Cuba - advice please

Davo55

My wife has got a hankering to go to Cuba, before it is potentially altered in character by the re-opening of links with the USA. Would be glad of any advice from lifers that have been there, to help with the research.

What I have in mind is about 3 or 4 full days in Havana followed by 5 or 6 full days at a beach resort, probably in either January or February. Specific questions:

1. Is January/February a good time to go? We want some warm sunshine without it being stifling hot, and low chance of rainfall.
2. Is 3 or 4 days about right to see and experience the key aspects of Havana?
3. What would be the best beach area to go to?
4. Any hotel recommendations for both Havana and the beach resort?
5. Any "must see" or "must do" places while we are there?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Fiiiiiish

@Davo55 I haven't been but have looked into going as I plan to go next year.

January and February appear the best time as it is their Summer with little iterruption from tempremental weather, hence why it is also the most expensive time to go. I'm lookin to head their in April/May myself as trips can drop severely in price but the temp not as much so.

Like you, I also plan on twin centre breaks of having a week on an all inclusive and followed with 3 days in Havana. Plenty of websites cater for that experience, but make sure you trip advisor the resorts as 4* places can get extremely low ratings.

To keep an eye out for deals try signing up to Travelzoo who reguarly find good deals and link you to websites who are experts in booking your trip.

Hope this helps!

killerandflash

I went there over new year a few years ago and the weather was lovely.

I was on a tour, probably just 2 days in Havana, but 3 days would be fine, it's an interesting place.

Lovely rum cocktails, with the emphasis on the rum :-)

SheffieldRed

A lot of the touristy parts of Havana & the resorts are geared to tourists & may not change as much as some think in the near future. The rest of the country will change. "Slow train to Guantanamo" by P Millar is worth a read, and not simply because it's written by a Charlton fan.

cafcdave123

When i went we just did a two days one night trip to havana and found that to be enough.

i spent ten days drinking and smoking cigars like some sort of gangster, was brilliant.

rather than tipping the hotel staff with cash i gave a few of them a load of nike and adidas t-shirts i had taken with me and not worn (still had tags on) as they kept comenting on them as they couldnt get hold of that sort of thing themselves. That was 11 years ago

Vienna_Addick

We went for a couple of weeks nine or ten years ago.

To answer your questions:

1. We were there in April and it was hot, but the temperatures don't change much. Jan/Feb might be a degree or two hotter.

2. Yes. We spent 4 days there and didn't miss out on anything.

3. Varadero, just along the coast from Havana is the main tourist beach area.

4. We stayed in the Hotel Telegrapho right in the centre of Havana. Up to Western standards. They had fresh water delivered every day. :-) Not always the case in the rest of the country. If you are feeling homesick, the Hotel Inglaterra is a few yards further up the road.

We rented a car and travelled around the island a fair way. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU STAY IN THE "4 STAR" STATE HOTELS! They are worse than flea pits. We stayed in "Casa Particulares". These are family homes, their equivalent of B+B.

My recommendation of a place outside Havana would be Trinidad on the south coast. Nice beaches and architecture. Good B+B's. Close to the sugar plantations that are well worth a visit. It's also not far from the Bay of Pigs. There is an "Anti-American" museum there, plus a croc/alligator farm, located in the surrounding swamps.

Very friendly people, but they were always "looking over their shoulder" for the secret police. Outside of Havana they were grateful for anything Western, from plastic bags to small bars of soap from the Havana hotels.

Enjoy!

killerandflash

I didn't get the feeling 3 or 4 years ago, that the people were that desperate for Western "things". After all the country isn't like North Korea, cut off from the most of the world, it's only the US which sanctioned them. Very inconvenient of course, but not a total disaster for them. I think by then things had already started to change, as Fidel handed over to his brother.

I agree with Vienna_Addick, Trindad was very nice.

Davo55

Thanks for the advice guys. Looking at direct flights - Virgin appears the only option. Premium Economy return for the both of us would add £7.5k to the total cost (bloody £7.5k!!!) but we're a bit concerned about a 10 hour flight out in economy. I'm not that familiar with Virgin's flights - is economy decent enough for seat size, leg room etc?

daveaddick

Davo55 why don't you consider Thomson they fly the new Dreamliner's that are quieter and have more leg room. Virgin economy is frankly pants I went to Barbados with them it was very cramped and I am not particularly tall (5ft 10) and I suspect Thomson may be cheaper. By the way we went in March and it was really hot and a bit humid.

Acab

Oi Davo55, you pleading poverty?
Go on splash out on her I know you've got it.

MuttleyCAFC

Just returned, but from Holguin not Havana. Have been for last 3 years - different resorts including Cayos (Cuba is our favourite destination). One option would be to do a Thomas Cook package from Ice Lolly - then from most all inclusive resorts you can book a three day trip to Havana - taking a flight from the local airport. It might be cheaper to book the all inclusive and arrange teh flights yourselves. Ok you will pay for days you are not at the resort, but it still might be cheaper. Having been to Mexico before I prefer the Cuban weather as there is always a breeze and it doesn't seem so humid. People are great too but they will want your money like anywhere else. Always agree costs in advance - taxis etc...

It is like going back in time but in other aspects, like their health service they are better than us. They are poor but have a relaxed and not terrible way of life. Expect to see lots of old American cars and horse and carts. Tourists use CUCs, which you change up at hotels and airports (at the same rate which is set by their government - was 1.47 per pound last week - this money has no value outside of Cuba so don't get more than you need at a time). Tipping makes the holiday work better for you - so worth budgeting for this.

Change is in the air, so it is good to get a visit in before it happens.

Davo55

Acab said:

Oi Davo55, you pleading poverty?
Go on splash out on her I know you've got it.

Thanks a bunch S

MuttleyCAFC

And you will have a job not finding a fantastic beach!!!

Davo55

Thanks again all. Have looked at flight alternatives. No availability for January or February on Thomson or Thomas Cook. Might have to defer to later in the year - her birthday is early November but that is risking the tail end of the wet and hurricane seasons! Will possible defer for a year and book it all direct.

MuttleyCAFC

You take your chances, but due to School holidays, we have always gone in August (August/September) which is the peak of the Rainy/Hurricane season and we have always been ok. When it does rain it rains hard and fast, but passes and clears up quickly afterwards. We came back last Friday and only had one day where it rained for about half an hour. There were a few days where it rained overnight which doesn't affect you. We haven't been through a hurricane yet! It has rained on previous holidays, but not much and not enough to affect the holiday at all. It is quite rare for hurricanes to hit the North Coast - they normally catch the south coast and they hit Cuba less regularly than other close places but I don't know the scientific reason for this.

LargeAddick

Davo55 said:

Thanks again all. Have looked at flight alternatives. No availability for January or February on Thomson or Thomas Cook. Might have to defer to later in the year - her birthday is early November but that is risking the tail end of the wet and hurricane seasons! Will possible defer for a year and book it all direct.

Virgin Atlantic fly to Havana, we use them all the time

Chrispy51

I went 5 years ago. had 3 nights in Havana staying in the Saratoga hotel - this was great, right on the square overlooking the Capitol. if you stay in Havana try and get to a paladar for dinner, we went to paladar vistamar in the new part of Havana and it was a real highlight of the time in Havana. The paladars are tiny restaurants that people have put in their houses, so this one was in a nice big villa on the coast, small menu but all locally caught / grown and you get great service from friendly local waiters. Our waiter helped us with what else to see in Havana as well which was nice.

The next 6/7 nights were in Varadero in one of the resorts. the resort was nice, but worth noting that their star system doesn't match with western star systems. Our hotel was a 5 star but worth 3.5 / 4 at best.

The thing that grinded with me to an extent there (but I understand it is the same in other Caribbean / Mexico resorts) was the amount of tipping that was expected. If you don't tip on one occasion it will take a long time to get served next time. Probably worth incorporating the amount of tips into your budget for the resort as a dollar a time does add up if you like to take advantage of the all inclusive resorts!

StigThundercock

Jan/Feb definitely the time to go. Stick to the local bog standard Caribbean food cos the Cubans' attempts at anything foreign/exotic are universally awful, dunno if it's lack of ingredients or lack of having tasted any of it themselves but whatever else we tried was just terrible. If you haven't previously been anywhere vaguely 'developing world' do be prepared for the chasm between haves (tourists) and have nots (all the locals) it is stark indeed.

Weegie Addick

Thinking of going too early next year, but probably self-drive touring.

Assume it is best to have a pre-booked itinerary? Any tips for more off the beaten track places/ beaches?

Some of the better deals for flights seem to be KLM via Amsterdam, especially business class. Starting from Scotland, it's as easy to go via Amsterdam as London!