Caibarien.
Founded 186 years ago, the city stands out for the legends related to pirate sieges, the life of the aborigines and the Spanish presence.
Life by the sea, its main economic source, led local inhabitants to take root in many traditions, including the championships of sports boats, the aquatic carnival, peasant festivals and street parties.
It is worth mentioning that among city's celebrations since 1892 are the so-called Parrandas, which were originated in Remedios and stand out for their floats, congas, fireworks and the rivalry between the neighborhoods of La Loma and La Marina.
In terms of tourism, the proximity to the keys Las Brujas, Ensenachos and Santa Maria, which are connected among them by a 48-kilometer causeway, the longest in Cuba, is one of the economic strengths of the city.
The local tourist infrastructure consists of hunting grounds and artificial reservoirs for trout fishing, in addition to the extension of the activity to the keys.
The stronghold in the expansion strategy is Cayo Santa Maria, where hotels already operate and an investment project with a limit of up to 5,000 rooms is under way, in addition to a terminal and airstrip in Las Brujas that can handle small- and medium-size planes.
In the group of Las Brujas, Cayo Santa Maria and Ensenachos, conditions exist for a flora and fauna safe haven, since there are exclusive species like the hutia rat, and other endemic varieties such as lizards, mollusks and the arriero bird.
The animal diversity is complemented by the local flora, which consists of 248 species, 91 of which are medicinal, 72 are timber, 41 are honey producing and 40 are ornamental, all which are accompanied by beautiful underwater landscapes.
A canal system becomes a true water maze between the cays, while offering enormous potential for tourism programs to watch the underwater wonders and practice nautical activities.
Among the islets in the vicinity is Cayo Fragoso, which is 40 kilometers long and offers up to 15 kilometers of beaches of excellent quality.
In addition, there are other keys like Virazon, Fito, Conuco, Cobo, Tio Pepe, Las Brujas, Agustin, Español de Adentro and Español de Afuera, Maja, Borracho, Caiman de la Mata de Coco and La Barca.
North of Caibarien is the Wildlife Refuge of the North Keys, which covers an area of some 80,000 hectares and is inhabited by an extensive colony of flamingos, together with local species and almost 250 varieties of plants, including 40 ornamental species.