Where to travel in Cuba?

bfelicetravel

Hi,

My girlfriend and i are travelling to Cuba for 2 weeks late december until early january.

We are starting in Havana for four days and not sure where to spend the next 10 days?

we have herd about the following however have very little information.
-Santa Clara (I think this would be awesome for the new years as its got a massive youth population and culture)
-Camagiuey (not too sure about this one)
-Trinidad (not sure if it's too far away from Havana?)
-Cienaga de Zapata (huge wetlands and national parks)
-Mantanzas (can go caving here too)
-Cayo gallermo - How do you get here? (hemingways favourite deep sea fishing hole)

Any recommended Casa's to stay in would be greatly appreciated and a what kind of direction we should travel to make it easier to head back to Havana as we head over to Mexico once we have finished in Cuba.

Thanks

bfelicetravel

also i have herd
*La Terrazas
*valle de vinales
*Varadero (relaxing on the beach and diving)

CheersT

With only 2 weeks in total I'd suggest sticking to the west end of the island, starting and finishing in Havana of course. (You fly out of Havana to get to Mexico.)

1.) Havana: 2,000,000+ inhabitants and 500+ years of history in a complicated, crazy city surrounded by a dizzyingly complex political/social infrastructure with a fabulous arts/culture scene.

2.) Trinidad: A small city that's a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. Laid back, close to the beach and some of the best casa particulars (Cuban version of a Bed & Breakfast) and paladars (private restaurants) on the island.

3.) Vinales: Great rural geography in a quiet, small town with excellent tourist infrastructure.

By FAR the best investment you can make right now is a decent guide book like Moon, Rough Guide, Lonely Planet, etc. Cuba is no longer an exotic destination and the guide books cover it very well for a first time visitor.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Terry

bfelicetravel

Hey Terry!

Thanks for your advice. My girl friend and i will use it well. We purchased a travel guide and thought it would be a great idea still asking for anyones opinion.

Have you much about Varadero?

Many Thanks
BfeliceTravel

CheersT

I am an independent traveller who usually aims for off-the-beaten-path travel experiences.

With 60+ all-inclusive resorts spread out over 20+ km of beach and 1,000,000+ foreign tourists yearly Varadero is one of the largest tourist enclaves in the entire Caribbean, thus it holds very little interest for me.

Sorry I can't be of more assistance.

Have fun.

Cheers,
Terry

bfelicetravel

Hi Terry,

Would you know much about Valle De Vinales?

Is it possible to do a tour with a company from Havana to Valle De Vinales? My girl friend is interested in doing some bike riding and hiking.

Thanks Terry.

CheersT

Yes, any Tourist Desk in any of the larger hotels can sell you an excursion from Havana to Vinales.

The other way to do it is to take the Viazul Bus on your own (or any of the excursion buses leaving from the hotels) and arrange a casa particular (Cuban version of a bed & breakfast) in Vinales and have your casa owner arrange a guide to do a tour with you on horseback, or rent bikes and do it yourself.

As mentioned above Vinales has a fairly good tourism infrastructure.

Cheers,
Terry

PS Here's me and my mule Pedro in Vinales: http://debbiesreviews.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=cubageneral&action=display&thread=17661&page=1

happiness20m10

I can furnish you with some ideal locations for you to choose from such as:
- Baracoa
- Cienfuegos
- Guardalavaca
- ...
Wish your trip successful

_________________
Travel agency Vietnam-Vietnam holiday-Hotels in Los Angeles

Ella Johnson

If you're still looking for ideas on what to see and do in Cuba - such a special country! - then check out this concise Cuba Travel Guide. When you're in Havana be sure to take a stroll along El Malecon, the seafront promenade, and go dancing somewhere in Habana Vieja (Old Havana).

CheersT

Ella, with all due respect some of the information in your link is nuts. Where in the world did you hear that most Americans fly into Guantanamo Airport?!?! There are lots of other inaccuracies too...

Cheers,
Terry

Ella Johnson

Hi Terry,
Thanks for the feedback, I agree about Guantanamo Airport being a silly suggestion, I will track it down in the travel guide and correct it; I couldn't see it on the flights or airports page. Please let me know what the other inaccuracies are, if its not too much trouble, and we'll fix them immediately.

Ella Johnson

Ah, found the offensive comment!

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Tagged