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Vinales Valley Travel Guide

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Vinales Valley

Vinales Valley © Judith Duk
A recent addition to the UNESCO World Heritage list, the town of Vinales and the valley in which it is set in Cuba's 'green' Pinar del Rio province, is characterised by its impressive round-topped hills, or mogotes. These date back to the Jurassic period and are covered with rich and varied vegetation, and are remnants of the plateau that was eroded by a network of underground rivers millions of years ago.

The Vinales Valley is located about 112 miles (180km) west of Havana. The natural beauty and tranquillity of the valley is interspersed with green fields of tobacco, coffee and other crops that grow out of the rich red earth, where traditional agricultural techniques have remained unchanged for centuries. Scattered palm trees and pine forests shelter a variety of melodious birds, and the area is also a magnet for speleologists, being riddled with limestone caves and caverns.

The hilly landscape, quaint villages, oxen-ploughed fields, rustic barns and underground rivers, stalagmites and stalactites provide a striking contrast to the colonial grandeur and white sandy beaches found on the rest of the island. The main valley village, Vinales, is a charming, very laid-back place that makes a good base to explore the beautiful surrounds.




Attractions

Cueva del Indio © species_snob

Cueva del Indio

Located in the Viñales Valley, which provides some great family activities such as hiking and climbing, the Cueva del Indio is a magical place for kids to visit. Previously inhabited by local Indians, children will love the boat ride across the underground lake in...  see full details



Santo Tomás caves, Vinales Valley © Judith Duk

Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás

Cuba's largest cave system with more than 29 miles (46km) of underground galleries spanning eight different levels, the Santo Tomás caves are situated about 10 miles (16km) west of Vinales. Very informative 90-minute guided tours take visitors 138ft (42m) above the valley floor into...  see full details



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