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About Cuba
When most people think of vacationing in Cuba, they immediately think of the resorts. I have visited Varadero before and I must say the beaches are stunning: soft white sand and calm waters. It was the first time we did a “package” where the flight and hotel were included and the hotel was an “all-inclusive”. I totally understand why some people love this type of trip but for me, I don’t like when I can’t roam around and explore local sites, sample the food and get to know the people.
For this trip, we decided to go to Havana and then Trinidad, a colonial town about 4 hours south of Havana. We absolutely loved both and they very much complemented each other. They were a photographers dream!!!
Cuba is a communist country and you are reminded of this throughout the day. Things are a bit harder to make happen (ie: organizing a tour, making a reservation, getting access to the internet) but as long as you give yourself time and stay calm, trust that things will eventually work out.
Here are some tips:
-bring school supplies for local kids
-supposedly at customs upon entering the country you may need to show proof of travel insurance and that you have $20/day
-you will get your Tourist Card on the plane (the visa essentially is included in the plane ticket) and this is what you need to show at customs
-bring cash (not many ATMs outside of Havana); make sure the notes are in good condition (no rips)
-exchange $ at airport in Havana; best place in country is bank or Cadeca (casa de cambio); need passport to exchange $
-Santeria is a type of religion that some locals practice -try to see if you can attend a ceremony when you are there
-buy phone card (Etecsa) for $5 CUC for 1 hr of internet; valid for 30 days after 1stuse; get on street or at Iberstar Hotel
-need someone “on the ground” to help (there are ALWAYS issues so ask your network if anyone has a relationship with a Cuban)
-havanacasaparticular.com (booked Casa and car from airport and to Trinidad with them; from airport $40 CUC and to Trinidad $260 CUC)
-even though we prebooked our car travel, for the leg from Trinidad back to Havana, we just found a local taxi driver and he gave us a great rate – in the future I would only do it this way (you can see the car beforehand and negotiate a good price)
-having said that, these were recommended on the web
- Rey:rosacd@infomed.sld.cu; cell 282 92 76 or 267 38 92
- Jorge:jorge@jorge-cubaholidays.com; 53 5 282 9444
- Alejandro Risco on Facebook @https://www.facebook.com/riscoarcor email him at riscoarc@yahoo.com.
- http://bestcubaguide.com/havana-taxi-tours-cuba-excursions/
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Eat / Play / Shop
Havana
Art:
-331 Art Space
-La Fabrica de Arte Cubano (laboratory for interdisciplinary creation that presents the best of contemporary art in Cuba)
-Callejon de Hamel (outdoor art project; filled with lively, colorful murals and sculptures made from bathtubs, hand pumps, and pinwheels)
-Fusterlandia (public-art installations by local artist José Fuster, with colorful, whimsical mosaics)
Tours:
-Cigar factory tour (Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas)
-Bus tour Hop On and Off)
Food:
-Recommended from New York Times: El cocinero, Rio Mar, Bar Sia Kara
-Recommended from Timeout: Le Chansonnier; Espacios
-La Bodeguita del Medio (Hemingway’s fave resto; touristy)
-Café Laurent (it’s a parador in someone’s apartment; fun experience and the food was good for Cuba)
-Café Paris (great to smoke cigars, play dominos and listen to jazz; we spent hours there)
-Paladar Dona Eutemia
-La Guarida (didn’t eat there but heard it’s great)
-Here is a link to a great list of restaurants from Rough Guides
Things to See:
-Many great Plazas: Plaza Vieja; Plaza de la Catedral; Plaza de Armas (lots of vendors selling stuff; we got awesome posters of old Cuban films); Plaza de San Francisco de Asis
-walk on Mercaderes to Plaza Vieja
-El Malecon (best at sunset; found it pretty uninspiring)
-Necropolis de Cristobol Colon (we are fans of cemetaries and this was a great one)
-Castillo El Morro (fortress; never went but saw it from the distance)
-Paseo del Prado (wide blvd; tree lines; connects Parque Central to sea)
-Castillo de San Carlos de la Cabana(nice for sunset; 9 pm ceremony: El Canonazo de las Nueve)
-Baseball Estadio Latinoamericano (good idea to see if there is a game in town; Cubans are amazing players)
-try to see the Tropicana Cabaret (we were with young kids so couldn’t go but it’s a classic thing to do)
Museums:
-Museo de la Revolucion
Museo del Chocolate (nice to go and have a break; sit in the restaurant and sample the sweets)
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Museo del Automovil
Trinidad
Things to See:
-Playa Ancon (hotels own beaches but can pay for chairs; ride bike there via La Boca; personally the beaches were not my style -if I wanted beach I would go to Varadero -but when travelling through the interior of Cuba it was nice to have a lounging day)
-Cayo Blanco (catamaran to white beaches; snorkelling)
-Parque de Cubano (rent horses for the day with a guide; had a great lunch on the way to a lovely waterfall – nothing too grand but nice to get wet after riding for an hour)
-Topes de Collantes (Sierra del Escambray; hike to Salto del Caburni waterfall; the Lonely Planet recommends going with a guide from Gaviota Tours 53 42 540117; the water is like a tourist soup!)
-El Nicho (this was a great pitstop on our way back from Trinidad to Havana)
Food:
-La Botija
-Restaurante La Ceiba (amazing tree in the middle of the patio)
-Palador San Jose
-Palado Sol y Son
-Resto El Rintintin (sunset)
-good website for recommendations: http://www.cuba-junky.com/sancti-spiritus/restaurant.htm
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Itinerary
Itinerary
March 14
-Fly to Havana (arrive at noon); explore the city
-Search the web for “Casa Particular” to stay at (I like starting with Booking.com)
March 15
-Explore Havana
March 16
-Head to Trinidad (approx. 4 hours by car)
-Stay at Casa Colonial
-Explore area
March 20
-Head back to Havana
-Places to visit on way from Trinidad:
- Cienfuego (1.5 hr to Trinidad)
- Laguna Guanaroca (near Cienfuego; paddle boat through mangrove then lake to see flamingos);
- Bay of Pigs (snorkelling on Playa Larga and Giron)
- Cienga de Zapata = wildlife
- El Nicho
March 21
-Fly back to Toronto
