Wondering if anybody has done cuba ,can tell me how easy or difficult it is to get from one end of the island to the other ,also any other advice they might have regaurding travel do's don'ts would be much appreceiated.
Last edited by the big fella; 19th November 2012 at 13:09.
It's been a very long time since I was there and the tourist industry has really changed. Friends that have been recently report that you can now hire cars, although if you aren't used to driving abroad and aren't a confident driver you may choose to get a driver or take a taxi. Bus services are frequent but crowded.
Be aware that road conditions outside the major urban areas will be 'challenging', especially in the aftermath of hurricane season.
Few years since I went too but in general its a very friendly, safe place to travel.
Driver is a good idea as you'll almost certainly (if you want to) get to see things you wouldn't otherwise and probably get invited home for dinner!
We went a few years back on an all inclusive to Playa Pesquero.
Whilst it was nice, we could've been anywhere in the world and there was no encouragement to leave the resort.
At either end of the holiday we stayed in Havana which you simply must not miss. An amazing place that should be seen in all it's glory before the imminent change. We took a horse drawn tour and a walking tour with a couple of locals and they were brilliant and take you to places you'd never find in a guide.
There is plenty of hardship there and they will be grateful for anything useful. We were advised to take pencils, paper,etc as these are in short supply. We also left the majority of my daughters toys and clothes there too.
I will aim to go back there in the next couple of years but will definitely do it more independently.
I've been a couple of times, but purely as 'resort' holidays, so haven't ventured too far.
Cuba is surprisingly large (about 1300km end to end) and the only really economical way to get from North to South is to fly - the road infrastructure is pretty appalling and you'll spend an awful lot of time on the road if your try to drive it.
If you want culture (Havana) and resort, plenty of operators will do dual-location packages, or you can buy a Havana excursion once you're there.
I spent three weeks travelling independently there and didn't find the public transport too bad. The food on the other hand is awful, so make sure you take non perishables with, for yourself, but also to give away. If you want an adventure, I really recommend the Hershey company's old electric train that rattles through the jungle and to the beaches. If you ask nicely, they let you drive it..!Originally Posted by ed335d
I went with a group of friends for 8-9 days in 2005. Hopefully it hasn’t changed too much – big old American boats (cars) , crumbling and historic buildings in Havana etc. March was a good time of year as it was hot, but not overly.
Do:
Hire a car to get around. I really recommend this - We hired a car (a new Suzuki 4x4) for 5-6 days – covered San Fuego(Cienfuego)/Trinidad/Santa Clara - the town in which Che Guevara's mausoleum is found - spending 1-2 nights in each. We saw so much of the island and the roads were fine – didn’t feel like the roads were dangerous to drive on and you get to see some of rural Cuba which was definitely worth it. It's not too much driving either. We started and finished the holiday with a couple of nights in Havana (where you don’t need a car). Also spent a couple of days in Varadero for pure relaxation but it’s really not that special a resort and I get easily bored in beach places after a couple of days.
Stay in Casas Particulares – it’s a completely kosher and good way of staying somewhere. You can book from here but you should be able to do the same on the fly there, booking a day or two ahead before you reach each town. These are literally ‘private homes’ , government-backed and the best way to experience an authentic stay in Cuba – usually with a family or motherly figure who give you home-cooked food and a clean place to rest your head in a tardis-like house! - this is a very good option for the other towns on your travels around Cuba. Budget will be between 20 and 40 quid a night pp, so cheap too. We stayed in Hotel Telegrafo in Havana to start with though.
A Cigar factory tour in Havana is a must!
See Cabaret somewhere on your trip – think we did it in Cienfuego.
Try and have a drink or dinner at Hotel Sevilla (featured in Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene).
Have a drink and maybe a cigar at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana. It’s famous and a known hangout of, amongst others, Ernest Hemingway. It’s down a narrow street, it’s small, cramped but kinda cool and historic. I guess it has to be a mojito in there!
Try and do the same at Floridita – also a famous hangout of Hemingway. IIRC, there’s a bust or statue of him in pride of place.
10 days is a good length of time. You’ll need at least a week.
At no point did we feel unsafe or threatened. It's generally very friendly and hospitable.
-Enjoy yourself!
Don’t:
Waste it by sitting in Varadero or some similar resort for a week. It’s a long way to go for that.
Expect great cuisine. It’s not famed for it. In fact, everyone I’ve met since has complained of the same thing. I’m not overly fussy so I coped...but breaded chicken escalope, black beans (frijoles negros), fried plantain and salad will be regular and about as good as it gets.
Let us know how you get on.
I had some quite nice food but maybe it was the exception rather than the rule.
Been there last summer... I fully agree with La Bodeguita del Medio for a Mojito... But the best mojito will be at Hotel El Nacional, one of the best hostels in Havana in the 50s when holywood stars and mafia bosses used to spend time there... Also, a daikiry in the Floridita is a must... As Hemingway used to say: my mojito at la Bodeguita and my daikiry at la Floridita... A don't would be to buy cigars from dodgy sources as they tend to be fakes... Official store prices would be from half to one third of UK prices anyway...I went with a group of friends for 8-9 days in 2005. Hopefully it hasn’t changed too much – big old American boats (cars) , crumbling and historic buildings in Havana etc. March was a good time of year as it was hot, but not overly.
Do:
Hire a car to get around. I really recommend this - We hired a car (a new Suzuki 4x4) for 5-6 days – covered San Fuego(Cienfuego)/Trinidad/Santa Clara - the town in which Che Guevara's mausoleum is found - spending 1-2 nights in each. We saw so much of the island and the roads were fine – didn’t feel like the roads were dangerous to drive on and you get to see some of rural Cuba which was definitely worth it. It's not too much driving either. We started and finished the holiday with a couple of nights in Havana (where you don’t need a car). Also spent a couple of days in Varadero for pure relaxation but it’s really not that special a resort and I get easily bored in beach places after a couple of days.
Stay in Casas Particulares – it’s a completely kosher and good way of staying somewhere. You can book from here but you should be able to do the same on the fly there, booking a day or two ahead before you reach each town. These are literally ‘private homes’ , government-backed and the best way to experience an authentic stay in Cuba – usually with a family or motherly figure who give you home-cooked food and a clean place to rest your head in a tardis-like house! - this is a very good option for the other towns on your travels around Cuba. Budget will be between 20 and 40 quid a night pp, so cheap too. We stayed in Hotel Telegrafo in Havana to start with though.
A Cigar factory tour in Havana is a must!
See Cabaret somewhere on your trip – think we did it in Cienfuego.
Try and have a drink or dinner at Hotel Sevilla (featured in Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene).
Have a drink and maybe a cigar at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana. It’s famous and a known hangout of, amongst others, Ernest Hemingway. It’s down a narrow street, it’s small, cramped but kinda cool and historic. I guess it has to be a mojito in there!
Try and do the same at Floridita – also a famous hangout of Hemingway. IIRC, there’s a bust or statue of him in pride of place.
10 days is a good length of time. You’ll need at least a week.
At no point did we feel unsafe or threatened. It's generally very friendly and hospitable.
-Enjoy yourself!
Don’t:
Waste it by sitting in Varadero or some similar resort for a week. It’s a long way to go for that.
Expect great cuisine. It’s not famed for it. In fact, everyone I’ve met since has complained of the same thing. I’m not overly fussy so I coped...but breaded chicken escalope, black beans (frijoles negros), fried plantain and salad will be regular and about as good as it gets.
Let us know how you get on.
I went there 6 odd years ago and I believe much has changed (and continues to change). Reason enough to go sooner rather than later.
I second the other mentions of:
Rum cocktails in El Floridita, El Bodeguita and the bar at the Nacional Hotel. I really enjoyed Trinidad too. Do not buy cigars from anyone but the officlal stores. Anyone and everyone will know someone working at the cigar factory who can get 'cheap' cigars. They'll probably even have the right paperwork, DO NOT BUY, they are fake or out of date.
I also highly recommend dinner at La Guarida:
http://www.laguarida.com/
Because you wont find many other places to have a good meal, the food is awful! And don't expect any fruit or veg (at all).
As a bit of a boxing fan I visited one of the gyms in Havana. Sporting events there may be in hunble surroundings but the Cubans are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about their sport. I would suggest taking in a boxing match or baseball match if either appeals at all.
Really fascinating country and, like others, found the people very welcoming and the place safe.
- - - Updated - - -
Also get ready to drink a hell of a lot of Rum!
There are a few great posts above.
Main points for me which reconcile with those made are:
- spend a good few days in Havanna and make the most of it (more details above).
- don't go to a resort and stay within the hotel grounds for the duration of your holiday... no point flying such a distance to do that.
- don't expect the food to be great... you are bound to have some very average meals. Food in general in Cuba I thought was poor.
- if you rent a car or take a taxi, if possible try and find a car that looks road worthy... there are a lot of old bangers over there. Some may look great but are no longer capable of driving the sorts of distances you're talking about without failing on you. I bartered with a taxi man and the reduction in agreed fare resulted in travel in a worse car, which proceeded to break down in the middle of nowhere.
- people are very friendly and helpful in general. Noting the point above, the next car to pass around 10 mins later pulled over to help and took us to our destination. Brilliant.
- some people, whilst not a 'threat', will try it on when you're in Havanna. Everyone apparently has a family member who works in the cigar factory and has cheap cigars at home for a bargain basement price, etc. etc. You will be constantly hassled as you walk through Havanna. If you wish to avoid the hassle, quickly aquire that look which says "P*** off, I know what you're doing and I'm not interested. Hassle that pasty looking Englishman behind me who looks a little wet behind the ears".
We stayed in a resort for a few days relaxing, then went to Havanna for 4 very busy and hectic days, then returned to the resort for a couple of days relaxing before heading home. It worked really well.
Remember they've just been by Hurricane Sandy although this wasn't heavily reported in the press and certain parts it was quite bad.
My friend is just back after visiting his family, who had the roof of their house blown off and the government are selling them repair materials (these have been donated by other countries). Also they have a cholera outbreak but that's not being reported either.
If you like music search out the local Casa de Son. Every sizable town has one, these are state sponsored clubs with local musicians some of whom are fantastic- much better than going to the touristy nightclubs in Habana. Also, if you have room in your case take some soap and biros- these are usually in short supply and make excellent gifts.
Last edited by craggie; 21st November 2012 at 12:58.
You'll find the food is fine (unless you only eat breakfast, lunch and tea in Michelin starred restaurants normally) cigar vendors tend to happily walk away if you mention your a non-smoker. I can vouch for the Parc Central hotel as being a fine place to stay the National is historic, if dated. However ask at reception for a tour of the grounds and you will go in the missile silos! A good cigar room if shopping too.
Most importantly try all the cans of pop! Cuba coke/orangeade/lemonade in a can is a full on 70's extremely bad for you experience - yet oh so fabulous nudging the childhood memory bank! Sod Heston!
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