Many of Cuba’s national parks have both UNESCO and federal protection, which has kept many of Cuba’s parks in excellent condition. You can climb the tallest mountain in Cuba in the Pico Turquino National Park, and see the verdant hillsides of the Sierra Maestra along the way. National parks along the coast have thriving mangrove forests, swamps, and wetlands. Visit the Laguna de las Salinas in Ciénaga Zapata National Park to see endemic birds and experience Cuba’s best fishing. In the Guanahacabibes Peninsula National Park you can visit the beach at María La Gorda, and snorkel around the reefs and Spanish shipwrecks that are near the shore.