Cuba Holidays

Location
Cuba is situated in the Caribbean, underneath the tip of mainland USA’s most south-easterly peninsula. Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the north coast and the Caribbean Sea on the south coast, the island is buffeted by the warm Gulf Stream, and has year-round near perfect weather.

Shopping
Cuba is renowned for it’s world famous produce: namely cigars, rum and coffee. These can all be found in abundance anywhere in Cuba. Havana offers good shopping opportunities if you’re looking for something traditional or unique, with flea markets and Plaza stalls alongside the more modern stores and shops. Stalls and shops sell a variety of rums, cigars, t-shirts, coffee and fantastic Cuban music. Local handicrafts and traditional items can also be found in the smaller towns and villages, usually consisting of arts, crafts and old books. Cuba’s political and social isolation mean that there are rarely designer goods or named brands to be found, those that are, far exceed the price of the same goods bought outside the country. Cigar emporiums are widespread and will guarantee you get the real deal, while Rum factories are also widespread so rum is available in all manner of strengths and flavours.

Geography
Cuba is roughly the size of the British mainland but the country’s entire population is less than that of just London. The landscape varies from the jungle clad mountainous interior and the verdant flatlands of the plantations, to the spectacular powdery shores of the coast. The perfect coastlines seem to stretch into infinity with Varadero alone offering over 20km of pristine, secluded white-sand beaches. Off shore, the smaller islands, or Cayos, such as Coco or Guillermo, are tropical paradises in themselves, filled with tropical foliage and stunning beaches.

History
Cuba was originally inhabited by South American Siboney and Taino Indians, until Christopher Columbus discovered its shores in 1492. As a result, the Spanish colonised the island and began cultivating sugar plantations, developing cities such as Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and importing African slaves. The island was used as a base for exploring the Americas and exporting goods to Europe. By 1762, the British had wrested the island from the Spanish but exchanged the land for Florida the next year. Returned to the Spanish, Cuba became the main sugar supplier to the whole of North America and developed a lucrative slave trade. The 1809 Caribbean slave trade rebellions saw tensions mount and by 1895 a war of independence, led by national hero Jose Marti, saw the slave trade abolished. In 1898, after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the United States assumed control of Cuba but in 1902 the island was converted to an independent republic under US protection. Ruled by dictators for almost half a century, the peasant rebellion led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara in 1959, overthrew the former dictatorship and formed a party of socialist revolutionaries. The new ruling party instigated agricultural and industrial reforms and the US, seeing that their oil and sugar refineries had been nationalised, broke off all diplomatic relations. Castro, now Prime Minister, instead garnered support from the Soviet Union. The US retaliated with a trade embargo but the Soviet Union fed Cuban armament supplies until in 1962, the ‘missile crisis’ aided an agreement to dismantle Soviet rocket launchers based in Cuba. The Cuban and Soviet economic systems were inextricably entwined so when in 1991, communism collapsed in the Soviet Union, Cuba’s own economy also crumbled. Cuba opened up to tourism in an attempt to regain lost revenue and re-establish a stable economy.

Climate

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Av Temp (F)	90	90	90	90	88	88	88	86	86	88	88	88
Av Temp (C)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sunshine Hours	8	8	8	7	7	7	7	6	5	5	6	7
Rain (inches)	3	3	6	9	10	9	10	12	12	14	9	3

Basic Information

Language
Spanish is the official language although varying dialects are used, particularly Castilian. English is generally spoken in tourist establishments.

Electricity
110/220 volts AC 60 Hz.

Currency
US dolllars are no longer accepted anywhere in Cuba. The official unit of currency is the peso cubano. One peso cubano is divided into 100 centavos. Coins have values of 1 to 50 centavos. Notes have values of 1 to 100 pesos. Tourists may find they are given convertible pesos as change (one convertible peso is divided into 100 centavos and has the same exchange rate as one US dollar). These are legal tender but are worthless outside Cuba.

Credit cards issued by American banks are not accepted anywhere e.g. American Express. This is also relevant to American bank issued traveller’s cheques and American Express traveller’s cheques are not accepted or exchangable anywhere.

Banks
Open from 8.00 a.m to 3.00 p.m. Some banks close between 12.00 p.m. and 1.00 p.m. Few banks open on Saturdays both those that do are generally open from 8.00 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Driving
Traffic drives on the right. Driving is not as daunting as you would expect, and car hire is good value for money.

Time difference
GMT minus 5

Tipping
10-15% is generally expected in hotels and restaurants, Cafes and smaller eateries usually expect a 5-10% tip.

Water
Bottled mineral water is recommended

Visas
British citizens require a visa/tourist card to enter Cuba. You are recommended to obtain your visa/tourist card from the Cuban Embassy in London.

Transport
Since the bus service has been crippled by fuel shortages and lack of spare parts for vehicles, your best bet is the really good national train network or, for longer distances, domestic flights.

Tourism Info
www.cubatravel.cu
www.cuba.com

What makes it so special?
The vibrant and infectiously energetic atmosphere. The fantastic music and dance including Salsa, Rumba and Mambo. The unique culture derived from a mixture of African, Spanish and Caribbean influences. Fabulous powdery white-sand beaches and clear sparkling seas. Stunning scenery.

Where to visit?
Havana has a wealth of sites to visit that will cater to any taste. The beautiful harbour area is a must as are the numerous historical monuments including the Plaza de Arms, the Captain-General’s Palace, the Revolution Museum and Revolution Square, The Cathedral and several former forts. Wander the back streets for excellent examples of baroque architecture and venture into Calle Obispo, the old entertainment district, to see the former haunts of writer Ernest Hemingway. Head to the beaches of Playas del Este for lazy days in the sun but in the evening, don’t miss the world famous Tropicana cabaret show, renowned for its colour, vivacity, infectious music and dance.

The coastal peninsula of Varadero is home to vast stretches of secluded, powdery white-sand beaches and a burgeoning nightlife. Despite being the most popular destination for tourists, the area retains a very relaxed atmosphere. There are several recreational activities on offer including tennis, golf and plenty of watersports. Visit the amphitheatre for a night of traditional Cuban music and dancing or head out to Matanzas for a visit to San Severino Castle. Close by is a Josone Park, a beautiful natural area with lots of interesting sigts including a dolphin aquarium.

Most popular tours
Hemingway tours
Cigar making factories
Rum making factories
Pinar del Rio and the Vinales Valley
Trindad UNECSO world heritage town
The Cayos
Sancti Spiritus and Santa Clara for Che Guevara monuments
Josena
Bellamar caves in Varadero
Cardenas town close to Varadero Travel Guide to Cuba

Destinations in Cuba: Select Havana Varadero

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