Botanical Garden

Cuba, Cuba

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The National Botanical Garden of Cuba, also known as Jardín Botánico Nacional, is Cuba’s largest and most important botanical reserve located about 25 kilometers south of Havana in the suburbs of the city.

Spanning approximately 550 to 600 hectares (around 1,400 acres), this vast garden hosts over 3,000 to 4,000 plant species from tropical regions worldwide, including Cuba’s largest collection of trees and many endemic Cuban plants. The garden was founded in the mid-1960s at Fidel Castro’s request, led by German botanist Dr. Johannes Bisse, and officially opened to the public on March 24, 1984 after nearly two decades of development.

It is divided into several themed sections including an orchid garden, palm garden showcasing diverse palm trees from around the world, medicinal plant garden, aquatic plant garden, bonsai garden, and a giant bamboo forest, with the Caribbean section covering one-fifth of the total area and featuring over 7,000 species, half endemic to the island.

Beyond its natural beauty with lush vegetation and colorful flowers along more than 20 miles of paths, the garden serves as an important center for scientific research and botanical education under the University of Havana, offering guided tours, workshops, lectures, and family-friendly ecotourism activities. Visitor access is available Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and it can be reached via taxi approximately 20 to 25 kilometers from downtown Havana.