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- Destinations
- Caribbean
- Cuba
- Vinales Valley
Vinales Valley
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 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 and cave enthusiasts,
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.
Information & Facts
Language
The official language is Spanish, but English is spoken
in the main tourist spots.
Money
The official currency is the Cuban Peso (CUP), divided into 100
centavos, but the 'tourist' currency is the Peso Convertible (CUC),
which replaces the US Dollar as currency in tourist related
establishments like hotels, restaurants and so called 'dollar
shops'. US Dollars are no longer accepted as payment, and a 10%
commission or more is charged to exchange them, therefore the best
currency to bring along is Euros, the British Pound or Canadian
Dollars. The CUC is almost equal in value to the US Dollar. Some
places only accept Cuban pesos and others only Pesos Convertible
(usually tourist related establishments). Money should only be
changed at official exchange bureaux or banks to avoid scams
confusing the two currencies. Visa and MasterCard are generally
accepted only in major cities and hotels as long as they haven't
been issued by a US bank; Diners Club has limited acceptance, and
American Express is not accepted anywhere on the island. Travellers
cheques are less readily accepted than credit cards, but all major
currencies are acceptable, except for US bank issued cheques. No
US-issued credit or debit cards will work in ATMs, but those
holding other cards issued in other countries should be able to get
pesos at most major tourist destinations. Euro or Sterling
travellers cheques are accepted at Cuban banks and Bureaux de
Change.
Time
Local time is GMT -5 (GMT-4 from the second Sunday in March
to the last Sunday in October).