Viva Cuba !
Many of you have asked how we prepared for our trip to Cuba and I thought it would be a good idea to share some ideas and suggestions with you. Cuba has been on my list of places to go to for awhile and this experience was amazing! Our relations with Cuba haven't always been the best, but once President Obama improved U.S. relations, I knew this would be an opportunity that we couldn't resist. I know what you're thinking, how are we even allowed to go due to Trump's travel restrictions? I won't get "political," but just know the restrictions haven't taken full effect yet until regulations are officially issued.
Now, let's get to the fun part!
How can Americans travel to Cuba?
There are about 12 options when you fill out your affidavit before you leave. The best choice is "The purpose of a people-to-people trip" which means to have a meaningful interaction with Cuban people. This is what I checked off when we went.
The important thing to note is that travel as a tourist is banned for Americans, and will continue to be banned even after the new U.S. policies take effect. This means recreational activities like lounging on a beach are out. But who wants to be a tourist anyway? My people-to-people trip was exactly how I like to travel — we were hanging with locals every day, playing Cuban music, dancing Cuban salsa, eating Cuban food, and learning about the Cuban way of life…and drinking ample mojitos and daiquiris along the way.
Do not forget to purchase your $50 VISA before you board your flight at Customs. We had no problems since we flew with JetBlue. A direct flight with Jetblue only took 3 hours going and coming from JFK. Also, JetBlue provides international health insurance and that comes with the purchase of your flight.
Prepare to have Limited to No Connection
We got very lucky because our hostess provided us with a cell phone to keep in contact with them during our stay. If you are in dyer need of wifi, then you can try several hotels that provide wifi access or if you see Cubans sitting along the side of the road glued to their phones, that usually means there is a hotpsot in the area.
Accommodations: Mi casa es su casa
Cuba is still new to tourism and options for accommodations can be tricky. We were lucky enough to have someone help us book our housing and tours altogether. Special shout out to Sonia Laguna for helping us book everything. We stayed at La Loma del Angel which is located in Old Havana. Check out her page:
.We had a bed and breakfast hostel. Of course, I will go where the food is. Lydia held us down every morning with eggs (huevos), toast (tostados), cheese(quesos), ham (jamon), and our favorite jugo aka guava juice. Beds were made and cleaned every day and we were provided with a key. Wine and waters were in our room for a fee and I even received birthday treats since it was a huge milestone this year
( Dirty 30).
La Loma del Angel
Mi casa
I suggest if you book through Airbnb, then maybe ask people that have stayed there before and can recommend areas that have been a good experience. Make sure you book your stay BEFORE you leave the country.
Cambia Tu Dinero ( Change your Money)
You CANNOT use credit cards in Cuba.
Issa no for that.
You have to use cash and can change your money when you get to Cuba. So, the question is, where? You can exchange money at a Casa de Cambio ( House of Exchange) El banco ( the bank), or even the taxi cabs may be able to assist you. We changed our money with our tour guides or you can go to
Melia Cohiba
which is a hotel in Old Havana. They have an exchange office inside.
Currency in Cuba
CUC or pesos is used by the Cubans to make purchases. You are allowed to bring Euros, Pounds, and Canadian money to exchange. Make sure it is CASH and NOT coins you are exchanging. I had $5 of Euro coins and they did not accept it.
Luckily, for me I had all of these currencies from past trips and I didn't have to exchange a lot of my USD. In my opinion, it would be a good idea to change your money to Canadian and then when you get to Cuba, you can exchange your Canadian to CUC. You can definitely go to Cuba on a budget. The drinks like an El Presidente beer is about a $1 CUC and one of our lunches was $13 altogether! We had to double check the bill to make sure our eyes didn't fool us. Food and drinks are reasonably priced. You can bargain prices with taxi cabs as well. I think you will spend the most on food, drinks, and taxis. You will need more if you plan on buying artwork. That can range 100 CUC to 150, depending on what you buy.
For every $100 USD you will get 87 CUC
1 to 1 for Canadian/Euros/ Pounds
Cubans DO NOT accept ripped money. No bueno!
Health Concerns/ What to pack?
Since I travel so much, I always bring travel toilet tissue and travel Charmin toilet seat covers with me. This is a MUST in Cuba. Not every public place has toilet tissue, especially in the real local parts of Cuba. Local markets will charge you for toilet tissue. Yes, you read that correctly. Also, bring Cottonelle and Clorox wipes to wipe down your environment and your hands. I strongly suggest hand sanitizer as well. Here are a few more things you should pack:
Sun block
Bug spray
Aloe Vera
Mosquito Repellent
Medications (leave medications in original bottles - do not mix them to save space)
First Aid Travel Kit (Imodium, Band Aids, Neosporin, etc.)
Advil / Tylenol
Sunscreen - hard to find and very expensive in Cuba
Fanny pack- Do not bring a bag or purse!
Sneakers- You will do a lot of walking
Now, my favorite part of the trip.. FOOD
Where to eat and drink?
Cafe del Angel:Customer service was great and the drinks were amazing.(This was across the street from our casa).
La Guarida: one of Havana’s most acclaim paladares; located on the top floor of the building best known as the movie location for the Cuban Oscar Nominated film “Fresa y Chocolate.”
El Cocinero: one of the newer restaurants. Next door is Fabrica de Arte and conclude the night next door at Fabrica del Arte (The Art Factory), an avant-garde new art venue that is the home to everything art: theater, jazz, contemporary dance, and exhibitions.
El Cocinero
Vistamar: Check out the oceanic view and you can have a high end meal for a cheap price. This is where I ate for my birthday and would highly recommend it.
Rio Mar:Located in Miramar, which is a more upscale section of Havana.
El Floridita, one of the most famous bars in Old Havana. They have live bands and people order their cocktails and daiquiris. Fun fact: This is where Ernest Hemingway used to have drinks.
Shangri-LA: This location is good for live music and drinks.
Fantasy Bar: Located in Miramar, upscale club and you should wear heels.
La Bodeguita del Medio: A musical bar, style Cuban, in the center of Begur. Specializing in Cuban and international cocktails. Concerts, animation and dancing, foosball and of course can not miss the best Cuban and Latin music of the moment. Also, you can write on the walls along the bar on that street where it's located. We bought a marker from next door.
King Bar: This is a well known location in Havana. You can dine here and then head to the disoteca (the club) after. It gets crowded every night.
Bar Manzana: This was located near our casa as well. It's good for local drinks and dancing.
ChaChaCha: This was also walking distance from our casa. In my opinion, they made the best drinks and the presentation of the drinks were amazing!
Things to do
Ernest Hemingway Tour: This house has been turned into a museum dedicated to his life in Cuba. The interior of the house (including the books in the study) has remained almost completely unchanged since the day he left.
The National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana) in Havana, Cuba is a museum of Fine Arts that exhibits Cuban art collections from the colonial times up to contemporary generations.
Havana Classic Car Tour: Driving down the seaside on the Malecon you’ll set off down the streets of the more modern parts of Havana. You can see fabulous architecture on the residential buildings in the neighborhoods of Centro Havana, Vedado, and Miramar. The tour also stops at the most significant attractions in the area — you’ll see the National Capitol Building, the Plaza de la Revolución, Bosque de la Havana, and the Metropolitan Park
The Forest of Havana: One of the oldest trees in Cuba is located here and located along the course of the Almendares River.
Fusterlandia: The artist Jose Antonio Rodriguez Fuster – a ceramist, draftsman, painter, and engraver. His hard work and artistry have transformed his neighborhood into the whimsical art installation of Fusterlandia. Fuster has covered his house and some of his neighbor’s houses with mosaics and ceramic statues. During the tour you’ll get to see his studio, as well as the art installations that have taken over his street.
Fusterlandia
Sophie and I on our Classic Car tour in the Revolution Plaza
Callejon de Hamel: Hamel Alley narrow is a two-block long alley between Aramburu and Hospital streets in Centro Habana, that has over the years become a shrine to Afro-Cuban religions through the art created by Salvador González.
Almacenes San Jose: Old Havana’s largest art and crafts market.
Beach Locations: Santa Maria, Veradero, and Club Havana
Cuba was in my top 5 of trips. Although, the downside was when children asked us for the clothes on our backs and food. That made us upset and then started to wonder what we can do to help. So, we did what any other giving person would do. We gave them anything extra of what we had. It was only right. It made us realize that we are so fortunate to live in a place and not have to think about where our next meal was coming from. This was an eye opener. I would say, if you do come across this on your journey, then do your best to talk to the kids and just see what they have going on. It makes you feel a million times better as a decent human being.
