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Visiting Cuba

Holiday Ideas & Foreign Travel
Watis
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Visiting Cuba

#38439

Postby Watis » March 13th, 2017, 1:35 pm

Hi,

A member of my family is due to visit Cuba shortly, and I have discovered that their preparation has not been as thorough as I would like.

So, does anyone have any tips, warnings, etc., particularly in the areas of accessing money using debit or credit cards, and travel.

TIA,

Watis

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#38551

Postby Hardgrafter » March 13th, 2017, 11:05 pm

Use TripAdvisor.
Cuba, outside all inclusive resorts, is third world, not first world. With all that implies.

77ss
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Re: Visiting Cuba

#38573

Postby 77ss » March 14th, 2017, 8:10 am

Watis wrote:Hi,

A member of my family is due to visit Cuba shortly, and I have discovered that their preparation has not been as thorough as I would like.

So, does anyone have any tips, warnings, etc., particularly in the areas of accessing money using debit or credit cards, and travel.

TIA,

Watis


Take cash (Sterling or Euros). Unwise to rely on cards.

Some online things just don't work from Cuba (thanks to the US).

Be aware that there are two different currencies in use. The 'Cuban Convertible Peso' and the 'Cuban Peso'. With very different values.

Great place to visit!

youfoolishboy
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Re: Visiting Cuba

#38854

Postby youfoolishboy » March 15th, 2017, 12:28 pm

I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else. The two holidays would be very different.
So if going to an all inclusive take UK £ in cash I have been 3 times and don't remember seeing a cash machine but if I did it would not work with my cards probably as it would dispense cuban pesos and not the cuban convertable peso. Former is for the locals and what a cash machine, if they exist, would dispense and the latter is the only currency tourists are allowed to buy and use. However you don't really need money apart from tipping the locals in the hotel, not strictly necessary but when you see how they live you feel like tipping them. You change money at the hotel reception.
When you go out there is nothing to buy as there is very little in the normal shops and that which is there is overpriced rubbish there is off course the usual tourist souvenirs stuff which is of a good quality usually but nothing you need to buy. Food is not easy to buy either, even for the locals, but there are some tourist restaurants in peoples houses etc where you can buy food. There are taxis but generally you can only get them from the hotel which will be in the middle of nowhere so they will need to pay, they are not cheap. Tell them to take medicines with them as they are in very short supply there and to give them to the locals as they leave along with anything else they need. I gave a carrier bag of medicine to the doctor based in the hotel last time to give to the locals. Tell them they must go on excursions to see the local town and how the people live it really is an eye opener everything is in short supply from glass for windows to toilet rolls in the hotel you will not notice this as tourists are the main cash cow of the island and live on a different planet.

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#38992

Postby 77ss » March 16th, 2017, 1:46 am

youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else.


Well, I went on a 3 week cycling holiday.

Some people like resort holidays, others avoid them like the plague.

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39017

Postby redsturgeon » March 16th, 2017, 8:59 am

77ss wrote:
youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else.


Well, I went on a 3 week cycling holiday.

Some people like resort holidays, others avoid them like the plague.


That sounds great, how was it?

John

77ss
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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39056

Postby 77ss » March 16th, 2017, 11:21 am

redsturgeon wrote:
77ss wrote:
youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else.


Well, I went on a 3 week cycling holiday.

Some people like resort holidays, others avoid them like the plague.


That sounds great, how was it?

John


I had a fantastic time. Two package holidays (I'm not into DIY) back to back, with a few independent days in between spent in Havana (days well spent - a fascinating place).

Went over Xmas and, the weather was excellent (very important on a bike!) - just one rainy afternoon. Some hills, and road surfaces can be rough at times, but I managed it all, despite not being a strong cyclist.

If you are interested, I went with G Adventures (to the west of Havana) and Exodus (to the east).

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39062

Postby youfoolishboy » March 16th, 2017, 11:43 am

77ss wrote:
youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else.


Well, I went on a 3 week cycling holiday.

Some people like resort holidays, others avoid them like the plague.


I get the feeling you are feeling somewhat superior having taken a cycling holiday. I would say others avoid cycling holidays like the plague if they have 2 year old children.

Watis
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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39097

Postby Watis » March 16th, 2017, 2:02 pm

youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else. The two holidays would be very different.

<snip>



The holiday is partly resort based (Varadero) and partly striking out on their own. It is the 'on their own' (as a couple) that concerns me.

Based on the responses - thank you, everyone - I am recommending they take all available plastic in the hope that some work, and as much cash as they can withdraw before they go.

Hopefully they will have a great time and I am worrying about nothing.

Watis

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39110

Postby 77ss » March 16th, 2017, 3:07 pm

youfoolishboy wrote:
77ss wrote:
youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else.


Well, I went on a 3 week cycling holiday.

Some people like resort holidays, others avoid them like the plague.


I get the feeling you are feeling somewhat superior having taken a cycling holiday. I would say others avoid cycling holidays like the plague if they have 2 year old children.


Superior? Inferior? Don't be silly! We each do what suits us. The OP did not mention 2 year old children - or perhaps you read something that I didn't see?

It was your expression of 'surprise' that anyone would do anything other than take an all inclusive resort holiday that I felt needed correcting. Each to his own.

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39206

Postby youfoolishboy » March 16th, 2017, 10:54 pm

77ss wrote:
youfoolishboy wrote:
77ss wrote:
Well, I went on a 3 week cycling holiday.

Some people like resort holidays, others avoid them like the plague.


I get the feeling you are feeling somewhat superior having taken a cycling holiday. I would say others avoid cycling holidays like the plague if they have 2 year old children.


Superior? Inferior? Don't be silly! We each do what suits us. The OP did not mention 2 year old children - or perhaps you read something that I didn't see?

It was your expression of 'surprise' that anyone would do anything other than take an all inclusive resort holiday that I felt needed correcting. Each to his own.


I went with a 2 year old first time.
It's my surprise that anyone going to Cuba for the first time would not go on an all inclusive as it is a very difficult place to do anything else as booking anything outside a package, including cycling package holidays of which I was not aware of therefore I include in the organised holiday type. I did an outside package holiday trip whilst there so have experience of how difficult it is to do anything in Cuba. I had to employ a local agent via email and have a few discussions with him to arrange internal flights, a room in a local house, and transport from the airport for an internal trip to Havana to referee a local rugby cup final the package operator could not get me to Havana the day I wanted it cost a lot as well, so concluded the OPs family were taking a package trip as he was concerned they had not prepared enough and if you DIY to Cuba you have to be very prepared just to organise it.

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39209

Postby youfoolishboy » March 16th, 2017, 11:01 pm

Watis wrote:
youfoolishboy wrote:I am going to guess they are going on a package trip to an all inclusive resort as for a first time to Cuba I would be surprised if anyone did anything else. The two holidays would be very different.

<snip>



The holiday is partly resort based (Varadero) and partly striking out on their own. It is the 'on their own' (as a couple) that concerns me.

Based on the responses - thank you, everyone - I am recommending they take all available plastic in the hope that some work, and as much cash as they can withdraw before they go.

Hopefully they will have a great time and I am worrying about nothing.

Watis


One thing I will say I felt safe in Cuba the secret police keep the population in fear of doing anything to tourists.

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Re: Visiting Cuba

#39219

Postby Regdragon » March 17th, 2017, 1:18 am

I would recommend people travel in Cuba rather than take an all-inclusive package which would probably be Varadero-based. Varadero is not really Cuba - it's a homogenised honey pot designed to bring in foreign currency. It's quite bland really - you feel you could be anywhere to be honest. It reminded me of a Floridian or Californian resort - but Cubans are just as friendly there as anywhere else on the island and the tourist hotels there are comfortable and include all the facilities we are used to although the internet was still a bit limited when I was there.

Travelling around the country is easy using buses but Cuba is a big place and journeys take hours. From memory a trip from Havana to Santiago de Cuba at the bottom of the island might take you about 14 hours and the roads aren't always great. If you only had 14 days, say, long trips like this might take up too much time and you might want to restrict travel to the upper part of the island, taking in places like Trinidad - a lovely town with a safe beach around 9 k's away - and Camaguay. Taxis are cheap enough to be an option for shorter distances between towns but always agree a firm price up front and haggle.

Re accommodation, we found Casa Particulares - licensed family stays basically - are easy to arrange and fun. You get to know the families and as I say Cubans, in my experience, are friendly and hospitable. They don't have much money but one family in Havana made a mate of mine a birthday cake with a single candle and we sat around drinking rum and listening to an original vinyl Beatles album in an impromptu Brit-themed party! I don't see any reason for you to worry about moving on from Varadero but there's the usual need to look after your valuables and lumps of cash, as there would be in any country, including the UK, but it's more relevant when, because of the lack of cash points, you have to travel with large amounts of cash. This was the case three years ago - it might have changed. Only change money in official Government offices, not on the street, whatever rate is on offer.

Food is a bit variable but private restaurants were just starting up when we were there and some were really good - one or two were excellent - and great value. State-owned restaurants tended not to be too good. Trip Advisor will be the best, most up-to-date source on eating out though (and Casa Particulares.)

It goes without saying the live music is great and on offer all over the place. I hope they have a great time. Personally I wished I'd reduced the time spent in Varadero to see more of the country but i do get that Varadero is the best place for anyone with a young family.

Regards

RD


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