Sauntering around early in the morning, flirting with nature’s contrasts and understanding countryside men are part of the deluxe package awaiting those who travel to Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s westernmost province and land of the world’s best tobacco.

Just when the sun is not beating down yet and a hazy shade of summer bodes the coming of balmier hours is the perfect time of day to traipse around the Viñales Valley. Spotted in Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s westernmost province, the valley embraces a range of hues that nature lovers would wait a lifetime to see. Round top hills shrouded by mind-boggling lush vegetation meet the eye as the royal palm, Cuba’s national tree, stands out before our very eyes. Ingrained in this neck of the woods, you’ll find the tobacco plantations, located in chemically perfect soils and guarded by weather conditions that guarantee the high quality of the leaves.

If you start you hike in the early morning, the surrounding trails will cast the necessary spell for you to spend an excellent day trip. This is no doubt the magic of the place. The Viñales Valley is one of the island nation’s most sought-after spots by foreigners that choose Cuba as their top travel destination. This is a 50-square-mile extension that’s part of the Sierra de los Organos mountain range, and in the same breath, is attached to the mountains of Guaniguanico.

For naturalists, this is a geologically complex location teeming with limestone, slate, schist and sandstones, with much older structures, like the round top hills, crowning the scenery as a perfect complement to this above-described picture. This is a right destination for mountain climbers because the round hilltops jut out magnificently over the plains. The valley, with little more than 6 miles long and 3 miles wide, has three good hotels in the vecinity: Los Jazmines, La Ermita and Rancho San Vicente.