Just as it’s impossible to be more than 100km from the sea wherever you are in Cuba, the same rule applies to areas of high natural value. The landscapes and ecosystems in Cuba are so diverse that visitors are often amazed by just how quick and easy it is to escape the hustle and bustle of Havana and retreat to the green tranquility of Las Terrazas. In less than one hour you can be transported to this beautiful Unesco Biosphere reserve, which was started in the late 60s as an experiment in forest development and environmental preservation.
The territory spans over 5,000 hectares, where hundreds of kilometres of terraces have been dug and over 6 million trees planted. There’s also a beautiful lakeside village for you to explore, which was built using the method of mountain flattening. It all comes together to form one of the calmest places on the island. In the 90s, the area’s only hotel was built here, the eco-friendly Hotel Moka – and thus, the Las Terrazas tourist complex was born. Here you can enjoy all kinds of activities, such as photographing the beautiful scenery, birdwatching for all kinds of exotic species, exploring the ruins of old coffee haciendas that once prospered in the area, swimming in the peaceful natural pools of the San Juan river or climbing incredible mountains like El Taburete – a 3-hour, 6 kilometer journey of medium difficulty, taking you 452 meters above the area for simply breathtaking views.