Top Cuba hotels
Moped Rental Holguín
3 Reviews We rented mopeds and drove to many villages nearby and met the local cubans. Had a tour of their homes and learned a bit about their culture and everyday life. With us we brought many gifts for young...
See All 17 Off The Beaten Path in Holguín
Beaches Santiago de Cuba
1 Review Take the road from Santiago, east to Siboney Beach. On the way, you will pass twenty-six white monuments in memory of the heroes who died during the attack on the Moncada Barracks with Castro. At the...
See All 13 Off The Beaten Path in Santiago de Cuba
Nature Trinidad
10 Reviews Valle de los Ingenios, unesco world heritage site, also known as Valle de San Luis, on the road to Sancti Spiritus, east of Trinidad. We passed in this valley during our trip to Santa Clara, there is...
See All 20 Off The Beaten Path in Trinidad
Malecon Cienfuegos
5 Reviews Next to the club another pearl of renovation and architecture in Cienfuegos Walking from the Hotel Jagua till the historical center of Cienfuegos will take about 45 minutes.But during day time you...
See All 17 Off The Beaten Path in Cienfuegos
Nature Holguín
5 Reviews Many Cuban houses and farms off the road resemble this one. Some of them do not have doors or windows as it is too hot. Around the house you will most likely see chicken, cats and dogs... feel free to...
See All 17 Off The Beaten Path in Holguín
Nature Santiago de Cuba
4 Reviews La Gran Piedra up in the Sierra Maestra is a splendit tropical rain forrest. From La Gran Piedra you can see all of Santiago de Cuba and on a clear day you can see as far out as Jamaica...
See All 13 Off The Beaten Path in Santiago de Cuba
Local Arts Trinidad
2 Reviews A typical scenary in Trinidad - near the famous tower - making and selling handicrafts !! There is often a local market selling their products. To visit the tower itself - you have to pay a little fee...
See All 20 Off The Beaten Path in Trinidad
Beaches Cienfuegos
2 Reviews Before we reached Cienfuegos, we went for a nice relaxing swim. The water was beautiful and warm, the sand on the beach had a nice white colour. There was hardly anyone on the beach thus our tour...
See All 17 Off The Beaten Path in Cienfuegos
Religion in Cuba Santiago de Cuba
1 Review You will find some religious monuments in Santiago dated from the spanish period - like in the house of the former conqueror of this island - Diego Velasquez. But the actual religious situation is not...
See All 13 Off The Beaten Path in Santiago de Cuba
About Cigars Trinidad
1 Review Go and visit one of the tabacco farms. The local farmer will offer you a cup of coffee and .... a cigar - special and unique production. The skill of these craftsmen is remarkable. Smokers think that...
See All 20 Off The Beaten Path in Trinidad
Nature/Eco tourism Cienfuegos
5 Reviews About 85 kms west of Cienfuegos is the town of Australia on the main highway. Turning south at that point takes you into the ZAPATA PENNISULA, three quarters of which is a swamp with lagoons and...
See All 17 Off The Beaten Path in Cienfuegos
Local People Trinidad
1 Review As usual in most of the cities - a "Casa de la Trova" to be visited - this time in Trinidad My second trip to this beautiful country was highlighted by visiting the local people - just a great...
See All 20 Off The Beaten Path in Trinidad
Castillo de Jagua Cienfuegos
1 Review One can take a ferry from Cienfuegos across the Bahia de Cienfuegos to the Castillo de Jagua opposite. The ferry point is near Av 46, between Calle 25 and Calle 27. The first ferry of the day departs...
See All 17 Off The Beaten Path in Cienfuegos
Sponsored Links
Towns close to each other, you can reach easily on the ways Cubans do. How you wonder, well try doing "hacer la botella", take a ride in the back of a truck. Take your time, it can last for hours or maybe you are within the hour on your place.We did this from Vinãles to Pinar del Rio and it costs us only 1peso each. You can read more about it in my "Hacer la Botella" from Vinãles to Pinar Del Rio travelogue.
The Palacio del Valle in Cienfuegos is a restaurant and museum, housed in a 1912 neo-Moorish mansion built by Aciclio Valle. Check out the colorful piano player who dresses like Carmen Miranda. Be sure to go up to the rooftop. The view is spectacular.
Visit the Fabrica de Ron Bocoy in Havana to see how rum is produced. This factory makes special rum for Castro (La Isla del Torso). The pope is also fond of this rum. On the tour you can witness the entire process of making rum, from beginning to end. There were thousands of barrels that were in aging the molasses in the factory. At the end, you can sample different rums at the factory store.Cda. del Cerro No. 1417As was the case with the cigar factory tours, you will need to have your tour operator or hotel conceirge set this up for you.
Although the amount of tourists in Cuba is relatively small you might want to see the real Cuba. I managed to go to places like Colon where Cubans apparently never have seen a tourist..The one and only hotel in Colon (I forgot the name) is quite well (about $18/single), but you have a huge chance there is no water in the morning, so use it while you can.
This region used to be the sugarcane plantation region. There are remnants of sugar mills, 19th-century manor houses, slaves quarters, milling machinery, etc... found around here.To visit this area, there is a very kitsch activity. A replica steam-train that costs US$10 (two-way) leaves at 9.30am every morning. Many organised tours cater to this trip, making you feel like you are riding a Disneyland toy-train.Still, the scenery, sugarcane plantations with the distant undulating mountains is rather picturesque. Stop at Manaca Iznaga. There is a 44m-tall tower where you can climb up and be able to see what the slave masters could see in begone years as they observed the slaves at work. Naturally, this being Cuba, you have to pay US$1 for this.Just wander around the tiny village and talk to the friendly locals. I met a great wonderful 85-year-old man here and chatted with him for about an...
Peninsula Ancon is about 12km from Trinidad. On the top of a hill of Trinidad, you can see the Caribbean sea... and Peninsula Ancon, if you know where to look.As this is the Caribbean sea, the water is amazingly warm, beautifully turqoise and compared to the overt commercialism and trashiness of Varadero, Peninsula Ancon is a nice, quiet place to relax.There is a van that departs along Calle Antonio Maceo, near the Cubatur office OR at the next street-corner (sorry, my memory fails me). It leaves every hour on the hour and costs US$2 one-way.
One can take a ferry from Cienfuegos across the Bahia de Cienfuegos to the Castillo de Jagua opposite.The ferry point is near Av 46, between Calle 25 and Calle 27. The first ferry of the day departs at 11am. The 8am and another one in the afternoon have been cancelled. Check out the time beforehand from the wall.As the ferry is for locals, the price is actually 1 Cuban Peso. Hand over the 1 Cuban Peso coin confidently.The thing is I had no problems with the conductor. But a fellow German tourist was made to pay US$0.50. I am not sure if all foreigners will be forced to pay a 'foreigner's price'. Did the conductor think I was a local Cuban Chinese? Or did he not pester me because I seemed to know the 'true price'?Anyway, the view across the bay is really pretty.Once on the other side, the Castillo is moderately interesting. Costs US$1 to enter. The village around the Castillo near the bay...
Near the city of Matanzas, this river is a nice off the beaten path destination. You can get a motor boat to cruise the river surrounded with luxurian vegetation. Trips here are organized from Havana too.
...definetely worth it !!Maria la Gorda is located at the extreme west coast of the island. Going there from Havana means more or less five hours by car, and also the roads are not good especially after passing Pinar del Rio.The place is beautiful and wild, and it is great for immersions (not for snorkelling though) because the reef is quite deep here.Someone says that this is the best spot in Cuba for scuba diving.Remember to bring your passport with you if you want to stay there for the night in the only hotel, otherwise they can't accept you !! (we didn't .. so we had to come back to Havana in the same day with another 5 hours driving !! aaaa !!!)
A trip to Playa Giron could be a nice alternative to the most famous and usual tours... but BE CAREFUL !!!On the way you could find thousands of these big crabs crossing the road... and their claws can make big holes on your tires !!
Villa Las Brujas Cuba
2 Reviews and 51 Opinions I could have chosen Okay but some problems, but I still think it falls too short to express how...
NH Parque Central Havana
8 Reviews and 1269 Opinions This is a jewel of a hotel, located just a block or two away from Old Havana, and the shops of Calle...
Iberostar Varadero Varadero
5 Reviews and 1871 Opinions great food gained 5 lbs on the french sauces whatch out for the car rental guy Frank , he takes the...
Reviews and photos of Cuba attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Cuba sightseeing.
More Cities in Cuba
More Regions in Cuba
Q: We're hoping to do Eastern Cuba in December, we've already done the west. I'm trying to book flights, ideally from Manchester. I...
A: flights domestically it is, aerocaribbean do it, as you are in Manchester check the Cuban tourist office http://www.travel2cuba.co.uk/ hope it helps cheers
Read 2 Replies
