Cuba day 4, our first ride in a an old fashioned car awaits downstairs of our hostel to drive us to Viñales. After driving 3 hours in a somewhat comfortable seat bench through a beautiful caribbean valley landscape giving us a first glampse at how local people travel: old cars, new ones, horse ride, hitchhiking or carriage, anything possible!
WE got to Viñales with prejudice of it being extremely touristic fearing to not live an authentic experience. Yet as soon as we arrive, teamed up with my two Aussi friends a couple of bloke we met in the colectivo, we are welcomed by extremely nice Cubans helping us getting settled in a casa particular under the extremely nice "supervision" of Piña and his wife, Yamile. Them and their friends showed us the true cuban hospitality, a first precious experience.
We toured Viñales in a 1950 original car in order to see the various hotspots, boatrid through a cave, biked up to a zipine, hiked in a national reserve, partied in a famous cave right outside town and visited a local cuban cigar factory. Also due to the people I was with, Viñales was an incredible stop of my Cuban discovery.
WE got to Viñales with prejudice of it being extremely touristic fearing to not live an authentic experience. Yet as soon as we arrive, teamed up with my two Aussi friends a couple of bloke we met in the colectivo, we are welcomed by extremely nice Cubans helping us getting settled in a casa particular under the extremely nice "supervision" of Piña and his wife, Yamile. Them and their friends showed us the true cuban hospitality, a first precious experience.
We toured Viñales in a 1950 original car in order to see the various hotspots, boatrid through a cave, biked up to a zipine, hiked in a national reserve, partied in a famous cave right outside town and visited a local cuban cigar factory. Also due to the people I was with, Viñales was an incredible stop of my Cuban discovery.
Transportation: 20 CUC private colectivo from La Havana, about 3 hour ride with a bathrrom and cigar/rhum pause at a local finca
Accommodation: Casa Particular de Piña y Yamilda, a negotiated 20CUC per night for 5 people. Our ast night was spent at their neighbours across the street for the same conditions. Their neighbours are the ones who invited us to visit their cigar finca on mothers' day. Both places offer breakfast for 4 to 5 CUC per person.
F&B: plenty of restaurants around Viñales, the tapas bar is delicious but a bit expensive on a shoestring budget. I recommend trying the ropa vieja and the delicious chilindron! If I'm not mistaken there's a restaurant called Oscar which is pretty good and cheap. At the time being (low season may 2017) it was really cheap for us to eat, up to 10$ for everything included.
Activities: bike rent for 7$ a day, zipline for 8$, viñales car tour for 30$ (2 hours), cueva de los indios visit for 3 or 5 CUC.
Accommodation: Casa Particular de Piña y Yamilda, a negotiated 20CUC per night for 5 people. Our ast night was spent at their neighbours across the street for the same conditions. Their neighbours are the ones who invited us to visit their cigar finca on mothers' day. Both places offer breakfast for 4 to 5 CUC per person.
F&B: plenty of restaurants around Viñales, the tapas bar is delicious but a bit expensive on a shoestring budget. I recommend trying the ropa vieja and the delicious chilindron! If I'm not mistaken there's a restaurant called Oscar which is pretty good and cheap. At the time being (low season may 2017) it was really cheap for us to eat, up to 10$ for everything included.
Activities: bike rent for 7$ a day, zipline for 8$, viñales car tour for 30$ (2 hours), cueva de los indios visit for 3 or 5 CUC.