Cuba Guide - All about Cuba and its people

It may be the Caribbean’s biggest Island, but Cuba is a different kind of tropical paradise. You’ll find all the unspoiled sand and crystal clear water of typical Caribbean beaches, but it's Cuba’s unique flair that makes it really worth the trip, from shops that are full one day, and empty the next, to the streets of 1950s American cars.

Despite the US Travel Ban on travelling to Cuba, borders are opening up to some US citizens, and the island is easily accessible for the rest of the world.

Cuban Culture has brought us Rum, Cigars, and Salsa, and you can sample all of these delights in the romantic capital Havana. Then there’s the locals, who are some of the most friendly and welcoming people around.

The island is also a bargain place to stay. Cuba is largely self-sufficient, so you can sample local food rather than expensive imports, and there are a surprising number of Cuba hostels to stay in.

Need any more convincing? Here’s a guide to Cuba.

Where to Stay:

Havana

The faded grandeur of the capital makes for one memorable city break. In 1982, Havana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is undoubtedly one of the most atmospheric cities in the world. Head to Old Havana to see narrow streets of crumbling churches and Spanish-style mansions, and stroll through plazas of old-fashioned shops and tiny cafes.

Pay homage to acclaimed author Ernest Hemingway by relaxing with a rum cocktail in one of his favourite bars, El Bodegita del Media, or visit the Partagas Cigar Factory, once the second-largest in Cuba. The city has old forts and fascinating museums to explore – the Museo de La Revolucion was once the presidential palace, and tells the story of Che Guevara.

When night falls, Havana transforms into a sultry city, with kicking nightlife. Learn to salsa like the locals, or just kick back in a cocktail bar and sip on a mojito. There’s even the kitsch Club Tropicana if cabaret takes your fancy.

Vinales

Stay in a Vinales hostel and experience some of Cuba’s most breathtaking scenery. Outdoorsy types can go hiking across spectacular limestone cliffs, tour green tobacco fields, and explore the expansive network of caves.

Santa Clara

This cultured city is famous for its connections to Che Guevara. The biggest attraction here is the Memorial Comandante Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, a monument, mausoleum and museum complex found in the Plaza de la Revolucion.

But this university town has a buzzing cultural scene, with a Decorative Arts Museum and a clutch of young artists hanging out at La Casa de la Ciudad, a historic building that hosts Art Expositions.

Baracoa

This small and untouched town on the eastern coast is isolated, but well worth the trip. High up in the Sierra del Puril, Baracoa used to be only accessible by the sea, and today you can get there via La Farola, the lighthouse road.

Surrounded by mountains, secluded beaches and rainforest, it’s no wonder Christopher Columbus described it as the most beautiful land he had ever seen, and the town was the first colonial settlement in Cuba.

Spend your days here hiking to El Yunke, a table-top mountain, scuba-dive with no-one else around, and chill on some of the most tranquil beaches in Cuba. The settlement itself is frozen in time - with a quaint seaside walkway, various old forts, and colourful but weathered Spanish colonial buildings.

Don’t Miss
 

• The cigar and rum factories in Pinar Del Rio
• Ernest Hemingway’s Villa ‘Fincac Vigia’, a few miles south of Havana.
• Cardenas City, where the Cuban national flag was flown for the first time in 1850 atop the La Dominica Hotel.
• Varadero – the island’s most famous beach destination, with pristine white sand, swaying palm trees and turquoise waters. Take a glass-bottomed boat ride or swim with dolphins.
• Punta Frances – One of the Caribbean’s best diving spots, with wrecks, caves and coral reefs to explore.

Tips

• Cuba’s Viazel bus is a quick, cheap and easy way to get around.
• Don’t take pictures in the presence of uniformed guards, or around military or industrial installations.
• Bring a Spanish Guidebook: English is Cuba’s second language, and even if you know a few Spanish words, this can make everything much easier, from ordering a meal to asking directions.
• Petty crime is not a massive problem, but is a little worse in Havana – be aware of where you keep your wallet, handbags, watches and cameras.
• If you get sick or need medical treatment, Cuba’s services are excellent, and any minor care will be given to foreigners at local clinics.
• For anything that needs a prescription, it might be difficult finding a pharmacy with the right drugs, so it’s probably best to head to the Cira Garcia Clinic (Calle 20 in Miramar), the main clinic for foreigners in Havana.
• Travellers are earmarked by the currency they use – all tourists have to use the CUC or convertible peso.
• All tourists require a tourist card Visa, which costs around CUC$15, and can be bought at airports.

When to Go

November and April are the best time to visit, as the weather is sunny, but cool and dry, with temperatures of around 28 degrees Celsius.