PARQUE NACIONAL DE MONTEMAR

Located 108 km from Matanzas, 120 km from Cienfuegos and 140 km from Varadero, the former Ciénaga de Zapata Natural Park, renamed Montemar, is only accessible with a guide. A road-trail leads along the west coast of the Bay of Pigs to La Salina, a former salt mine. It is best to leave early in the morning because of the length of the trip and to observe the birds and fauna at best. Optimal conditions: between November and February. Whatever the season, don't forget your repellent: the extreme humidity of the climate favors the proliferation of mosquitoes!

Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2001, the large Montemar Natural Park is home to exceptional flora and fauna. This unique wetland ecosystem has some 900 species of native plants, including 115 endemic plants and 5 strictly local. 190 species of birds (hummingbirds, St. Thomas coot, marsh starling, long-tailed sparrowhawk, parrots, etc.), including a large number of migratory birds from North America, inhabit the area. Numerous fish and aquatic vertebrates such as the crocodile and the manatee (in Spanish, manatí) reign in the water. Also, if you keep your eyes open, curious invertebrates will not fail to whet your curiosity. Green destination par excellence, the peninsula of Zapata is all the more fascinating that it is ignored. Its mystery will be delivered only with patience.