After backpacking Cuba last month, I found the country to be unique in so many ways.
Some good and some bad, so I thought I would lay out the pros and cons of traveling to Cuba independently.
Pros:
The Architecture
Some of the most stunning I have ever seen! In the old town of Havana just walking the streets, soaking up the colonial architecture and rich colors, one could easily spend a week there doing nothing but that.
1950's-era Cars
It was like going to a car show every day. Again, classic shots for anyone and was a joy to see them running up and down the road.
The Beaches
Beautiful beaches with crystal blue water and the purest white sand make it hard not to just sit around all day and drink rum. I didn't do any scuba diving while there but I'm sure there are some gem spots to find.
Safety
I felt safe the whole time while there and never felt like I was going to be robbed or kidnapped just because I was a tourist. Unlike other Latin countries, you won't find high gates around houses or broken glass on top of walls.
Cheap Cigars & Rum
I got a box of Cuban cigars for $15 that I could easily sell back in the US for a huge profit... if I could smuggle them in.
The Music
There is no such thing as a 3 or 4 man band there. 8 is the minimum, and more than likely you'll see 10-12 people in a band playing salsa music everywhere.
One thing about Cuba is that everyone has a CD, and I mean everyone. If they play music, you can bet your arse they will try to sell you a CD afterward! You've been warned!
The Clubs
Nothing better than a hot Havana night and you can find a ton of hot chica's in the clubs. Just be careful though, because 1-2 are working (see below though for the rest).
Cons:
It's a Communist Country
If you're American, remember you have no embassy and technically you're not supposed to be there.
That being said, expect to get drilled when going in and out of immigration about what you did, how much money you spent, where you stayed, etc.
If you're a blogger, don't tell them that.
They freaked out on me during the interrogation (basically that's what it was when leaving) because I said I had a website and I guess they thought that I was some kind of CIA spy journalist or something.
No Internet
The government controls everything and the internet is outlawed except for a few special circumstances.
The only places that will have internet for tourists to use are the nice resorts.
It's big-time expensive, costing anywhere from $7-12 per hour and slow doesn't even describe it.
Forget about WiFi as I don't think they even know what that is... so bringing the laptop will be nothing but a paperweight.
Public Transportation
It's next to nothing. The whole tourist industry is set-up for guided tours and not independent travel as most backpackers are used to.
One of the first things I noticed, once I got outside of Havana, was the line of people you would see standing along the highways trying to get picked-up.
The bus system is so horrible that it takes locals days to get from one side of the island to the other, sometimes even weeks.
Renting a car is possible but the costs are high. It's one country where it pays to be on a tour, but they still suck as you get fed the cookie-cutter guided package that we all hate and strive to avoid.
The Double Currencies
When in Asia, you have to deal with the double standards in costs, one for tourists and one for locals.
In Cuba, they simplified it by making you use a separate currency guaranteed to cost you double on anything a local would buy.
There are two types of currencies: Tourists use Cuban Convertibles (CUC) and locals use Cuban Pesos (CUP).
For example, we once went to get ice cream in a small town and paid 1 CUC per cone, but later found out if you're local you could get 1 cone for 1 CUP (Cuban Peso).
That ended out coming to 24 cones for a local, and 1 for a tourist, for the same price. To convert CUC and CUP click here.
Don't bother with bringing US dollars either, as the government slaps a 10% tax for any transactions with them and all American credit cards won't work their either.
Hotels Only
If you're backpacking there and think you're going to stay at a cheap hostel to save money, good luck finding one.
Just go to Hostelbookers.com and try to find a hostel for Cuba. I'll give ya a hint, there aren't any!
All the major resorts and hotels are owned by the government, and it's pretty much illegal for locals to have their own.
I heard if you get lucky you can score some cheap accommodation by staying at a local's house, but these rooms rented out are illegal a lot of the time and you're on your own if caught. It's doable but it takes some looking around.
Che Che Che
The communist propaganda is everywhere and you can't escape it. After a few days of seeing Che everywhere, it just gets old. It's history and I appreciate that, but it's overbearing at times.
It was cool to see his face on every billboard on the first day. By the 2nd, it was ok. The 3rd bearable, and by the 4th you were sick of seeing his face.
Everywhere you went, that was all there was: Che this, Che that, Che pissed here once.
It would be like going to the USA and seeing nothing but Obama, Obama and Obama crap 24/7 (which we know doesn't happen).
The Clubs
Maybe I have been in South America too long, but paying more than a few dollars to get into a club is loco to me.
All the hottest clubs that anyone told us to see while there charged a minimum $10 entrance fee.
I tried to ask where the locals went, as I didn't want to party with a bunch of Westerners, but they all said the same thing "Everyone cool is going to Club _____" (ie; $10 cover fee).
Maybe I just had bad luck but it seemed the norm to me the 3 nights I went out while there for a week.
I think the only way to see Cuba (unless you know someone there) is by an organized tour.
I won't lie though, the last 2 days I was so sick of the resort-style vacation (which I've never really been a fan of) but it seemed to me that's how almost all the tourists were traveling.
I didn't see many young backpackers doing their own thing and I was actually trying to find a few to ask them some questions.
If you're going to Cuba and staying in Havana for a week, then, by all means, it's backpacker-friendly (minus the internet and lack of hostels), but anything else outside of Havana is terribly difficult.
Adam says
Great round-up of traveling to Cuba! I had a friend who went a few years ago and she loved it. I didn't get this much detail out of her, though, so thanks for sharing!
Guest Author says
Thanks and tried to keep it balanced in the article. Cuba just has so much to offer to the backpacker but it's nothing like Asia or the rest of Latin America for the independent traveler. That being said it should still be on your list of places to see because in a way it makes it that much more unique but is harder. Havana no problem, getting outside of Havana though gets harder and harder if your not on a tour of some sort.
Renting a moto-bike I think would be the sweetest way to see it (if you could afford it and know how to ride) as hitting all the small towns is where it gets really fun in Cuba! :)
Rich Harpole says
Great story and the opening photo was outstanding!
Jennifer @ Approach Guides says
Interesting piece. I hadn't heard many of the negatives that you mentioned. Your photos are great -- thanks for sharing!
this article is crap says
many of the "negatives" are non-existent, that's why you hadn't heard of them.
Only hotels? bullcrap, have you heard of (legal) casas particulares, of which there are tons?
No transport? bullcrap, have you heard of Viazul?
Double currencies? Well, you don't work for 200 CUP a month, so you don't get the government subsidy that the double currencies are meant to address. So boo-frigging-hoo for you.
Seeing Che is too boring for you? Suck it up, it's THEIR hero! Do you think they look forward to seeing your sorry American ass every day you're there?
what a crappy article - if you're going to Cuba do yourself a favour and ignore all of this "advice".
JOhn says
Thank you, my thoughts exactly. I'm sure there are negatives to every country, but most of these are untrue and inaccurate.
Jules says
While i think you may have worded your reply a little harsh, i do agree with you that this article is very misleading about the realities of budget backpacking in Cuba.
The fact that the author paid 1CUC for a single ice-cream cone pretty much sums up how 'in touch' they got with Cuba. You would have to be a pretty clueless traveler to get dooped into that, hence the outcome of this article.
Sorry dude, but i would suggest editing or taking down misleading information.
Howard says
Even though your information is true, and even priceless (Thank you, by the way.), I've never had respect for people that hide behind the internet, and interact with others in the most disrespectful manor possible. I understand that the previous information may not have been very accurate, but I also understand that the writer did mention that he only spent one week in the country, and didn't know everything. I also know that being that no one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes, as you did, in being so rude and obnoxious.
A little advice. No matter how opposing your views are to another's, disrespecting that person only makes you look bad. Not them. You could have said the same thing in a more respectful manor, Mr. "This article is crap". Even your tag oozes with negative vibrations. Take it easy, bro. We are all in this shit together, weather it seams like it, or not.
Again, thanks for the information. I will need it when I go.
TamahomeJenkins says
I've always wanted to go to Cuba, but I wonder if it's because travel to the island is forbidden. I guess my question for you is: despite the cons seemingly outweighing the pros, would you go back?
Guest Author says
To be honest I doubt it any time soon. I really got jacked with at the airport coming in and going out. Just got targeted for some reasons and it left a bad taste in my mouth from it. I would like to go back one day though but am a little leery now because of what happened. Lots of American though have traveled their and had no problems, so please don't let me discourage you from traveling their on your own. It's a beautiful country and enjoyed my time their but to be honest if I go back it will be when they lift the embargo. Just afraid I made some list when I was their the 1st time and don't want to get hassled again because so, as right now we don't have an embassy if something escalated. Just being honest. And to be fair I did 7 Pro's - 7 Con's and tried to be neutral when writing this... just took a little more to write the cons.
this article is crap says
it's gonna be ruined once the Americans arrive en masse. Too bad.
JOhn says
Your letter is entertaining. I know for a fact that many, many people are racially profiled when entering the United States. Arabs are 'randomly' selected for further inspection all the time with no cause. Canadians (born and raised) are 'randomly' selected at land border crossings all the time because they look Persian or middle-Eastern. I have no doubt they may have chosen you because you're an American, but don't act like no one does it when America is one of the worse offenders.
Rachel says
I'm Canadian and I have been to Cuba five times, although only resort vacations and would love to begin my backpacking experience in such a beautiful country. I definitely feel like the airport experience for the author was due to the fact that they are American. I have heard many a Cuba make negative comments about the United States, as well as Quebec actually.
Anyway, thank you for the article. It was very interesting. Perhaps a little dated now as Cubans are becoming increasingly in control of their property and they are working on phasing out the CUP.
Everyone needs to experience Cuba in their lifetime.
TamahomeJenkins says
That's what I've heard before. I guess my best bet is to hope that Prez O keeps one of his promises.
P.S. Let's just say that the cons were a little more descriptive than the pros ;)
Sonya says
Thanks for an interesting and informative post on backpacking in Cuba! I'm thinking about backpacking there and I haven't traveled there before so there is food for thought here.
Dave says
Tamahome -
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your question and thoughts. I agree, the con's were a little more convincing then the pro's!
I still hope to visit Cuba before the restrictions are lifted, but at least I'm not in as much of a rush now. :)
Dave says
Hi Rich,
Thanks for checking out T-roy's post on travel in Cuba. Hope to see you around here more often!
Matthew says
Great article, and for the most part I agree with you but I have to say my experience differed on a couple of points.
First on immigration I wasn't asked any questions or interrogated when entering or leaving. Though my friend did have to convince a security guard that a iClicker wasn't contraband. I guess your experience probably relates to your American passport, but you have to remember that tourism is one of the few things that props up the Castro government and they won't jeopardize that by arresting a westerner for something simple.
As for the public transport I agree its non existent but I don't think it makes independent travel impossible, to be sure a confident traveler is needed but you could get by with the national hitchhiking system or renting car, a buy-back might also be a option. Independent travel in Cuba will require relying on the kindness of strangers, I wouldn't worry with Cubans, I encountered nothing but kindness off the beaten path.
Though I never utilized them my research pointed to casa particulars to be common enough and legal to use. They even have a triangle symbol that they post to let you know it is a casa particular. Of course cheap is relative, for a 'developing' country Cuba is very expensive, though once you get your hands on regular pesos it shouldn't be a problem use them for small transactions.
Che is a national hero, regardless of the propaganda circulated by the regime, he will always be in the hearts of Cubans. His legacy will outlive the regime. Though I agree that people asking you "You know Che?" can be a little tiresome. But it is a conversation starter, you could liken it to asking a Canadian about Terry Fox or hockey.
Even if you are with a package tour or staying on a resort you can still get off the path easily with a car rental, I know its pricey but completely worth it for a couple of reasons. 1 Cuban driving is insane, you should experiance it. We were passed by a huge truck while going up a steep hill, we were going 110 and it passed us like we were standing still. GPS is illegal and maps suck so you will get lost, this means you'll meet locals, you'll learn some Spanish and you may get yourself into unique situations. Without a car I never would have been able to find the abandoned resort called the "Grand Hotel" A absolutely stunning abandoned resort in a town that was booming in the 50s because of the natural springs. Here are the pictures I took of this amazing place.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=13953563@N...
In addition if you don't go driving on your own you won't see the amazing rugged hinterland of Cuba which has got to be one of the most amazing experiences of my trip.
tendar says
Hi Matt,
thanks for those wonderful pictures as myself is in photography. i had been debating myself when to visit, where to & how to. this will be my first time. any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.
foggodyssey says
Matthew- Goods points and thanks for the feedback. It's always good to hear what other people experienced and their own views and thoughts. Loved this picture you took and would have killed to be able to photograph it myself. Sounded like you had a hell of a great adventure their!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfalk/3318765072/
Dave says
Matt, thanks for taking the time to share all your thoughts. This could've been a blog post in and of itself!
Matthew says
Yah I couldn't believe how much I wrote, a separate blog post may not be a bad idea.
marcos says
This blog on Cuba is so incredibly ridiculous and non factual and so biaised as to be totally unreal but please spread it to any American citizen of your culturally-challenged type.
Your 50's era condescending rattitude is really something ! You're a museum piece of red-neckism.
A great American named Mark Twain once said : Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness. I guess foggodyssey is invincible.
Luckily for Cubans, the million or so Canadians and the other million tourists from 45 countries avoid being judgemental and visit the island with an open mind.
Please stay home, we'll keep Cuba for ourselves.
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.� Einstein
marcos says
This blog on Cuba is so incredibly ridiculous and non factual and so biaised as to be totally unreal but please spread it to any American citizen of your culturally-challenged type.
Your 50's era condescending rattitude is really something ! You're a museum piece of red-neckism.
A great American named Mark Twain once said : Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness. I guess foggodyssey is invincible.
Luckily for Cubans, the million or so Canadians and the other million tourists from 45 countries avoid being judgemental and visit the island with an open mind.
Please stay home, we'll keep Cuba for ourselves.
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.†Einstein
Marlene says
I went to Cuba for two weeks - and absolutely loved it! We were three norwegian girls, and as you say we felt safe all the time (and were all blond ;) As to your thougths on accommodation, I really disgreee. The government lets alot of people rent out at romm in their house, its cheap, safe and you get to meet the locals and help them out. Dont really remember the name, but they have a blue anchorsticker on their house to show that they have been approved.
We also used Viazul tour buses alot. Fairly ok transportation, though the roads are bad... We got to see alot of beatiful places! Dont miss the hills of Vinales or the old city Trinidad. Varadero is gorgeous, but a little bir to touristy I think.
I had the most relaxing vacation ever going to Cuba - and totally fell in love with the music, weather, people an mood (the is by the way not good, Im glad I got vaccinated before I came - except from the pineapple love love love it! wanto go back just to eat it once more!)
Dave says
Marline - thanks for sharing your experiences in Cuba too!
Marka Cadiz says
Hi Marlene,
I plan to go to Cuba late December going into the first couple weeks of January and try to approach the country with a backpack mentality. How did you find these local home stays? As for Viazul tour buses, was it as easy as going to the bus terminal and hopping on to your desired destination?
Cheers,
Mark
Delia says
I live in Cuba for three months earlier this year, and i can honestly say i will go back. also, most of the REAL negatives (like lack of food, no water pressure/hot water and uncomfortable beds) don't bother you if you're only there for a few weeks, and especially if you're there with a tour since they're not a factor.
as for wifi, they definitely have it--i had it in my room and it worked decent. no skype, google pulls a lot of their stuff (not gmail, but you cant download any of it). you can find wifi and free (sometimesish) internet at a lot of the cultural places. try casa de las americas. i think if you pay admission you can use it for free in their awesome, hand-painted library.
hostels don't exist, but seriously, go to casas particulares and then make friends. people are very open and welcoming in cuba, and most of your issues (like where to go out at night that's fun and cheap) are resolved by making friends with habaneros.
i would say if you're american, don't bother with cuba if you're just doing the all-inclusive thing, because then you may as well be in some other island, or florida, for less risk. the all-inclusive stuff is super sterilized, a la jamaica, with cubanos not even allowed to live in the big resort town of Varadero.
i dunno what the heck you did to arouse their suspicion/wrath leaving habana, but i flew in and out, as well as within cuba, and never had a problem, nor did anyone i was with.
finally, you DO have an embassy, sort of. it's the US Special Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy, and it's the giant building with all the flagpoles in front of it along the Malecon in Habana. it's near the large plaza where Calle 13 played and the Elian Gonzalez protests took place. you'll know it because security won't let you walk on the same side of the street as it, unless you go in the back through security. and yes, they will help you (as much as possible--they cant get you out of jail) and they won't even ask if you're there legally. and given how many people ARE there legally, you really won't arouse too much suspicion. just don't tell them you know Asata Shakur and you'll be fine.
hope that helps--everyone should go to Cuba, it's an amazing place filled with some of the most artistic, politically active and educated people in the world.
~delia
Tariq says
Thank you for this blog.
I'm planning my trip to Cuba and staying there for 2 months.
I have a limited budget therefore I will appreciate if someone can describe daily expenses and how much money would be enough for the period.
Also if anyone has an idea how much it is to rent a moto-bike.
-Tariq
Nc says
One thing about renting cars in Cuba: Driving is dangerous and few traffic laws are enforced, signs are scarce etc... Accidents are the number one cause of foreigners being jailed, as it is required that you prove you're innocence before being released.
Nc says
i just wrote below but wish to add that Cuba is a beautfiul and welcoming place. i absolutely love the country and i was enthralled by the people, sights and their culture of strength and resilience... they stand tall and proud even though they are disgraced by the USA... it's really powerful.
alex k says
hey you are not right about crappy buses... we backpacked with viazul - http://www.viazul.com/ (bus that takes you around cuba) and its very convenience, on time and not that expensive (varadero to havana = $10, santiago de cuba to havana = $50)
knel says
Is it safe for a woman to go by herself? Would you recommend it ?
anthony says
i just returned from cuba last week and going back on sunday accom is plentiful they are called casa,s safe and clean wonderful people will say im not going back for the food rice beans chicken pork rice beans chicken pork..............the problem with the food is the politics well lets say control mind you my feeling is that the cuban people are ready to blow or revolt you can only push someone so far before they push back... anyhow im going back sunday and wonderful people wonderful country cant waitp.s if you are married i dont sugest to bring your wife oopssie but true the women are 2nd to none!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
davious says
This is a really interesting blog.
i Too am soon to be backpacking Cuba, and was planning on quitting my job to be able to afford the time away. Ive been to Cuba several times, and as you mentioned: its a very safe place, if you harm a tourist in any way you get sent to prison for a long time, Cuba doesnt have too many resources, so they must protect their tourism at all costs.
Your pro - con list is pretty good, could be significantly updated though, and some of the cons don't actually apply.
Though in the past the only way to travel the nearly 1200 km - 745 mile island was to hitch hike, and it would indeed take days to travel one end of the island to another, those days are quickly fading as better trade with other nations is opening up opportunities. ...Especially as China, the EU (mainly France), Canada and several Latin American countries (most prominently Venezuela) are increasing trade with Cuba. Surely on your travels you must have seen SOME of the public transport? Cuba has been buying buses, taxis, and cars now that they can finally afford them. After the embargo and supplies ran short Cuba allied with Russia, the only power willing to help it at the time. When the soviet union collapsed in '91 all support and aid dried up. Cuban government even salvaged its train-rail system for parts and steel. Thanks to an influx of foreign trade even the trains are starting to come back.
It is importantly to remember Cuba is NOT a developed country, and its growth is severely stunned not just by the currently embargo but also the currently government which rightly believes all Cuban assets should remain Cuban (and therefor no foreign investments can be made to make healthy competition in the hotel chains, driving prices down or allowing more choices) However, if your people skills are sufficient, you can speak Cuban Spanish, or more importantly if you just have some money you can easily find a place to sleep the night in a locals house, be it in the city or in the country. its very common, usually very safe and can save you a lot of time and money spent on frantically looking for a hotel.
As for Che, well, complaining about the cultural significance of Che in ANY Latin American country is like complaining about your American forefathers. Back in the day Americans didnt like being part of the British colonies and violently revolted, well back in the late 50's Cubans didnt like being part of the America and with the help of Che (Castro, and others) they ousted the Americans no differently then America ousting the British. it might just take a different perspective to see it that way.
Really a great deal of these cons stem directly from the outdated embargo that prevented the Caribbean country from developing on par with the rest of Latin America.
i cant wait to visit Cuba again, this time without the resorts and tourist traps. i cant wait to enjoy a country with a rich history, and country so close to the United States and yet so far away and uninfluenced.
im not going to a tourist vacation hotspot, to have my every whim catered to in ways all the other resort / Caribbean islands. im going someone unique. Cuba.
Dave says
Hi Davious, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Enjoy your trip to Cuba! I hope to get there some day myself.
Birgit says
Hai All,
So awesome to read all this amazing stuff, I'm from Holland and planning to leave for Latin America in a year. (Need to save some money first:-)) My first stop will be Cuba. Thank you so much for shearing all your stories. I'm allready excited!
trilly says
I agree with most of the points.
just remarks
travel:
bus: there are bus services (viazul) but of course it is not as sophisticated as in mexico for example. 4 hours cost about 10 $, a fortune for locals. A friend of mine tramped and enjoyed, but then you need a lot of time and it is hard to plan in advance
crime: while there are no gun related crimes, you have to be careful about pickpockets. but it can happen anywhere, but still nothing compared to some other countries in that area.
pro: casa particulares
hotels: a great alternative are private owned casa particulares where locals can rent their rooms for tourists. sometimes they cook too. about 20-30 $ a night
they are very very friendly and some houses are really cool with old colonial style.
in no other country you can learn more about the people
private restaurants are (mostly) awesome too.
and you'll do something good for locals, not staying in major chain hotels
pro: language
while in many areas in latin america it is hard without spanish knowledge, cubans are well educated (and dependent on tourism, so a lot of people speak English or French.
con: expensive
as toursim is the only money income for a lot of cubans, they need dollars to survive. so it is more expensive for example than mexico, especially day tours or taxi
con: supply of products. as there is an embargo and so on.. it is hard to get everyday necessities. there are no supermarkets or something like that to buy a toothbrush or new clothes. that you need to take into account while packing as you cannot go to the next store and just buy it.
con: some toilets and showers were older than the revolution, even in 4 stars hotels sometimes
con: no ATMs/ visa
not everywhere you can withdraw money with your (non American) creditcard, so bring a lot of cash with you.
in retrospect, I would have spent a lot more money if I had used my visa
pro: cocktails (alkohol to soft drink ratio in a cocktail is great :-)
rum is cheaper than milk
viva cuba libres :-)
and next time: bring some stuff as a present for the locals, your landlady or cleaning lady, esp. children: pens, soap, and sweets. they need them.
hard to imagine for westeners, but everyday necessities like aspirin (it is so expensive in cuba) or soap are unaffordable. so a lot of people will be grateful for medicine (I know you have some to spare), old tights or clothes or shoes. children liked hairclips for example. share please!
stefan says
I’m heading to Cuba early march,…aiming to stay 3 weekish. I’m thinking of renting or even buying a motorcycle when i get there and just sell it or trade it for few free nights of accomidations before i leave. Good idea or bad idea, possible or not???? If good, what is the best way to make this hapen?!
Also I am thinking if once i get there i might wanna check into an all inclusive for a weekend when i get there. Is it possibe to find a resort that looks good walk in and stay for a resonable price?
Anelys says
Hi, backpackers. First off all I found this post reallly organized and well written. Is interestig the way the author "writes" his mind and explains the pros and cons of traveling to Cuba. My experience was totally different from his and its amazing how an entire travel can change if you experience it from another point of view. I´m not going to lie, somethigs are expensive and most of the technological luxuries are non existent, but I really enjoy the experience.
Also this post is a little outdated. Casas particulares made everything cheaper for me and the part about the propaganda, well I guess that has change a little bit too. If you want to buy a T-shirt with Che´s picture on it you can, but if you want to buy one with a coconut tree, you can. They are just souvenirs they dont represent a people or a culture so they souldnt categorize either of those.
Mainly if you wan to mingle dont stay in a hotel because that´s boring most of the time and you won´t be knowing special people. And about the clubs and everything else, I guess that depens, like everything, on where you go. No country is perfect, so....
The double currency is a little annoying, I agree with that and learning how to handle it s a little tricky but you can change your money to CUCs and you should be good to go anywhere, buy anything you need.
I recommend this guys: https://www.facebook.com/goingtocuba, goingtocuba0.webnode.es- they really helped me and made everything easier. Is alway good to find good and nice people who can make you change your mind about most of the bad things you hear about cubans, also they give you pointers so you can get through your trip without so many bumps in the road.
Any
Chase Post says
I was there 5 times, years ago. You leave out the best thing about Cuba - CUBANS!!! Architecture and old cars are boring. Cubans are extremely friendly and many want desperately to be your best friend and companion. More-so any country I've ever been to. They will abandon their job to travel with you. They will show you how to get around. There is some risk to them because the authorities forbid it - but it is a risk they choose to take. Just try to keep a low profile and have an excuse as to why you are together, if questioned.
Hitchhikers with cash will always find a ride. Do not rent a car - find a local with a car or motorcycle. If you see a cycle in parking lot, you just tell the owner where you want to go. There is a train that goes from Havana to Cienfuegos and Santiago/Guantanamo. Cheap. Also are cheap flights to various cities. Baracoa is maybe the best little city on the island.
Anonymous says
Man, I hated that place! Cuba sucks big time for backpackers (and it sucks big time, in general).
I was going to spend one month there but I gave up after 9 days. It took me only 2 more days to change my flight and I was sooo happy to get the f*** out of that sh*thole!
Cuba is probably the only place in the world I do not want to visit ever again!
I can confirm 99% of what you wrote in this post and I admire the objective and diplomatic way you describe certain issues that can become very annoying. I could not have written this post without swearing in every sentence - that's how I feel about the place.
My advice to backpackers: you get more value for your money in so many other countries of the world = go elsewhere than Cuba. :-)