First thing everybody mention are those weird looking mountains around Vinales area, called "Mojotes" In between them the beautiful fields (vegas), in these fields the best tabaco plants of the world are growing.

Most of this plantation work happens by hand, from cutting the leaves till the making of cigars. On these plantations you will notice a lot of triangle houses without windows, these "Bohios" are used for the drying of the tabaco leaves surrounded by palm trees

It is easy to drive from Habana to Pinar del Rio, because there is a huge freeway to it. Under the bridges you will see hitch hikers who would like to have a free ride home. For a foreigner it will come in very handy to take a Cuban hitch hiker with you, as he could show you the way, because of the lack of signs at the road, and again, it is a fanastic occasion for meeting locals.

Cayo Jutias

This peaceful islet place is so close to the mainland that a stone causeway has been build to link the two. Even so, it exudes an aura of isolation and is an ideal place for enjoying sensation of having the beach to yourself-there are over four miles (7 km) of white-sand beaches and a few people, so you can always find a spot with nobody else in sight. It's a dream destination for a day's excursion.

Location and How to Get There
Cayo Jutia is 56 miles (90 km) from the city of Pinar del Rio. Take the road that goes to the town of Minas de Matahambre and then the stone causeway.

What to do
Activities include swimming and hiking. A beach shack offers snacks in a delightful atmosphere.

The area's history of poverty began in the late 18th century when coffee crops planted by French exiles from Haiti began to fail. After that, the locals relied on sales of charcoal to feed and clothe their families. Not only did they become appallingly poor, but much of the area had been clear-cut, and was ecologically dead. This area became one of the poorest in the province of Pinar del Rio.

Even for years after the Revolution, the area was still impoverished and fully reliant on charcoal exports. The people of this area were still isolated from the health care and education that would be necessary to escape the cruel cycle of poverty. In 1967, noting the area's horrid conditions, the government established programs of rural development and ecological restoration in an attempt to renew the community.

Similar to the Agrarian Reform laws, and other projects around the country, the people were provided with housing and employment. In return, they were given the responsibility of working to replant the area's forests. The area's export of charcoal can now be considered a renewable resource, as only those trees which are sick, dying, or overcrowded are used for charcoal, and much replanting is done.

The town of Las Terrazas was founded in the early 1970's to provide housing for the area's families. The town was designed with good taste in mind, certainly a welcome change from the functional but ugly Eastern bloc architecture (example) found in many recent housing projects.

Besides acting as a model community for progressive land uses and ecological study, Las Terrazas has recently adapted itself to host tourists. The type of tourism that this community hopes to attract is different from that of other parts of the country, however. The goal is to provide tourists with an enjoyable stay at the park but not to surround them with luxury. Thus, the biosphere provides many ways for tourists staying at hotels near the town to enjoy the area's natural beauty, such as hiking through the extensive network of trails, and swimming in los Baños de San Juan. The model of tourism for Las Terrazas also encourages interaction between tourists and the people of the area. The overall effect is to create an enjoyable tourist experience that is not loud, nor obnoxious, and does not leave the Cubans feeling like second-class citizens.

Sandino