Cuba's nature, rich in unique plant and animal species, due to the island's tropical climate, has benefited from the official strategy to develop the leisure industry on the largest Antillean Island.

In addition to sun, beaches, history and culture, travelers' access to unique sites from the environmental viewpoint is an additional element in Cuban authorities' efforts to boost tourism.

This strategy focuses on eastern Cuba, especially on the tourist region of Holguín, where Cayo Saetía, considered the island's major hunting ground and inhabited by a wide range of animal species, sits at the entrance of the Bay of Nipe.

More than half of the islet's 42 square kilometers (27 square miles) is covered by forests inhabited by a varied fauna, including whitetail deer, zebras and antelopes.

Hunting is carried out under strict monitoring, complying with both national and international regulations, to prevent damage on the region's habitat and to preserve the natural environment.

The group Gaviota, which runs Cayo Saetía, gives tourists the chance to go on safari in the forest and to hunt wild animals in the islet's thick vegetation.

Vacationers are provided with transportation, specialized protection, equipment, guides and well-defined routes, although cameras can replace the rifles, since the islet's one-of-a-kind environment invites visitors to photograph its most beautiful natural landscapes.

Based on a Natural Park concept, Cayo Saetía's pristine nature has remained intact and away from the invasion of humans. The islet's original flora and fauna have been preserved to date.

Visitors can use different kinds of vehicles to move around the islet, and can find animals such as wild boars, buffaloes, ostriches, peacocks, zebras, Cuban trogons (tocororo), antelopes, hutias and wild bulls.

Add to this that dozens of species of birds have chosen that area of the Cuban archipelago to live, and migratory birds nest there in winter.

Cayo Saetía also has options for diving enthusiasts, including a coral reef near the islet, the same coral reef that runs off the coast of Cuba's eastern Holguín province.

Crystal-clear waters, thin sand and a coastline of brownish rocks are singular attractions, giving the beach different shades of color that create a show that is exclusive to the region.

Cayo Saetía's tourist infrastructure includes 12 air-conditioned rooms equipped with television, and a restaurant serving exotic meat and dishes from Cuban cuisine.

At the restaurant, visitors can taste a wide range of dishes made with animals hunted on the islet, as well as fish and seafood captured in the waters surrounding Cayo Saetía.