2 weeks in Cuba – Colonial towns & rural communism

DAY 5 / SUNRISE VIEWS BEFORE HIKING AROUND PALMARITO MOGOTE

Another great way to explore the remarkable scenery and tobacco farms of Viñales is to hike. Unfortunately, paths criss-cross the region and there are very few signs. Finding your way can be tricky. So either get a guide or follow our self-guided hiking post which has detailed instructions and a map. In our opinion, this is one of the finest walks in the area.

Whatever you decide to do, start the day at the Los Jazmines hotel for sunrise. It has the best views early in the morning as mist hangs in the valley with the mogotes floating on top. Slowly the sun burns through and a remarkable vista is revealed.

From there. our self-guided hike leads down into the valley and passes tobacco fields and farms. After a brief stop at the Mural de la Prehistorica, we complete the loop around Palmarito Mogote. The hike takes about 5 hours and ends at Café Mogote in town, where you can have decent late lunch.

After recovering, spend the afternoon exploring the town, and checking out the art galleries that line the street.

DAY 6 / COLECTIVO TO PLAYA LARGA, THEN BEACH RELAXING

The bus from Viñales to Playa Larga is a tortuously long affair. So take one of the regular colectivos that plough the route. The journey takes 4 hours, 30 minutes plus a half-hour stop for lunch. The cost is CUC35. You may be asked to change cars just outside Havana so that the drivers can get home. The colectivo will leave between 8:00 and 9:00 and arrive about 14:00.

Playa Larga is the gateway to the Cienaga de Zapata National Park – an outdoorsy addition to our 2 weeks in Cuba. This flat swampy area, has mangrove forests, seagrass beds, coral reefs, underwater canyons, wetlands and lakes. It is a nature lovers paradise where you can snorkel in the Bay of Pigs, hike through forests packed with endemic birds, or boat along wetlands staring at swathes of pink flamingos.

You need a guide to visit the wetlands and forests. So on arrival, head to the Cienaga de Zapata National Park office and get a low down on all the guided tours they offer.

Spend the afternoon relaxing on one of Playa Larga’s beaches. End the evening at Sol y Caribe on Playa Caleton where the cocktails are tasty and lilting music wafts through the air. The mix of local and tourist creates a cool vibe.

DAY 7 / SNORKELLING IN THE CRYSTAL CLEAR BAY OF PIGS

In the early morning the still and tranquil waters of the Bay of Pigs is the perfect spot for snorkelling and diving.

The reef is only a few meters offshore so you can simply wade in with flippers and mask and explore. The reef has suffered under years of tourism and is not what it once was. But, search hard enough and you will still find coral alive, plenty of fish and a number of sunken boats.

Each day a tour runs from Playa Larga that departs about 8:30, stops at Octopus Dive Centre to pick up snorkelling or diving equipment before heading off to two destinations along the bay. You get over an hour to explore each before heading back in the early afternoon.

It’s a fun way to spend the day, but make sure you treat the coral with care.

DAY 8 / SPOTTING ENDEMIC BIRDS THEN BUS TO CIENFUEGOS

Today, take one of the bird-watching tours that you signed up for when you arrived. Try to get one that leaves  early in the morning and does not involve too many people: if you’re at the back of the line, the birds may be gone before it’s your turn to be front and centre.

If we had to recommend just one during our 2 weeks in Cuba, then it would be the Bermejas forest walk. It usually leaves about 7:00 in the morning and finishes before 11:00. There is the chance to see up to 15 of the 28 species that are endemic to Cuba. On our tour, we saw 11, including the bee hummingbird, tocororo, Cuban tody, Cuban parrot and Cuban pygmy owl. We were happy with this, but apparently, the guide was hoping for more.

Grab some lunch and then take the 2-hour bus journey to Cienfuegos. This town has a French, rather than Spanish influence, and it is a joy to stroll the main square and stroll the interesting art stalls.

DAY 9 / SWIMMING AT EL NICHO ON THE WAY FROM CIENFUEGOS TO TRINIDAD

The waterfalls of El Nicho are the most tranquil and picture-perfect in Cuba. They are not on any bus route but an excellent colectivo runs from Cienfuegos to Trinidad stopping for 2 hours at El Nicho – more on that here. This is the perfect amount of time to walk up to the falls and take a dip in the icy waters.

It’s a beautiful way of travelling between the two towns.

Arriving in Trinidad in the early afternoon gives you a few hours to explore this magnificent colonial town. Colourful buildings line the cobbled streets as locals play dominoes on the pavement or fix the latest problem with their carburettor. The centre may be a bit touristy but just a couple of hundred meters away you can find a genuine slice of Cuban life.

As the afternoon light fades make sure you head up to the viewing platform at the Museo de Historia Municipal for fine views over the town. Take a stroll around Plaza de las Cruces for a taste of local life. As the sun goes down head to Café Fortuna, a pint-sized bar, serving cool drinks in an even cooler atmosphere. Then grab dinner at Vista Gourmet, a beautiful rooftop restaurant serving the best food in town. All our favourite spots are in our Quick Guide to Trinidad.

DAY 10 / WILD-SWIMMING & HIKING IN TOPES DE COLLANTES NATURE RESERVE

The Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve stretches across the Escambray mountains to the north of Trinidad. It is packed with natural beauty. Caves and grottos hide amongst the ferns, palms and banana trees. Rivers cut through the valleys and waterfalls drop into crystal clear pools.

The nature reserve comprises 5 smaller parks. Each park has at least one short well-defined hiking trail that is easy to follow without a guide. While most trails wind their way through misty forests and end at a jungle-clad waterfall or a natural swimming hole, each park is slightly different.

We collected several different things to do in Topes de Collantes during our 2 weeks in Cuba. If we were to recommend one, our pick would be the Trinidad Travels tour to Parque Guanayara. Lenya, our guide, was full of beans and gave us a fascinating insight into the daily life of coffee farmers in a communist country.

DAY 11 / EXPLORING SUGAR FACTORIES & DINING ON THE BEACH

30 years ago Cuba made its money from sugar. They produced tons of it and the Soviet Union gobbled it up at above-market prices. When the cold war came to an end in 1990 the Soviet Union collapsed and Cuba was left with vast quantities of sugar they couldn’t sell. The remnants of Cuba’s collapses sugar industry can now be seen just to the east of Trinidad.

You can take a tour of the area but it is also easy to go on your own. Flag down a taxi from Trinidad and ask them to take you to the Valle de los Ingenios. They will know where to go but there are three stops on the standard tour: the mirador; San Isidro ruined hacienda and factory; and the Torre Iznaga. Visiting all three takes about 2 to 3 hours. The costs are: CUC40 for the taxi; CUC1 per person for a guided tour of the factory and CUC1 per person to go up the tower. It’s a good way to learn about Cuba’s history of slavery and changing economic fortunes.

Get the driver to drop you back at Playa Ancon to spend the rest of the afternoon lazing on the beach. Ranchon Ancon – right on the sand – does excellent BBQ fish. Spend the afternoon soaking up the sun and the cheap mojitos. There are usually plenty of taxis waiting to ferry people back into Trinidad.

Our best recommendation for dinner back in Trinidad is La Botija, serving good hearty Cuban fare. The vibe is rustic and the live music excellent. Arrive before 7:00 to avoid the queues.