The Salto del Guayabo, deep in the mountains of southern Holguín province, is the tallest waterfall in Cuba. The water drops around 130 metres in a single plunge through forest that shows what the island's interior looked like before the sugar plantations arrived. Getting here requires a proper expedition — the waterfall is reached by a combination of rough road and a hike through dense vegetation — but the reward is genuine wilderness and a swimming hole at the base of the falls.
Most visitors arrange the trip through a tour operator in Holguín city; the drive alone takes two hours on roads that deteriorate as you head into the mountains. A guide is essential both for navigation and because the trails are not maintained to any tourist standard. Allow a full day and go prepared for heat and humidity.