Cuba's central province of Villa Clara boasts a wide range of options for leisure, which can meet the needs of the most demanding vacationers among the thousands of travelers visiting the region every year.

Excellent beaches, cultural traditions and history go hand in hand with the region's well-preserved environment, where vacationers can enjoy the force of nature in that Cuban territory.

The environment's unique elements are, in that regard, a one-of-a-kind complement to the many tourist programs travelers can enjoy in Villa Clara.

South of the city of Santa Clara, the provincial capital, lies the Cubanacán Protected Area, a true natural paradise and a safe haven for amphibious, reptiles, mammals and birds, among which ten species were included in the list of endemic animals.

The Escambray Mountain Range, characterized by its steep slopes, winding roads and vast forests, covers a large area of Villa Clara, serving as a safe haven for the last flocks of parrots living in the province.

Bird watchers can observe Cuba's national bird, the Cuban trogon or "tocororo" (Priotelus temnurus), woodpeckers and hawks, as well as mammals such as deer and hutias, which live near the Hanabanilla, Cuba's only intra-mountainous lake.

The Hanabanilla Hotel stands by the lake, a major destination for nature lovers, since it offers them the possibility of fishing the largest trout in Cuba.

Guests can also enjoy trekking, walks to Atalaya to watch the region's flora and fauna, visits to rural homes, and tours of coffee plantations, forests and waterfalls.

As part of the rational use of natural resources, seven municipalities in the province contribute to the appropriate exploitation of coastal areas, especially the Sabana-Camagüey project.

Villa Clara's main economic activities are fishing, tourism and hydraulic resources, in addition to agricultural and industrial productions, including the sugar, food, basic and light industries.

The region zealously defends its wealth, since in order to develop ecological tourism, the most important element is the landscape, its beauty and its natural values, the way they are offered and the rational use of natural resources to guarantee their preservation.

Tourist development in numerous keys has a transcendental importance due to its high esthetic and recreational values, since they boast beautiful beaches and exuberant flora and fauna, thus ratifying the huge natural potential of the central region of the Cuban archipelago.