I’ve been dying to visit Cuba since forever and I finally made it happen.
If you’re thinking of travelling to Cuba, you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re like me- love to be on-the-go, mix culture with activities, you’ll find this Guide to Cuba useful for planning your upcoming trip.
VISA:
This trip I flew with Eurowings: London- Varadero one way. When you get to the airport, everything will be done in one place: check-in, filling out your visa form and dropping off checked luggage (if you have any). The visa was 25euros at the counter, and easy to complete. Contact your airline to make sure they offer visa service, that will save you time going to an embassy.
GETTING AROUND:
You can use private old fashioned taxis and shared ‘collectivos’ for shorter distances, and Viazul buses for long town to town trips. I found Viazus as most cheap, comfortable and reliable service for getting around the island. Get to the bus station an hour before departure to purchase your ticket, as they didn’t sell any in advance when I was there (I was visiting Cuba in late February, 2018).
WI-FI:
It’s not as catastrophic as everyone describes it. Take it as technology detox. You will be unplugged! It is so relaxing, and you won’t miss it after a while.
It is true, that wifi is only accessible at designated spots, usually public parks, but rumour about shortage of wifi cards is a myth. Cards are sold by hours and cost 1CUC/h.
WHERE TO STAY:
Most popular way to lodge around Cuba is by staying in ‘casas particulares’, so called privately rented rooms by locals. Prices range from 15CUC and up per room. My advice would be to book the first stop online and rest book on arrival. There are so many rooms available, that you won’t run out of options. Most places also offer breakfast for additional price ( usually 5CUC pp) but since I only eat little in the morning I preferred getting out.
Tip: I never paid more then 20CUC/night/room and if staying 3/4 nights I would bargain it even cheaper.
So let’s get to most interesting part- traveling around Cuba.
Our itinerary looked like this: Varadero- Playa Larga- Cienfuegos- Trinidad- Vinales- Havana. I didn’t go to the southern part of the island as I prefer traveling slower and deeper rather then rushing around.
Whole experience was the perfect mix of tourism with a glimpse of life around locals. Here’s the breakdown of some exciting things that happened on a two week vacation around Cuba.
Varadero
First stop and landing point was Varadero. I found Varadero a perfect starting point for Cuba adventures. It has a picture perfect beach (as you will need that to start vacation on the right foot) and many information centres. Many people criticise it for being too touristy and far from authentic Cuba but if you’re not comfortable jumping into moving train of cultures straight away, Varadero is your gateway to ease the transition.
Varadero was the only place where I pre-booked ‘casa particulare’. To avoid the resorts, I’ve opted on staying a bit outside of town and only visited the beach on a day trip. There are many local buses running to/from Varadero and so it makes suburbs easily accessible.
Playa Giron
Up next, THE BEACH! I may spend a lot of time by the ocean but I never get enough of the sand and sun. Playa Giron was an impulsive two day stop to enjoy the coast and beaches. We didn’t plan on visiting it but met some people who came back from and highly recommended. Playa Giron is a small sleepy village by the beach with a few shops and an amazing ice cream shed! That was the first place we discovered that Ice cream in Cuba is life! 🙂
Again, no booking was made prior arrival and we ended up scoring a double room for 15CUC/night. Make sure you test a few beaches around, not only Playa Coco. you will be surprised what can be found a few hundred meters outside Lonely Planet pages.
Cienfuegos
After spoiling my skin with a decent amount of vitamin D (or shall I say vitamin sea), it was time to explore the cultural and architectural side of Cuba.
Cienfuegos was a one day stop to discover the beautiful city with a mix of different architectural styles and most exciting part- Dolphins!
We had no plans here and plenty of time, so ended up casually strolling winding avenues, enjoying the sunset and watching locals, as they went about their daily lives.
Next morning I woke up with child like itchy feet, as it was time to see the dolphins. Cienfuegos is one of three places in Cuba where you can interacts with these beautiful creatures. Although, Cienfuegos is least popular, it is cheaper then the other two and less touristy. A short swim with dolphins in their natural habitat was amazing! And while many would criticise this kind of attraction, I honestly felt closer to nature just by touching one. And oh boy, they lifted me up to the air! Doesn’t happen every day.
Trinidad
Next stop, Trinidad! Everything about this place was AMAZING; loved the brightly coloured houses and old, classic cars, the overall atmosphere and best Pina Coladas I’ve ever tried!
Trinidad is very popular with tourists, however, walk a little outside the centre, and you’ll find yourself strolling quiet streets, with locals sitting on the sidewalk playing dominoes.
There’s plenty to see around Trinidad, and so we used our third day to explore Playa Ancon. To me, BEACH is happiness, and if it has turquoise waters + white sand, I can sit and daydream for hours! If you’re on the same page, then you know what to do. I would pack a little picnic, as not many options exist food wise. There’s a bus making round trips three times a day ($5 return), just make sure you get the timings right.
Vinales
Up next was Vinales, a tranquil village in the countryside. Tobacco plantations + dramatic Mojotes make up the landscape and fresh air fill your lungs. After the hustle and bustle of Trinidad we loved the slower pace and serenity of Vinales.
On the first day, we rented horses and set off on a trip around the valleys, visiting a tobacco and coffee farm while enjoying the landscape around us. Our guide didn’t speak a word of english, so I had a chance to further practice my Spanish.
The next few days were spent exploring surrounding valleys by foot, visiting caves and sampling Mojitos.
We’ve also walked out of town to visit a few more farms and purchased locally produced cigars for a fair price.
Vinales was the only place where we couldn’t find freshly made ice cream, even tho I’ve walked up and down the streets like fifty-five times. Still no sign of any!
Havana
Havana, ooh na-na
Half of my heart is in Havana…
Havana is the biggest reason behind the title of this article. I truly and honestly fell in love with it.
Havana – locally called ‘La Habana’ is bursting with colours and noises. The architecture is grandiose, from baroque to neoclassical to colonial and with the help from UNESCO, many buildings have been beautifully restored. Nonetheless, the chipped painting and crumbling walls only contribute in making it seem even more timeless, unique and ever charming.
It sometimes feels like stepping out off a time machine but that is the surprising beauty of Havana, just dive into the city and let it transport you in time.
Old Havana is built around five plazas, around which you will find countless outstanding buildings, including many museums, churches and gorgeous residential buildings with bars on windows and doors.
If you’re a museum fanatic, Havana is going to be your mecca. I’ve chosen a few according to my interests and spent a full day educating my inner historian. Museo de la Revolucion, The Capitol and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes are definitely worth a visit.
For me, another must do while in Havana is riding a vintage car. Isn’t that the image springing into your head hen someone mentions Cuba? Unlike other cities, it doesn’t matter where you rent a car, it will still be around 35CUC/hour. Drivers will try to remind you that the price is normally 60CUC and you just happened to come on a discount day. (Reason for that is because most of the prices are government regulated.) So my advice is to head into the center of the city, right near the capital building, and pick whichever color your heart desires.
All in all, Cuba secretly stole my heart. It challenged my salsa dancing skills, tested patience queueing and once again awakened a vibrant hope for the unknown.
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