Cuba #2 - Viñales Valley

Viñales Valley

The second stop in Cuba took us to the east of the island, to the fertile Viñales Valley. In the hostel in the old town of Havana, we made many acquaintances and teamed up with two English women and a German for our road trip.

In Cuba, a large part of tourism is conducted through so-called "Casas Particulares," where you basically live as a subtenant with a local family and, if desired, also eat together - a great way to get in touch with the locals.

The owner of our house introduced herself to us directly as "Mama Cubana" and took good care of us. However, it quickly became clear that Mama Cubana was also quite interested in our money despite all her efforts. We had the feeling that the casas are very well-organized among each other and through cooperations with tour guides and taxi drivers, they can significantly reduce prices.

Nevertheless, we were able to experience a lot and had a great time. On the first day, we took a horseback riding tour through the mountains, bathed in an underground lake, and learned about the production of the famous Cuban cigars on a tobacco farm. We ended the evening as a group at a large street festival, dancing the night away.

On the following day, we set off early to Cayo Jutias Island. The journey in the old-fashioned minibus was very arduous, but the beach was all the more beautiful.

Complications for Travelers

In general, Cuba is particularly challenging for backpackers on a tight budget, like us. For example, self-catering is almost impossible because there are hardly any supermarkets, and some staple foods are not sold to tourists. So we were forced to eat out a lot.

Organizing yourself is also made difficult by the fact that you have limited access to the internet. You can only get a moderate internet connection in public places after buying access codes from the state-run telecommunications company.

The two different Cuban currencies (national and tourist) make it difficult for tourists to buy products at local prices.

Despite all the complications, we still see Cuba as a very interesting country and a great experience. Next, we are heading to the Caribbean coast of the country to the colonial city of Trinidad.

Saludos!

D&J