Guanahacabibes Peninsula National Park is a protected natural area in Western Cuba. It is a peninsula that is the westernmost point of Cuba. It is known for its white sand beaches, more than 100 lakes, and a series of small offshore islands and cays that are popular with scuba divers and naturalists.
Understand
[edit]The park is fairly large, covering an area of almost 40,000 hectares. The best time to visit the park is during the dry season, November to April.
History
[edit]The park was first established as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1987. It was formally declared a Cuban national park in 2005.
Christopher Columbus visited the western peninsula on his 1494 voyage. He encountered the Guanahatabeyes indigenous culture but was unable to communicate with them. The Guanahatabeyes concentrated on the peninsula in greater numbers during the 16th century as their people fled their traditional homelands to escape the growing colonial encroachments of the Spanish.
Approximately 140 archaeological sites have been identified within the park, but none are significant and none have touristic points of interest.
Landscape
[edit]Most of the peninsula is lined with white sand beaches with palm trees providing shady areas. Inland from the beach are forests of mixed tree types, including a number of pines.
Flora and fauna
[edit]More than 700 species of flora have been cataloged in the park. Forests provide a buffer that helps the area resist hurricane damage.
172 bird species have been cataloged in the park. 11 of these are endemic and 84 are migratory.
The waters around the peninsula are known for their coral formations that are home to many tropical fish species. The waters are also important spiny lobster and red snapper fishing grounds. Bottlenose dolphins are often seen in the park's waters and several species of sea turtle nest on the park's beaches. Four of the turtles are endangered. Their nesting season is April through September.
Climate
[edit]The park has a dry tropical climate with an average temperature of 25.3 °C, ranging from a low of 21.5 °C to a high of 29.3 °C. The air is very humid with average relative humidity of 81% and annual precipitation over 1300 mm. The peninsula has an exposed position between the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico and as such, frequently bears the brunt of hurricanes and tropical storms during the late summer to early fall months.
Get in
[edit]Ómnibus Nacionales operates twice weekly bus service to Sandino, the nearest town to the park. From Sandino, you can hire a tour guide or taxi to take you to the park.
More frequent buses go to the larger town of Pinar del Rio, where you can also hire a tour guide or taxi to the park.
Fees and permits
[edit]Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- Cave of the Portals - beautiful natural karst cave that is best known as Che Guevara's refuge during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
- Lighthouses at Cabo Corrientes and Cabo San Antonio
Do
[edit]- Beaches the park is a peninsula so it has many miles of beachfront on the Caribbean Sea. The park is famous for its wide, white, clean beaches where human visitors are rarely seen. Well-known beaches include:
- María La Gorda - known for its clear blue waters
- El Valle - known for its isolated tranquility and natural setting
- Hiking
- Birdwatching
- Scuba diving - the waters around Maria la Gorda are popular for both diving and snorkeling