WESTERN CUBA
Western Cuba boasts some of the loveliest scenery in the country. The dramatic beauty reaches its pinnacle in the Valle de Viñales in Pinar del Río. These mountains are laced with hiking trails, notably at the mountain communities of Soroa and Las Terrazas, and in the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, at the western tip of Cuba. Fine tobacco is grown in fields tucked into valleys and spread throughout the Vuelta Abajo region. Just off the mainland is Isla de la Juventud, with an expanse of wild terrain that shelters endemic bird life. Neighboring Cayo Largo, an island in the Archipiélago de los Canarreos, with its white beaches, is a tourist haven.
1.Las Terrazas
Hotel La Moka: Autopista Nacional, km 51, Pinar del Río • 48 57 8600 • www.lasterrazas.cu 
Founded in 1968 as a village in the pine-clad mountains of the eastern Sierra del Rosario, this community (for further details see Las Terrazas) has a lovely setting with simple houses built in terraces overlooking a lake. The local Hotel La Moka focuses on ecotourism and arranges birding and hiking trips. Tourists can walk the well-maintained trails that lead to a coffee plantation and along the San Juan river to cascades and mineral springs. Boats can also be rented on the lake, and there’s a zip-line canopy tour.
Lake at Las Terrazas
2.Cayo Levisa
Ringed by white-sand beaches, this tiny island (for further details see Cayo Levisa) off the north coast has a resort hotel and can be reached by ferry from the mainland. A nearby coral reef has splendid crystal-clear dive sites, while the deeper waters farther offshore are populated with marlin and other game-fish. The mangroves are also a habitat for waterbirds.
3.Soroa
Hotel & Villas Soroa • 48 52 3534 Surrounded by forested mountains, Soroa, once a center for coffee production, is currently a holiday village offering a scenic escape for nature lovers. Attractions include a stunning orchid garden (for further details see Soroa) displaying more than 700 species. A trail heads sharply downhill to the Cascadas El Salto waterfall, while more challenging hikes lead to the Mirador de Venus – a mountaintop lookout with superlative views. The Hotel & Villas Soroa is a simple but delightful retreat.
Hillside orchid garden in Soroa
Cuban orchids
Cascadas El Salto waterfall
4.Viñales
Casa de Don Tomás: Calle Salvador Cisneros 140 • 48 79 6300 • Casa de la Cultura: Calle José Martí 5 • 48 77 8128 • adm • Centro de Visitantes: 1 mile (1.6 km) SW of Viñales • 48 79 6144 • open 8am–8pm daily The agricultural community of Viñales has preserved the colonial architecture of this tiny village. The main street is lined with red-tile-roofed cottages fronted by columned arcades. The Casa de Don Tomás, a replica of the 1822 building destroyed in 2008 by a hurricane, is now a restaurant. A church stands over Parque Martí, where the Casa de la Cultura hosts cultural activities. A visitor center sits atop a mogote nearby.
Viñales church
5.Pinar del Río
Fábrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatién: 48 77 3069; 9am–noon & 1–4pm Mon–Fri; adm Founded in 1669, this is a peaceful town with a sloping main street lined with eclectic buildings, many with Art Nouveau facades. The Palacio de Guasch stands out for its flamboyant exterior. The town is a center of tobacco processing and is home to the Fábrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatién, the local cigar factory.
6.Vuelta Abajo
Finca El Pinar San Luís, Vegas Robaina • 48 79 7470 • Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat • Adm for guided tours To the west of the provincial capital, these fertile plains centered on the town of San Juan y Martínez are famed for their tobacco. The leaves, protected from the sun by fine netting, are cured in traditional ranches. The Finca El Pinar Vegas Robaina, a private tobacco finca (ranch) owned by renowned farmer Alejandro Robaina, is worth a visit.
7.Parque Nacional Península de Guanahacabibes
48 75 0366 • Adm • www.ecovida.cu Occupying a slender peninsula jutting into the Gulf of Mexico at the western tip of Cuba (for further details see Península de Guanahacabibes), this park – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – protects a rare dry forest habitat. Endangered mammals such as the endemic jutía and solenodon exist here, as do deer, wild pigs, iguanas, and more than 170 bird species. Guided hikes are offered from the Ecological Station. A sandy track runs to Cabo San Antonio, marked by a lighthouse built in 1849.
8.Cayo Largo
Lined with white-sand beaches, Cayo Largo offers horseback riding, sailing, and scuba diving. Excursions whisk you off to nearby isles that are home to flamingos and iguanas. Accommodations range from a fishing lodge to 4-star all-inclusives. The island is popular for excursions from Havana and Varadero and for nude sunbathing.
Beachside resort at Cayo Largo
9.Nueva Gerona
Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores • 46 32 3791 • hours vary • Museo de Historia Natural • 46 32 3143 • open 8am–5pm Tue–Sat, 8am–noon Sun • adm The sleepy capital city of Isla de la Juventud has a graceful colonial core of venerable one-story buildings with columns supporting red-tiled roofs. The Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Dolores is a lovely church on the main plaza, with a small museum. The Museo de Historia Natural shows re-creations of local natural habitats.
10.Presidio Modelo
46 32 5112 • Open 8am–4pm Tue–Sat, 8am–noon Sun • Adm (extra charge for cameras) This former penitentiary (for further details see Presidio Modelo) on the outskirts of Nueva Gerona was built in 1926. In October 1953, Fidel Castro and 25 other revolutionaries were imprisoned here after the failed attack on the Moncada barracks. Today the prison hospital is a museum recalling the 20 months they spent here. Castro’s room still contains the collection of books he used to instruct fellow prisoners.
The derelict Presidio Modelo
CORK PALM
Found only in a few tiny pockets of the Sierra del Rosario, Cuba’s endemic Palma corcho is a primitive member of the cycad family. Growing in an ecosystem badly threatened by deforestation, the species reproduces with difficulty, although individual palms live to be more than 300 years. As a result, this so-called “living fossil” faces possible extinction.
NORTH COAST DRIVE
Morning
Leave Havana in a rental car and head west along Avenue 5ta, which leads past the Latin American School for Medical Sciences, where international students receive free medical training. Pass through the port town of Mariel, onto Carretera 2-1-3, a winding and gently rolling road frequented by ox-drawn carts. After about two hours of driving past sugarcane fields, turn south at the sign for Soroa and follow the road as it curls uphill through pine forest. Take the time to explore the orchid garden and hike the short trail to the Cascadas El Salto waterfall. Enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants in the area before you go.
Afternoon
Returning to the highway, continue west through the towns of Bahía Honda and Las Pozas, with the Sierra del Rosario mountains to the south. The Pan de Guajaibón – a dramatic mogote – can be reached by turning south at the hamlet of Rancho Canelo. Farther west beyond Las Pozas, turn north for the ferry dock to Cayo Levisa, where you can enjoy an overnight stay at a charming hotel. Boats depart at 10am and 6pm. Alternatively, continue west beyond La Palma to Viñales. The road cuts through tobacco fields before emerging in the Valle de San Vicente. Turn southward at the T-junction for Viñales. Two affordable hotels sit atop mogotes and casas particulares (private rooms) are also available.
The Best of the Rest
1.San Antonio de los Baños
This small colonial town has a museum of humor and echoes with laughter during its biennial Humorismo Gráfico festival.
2.María la Gorda
This remote and popular dive spot at the far west end of Cuba is set on a gorgeous bay full of coral and other marine life.
María la Gorda
3.Cueva de los Portales
A dramatic cavern full of dripstone formations (for further details see Cueva de los Portales), which Che Guevara made his headquarters during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
4.Cuevas de Puntas del Este
c/o Ecotur: Calle 24 & 31, Nueva Gerona • 46 32 7101 A permit is required to visit these protected caves adorned with ancient Taíno pictographs.
5.Museo Finca El Abra
Carretera Siguanea, km 2 • Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat, 9am–1pm Sun • Adm This simple colonial-era farm, where José Martí stayed during his house arrest in 1870, is now a museum.
6.Playa Jibacoa
Jibacoa is a series of beaches popular with Cuban families. Accommodations range from all-inclusive resorts to simple camps popular with Cubans.
7.Criadero de Cocodrilos
c/o Ecotur: Calle 24 & 31, Nueva Gerona • 46 32 7101 • ecoturij@enet.cu • guide compulsory Cuba’s endemic crocodile is raised here for reintroduction into the wild. Visit in the early morning to witness feeding time.
8.Reserva Ecológico Los Indios
c/o Ecotur: Calle 24 & 31, Nueva Gerona • 46 32 7101 • ecoturij@enet.cu • guide compulsory These mangroves, grasslands, and forests on the southwest shores of Isla de la Juventud teem with life.
9.Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás
20 miles (32 km) west of Viñales • 48 68 1214 • Guided tours In the heart of a mogote-studded valley, the Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás form the largest underground system in Cuba.
Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás
10.Parque Nacional Punta Francés
At the southwest tip of Isla de la Juventud, stunning coral formations and numerous wrecks make this a superb spot for diving.
Outdoor Activities
1.Hiking
Las Terrazas and Soroa are perfect places for walking, from short strolls to challenging hikes. The two hotels located here can arrange guides (for further details see Rural Hotels).
2.Horseback Riding
Cubanacán: Calle Salvador Cisneros 63c • 48 79 6393 Head for the Mural de la Prehistoria at Valle de Viñales (for further details see Mogotes), or ask at the Cubanacán office in the village.
3.Caving
Sociedad Espeleológica • 7209 2885 • Centro de Visitantes • 48 68 1214 Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás is the place to go to explore Cuba’s hidden depths. The Sociedad Espeleológica can arrange visits for serious cavers.
4.Diving
Acclaimed for the finest diving in Cuba, La Costa de los Piratas (Pirate Coast) off Punta Francés offers dozens of fantastic dive sites – including the opportunity to explore the wrecks of several sunken Spanish galleons.
5.Cycling
The dramatic scenery and peaceful, paved roads of the Valle de Viñales guarantee cyclists an experience to remember.
6.Rock-Climbing
Scaling the mogotes of the Valle de Viñales requires skill; more than 100 established climbs have been pioneered by local enthusiasts.
Climbing a steep limestone cliff, or mogote, in the Valle de Viñales
7.Bird-Watching
Estación Ecológica, Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes • 48 75 0366 • Guide compulsory The Guanahacabibes Peninsula is home to more than 170 bird species, including a number of endemics best seen on guided hikes through the La Bajada preserve.
8.Swimming
Cayo Levisa • 48 75 6501 The crystal-clear waters surrounding Cayo Levisa are ideal for swimming and snorkeling, and the lakes at Las Terrazas are great for refreshing dips.
9.Wildlife Viewing
View various types of fauna including flamingos, iguanas, and monkeys that inhabit the remote cays west of Cayo Largo, from where excursions are offered.
10.Fishing
The waters off Cayo Largo offer anglers plenty of thrills, from tiny but challenging bone-fish to marlin, which put up a rod-bending struggle to escape.
Wildlife
1.Mangroves
Growing at the boundary of land and sea, mangroves form a tangled web of interlocking roots that rise from the waters and provide shelter for juvenile marine creatures. Five species grow in Cuba along both Caribbean and Atlantic shores.
2.Whale Sharks
Scuba divers often have close encounters with whale sharks in the warm waters of the Bahía de Corrientes and off Punta Francés.
3.Turtles
Female marine turtles crawl onto the shores of pristine Cuban beaches to lay their eggs above the high-water mark. A farm on Cayo Largo specializes in breeding green and hawksbill turtles.
4.Bone-fish
This silvery fish is well-camouflaged against the sandy bottoms of shallow lagoons and is notorious for the challenging fight it gives anglers. Cayo Largo is a prime site for bone-fishing.
5.Spoonbills
This handsome, rose-colored wading bird has a spatulate bill and is a member of the Ibis family. It nests in among the mangroves and can be seen in the Refugio Ecológico Los Indios.
6.Crocodiles
The swamplands of southern Isla de la Juventud harbor a large population of Cuban crocodiles. A successful breeding program has brought the species back from the edge of extinction.
Cuban crocodile
7.Parrots
Cuba’s endemic parrot is easily recognized, with its noisy mating calls, red cheeks, white forehead, and blue wing-tips. The dry tropical forests of the Isla de la Juventud have the largest parrot population in Cuba.
Cuban amazon parrots
8.Marlin
María la Gorda • 48 75 0118 The fast-flowing Gulf Stream off the north coast of Pinar del Río is a veritable highway for marlin, which give sport-fishers a tremendous fight. María la Gorda has a marina and offers sport-fishing charters.
9.Iguanas
Looking almost lifeless, these giant herbivorous lizards (for further details see Iguana) crawl around the arid terrain of the Península de Guanahacabibes and the infertile Archipiélago de los Canarreos.
10.Manatees
These endangered marine mammals inhabit the coastal lagoons off both north and south shores and, although rarely seen, are very common off the Golfo de Guanahacabibes. Manatees feed on seabed grasses and other vegetation.
Restaurants
1.La Fonda de Mercedes
Complejo Las Terrazas • c/o 48 57 8555 • $$ This paladar (private restaurant) serves traditional Cuban meals on a terrace overlooking a lake.
2.Casa del Campesino
Complejo Las Terrazas • c/o 48 57 8555 • $ A farmstead where traditional Cuban dishes are prepared in an outdoor oven and enjoyed under a thatched roof. Popular with tour groups.
3.Restaurante Rumayor
Av. a Viñales, Pinar del Río town • 48 76 3007 • $$ The comida criollo (cuban fare) here is average, but this thatched restaurant is worth a visit for its Tiki-style decor, African drums, and cabaret.
4.Eco-Restaurante El Romero
Complejo Las Terrazas • c/o 48 57 8555 • $ Chef Tito presides over a vegetarian paradise, serving delicious and original dishes and juices.
5.Restaurante Las Arcadas
Rancho San Vicente, Carretera a Puerto Esperanza, km 33 • 48 79 6201 • $$ This hotel restaurant overlooks lush grounds. It serves seafood, pasta, and Cuban staples.
6.Casa de Don Tomás
Calle Salvador Cisneros 147, Viñales • 48 79 6300 • $$ Housed in a reconstructed historic building, Casa de Don Tomás specializes in delicias de Don Tomás, a pork, chicken, and lobster dish, served with rice, beans, and tostones (fried plantains). There is traditional live music.
7.Casa del Veguero
Carretera de Viñales, km 23 • 48 79 6080 • $$ Set amid tobacco fields, this thatched open-air restaurant serves prix-fixe criollo meals and includes tours of the tobacco farm. Musicians play while you eat.
8.Restaurante Vera
Hotel Los Jazmines, Carretera de Viñales, km 23 • 48 79 6205 • $$ Overlooking the Valle de Viñales from atop a mogote, this location offers the most dramatic view of any restaurant in Cuba.
9.El Balcón de las Tecas
Hotel La Moka, Las Terrazas • 48 57 8602 • $$ This is an elegant place to enjoy lobster dishes and specialties such as delicious roast chicken.
Lobster at El Balcón de las Tecas
10.El Olivo
Calle Salvador Cisneros 89, Viñales • 48 69 6654 • $$ This private restaurant on the main street of Viñales delivers mouthwatering Italian and Spanish dishes, plus local specials.