I Want a Nature Vacation. Where Should I Goin Cuba?
During a nature vacation, make sure to visit Cuba’s excellent national parks. Cuba takes pride in its national parks, which are some of the best preserved in the Caribbean. A few have been named UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their varied flora and fauna and sheer impressive vistas.
Visit Cuba's incredible coast to see some of its rare plants and animals. Guanahacabibes Peninsula National Park boasts mangrove swamps with diverse populations of birds. For more bird watching, head to southern Cuba to visit the wetlands of Cienéga de Zapata National Park.
Some of the healthiest and most interesting coral reefs are in Cuba are along the coasts of national parks. Jardines de la Reina is the largest and healthiest coral reef in Cuba. You can also see rare black coral reef near the beach at María La Gorda.
In western Cuba travelers can see famous Cuban tobacco farmed the old-fashioned way in Viñales. Descend into the Viñales Valley to see the ancient, rocky formations called magotes. The forest of Pinares de Mayarí is made up of beautiful old pines, and serves as a home to a healthy population of birds. Go east to the Sierra Maestra to climb Cuba's tallest mountain in Pico Turquino National Park.
Resorts take up Cuba’s most popular beaches. But you can find untrammeled beaches in places like the Isla de la Juventud, as well as on the sparsely populated island of Cayo Largo del Sur.
Related Questions
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Cayo Largo del Sur
Cayo Largo del Sur has 16 miles (26 km) of picture-perfect white sand beaches. Visitors to this island get to choose from a bounty of all-inclusive resorts. The island has never had a significant Cuban population – it was developed simply so that visitors could come and experience its incredible beaches. Visitors typically spend their days bird watching, scuba diving, or relaxing on the beach.
Isla de la Juventud
Isla de la Juventud is Cuba’s largest island, and an off-the-beaten path destination. For centuries, visitors came here to look for treasure left behind by Spanish pirates. Now visitors come for the island’s nature reserves and secluded beaches. Unlike many beach destinations in Cuba, this island’s main attraction is nature reserves and not resorts.
María La Gorda
María la Gorda is located at the westernmost tip of Cuba. It’s a laid-back, remote beach set within the Guanahacabibes Peninsula National Park.
Pinares de Mayarí
Pinares de Mayarí is touted as a top ecotourism destination in Cuba. In reality, it’s an aging resort set in a remote pine forest. Even so, if you’re looking for peace and quiet in a natural area, this could be a good place for you.
Viñales
Tucked into the hills in northwestern Cuba, this small, lovely town is the country’s most scenic spot. Viñales sits within a large valley that’s dotted with sheer-sided, rounded mountains known as mogotes. The whole scene looks like something from another planet, and is utterly breathtaking. One look and you’ll be happy that you came here.
Cienaga de Zapata National Park
The Ciénaga de Zapata National Park is located on the Península de Zapata in south-central Cuba. This national park is comprised of important wetlands, and is home to the best birding and fishing in the country.
Guanahacabibes Peninsula National Park
The Guanahacabibes Peninsula National Park extends across a large, Y-shaped peninsula on the westernmost tip of Cuba. The park is best known for María la Gorda, a secluded white-sand beach that borders some of the best diving in Cuba.
Pico Turquino National Park
The Pico Turquino National Park is home to the highest mountain in Cuba. Visitors can access this forested, remote park from the small community of Santo Domingo.
Viñales National Park
Home to the town of Viñales and surrounding countryside, the Viñales National Park encompasses a beautiful, mogote-studded valley in western Cuba. It’s different from other national parks in that it contains population centers, but it’s still undeniably one of the most scenic places in all of Cuba.
