The Cuban archipelago, full of tourist attractions, offers the country's exuberant nature as one of the key elements in major tourist programs for thousands of foreign and national vacationers every year.

According to experts, Cuba has a great natural, cultural and historic wealth, including dozens of kilometers of excellent beaches of crystal-clear water and fine white sand.

The island's natural assets can be found in more than 4,000 keys and islets where vacationers can enjoy a wide range of options, including bird watching.

Cuban fauna is very diverse and consists of more than 350 species birds that live on islets and keys throughout the country and many of which are endemic

Regarding ecology, diversity is huge, especially in central Cuba, where the provinces of Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus have great potential to develop nature tourism.

In the south of Matanzas province is the Zapata Swamp Biosphere Reserve, a stronghold for nature tourism, an ideal place for marine spelunking and the largest swamp in the Caribbean region.

Beaches of blue water, exotic forests, rivers, lakes, flooded caverns, natural pools, pristine zones and typical swamp savannas are a safe haven for 30 percent of Cuba's autochthonous fauna.

The Cuban archipelago also offers more than 70,000 square kilometers of insular platform and some 5,000 kilometers of coasts, which are bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and are excellent sites for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Nearly 6,500 varieties of fish, crustaceans, sponges and mollusks, and an 850-kilometer coral reef in perfect state of preservation turn the island into one of the best-preserved underwater ecosystems in the Caribbean region.

Tourists can dive in 56 sites, many of which are inhabited by large colonies of corals and sponges. That zone also offers caves, passages and tunnels.

In eastern Cuba, Cayo Saetía 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.

The key covers an area of 42 square kilometers, and more than 50 percent of it is covered by thick vegetation, which is a safe haven for several species, including whitetail deer, zebras and antelopes.