The second stop on my Cuban tour was the colourful town of Viñales: the home of casas particulares (homestays) and the best tobacco in the world. Here, I learnt that entering comes with a risk; you may just never want to leave.
Viñales is a small town in the province of Pinar del Rio, in the
western part of Cuba, where we were welcomed with open arms to a
homestay with a Cuban family. Viñales is positively charming, with families
that span generations still living together, and that small town vibe where
everyone knows everyone. The houses were brightly coloured, not unlike the
culture that permeated this seemingly untouched piece of Cuban heaven, despite
the odd tourist here and there.
Viñales' nightlife was the best on the tour, with one main
bar/club that everyone frequented, locals and tourists alike. Centro Cultural
Polo Montañez is nestled next to the church in the square off the main street,
Salvador Cisneros, and is where I consumed approximately one too many Mojitos and Cuba
Libres, accompanied by romantic local boys teaching me how to salsa (and me
failing). Definitely a recommendation.
The surrounding landscape is unfathomable, with valleys and mountains clothed in lush forests, along with hundreds of caves and waterfalls scattered throughout the region. A must-do is a lunch at Balcon del Valle restaurant, which sits in a picturesque spot overlooking the entire valley, with tables on balconies that extend out over the edge of the cliff.
- Visit Cuevas del Indio (Indian Caves). For the price of 5 CUC, you can explore through these caves surrounded by beautiful greenery, and includes a boat ride through the river inside.
- Enlist the expertise of a local guide to take you on a scenic walk through the farmland around the town. Learn about the flora and fauna of Viñales, see small lakes and caves, and see if you can visit a tobacco farm, where the farmer will also show you how he rolls traditional Cuban cigars.
- Check out Mural de la Prehistoria. Despite being a rather trivial attraction, this mural, depicting dinosaurs and cave-people painted on the side of a cliff, is still worth a visit, even if only to laugh at the fact Fidel Castro thought it was a stellar idea to commission its creation.
If there's one place you go in Cuba, outside Havana, make it Viñales and get the traditional Cuban experience!
And now, pictures!
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