The prodigious Caribbean nature has turned out to be a valuable source of adventures and new discoveries, a reason why ecotourism and its different modalities have claimed a top spot of their own in the daily going of the region's travel industry.

A paradise for endemism, natural beauties and biodiversity as far as flora and wildlife are concerned are some of the choices the Caribbean has to offer, other than the more traditional sun-and-sand circuits. Birds, famous geographical features, one-and-only rocky formations, beaches of powder-thin sands and crystal-clear waters, peerlessly beautiful sea bottoms good enough to make a scuba diver's day and bright sunshine all year round are things the region has always offered in an array of unforgettable experiences.

These territories that drifted away from the mainland millions of years ago, eventually made up a group of islands, islets, keys and archipelagos called the Caribbean, the West Indies, the Greater Antilles or the Lesser Antilles. The local scenery has many similarities and differences with the continental land these islands broke free from, even though they don't always pop up to a naked eye.

After decades of toilsome dedication to the making of raw materials, the Caribbean has found in tourism the economic thruster it needed so badly to make things happen. Today, this is one of the top travel destinations on the face of the earth. Caribbean authorities have begun to cotton on to the need of increasing their tourist offerings with a number of exclusive themes. Either mountain climbers, birdwatchers, agriculture enthusiasts or solitary trekkers can find in this neck of the woods what they're truly looking for.

Cuba's Destinations Most experts forebode dramatic upturns in the number of ecotourists visiting Cuba in coming years, given the island nation's endemism, lavish flora, abundant wildlife species and official commitment to environmental protection.

There are three well-defined divisions within the Cuban archipelago –the Western, Central and Eastern regions. In Pinar del Rio –the country's westernmost province- visitors have the national parks of Viñales Valley (Cultural Heritage of Mankind) and Guanahacabibes (Biosphere Reserve), as well as Sierra del Rosario, Soroa and Las Terrazas. Moving eastbound to Matanzas, we find a couple of valuable spots: the Zapata Marshlands (Cultural Heritage of Mankind) and Ramsar in Varahicacos, an ecological reserve located in the world-class tourist circuit of Varadero.

In central Cuba, lovers of nature tourism may visit the protected natural landscapes of Topes de Collantes and Hanabanilla, as well as the mountains of Guamuhaya, a special sustainable development area running through the provinces of Cienfuegos, Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus.

The eastern side of the country is dominated by the Desembarco del Granma National Park (Natural Heritage of Mankind in the province of Granma), and the Sierra Maestra Nature Park, a special sustainable development area located in the province of Santiago de Cuba.

In the same breath, the Santiago de Cuba province boasts the Turquino National Park and the protected natural landscape of Gran Piedra. For its part, the province of Guantanamo harbors the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (Natural Heritage of Mankind) and the Quibijan, Duaba and Yunque de Baracoa ecological reserves.