Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt

This 70,835-hectare park extends west from the Río Nibujón and into Holguín Province, and is the one most visited on excursions. There’s a two-meter-tall statue of the German explorer roadside near the park office (tel. 021/38-1431) on the east side of the community of Recreo, five kilometers west of the Río Nibujón. There are three trails. The invigorating five-kilometer-long Sendero Balcón de Iberia leads inland to waterfalls and natural swimming pools; a guide is compulsory (CUC8, or CUC25 with transport provided from Baracoa). The shorter Sendero El Recreo hugs the shore of Parque Natural Bahía de Taco, incorporated within Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, and protecting 2,263 hectares of marine ecosystems, including mangroves, an offshore cay, and white-sand beaches shelving to a coral reef. Manatees inhabit these waters and can be seen on boat excursions. Gaviota offers daily excursions from Baracoa to Playa Maguana.