Although it was founded in 1667 by Spanish settlers -- originally as San Buena Ventura -- it took Danlí 3 centuries to rise to something more than a small shipping hub. Not far from the city, the 12km-by-25km (20-by-40-mile) Valle de Jamastrán provides conditions -- rich soil and an average temperature of 75°F (24°C) and 75% humidity -- comparable to the best tobacco-growing regions in Cuba. After the 1959 Communist Revolution, Cuban cigar makers flocked here with seeds in hand and quickly turned Honduras into one of the world's elite centers of cigar production; approximately 30% of the city's almost 70,000 residents work in the industry. The town itself retains its colonial air in the very center, though strip malls and fast food are inching their way closer every year. If you are not a smoker, there isn't much here apart from a few small festivals and an easygoing, small-town feel.