{"id":19199,"date":"2017-04-01T10:36:36","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T23:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=19199"},"modified":"2025-07-17T02:01:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T16:01:16","slug":"adventure-trinidad-cuba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/adventure-trinidad-cuba\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens when you get blissfully lost in Trinidad, Cuba"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s always a risk setting down the guidebook and venturing out alone, but when I did so in Trinidad<\/strong>, it became one of the most memorable days of my Cuban adventure<\/a>. I discovered local food, met a local man on a mountain who showed me where to go for an even more authentic local experience, and so much more…<\/p>\n

When you meet seasoned travelers on the road you often hear them disregarding Lonely Planet recommendations and Tripadvisor\u2019s top-rated restaurants, claiming that these are \u201ctoo touristy\u201d. It sounds smarmy, but they\u2019re right \u2013 the top-rated\u00a0restaurant is always more expensive and overcrowded, because you weren\u2019t the only person reading those reviews. The best way to have a real adventure is to rid yourself of expectations and figure it out for yourself (hint: local Cubans i.e. Intrepid guides<\/strong> make that easy…)<\/em>. And that\u2019s what I did in the perfectly-preserved town of Trinidad.<\/p>\n

\"Cuba<\/p>\n

Myself and a friend were a little hungover, and in 80+ degrees Fahrenheit, a milkshake was all we wanted \u2013 a refreshing, hydrating beverage. Bruce Lee once said: \u201cA goal is not always something to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim for\u201d. I don\u2019t know if he went backpacking much but that line is so relevant to life on the road. You can aim to achieve something with your day \u2013 like find a milkshake, for example \u2013 but in a developing country like Cuba some factors are out of your control.<\/p>\n

\"Cuba<\/a><\/p>\n

We did pretty much a full circuit of the town to find one, being sent in a million different directions each time we asked someone new. This was no hardship since this town is a maze of picturesque cobbled streets, dotted with colorful Cadillacs and horses hiding in the shade \u2013 being lost here is an absolute pleasure. We concluded that everyone was either lying about where the milkshakes were and\/or didn\u2019t understand us. It didn\u2019t really matter…<\/p>\n

On our travels we also found a little hole in the wall serving food, a queue of locals forming. There was only one thing on the menu. Well, there wasn\u2019t actually a menu at all, you just told them how many you wanted, and what you received was a bowl of pork, rice and spinach. It was delicious.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hoping to burn off these newly acquired calories, we walked up what the locals call \u2018the mountain\u2019. This was a vast overstatement \u2013 no way would it qualify as a mountain \u2013 but we certainly broke a sweat. Taking the path straight up from Plaza Mayor, cobblestones turned into a dusty track, and at the top of a 30-minute incline sat a Radio Tower. From here you can see 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside, and it is well worth the sweaty walk (I\u2019d recommend going in the morning before the sun gets too fierce).<\/p>\n

\"Cuba

The view from Radio Tower<\/p><\/div>\n

Even better than the view is the Cuban dude who sits up there with his dog, waiting eagerly for people to arrive thirsty and tired. He sells cold, refreshing beverages (\u201cFinally!\u201d we thought, still sad about the milkshake). Our new friend took us up a rickety ladder to a higher vantage point, where with a shabby yet functional pair of binoculars he pointed out sugar plantations in the nearby Valle de los Ingenios, as well as the ceramic plants that supply the town with its trademark rustic roof tiles.<\/p>\n

RELATED: WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE BEING A SOLO FEMALE TRAVELER IN CUBA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Through the binoculars he also pointed out a river where locals were swimming. Being pretty damn hot in this sun we thought that taking a dip sounded like a great idea, so once he\u2019d told us which road to take, off we went! Near Trinidad there are some lovely beaches if you fancy a swim, but this seemed like a great alternative.<\/p>\n

We walked down a dusty track out of town for two or three miles, passing locals splish-splashing in various little streams, cooling down their horses and themselves. They say that time has stood still in Cuba for decades, and nothing conveyed this better than seeing locals using horses as a mode of transport like we would a car.<\/p>\n

\"Cuba<\/p>\n

We made it to a river running underneath a bridge that has once been used for a train track. We assumed it was disused as there were a number of children sitting casually on the tracks, dangling their legs above the water below. We clambered down to the water\u2019s edge and swam in the pool.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Let me tell you, nothing cures a hangover like being submerged in cool water. A truck drove down to the water at one point and stopped, and we thought he was figuring out how to cross the river, but it turned out he was there to wash it, just like the horses we passed earlier.<\/p>\n

We were surrounded exclusively by locals \u2013 we hadn\u2019t seen one other gringo along the path since we left town. It was a wonderfully authentic view of Cuban life, cooling down in a river rather than a white sand beach where the cocktails come hand-in-hand with the sun loungers. Eventually we came up from the water and crossed back over the rickety bridge to head back into town, satisfied with our discovery of so much more than a milkshake.<\/p>\n

Tempted to see all of Cuba\u2019s highlights (including Trinidad) for yourself? Check out Intrepid\u2019s 15-day \u2018Best of Cuba\u2019 tour.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

US citizen? This 9-day \u2018Hola Cuba\u2019 trip is designed just for you!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Image Credits (top to bottom): colorful Trinidad c\/o Intrepid Travel, all the rest c\/o Jen Welch<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The best way to have a real adventure is to rid yourself of expectations and figure it out for yourself. 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