Bahia Honda – Vinales - 85 km
After a healthy breakfast of fruit juice, fruit, coffee, egg, and bread, I
said goodbye to my generous hosts and continued along the bumpy
road. The route was filled with cigar-chewing Cubans on horse carts
or ox wagons.
Like the previous day, the going was slow as the route gradually led
uphill along the Vinales valley. The valley was fertile, and, as a result,
my path was littered with fruit stalls. I was offered not only papaya
juice but also pineapples, which I happily accepted. It felt like I had a
constant smile as my path took me past tobacco plantations and vast
limestone karsts until, eventually, I reached Vinales.
Vinales was touristy with hundreds of places advertising rooms to let
and restaurants, quite a feat for such a small settlement. People
came to Vinales to explore nearby Vinales National Park and valley,
which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One hundred
million years ago, underground rivers ate away at the limestone
bedrock, creating vast caverns. Eventually, the roof collapsed, leaving
only the eroded walls we see today.
Finding accommodation was effortless, and the one I located was a
large and comfortable abode. The establishment had a restaurant
that served delicious vegetable soup (and, of course, Cristal, the
Cuban beer). I planned on staying in Vinales the following day, and it
was late before I fell asleep to a salsa beat in the far-off distance.
The next morning was spent investigating a nearby cave and a
tobacco farm where some of Cuba's finest cigars were still hand-
rolled. The cave was interesting and said to be an ancient indigenous
dwelling. After a short walk, I came to an underground river where
motorboats took one the rest of the way.