Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
The Valle de Viñales belongs to the Pinar del Rio region of Cuba and is maybe the most beautiful landscape I’ve seen on the island. I reached my hotel – the Los Jazmines on a hill outside of Viñales – without knowing anything about the area. And the view on the green valley with the mogotes was absolutely stunning. Continue reading “Valle de Viñales”
The Cafetal Buenavista is a ruin of a coffee plantation located 1.5 kilometers away from the eastern entrance of the nature protection park Las Terrazas on Cuba. It was built by French refugees from Haiti in 1801. Continue reading “Cafetal Buenavista”
The Baños del San Juan are a set of natural pools in the nature protection area Las Terrazas, Cuba. From the Hotel Moka you’ll have to go three kilometers to the south on a narrow and unpaved road. Doing this trip is worth the effort as you can swim with locals in wonderful pools created by a river. Continue reading “Baños del San Juan”
The Hotel Moka is an eco-hotel in the region of Pinar del Río, Cuba. It is located within the Complejo Las Terrazas, a wonderful biosphere reserve including lakes, an old coffee plantation and natural pools. Something special: You’ll have to pay a road toll to reach the area. Continue reading “Hotel Moka Las Terrazas”
If you get to the Zapata region you can find the Laguna del Tesoro belonging to Guamá, Cuba. Tourists get here to do a boat tour or visit a reproduction of village of the Taino indians. The most interesting sight is the Criadero de Crocodilos – a crocodile farm. Continue reading “Criadero de Crocodilos”
The Hotel La Unión is located in the heart of Cienfuegos, Cuba – not far away from the nice Plaza des Armas. Spanish colonial flair is not only visible throughout the whole city but also in this hotel, which fits perfectly to the town. I enjoyed being at the center and not in the outskirts (which happend often on my trip). Continue reading “Hotel La Unión”
Cienfuegos is a city on Cuba with a beautiful city center in French style. The bay was first discovered in 1494 by Christopher Columbus. In 1745 a fortification was built and in 1819 the Spanish rules brought French families to the area; their influence is still visible, for example in the triumphal arch. Continue reading “Colonial Cienfuegos”
On the southern coast of Cuba, not far away from Cienfuegos you can find the Bahía de Cochinos (“bay of pigs“) with its two beaches Playa Larga and Playa Girón. The area became well known in 1961 because of the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion by the United States and Cuban people living in the U.S. – today you can learn more about the Cuban view on this event in a museum at Playa Girón. Continue reading “Bahía de Cochinos”
The Playa Ancón is a wonderful beach close to Trinidad, Cuba. It offers white sand and clear water – and not as many tourists like for example in Varadero. You can sit under trees and palms and wait for locals selling different kinds of fruits. A small paradise not far from civilization. Continue reading “Playa Ancón”
The Valle de los Ingenios (valley of the sugar mills) is a valley close to Trinidad, Cuba located between the Sierra de Escambray and the Carribean sea. A lot of sugar mills and colonial houses form a UNESCO world heritage site. Continue reading “Valle de los Ingenios”