Cuba, located in the Caribbean Sea, is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations in the region, favored by a tropical climate, warm water and dozens white-sand beaches everywhere.
As a complement to these attractions, the Caribbean island offers its traditions, history and culture, which combine the heritage from black African slaves and the Spanish conquistadors.
Exuberant nature, centuries-old traditions and history can be found in Cuba, which has an area of more than 110,000 square kilometers and nearly 5,800 kilometers of coasts.
However, tourist attractions can also be found on the keys that make up the Cuban archipelago. One of those keys is Cayo Levisa, off Pinar del Río's north coast, which offers three kilometers of excellent beaches and 23 dive sites.
In central Cuba, tourists can visit the keys Santa María, Las Brujas, Ensenachos, Cobos, Majá, Fragoso, Francés, Las Picúas and Español de Adentro, among others, which are connected by a 48-km causeway over the sea.
A system of canals becomes an aquatic labyrinth between the keys, offering a huge potential for diving programs and nautical activities.
Another peculiarity of the central region is the ship San Pascual, which ran aground near Cayo Francés 70 years ago. The ship is considered a naval rarity, because it was made of concrete in San Francisco, California, in 1920.
Cayo Saetía, in eastern Cuba, is at the entrance of the Bay of Nipe. It is considered the largest game preserve in the country and is inhabited by a wide range of animal and plant species.
More than 50 percent of the islet, which has an area of 42 square kilometers, is covered by forests, which are inhabited by whitetail deer, zebras and antelopes, among other animals.
Hunting is carried out in strict compliance with internationally- and nationally-recognized standards to prevent environmental damage.
One of the fastest-growing destinations north of Ciego de Avila is the Jardines del Rey (King's Gardens) archipelago.
The main key in that region, Cayo Coco, is the fourth largest islet in the Cuban archipelago. It has an area of 370 square kilometers and offers 22 kilometers of excellent beaches surrounded by mangrove swamps and coconut trees.
Large colonies of flamingos and other migratory birds nest on the islets, where they find the perfect habitat to procreate. Constructions for tourism follow international standards to preserve the natural environment.
In Jardines del Rey, Cayo Guillermo is one of the smallest keys. It has an area of 18 square kilometers. Its exuberant flora includes mahogany, mastic and savin trees
A 400-km-long coral reef, considered the second largest in the world, after the one in Australia, provides a peculiar attraction to Jardines del Rey, where tourists can enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling and other nautical activities in warm waters with excellent visibility.
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