So my time in Cuba was amazing to say the least.
My pictures don’t really do it justice. I keep saying I need to take photography classes with a proper camera. One of these days…
I thought this last blog on Cuba could provide not only my overall thoughts but try and provide some other sites that I used during my research to help you plan your trip.
My biggest “take-away” is that if you like beautiful beaches, sun and a no hassle type of holiday, definitely stay in VARADERO, Cuba. But I think you could easily do this and even get more bang for your buck going to another Caribbean island (e.g. Aruba, Dominican Republic, etc). Now I do say that without personal experience in those places, but if all you want is beach and a 5-star all inclusive resort I think there are more luxurious places. But if you want a combination of beach, culture, and an overall great experience I would spend 3-4 days exploring the beaches of Varadero and then 3-4 days in HAVANA.
It’s amazing how many people I met who never left the resort, but its your prerogative.
If I could go back, I myself would spend more time in Havana, do more salsa dancing, visit a tobacco farm, maybe see a Baseball game. There is also a Boca de camarioca cuba (fish festival) in June that I would be interested in seeing. I would also like to come back and learn more about the history of Cuba and the “relationship” with United States. I was surprised how little Cubans spoke about Fidel Castro, maybe too soon?, who knows. But it would be great to hear more about history like the Bay of Pigs invasion. Or even visit other parts of the island like Trinidad or Vinales.
So anyways I survived! Even the border control process returning to the States was effortless. It was less than 2 minutes. Officer: Where are you coming from? Me: Cuba. Officer: What did you do there? Me: People to People tours. Officer: Anything to declare? Me: I brought back some souvenirs like rum and cigars. Officer: Okay have a good day. BOOM!
It’s good to see support for Cuba.
Lodging/Accommodations
Where I stayed BLAU VARADERO: http://www.blau-hotels-cuba.com/en/blau-varadero-hotel.html
The only thing I can say is BOOK EARLY. I would almost prioritise this over flights. Most places you play in cash when you check-in and they only hold your card for information purposes. I find the typical US sites like Expedia or Kayak do not have Cuba listed hotels. I found TripAdvisor, Canadian and British based travel agencies the most helpful, which makes sense given they have been travelling to Cuba for decades.
Tours
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147271-d7116153-Reviews-Artechef-Havana_Ciudad_de_la_Habana_Province_Cuba.html
http://havanatourcompany.com/our-tours/full-day-havana-tour/
http://www.discover-vinales.com/excursion/secretes-tobacco/
https://www.wowcuba.com/travel-blog/extraordinary-havana-experiences-recommended-by-wowcuba-for-independent-travelers/
http://cuba-travel-services.com/5-day-habana/
http://www.cuba-junky.com/havana/havana-city-nightlife.htm
Private tour Companies you can use: reservations@varaderotourtaxi.com
Useful (Advice) Sites
http://bestcubaguide.com/single-women-traveling-through-havana-and-cuba/
https://insightcuba.com/blog/2013/11/26/our-girl-in-havana-single-female-traveler
https://cu.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/traveling-to-cuba/
There are loads more, just use GOOGLE MAGIC my friend. UNTIL NEXT TIME!