Around 2 hours to the west of Havana, the Viñales Valley makes a fascinating contrast to the city. This sleepy rural area still sees tobacco and others crops farmed by traditional agriculture methods and is home to stunning limestone scenery.

Nearby, Las Terrazas is a unique biosphere mountain community where secondary forest was planted on the deforested hills to avoid erosion and is now a mecca for those interested in eco-tourism, walking and bird-watching.