Cuba experience

[Drago_au]

Cuba has always been high on my wishlist, and now I'm in a position to visit this island paradise. Has anyone had any recent experience travelling to Cuba, and if so what are your tips?

I'm thinking of travelling to / through the U.S. now that the travel restrictions have been somewhat relaxed, otherwise possibly through South America... Chile (Atacama Desert) is another dream trip.

 

[wingspan]

Cuba has always been high on my wishlist, and now I'm in a position to visit this island paradise. Has anyone had any recent experience travelling to Cuba, and if so what are your tips?

I'm thinking of travelling to / through the U.S. now that the travel restrictions have been somewhat relaxed, otherwise possibly through South America... Chile (Atacama Desert) is another dream trip.

I was in Cuba a couple of weeks ago. Just a couple of tips off the top of my head:


1. Do try to stay in casas particulares where possible. It’s a great way to talk to locals and see what their houses are like and enjoy living with them.


2. Although there’s a lot of discussion and misinformation about currency there, using Australian bankcards IS possible. So do take EUR to change, but don’t be worried about using ATMs in Cuba with your cards from home.


3. If you do stay in or spend time in big hotels, you can easily be overcharged for internet. Line up with locals at the nearest ETECSA office and buy internet access cards for the most reasonable price. Internet is generally expensive and not always that easy to come by so make the most of that and enjoy being off the grid for a while.

I chose to fly via SCL and LIM with QF and LA, but have friends who have gone via the US who have been fine. I think the journey takes more or less the same whichever way you go, but going via South America means you get to avoid the LOTFAP.

 

[bsb]

We were there in January. It's an amazing place and like no other travel destination. We flew via Europe, so can't comment re the US, but met others who said no issue.

Cuba is surprisingly big and we wanted to see as much as possible and we took a small group tour (on advice of people who had been before) with G Adventures whcih was truly excellent and enabled us in 14 days to get to see a big chunk of the country and believe me, getting out of Havana is well worth it. You get to stay in Casa Particulars, which you must do and it's a lot of fun.....outside of Havana you don't have too much choice anyway.

We didnt use credit cards as once we were there we only needed cash. Euros are the best option but they'll take US as well but it costs more to exchange and the rate is worse. We did get cash out of ATMs no problem.

Surprisingly, it's not cheap...well the tourist prices aren't. Local prices are. But there's not much to buy so it's kind of irrelevant (think soviet bloc shopping circa 1980).

I think this was was one of the most fascinating places we've been and highly recommend seeing it while it's in it's time warp. Suspend all your expectations of a typical travel experience as Cuba is truly unique (and we've done everything from the back blocks of India to the wilds of STH America)

Happy to answer any more specific questions.

 

[Happy Dude]

At the risk of sounding like Phileppe Miseree, I was a little underwhelmed by my 3 week visit in 2011.

Other than the absence of US multinationals and the actual sights, there's no aspect for the traveller that I would consider unique.

Casa Particulares? No different to B&B's in the UK. Dual currency? It was bloody hard in Cambodia, Mongolia, Tibet, Libya, Kurdistan, Bangladesh, to use anything but USD. cough transport? Pick a place in Australia that's not MEL or SYD. Relatively poor people struggling under a failed government? Well, that depends on....

It does have one of the more colourful histories and because so much of it is very recent you do feel like you're living it. The downside to that is the impression you're left with is, sadly, just how great this place would have been in it's heyday.

Ultimately though, it is a fun and interesting place to travel, like many places. My tip is to not overplan it. Take USD, hire a car and drink as many mojitos as your liver will tolerate.

 

[Ric]

We were there in January. It's an amazing place and like no other travel destination. We flew via Europe, so can't comment re the US, but met others who said no issue.

Cuba is surprisingly big and we wanted to see as much as possible and we took a small group tour (on advice of people who had been before) with G Adventures whcih was truly excellent and enabled us in 14 days to get to see a big chunk of the country and believe me, getting out of Havana is well worth it. You get to stay in Casa Particulars, which you must do and it's a lot of fun.....outside of Havana you don't have too much choice anyway.

We didnt use credit cards as once we were there we only needed cash. Euros are the best option but they'll take US as well but it costs more to exchange and the rate is worse. We did get cash out of ATMs no problem.

Surprisingly, it's not cheap...well the tourist prices aren't. Local prices are. But there's not much to buy so it's kind of irrelevant (think soviet bloc shopping circa 1980).

I think this was was one of the most fascinating places we've been and highly recommend seeing it while it's in it's time warp. Suspend all your expectations of a typical travel experience as Cuba is truly unique (and we've done everything from the back blocks of India to the wilds of STH America)

Happy to answer any more specific questions.

Hi bsb,

I would be interested in you travel routing via Europe. I have looked at QF and Iberia but feel that the transit time is too tight and believe that it cannot be booked in one ticket.

Cheers,

Ric

 

[bsb]

Hi bsb,

I would be interested in you travel routing via Europe. I have looked at QF and Iberia but feel that the transit time is too tight and believe that it cannot be booked in one ticket.

Cheers,

Ric

We flew to QR to Madrid. Had a a week in Spain. Them IB to HAV back AB to CPH (via DUS) and then back QR. We used a oneworld rtw redemption but we were away for a month and in no rush. Obviously the AB thing is no more so I’m not sure how you could do that redemption as you’d need to fly in and out of HAV on different carriers to get that award.

Maybe consider LA to Cancun and pay for a cheap Interjet flight from there

 

[Ric]

We flew to QR to Madrid. Had a a week in Spain. Them IB to HAV back AB to CPH (via DUS) and then back QR. We used a oneworld rtw redemption but we were away for a month and in no rush. Obviously the AB thing is no more so I’m not sure how you could do that redemption as you’d need to fly in and out of HAV on different carriers to get that award.

Maybe consider LA to Cancun and pay for a cheap Interjet flight from there

Many thanks bsb. Likely to take the Canadian option as it can all be ticketed as one.

 

[Lynda2475]

I was last in Cuba in April 2015 and cash was king, very few in our group managed to successfully use a Aussie issued atm card, so best to have enough cash as a back-up (there are no fees for exchanging CAD, Euro or GBPs).

If you have pre-paid your flights, accommodation (+1 for casa particulares) you dont actually need a lot of money, food, alcohol and activities are very inexpensive. More tourists visit Cuba each year from Canada than anywhere else, so I found exchange rate on CADs the best.

For flights if coming via the USA, I recommend SYD - DFW - CUN (Qantas/AA) then book CUN-HAV with Air Cubana direct (cheapest flights and generous luggage allowance) - its ticketed as a 90 mins but you'll only be int he air 60 mins. Spend a few days in Playa Del Carmen in mexico before/after. No advantage to going via LAX. Or fly via Canada - there are multiple flight from Toronto every day.

If you fly Air Cubana from CUN you can buy your $20USD visitor card (like a visa) at the airport counter cheaply, purchasing in Aus before you leave if 5 times the price. Or if flying a Canadian airline they just hand them out on the flight (included in airfare).

We had internet at Hotel De National in Havana, but none elsewhere (stayed in casa particulares in Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Vinales), and it was refreshing to go 8 days or so off the net.

Although they do not always check, a condition of entry as a tourist to show proof of travel insurance which covers medical evacuation (and does not specifically exclude Cuba). If relying on credit card insurance you will need to get them to issue you a letter/policy to prove this, if you purchase travel insurance the policy itself will state the coverage and countries covered. A couple on my flight got separate at immigration and they almost didnt let the guy in as his wife was the one holding their policy and had got through unasked.