The way to do Cuba - pre book hotel ?

Che took Santa Clara on December 31st, and Batista fled to the Dominican Republic on January 1st, effectively giving power to the revolutionary forces. Reply to this

let me ask you guys something: is cuba worth the hassle getting to (for someone living in the US)?

As far as I know you wont be able to fly directly to Cuba from the US or directly back. You will have to get out of the US to another country and then fly to Cuba from there. This may make Cuba not worth it if you are only planning to travel for a short time.
Also if you get into any trouble in Cuba then you get no help from the US because you are not supposed to be there, according to them.
Well, this was how it was 10 years ago. Check if it has changed.

based on what i've read in this forum, its my understanding that its better to take euros or pounds to cuba instead of US dollars because the US dollar is penalized or something so the exchange rate isn't very favorable.

If you take US dollars then take cash. You wont be able to use any other form of US currency like credit card or travellers cheques in Cuba.
As far as I noticed the exchange rate for cash US dollars was OK.

Hostels:
Google Hostels/Havana(or whichever place in Cuba you want to go) and a list will come up. A lot of them are expensive but there are some not too badly priced ones there too. I dont know if you can prebook them on the internet. Probably not, because the transaction for paying the deposit will likely be blocked by the US.
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It would be worth noting that an American girl lost all her docs in one package while in Trinidad. I don't know what happened to her, it would be useful to get the phone number of that "body" which helps US citizens in dire cases such as this. I advised she went to the canadian or British embassy and they would at least give her accurate info. If you do go, look after your stuff like you really can't afford to loose it, as in reality you may not be able to afford to loose it. I hope she doesn't get fined. Reply to this

Hi Emily, how did you get to Cuba? Like what route did you take? Is November a bad time to go (hurricane season)? Thanks for your and everybody's tips and advice.

How was the food in Cuba? Reply to this

PatrickSwayzesTwin: I went to Cuba with a license from the US Department of the Treasury. There were, however, lots of people on my flights and in Cuba who had traveled without a license. I went through Cancun, which is a really common route. There are two Mexicana flights from Cancun to Havana most days. Be warned: There is a 40 pound (I think? Maybe 45?) weight limit for Mexico-Havana flights. Check with the carrier.

There is one flight out of Miami every day but it's only for licensed travelers.

About November: It really depends what you're looking to do in Cuba while you're there. If you want to go to the beach and get tan, there are definitely better times to do that than November. If you want to spend all your time outside without dying of heat stroke or dehydration, the cooler months are a great time to be there. In November it rained quite a bit, and in Cuba when it rains it RAINS. People don't leave their homes. I certainly prefer the "winter" months to the summer in the Caribbean--December through Mid March were great for me, then it started getting a little unbearable. August and most of September were hell.

The food question is a little harder to answer. It really depends on what you like to eat and how resourceful you are, what kind of traveling you'll be doing.

If you are eating like the average tourist who goes to Cuba, you will likely be eating in lots of tourist traps. Lots of these like to pass themselves off as classy joints. As far as I can tell, the classy, elegant restaurants in Cuba did not serve what the average traveling American would consider classy, elegant food. There are some expensive paladares (you can check out my blog and e-mail me for some options in that department), which certainly offer way better food than the state-run restuarants (the ones in the hotels, generally). They aren't, however, comparable to American restaurants that would receive the same star ratings in Guidebooks by the same publisher (me entiendes?). At least in my opinion.

If you're willing to go a little more off the beaten path: if you you like rice and beans you are in luck. If you like chicken you are golden. If you like lots of ham you are set. You might even find yourself some breaded steak, perfect avocado, the best bananas you've ever had, or mango (depending on the season). Places that will serve these dishes are paladares, mostly. Some are legal; some are not. You can get the same food in both places, generally speaking, you'll just pay more in the legal ones. It will be pretty tasty wherever you end up.

If you're a vegetarian get ready for lots of rice, beans, eggs, cucumbers, and cabbage. Yum.

One more thing (I cannot be held liable for whatever you decide to do with this information): I ate the street food in Cuba every day for four months and never got sick.

Hope this helps. Reply to this

Emily, I think you should be Cuba travel guide and help smuggle American tourists into Cuba. I think you'd be very successful haha. When I mention I might be going to Cuba, people's eyes get big and they all say they would love to go there....except my grandparents think I'm a traitor.

Read your blog and the private-run paladares and street vendors sound like what I'm looking for. I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food so I'll eat almost anything. I will be golden.

I just wish there were hostels in Cuba. Not a fan of traditional hotels. I actually like the bunkbeds, the 5 other people crammed into the room, and competing for the bathroom. Oh well. What areas of Havana should I NOT stay in and avoid late at night (or maybe during the day)? Thanks again for all your help. Reply to this

Matt,

There are some areas of Centro Habana you should stay away from at night. These places are easy to spot--they have no lights. That's generally a good indication you don't want to be there at night, at least with anything of value on you.

I never had a problem with crime in Cuba. There are cops practically everywhere in La Habana, especially in the touristy areas. People are more likely to run by and tear your backpack/purse/camera off your body or pickpocket you than they are to jump you (this can happen during the day, too, if there aren't cops around). So, keep valuable things out of sight (read:cameras and other electronics, like iPods) and don't walk alone at night with anything of value on you and you should be good. And always walk with a sense of purpose, even if you have none.

Your ideal hostel situation sounds like the way lots of Cubans live today. Maybe you could get a bed in a room in a subdivided building in Centro or Vedado. No joke.

Let me know how it goes! Blog while you're there. The internet is expensive, though. Reply to this

Let me know how it goes! Blog while you're there. The internet is expensive, though.

Around how much does the internet cost per hour in Cuba?
I remember the costs of making international phone calls was incredibly high. We had to make quite a few to the Netherlands while we were in Cuba. One call I remember was around 7 minutes long and cost 50 US dollars. The Dutch consulate said we could use their satalite phone if we come to the consulate but actually getting to the counsulate and back would also have cost us quite a bit.

Thanks for the info about US Citizens Emily. 😊 How much do US citizens actually get finded for going to Cuba anyway? Reply to this

Thanks for all that cool info Emily 😊

Mel now forcing her hands away from keyboard before she launches her ''I hate Bush'' tirade. :D Reply to this

Hola. Just back from Cuba this week. I cannot say enough about my experience travelling throughout Cuba from Baracoa to Maria La Gorda.

Staying in Casa Particulars the entire time you are in Cuba is very wise. State run hotels and resorts suck so bad on so many levels. They can definately ruin your experience...believe me I experienced both and know the difference! And make sure you eat at Paladors not state run restaurants in each town you visit.

Back to the Casa Particulars - all their food was excellent and abundant, accomodations simple but clean, and you could get some really great information from the owners on where to go what to do. Not to mention meeting like minded people who want to see the real Cuba.

Lots of diving opportunities throughout. You could go to the black coral reef in Maria La Gorda or perhaps dive off of the thousands of cayos all over Cuba.

Cuba is expensive to travel, but well worth it. I had been told for years from people who only went to resorts in Veradaro or Holguin that Cuba wasn't worth going, but I am so glad I didn't listen. I saw the real Cuba and have so many fantastic memories! Viva Cuba.

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