Valle de Viñales
Years ago a Canadian traveller I met in Havana became jealous when I told him of a trip I would take to the valley of Valle de Viñales. “I’ll send an email and tell you all about it when I return home,” I laughed as I bid him adieu.
I enjoyed that trip so much that recently I returned to revisit this renowned valley known by the Cubans as Shangri-la.
With the soothing Havana spring breezes our bus set out for the mountainous biosphere reserve, Complejo Las Terrazas, and Valle de Viñales, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the western Cuban state of Pinar del Río. My expectations were high as we drove westward from Havana on a four-lane highway through the fertile countryside. I was elated thinking of the ‘dream valley of Cuba’ that impressed me so much during my first trip to this region.
We reached the Las Terrazas complex, a rural community of sustainable development located on the outskirts of the quaint village, Las Terrazas. Entering the swimming pool area schoolgirls offered us souvenirs and cold drinks.
Surrounded by tree-covered hills the area is home to 900 species of plants, among which are 29 types of orchids, and some 120-bird species. What has helped in making this all encompassing greenery possible is that some 6 million trees have been planted in the region within the last 45 years.
A short drive away we stopped at Buenavista Restaurant housed in a renovated French coffee plantation mansion – the only one of the 110 French coffee plantations that once filled the countryside. Set atop a breathtaking hill the manor house and its restaurant now cater to tourist groups.
We explored the mansion surroundings containing ruins from the 19th century when coffee was the king in the area. What interested us most was a structure in perfect shape for drying coffee. Just as fascinating were pigs being barbecued whole, Cuban style for the evening dinner.
Later the bus parked under the largest mural in Cuba. The huge 120 m high and 180 m wide Mural de Prehistoria is an imposing mural painted by local artist Leovigildo Gonzalez and is a tribute to aboriginal culture. A well-organized tourist stop, it offered all the modern amenities in an appealing setting.
After dining at the foot of the mural in a tourist restaurant we drove through the Viñales Valley dotted with limestone green-covered hills. Here we toured a tobacco farm where a farmer was drying leaves in a tobacco shed. During our tour as I mistakenly walked through his living room, I said, “Pardoneme! Excuse me!” The owner quickly replied, “Mi Casa is su casa! (My home is your home.)”
As we drove onward fields of tobacco, taro and yucca appeared. In Viñales, a tiny town which some say is the best place in Cuba to live, the locals open up their homes for room rentals. The quaint setting is very popular among tourists who wish to experience authentic country life.
At the Mirador de los Jazmines overlooking the Valle de Viñales, I gazed onto the enchanting valley, all green with a mystic-like aura. The scenery across the valley had a dreamlike character. Surrounded by high mostly green-clad cliffs, the valley was laden in rich farmland with a sprinkling of palms, and rocky outcroppings. It was a wistful scene of how nature without a brush can bring out beauty, even without a painter, to create a Shangri-la.
photo: Stephen Smith
If You Go:
Facts to Know About Cuba:
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Entertainment: Note: All the prices quoted are in CUC pesos.
For Further Information, Contact Cuba Tourist Board:
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