Travel Tips for Cuba (Part 2)

I recently spent almost three weeks in Cuba with my 5-year old daughter.  I learned a lot and hope that I can help you with some great travel tips for your trip to Cuba.

Here’s part 2 of my tips…

1.  Take some little gifts from your city/country as a thank you for kind guestures by the locals.  (That’s a must pack for all my travels.)

2.  Take a pedicab tour – it’s a great way to see the towns of Cuba.

3.  Visit Cienfuego, Trinidad, Cayo Santa Maria and Vinales.  Plan at least 2 weeks in Cuba if you want to see some different places.  Havana is fun and interesting but I find the people in the smaller towns much more open and friendly.

4.  Buy a bunch of internet cards if you plan on being online.  Internet is pretty hard to find.  You can usually only find it in town squares (plazas) and some hotel lobbies.  You must buy an internet card for 2 cuc/1 hour from their stores or 3 cuc from resellers in town squares.  Also, hotels will sell them but may charge much more or require a purchase (a drink, for example).

5.  There isn’t much A/C in public places BUT on the tour bus and in two taxis the A/C was blasting so I would definitely take a sweater.

6.  Cuba is very hot and humid – don’t go in July or August unless you love extreme heat.  Oct was a good time for coastal towns but can still be quite warm during the day (nights usually very nice in coastal towns). My daughter cried in Santa Clara because it was so hot.

7.  Keep your passport and visa at the ready when traveling town to town – we stopped to show documents to some police.

8.  Try some street food. Bocadillas are great little sandwiches (with fresh pork).  Always ask how much – they shouldn’t be more than a a cuc or 2 for two sandwiches.

9.  Know that there are good doctors in Cuba – 20 percent of the population has an M.D.  We know first hand as we went to the hospital in Havana.

10.  Ask for a price in advance for taxis, bicitaxi, etc.

11. Take a ride in an old car – they say 60% of their cars are historic.  They have some incredible convertibles in Havana.

Stay tuned for part 3 of travel tips to Cuba!