A Trip to Cuba - Our Experience
For the Memorial Day weekend, we ventured south to Havana, Cuba. I had long heard about the music and the dancing, the cigars, the old classic cars, the palm trees and white sandy beaches, and the friendly people. I would imagine myself on a terrace on a warm night with a gentle breeze blowing white chiffon curtains, and tropical plants swaying to a melodical voice singing a Cuban song accompanied with a drummer’s beat. So, I thought it was time for me to book a flight and experience Havana for myself.
Who knew that Southwest airlines flew to Havana these days? First, if you decide to fly to Cuba, a visa is needed. However, you can obtain a visa for about $85 right at the gate in the Miami airport before boarding your flight. You can also purchase it ahead of time online. U.S. citizens are not permitted to travel as tourists and need to declare the reason for visiting Cuba, i.e. educational purposes, supporting the Cuban people, or visiting a relative to name a few. Flights were very reasonably priced at under $700.
Now, where to stay? We opted to stay at a bed and breakfast in the heart of Havana, at the Alhabana Hostel. I would say it wasn’t so much a hostel, but more of a quaint bed and breakfast. We had a king-bed in a loft space with a private bathroom, a small balcony and plenty of air conditioning, which was very much needed at the time of year we visited. The staff were very warm and insightful. I also learned it good to bring gifts to the Cuban people especially feminine products, hygienic items, eyewear, AA or AAA batteries, and USB memory sticks. These items you can just leave with your host. Because U.S. citizens are not allowed to travel as tourists, you are also not permitted to stay at most hotels. (Out the Gate Travel can help you select a place that is safe and comfortable).
Money is another issue. You must bring cash with you as credit and debit cards will not work at all anywhere in Cuba. The good news is that you don’t need to take much. For a 5 or 6-day trip, $500 per person should be enough. And don’t exchange your money at the bank or airport. You will receive a much better exchange rate at a restaurant or where you lodge. I suggest exchanging about $60-$80 at a time, which will last you a couple of days depending on your level of spending.
Once in Havana, we found it easy to walk to most places. The air does smell of diesel fuel in some parts of the city due to the old diesel cars in use. However, we felt very safe walking along the streets and people were friendly. To find restaurants, we searched on Google, but internet connection is spotty, so you should know where you’re headed before you leave your room. One of our favorite spots was Havana 5, which had a nice view overlooking the water, great food, excellent service and good prices. We ate at this location three times while on our trip.
We also visited the beach three times. Instead of hiring a car or taking a taxi, we found bus transportation that leaves every 30 minutes from the plaza near Hotel Inglaterra and only costs $10 American dollars roundtrip. The last bus returned from the beach at 5pm and it was a nice coach bus with air conditioning. The bus ride is only 30 minutes to the beach as well, and once at the beach, there were a couple of open-air venues to grab lunch. The first day we went to the beach, we had lobster with sides and a snapper-like fish with sides, plus two cervezas and bottled water for about $12. And once on the beach, the water was absolutely beautiful! Clear crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches were inviting us to swim to the sand bar, which we did.
Back in Havana, we scoped out a couple good places to dance. One was the Casa de la Musica Centro, which cost a few Cuban pesos to get in, the rooftop club at the Hotel Habana Libre, and 1830 which also had dinner options and dancing was outside. (A taxi is needed to get to this location from central Havana). We also caught a show at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba for $30 each that included two drinks. There was a dinner option for an additional fee as well, but we opted to have dinner nearby before the show.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and I know I’m only giving a quick overview of our entire trip. And even though I did get a little stomach sickness (drink bottle water only, don’t have drinks with ice, don’t brush your teeth with sink water, and keep your mouth closed when showering), I would venture back to learn more and see more of the land and culture. Out the Gate Travel can help you experience it too!