Viñales Valley is one of the reasons I fell in love with Cuba, and why this beautiful little country has been so high on my 'must' list for so long. Only a 2.5hr bus ride from Havana - this UNESCO World Heritage site looks like it's straight out of Jurassic World. The sweeping green palms and rich farmland gave rise to the towering limestone mogotes, and with a valley packed full of adventure, it's needless to say that I was absolutely head over heels in love.
SO WHAT MAKES VIÑALES SO SPECIAL? This tucked away valley has remained relatively unchanged for centuries, and the traditional architecture, music, and culture is as vibrant and true today as it was a few hundred years ago. Roughly 92% of the land is still privately owned by individual farmers, and most tend to their land today the same as they always have. Best of all, they're SO welcoming and are incredibly proud and excited to share their heritage.
GETTING THERE: We booked a day trip to Viñales through a tour company within the Parque Central Hotel, located in the heart of Havana. Hotel La Inglaterra accepted reservations as well, and for the same price as the Parque Central. You can easily walk in and make a reservation 1-2 days before you plan to head to Viñales. Spots shouldn't fill up too quick and weekdays are your best bet for a smaller tour group. I was blown away that for 70 CUC/$70 USD we secured:
round trip bus fare from Havana to Viñales
a tour of a traditional tobacco planation
a full farm to table lunch
a self-guided tour of the mural de la prehistoria
a guided tour of the Cuevas del Indio (low-key Indiana Jones/Goonies vibes here)
Worth noting the Viazul Tourist Bus System is another way to get to Viñales, but certainly NOT the most reliable. The Viazul system doesn't offer the guided itinerary that our tour did - but hey, round trip bus fare is only around 12 CUC/$12 USD!
VISITING A TOBACCO FARM: Would a trip to Cuba really be a trip to Cuba if you didn't visit a tobacco farm? Probably not; so naturally, our first stop of the morning was at a local tobacco farm. There were soft rolling hills of tobacco as far as our eyes could see and the hum of birds had started to float through the air. The early morning sun was starting to radiate off the rich red soil, so our host welcomed us into the cool shade of the barn.
His family has been tending to the land for generations and he shared the process from start to finish - complete with hand rolling a cigar, which he then passed around! It was smooth and full; the rich flavor that settled after was sweet, almost like honey.
VISITNG THE MURAL DE LA PREHISTORIA: An open air paladar sits at the base of the mural and serves an amazing farm to table spread. We slowly meandered our way to the mural, stopping to take in the vibrant painting and say hi to the little free range chickens along the way. I'm a HUGE fan of chickens and these free-roaming little guys made my day.
As we approached the paladar, the sound of live music started to fill the warm air. There was a full live band playing inside and the lunch course was a hearty helping of ropa vieja, black beans and rice, yuca, various fruits, a mojito, and chocolate mousse for dessert. We had various kitten visitors through lunch, and I was more than happy to sneak a few pieces of meat to them as they passed by.
CUEVAS DEL INDIO: I can't guarantee that every adventure to Cuevas del Indio will include a personal 1:1 with a wombat, but this one did and it was one of the most surprising and hilarious moments of our whole trip! Both of us agreed afterwards that were weren't really sure what went down since I was singled out to partake in this, but it's one of our favorite memories.
The caves themselves weren't rediscovered until the 1920's by a local farmer, and it's easy to see why. The valley is so lush and the hills so steep that it's easy to miss entrances to the caves. The entrance to this one is just behind Emily and slightly to the left, but the foliage is so thick that you have to be looking for it to know where it is. *Bonus points for this part of our adventure inspiring the Indiana Jones vibes.*
There's a quick hike down a narrow crevice that leads to an underground grotto. This is where any adventurous heart would be fulfilled, because where else would you get to float on a skiff down an underground river that led to waterfalls while your guide tells you awesome ghost stories? The answer is only in Cuba, or maybe the Goonies, if you were wondering.
LET'S CUT TO THE CHASE:
Wifi/phone signal is limited, if you plan to go without a group - be sure to download offline maps and locations ahead of time. (This is also a blessing because being fully offline will allow you to fully take in the experience.)
Bring an external battery for your phone if it's prone to die quickly, you'll want to take a lot of photos! Same goes for a camera battery!
Toilet paper isn't a staple in Cuba, be sure to always have some in your backpack.
Talk to the locals! Ask questions and engage, it's one of the most rewarding parts of the trip!
Hands down, Viñales has my heart. The amount of adventure and spirit in this little community filled my soul to the brim and has left me pining to go back. Viñales brings people together from all over the world; people that otherwise might not have met. Everyone has their own story, and here people are open and happy to share, experience, and adventure with one another. And for that Cuba, I love you.
Happy rambles always,
