Salto del Guayabo

The Guayabo falls drop off the edge of the Pinares de Mayarí, a pine-covered plateau in the Nipe hills, in twin ribbons of well over a hundred metres into a forested valley. The viewpoint is on the opposite side, reached by a rough track that climbs steeply from Mayarí, and it gives the falls, the valley and the coastal plain beyond in a single view. A path leads down towards the base for those who want it, but the descent and return are a serious walk. The plateau itself is pine forest, cool and quite unlike the coast below.

What you actually see

• The twin falls - two ribbons dropping over a hundred metres off the plateau edge.
• The viewpoint - a platform on the opposite side of the valley, level with the top of the drop.
• The pine plateau - Pinares de Mayari, cool upland forest above the coastal plain.
• The valley - dense forest below the falls running out towards the sea.

When to go

November to April is the drier season for the track, but the falls carry most water in the wet months from May to October, so there is a trade-off. Mornings are clearest before cloud builds on the plateau.

Honest expectations

The track up is rough and a four-wheel drive or a tour vehicle is effectively required. The walk down to the base is long, steep and hot, and most visitors stop at the viewpoint. In a dry spell the falls thin considerably.

Nearby

Mayari is at the foot of the plateau, and Cayo Saetia is on the coast to the north.