Isle of Youth: a destination for nature tourism

Nature tourism is positioned as one of the main potentialities for the economic and social development of the Isle of Youth, according to Yordanka Betancourt Gambino, deputy delegate of Environment in the territorial delegation of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment in this special municipality.

Among the offers are hiking, bird watching and underwater photography, ideal for those who seek in nature a refuge for recreation, the source stated.

“In addition, the destination is home to archeological geosites on its southern coast, as well as the impressive huracanolitos - rocks that have been dragged from the sea by severe hydrometeorological events - and the famous Punta del Este caves, internationally recognized for their cave pictographs.”

Betancourt Gambino stressed that in addition to the attractions of this paradisiacal place, the beaches of silica sand and the Lanier Swamp, the second most important wetland of the insular Caribbean, stand as a refuge for various species of flora and fauna, where the rhombifer (Cuban) and acutus (American) crocodiles, both in danger of extinction, and the babilla caiman stand out.

Likewise, Sierra de La Cañada is an outstanding spot on the map of protected areas, with its highest elevation at 309 meters above mean sea level, it is home to the oldest rock in the Caribbean, approximately 160 million years old. Its slopes are crisscrossed by streams that feed important rivers and its schist soils are home to lush pine forests, the source told the Cuban News Agency.

"Another essential point is the Los Indios Ecological Reserve, another of the natural treasures offered by the overseas territory. It covers more than 5,000 hectares and presents a dozen different ecosystems, especially rich in bird life, and it is home to the Canadian crane and a refuge for the parrot".

The four barrier reefs surrounding the municipality are a unique attraction for diving enthusiasts: they are home to a great diversity of marine species. Such is the case of Punta Francés National Park, where history and legend intertwine with exuberant nature and kilometers of white sand beaches, he said.

“Likewise, the Jones Jungle stands out, which appeared in Cuba's panorama as its second botanical garden and the protected area South of the Island, where the exuberant forest hides the only pine forest on limestone in the region, along with cenotes full of life and an impressive variety of wild orchids.”

Isle of Youth's natural wealth offers ample opportunities for the development of sustainable ecological tourism, sustained by endogenous resources.

Each of these valuable natural sites has the potential to become a preferred destination for locals and visitors, she concluded.