A travel guide to Cuba

Cuba is a country with a fascinating story of colonialism and revolution. Shaped for centuries by Spanish rule, it has spent time under the imposing shadow of the United States, before undergoing a socialist revolution in the 1950s. All of this, coupled with a US embargo, has worked to shape it into one of the most fun, yet frustrating places you can visit.

The country is firmly planted in a bygone era with its classic American cars, once opulent but now dilapidated buildings and lack of commercialism – it is certainly a place for the escapist.

Phone coverage in the country is extremely hard to come by, giving you the best excuse ever to switch it off – along with your worries.

PLACES TO VISIT

There is so much to see and do that travelling for anything up to a month is not uncommon. We went for 11 days, taking in four places. Our trip started well, but took an unexpected turn a number of days in…

Havana

The capital is home to over two million people and is in the midst of a renaissance with trendy cafés, bars and art galleries popping up all the time. Among the highlights, the old city – Habana Vieja – is particularly beautiful, as is a stroll along the Melecon at sunset, and a mojito (or two) in one of the many roof-top bars.

Viñales

A quaint, tourist-trodden town south-west of Havana located in a spectacularly beautiful valley, Viñales is akin to something out of Jurassic Park. It is a place to truly embrace the outdoors, with hiking, biking and horse-riding all very popular. Sampling the local cigars, salsa dancing and a horse-back tour along the valley floor were some of the highlights.

Trinidad

A colonial Spanish town on the southern coast, Trinidad is famed for its cobbled streets and live music come nightfall. It was declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1988. Of all the places I was advised to visit, Trinidad came out on top.

Varadero

The town of Varadero is located east of Havana, and it’s here that you’ll find the big all-inclusive resort hotels, scattered along a 23km peninsula of white sandy beach and turquoise-coloured ocean. This place is all about the coastline, with the beach itself being voted number three in the world in the TripAdvisor Choice Awards for 2018.

Time permitting, it’s also worth checking out the youthful exuberance of Santa Clara, the elegant French spirit of Cienfuegos, or the wet and wild Baracoa.

GETTING THERE

Havana is served by many major airports worldwide but for we Irish, a connecting flight is a must. We booked flights with Air France and KLM for an 11-day holiday in September and their prices were the best available at the time. Other options were Air Canada and Lufthansa.

WHEN TO GO (HURRICANES)

The seasons fall differently in Cuba compared to Europe – there’s a rainy season and a dry season. Peak tourist times are November to March and July to August, and prices can be higher during these months.

We visited in September 2017 when prices were lower. The weather was mostly sunny with the odd shower. It is also within hurricane season, which is between June and November.

The last major hurricanes to affect the island were in 2008 – Ike and Gustav. Since considerable time had passed, we decided to take our chances.

It proved unfortunate, however; Hurricane Irma crossed the island half-way through our trip, causing widespread flooding and wind damage, and meant we had to cancel part of our travels. At the time we were in the western town of Viñales, out of the hurricane’s most destructive path, but still close enough to feel its effects. Instead of travelling to Trinidad and Varadero as planned, we remained in Viñales for our final five days due to power outages and serious flooding elsewhere. Luckily, our time was made easy by staying with some truly wonderful hosts, which brings me to my next point.

ACCOMMODATION

To really get a taste of Cuban life and culture, be sure and do so in one of the country’s many ‘casa particulares’. Similar to a B&B, you live with a Cuban family in a rented room. The option is well priced (compared with hotels and apartments), clean and up to tourist standards. In most cases, simply calling to the front door and asking for a room works, however to have an idea of what you are getting, you can book in advance through websites like Airbnb or get recommendations from online message boards.

CURRENCY

The two currencies in use at the time of writing – the Cuban Peso and Cuban Convertible Peso or CUC. The CUC is used by tourists and is linked to the dollar. The Cuban Peso is the local currency and is worth considerably less. It is not illegal for tourists to use the local currency, but it can be difficult to get.

Both are protected, meaning they are only available in Cuba, so bring cash to exchange.

HELPFUL TIPS

Internet and Phone Coverage

Cubacel is the phone provider in the country and coverage can vary from a little to none at all.

To get online, you need to use a Wi-Fi card. Etecsa is the internet provider and cards can be purchased in their stores – easily spotted by the queue of locals outside. Generally, tourists don’t need to wait in line. Alternatively, you can buy cards in hotels, bars or petrol stations at an extra cost.

Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, bars and restaurants. Some plazas also have access (you’ll know them by the people sitting down and looking at their phones).

Language

Spanish is the principal language but in the more touristy areas, you will most likely find people who speak some English. For someone like me where ‘Hola’ is about the best I can do, downloading offline Spanish on Google Translate was a godsend.

Packing

Shorts and t-shirts are staples, but make sure you bring some appropriate footwear for long walks and the beach. Don’t forget plenty of sunscreen as well. Depending on the time of year, an umbrella can also come in handy; Cubans carry them rain or shine, and when it rains, it pours.

DON’T FORGET!