Coral reefs rise close to the surface all around the entire island, making it a paradise for divers and snorkellers.
One of the world’s deepest sea troughs, over 7000 meters deep, is located 60 km off the coast of Santiago de Cuba.
The main island has three mountain chains covered in thick rain forest as well as cliffs, gorges, and caves. Whilst enjoyed by climbers, trekkers and mountain bikers, this beautiful landscape remains largely unspoilt. The magnificent green valley of Viñales with its Mogotes, funny shaped hills against a background of higher summits, lies in the Sierra de los Organos, the mountainous area in the western part of the island. The porous sandy soil between these hills is perfect for farming the fine tobacco that has made Cuba famous.
The lowlands are highly cultivated with crops such as sugarcane, tobacco and citrus trees and pasture land for cattle. Cuba was once the worlds largest sugar exporter but with the end of lucrative trade deals with the former Soviet Union, the global drop in sugar prices and the ongoing US embargo, production has significantly dropped. Pre 1960 the US received a third of its sugar imports from Cuba.
Cuba’s main cities tend to be atmospheric and colourful with many magnificent Spanish colonial buildings in Havana, Trinidad, and Santiago de Cuba, the latter centred around a deepwater harbour with a dramatic mountain backdrop.
As not only the largest island in the Caribbean but also the most beautiful with a diverse and dramatic landscape, Cuba provides a perfect destination for tourists looking for paradise, that’s not been over commercialised and therefore retains its character and charm.