Top Cuba hotels
Food and Drinks Varadero
4 Reviews One thing you really don't want to eat when you're in Cuba is a hamburger. They are, seriously, the most disgusting things I have ever eaten. Don't be sucked in by the 1CUC price, they are nasty,...
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Mopeds Holguín
1 Review MOPEDS!!! Please be careful when renting a moped... I've been to Cuba many times and have sort of gotten acustomed to this kind of transportation. Anyhow, I try to be extra careful regarless. I...
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Hustlers Santiago de Cuba
1 Review When you arrive at the via azul terminal in santiago, you are either in a hurry to buy a ticket or just leave after long trip from habana. please be careful as there are many people who are watching...
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Cuban cigars Varadero
3 Reviews Everyone allegedly has a relative or best friend working in a cigar factory in cuba. A cigar addict myself, I know they are fake for sure. The only time I would buy a box off the street is if I was...
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Sun protection Holguín
1 Review Holguin is very dry!! You will not feel the heat and therefore, please wear suntan lotion...or you will burn like me! Don't forget your feet and your LIPS!
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Drugs Santiago de Cuba
1 Review Do not, under any circumstances, carry dope or deal with anyone on the subject. This is something the authorities take very seriously, and you may not see the light of day for a while if caught. Stick...
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Jellyfish Varadero
2 Reviews These look like blown up blue condoms and will float on the water. If you see one on the beach (theres lots) give them a wide berth as the trailers (the long stringy things with the stingers, yes that...
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Robberies Santiago de Cuba
1 Review How to avoid crime and delinquency in Cuba: this comes at a price, but having been robbed rwice in the last one year at palces where tourists gather, I have decided to avoid such places...
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Hustlers / Jineteros Varadero
2 Reviews psssyt pssyt where you from? its not a friendly start of conversation. Probably they will be trying sell you something or give you directions (even you dont need them) expecting a tip back. Simply say...
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Bad deal reviews Santiago de Cuba
1 Review This is addressed to all you other Brits out there. If you want to take a chopper ride to S.D.C. then you will have to book it directly with Gaviotatours as your normal holiday rep. will not be...
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Scooter Rentals Varadero
1 Review Remember that these scooters are driven hard and not a lot of money for repairs. We drove 70K into the countryside and one scooter had mechanical troubles. We limped it back Varadero and it died....
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Sun Protection Varadero
1 Review When you first get to the Cuba sun, please wear sunscreen. We got burned the first day and it's not the best experience for the rest of the trip. Also remember to wear shoes or flipflops when you walk...
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After i been to cuba now 5 times i thought i know it all.But somehow i got lured into a house with 3 guys and raped.This wasnt the first time this guys done it..it was all planned..lights went off and the women and man who lived in the house just disapeared upstairs.My experience was bad..but lucky i'm alive.This guys are now in prison for a very very long time.Please, dont ever go alone with some guys[even if you know them] to a house!!!!
As public transportation is just about non-existant outside of Havana,(or perhaps too expensive or not dependable), people have to HITCH-HIKE to get anywhere. On our way to Havana, you could see just how much of a problem it is. On the highway, under every bridge, there were crowds of people looking for rides. Some even tried to wave down our tour bus. I've never seen anything like it. Women with small children and older folks, probably waiting for hours just to get a ride home.You could also see folks walking along the sides of the narrow roads or some riding bicycles or horses and all sorts of horses pulling carts - unbelievable and so dangerous.
Exercise caution at all times, especially in tourist areas. Ensure personal belongings, passports and other travel documents are secure at all times. Avoid wearing jewellery or showing signs of affluence. Incidents should be reported to local police and victims should insist on receiving a copy of the report as police often only provide a slip of paper indicating that they took a statement on a certain date. In cases where a Canadian has been robbed of all identification and money, it is advisable to contact the Embassy of Canada before contacting the police in order to avoid being held in jail until your identity is confirmed and your solvency restored.Tourists may be approached and offered black-market goods ( e.g. cigars ) or asked to change dollars for Cuban convertible pesos (CUC). Engaging in black-market transactions is illegal and can lead to difficulties with the Cuban...
Driving in Cuba is dangerous. Traffic accidents are one of the most frequent causes of the detention and trial of Canadians in Cuba, whether you are responsible for the accident or not. Accidents that result in death or injury are treated like crimes and the onus is on the driver to prove innocence. Prison sentences can range from one to 10 years. Regardless of the nature of the crime or accident, it can take five months to a year for the case to go to trial. In most cases you will not be allowed to leave Cuba until the trial has taken place.Canadians should avoid driving. Road travel can be hazardous. Signs are scarce( I did not see one speed limit sign on our way to Havana). Bicycles, pedestrians ( especially hitchhikers), and horse-drawn carts use the middle of the road and do not readily give way to oncoming vehicles. Many vehicles are old and poorly maintained. Inoperable vehicles...
if you take the train to go anywhere make sure you keep an eye to your laggage at all time. Mine were stolen in the middle of the night by a guy that jump off the train while going slow in santa clara...the police aboard are useless and they will not help you.
Cuba has dual pricing system, so if you think to travel on budget in Cuba...it's hard to imagine. There are possibilites to save some money, but you must prepare yourself for abandonment.Drinks are usually 2-4 CUC, in hotels even more.Postcards are usuall 0,5 - 1 CUC.Entrance to some place is 2-5 CUC (night life).Baseball game 1 CUC (but our cuban guide promise us best seat for 16 CUC).Pizza 5-7 CUC.Entrance in museums 0-2 CUC.Night in decent hotel 60-100 CUC. Bottle of rum 5-300 CUC.
Beware, although Cuba is a cheap country, the prices for tourist are often quite expensive. I think, they presume all tourist are millionaires who throw away their money.Tourist attractions (especially outside the big cities) are often overvalued - both in price and pride. I guess this is because Cubans don't know how to organise/manage it. They have never learned it and cannot compare with the rest of the world.It happened more than once that I was somewhat disappointed.
You may feel very comfortable when you think that the person is being very friendly when he takes you to a place YOU are looking for.. Usually those who approach you are Jinateros or Panhandlers or Hustlers who make a good living off the tourists. Remember also, in cuba you cannot be part of the MARGINALIZED (visible) without working for State Security. Recently, two Israelis who knew where they wanted to go ( a casa particular) were approached by a well dressed cuban, who said he will take them there. Little did they know that he came back three days to collect 5 cuc per day for bringing them there. The owner was not in agreement but had to pay up to avoid a scene and also because of the fear that he may actually hinder future tourists coming to the Casa. A Casa owner who charges 25 cuc, if she or he has to pay 5 cuc to the jinatero, the tax amounts to 10 cuc per day, 5 cuc for expenses...
If you stay in the resorts, this is unlikely to be a problem, but if you like to wander the streets, beware of the existence of regular pesos. Receiving regular pesos as change for a purchase would be a major rip-off. A regular peso is worth about 1/25th a convertible peso. Similiarly to pay for something on the street priced in regular pesos with convertible pesos would be a big mistake. There is very little available to buy with regular pesos, but having a few in your pocket can be useful if you plan to leave the tourist centers.
This is unfortunately now rampant in some areas. If you’re being jostled in a crowd situation in Havana or Santiago you will suffer pickpocket attempts. Watch out especially in local buses. anyway, its not so bad like anywhere else in the world
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.
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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
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