Cuba Vacation Guide

Introduction

Cuba is an island that assaults the senses. Surprisingly for one of the last remaining communist countries, the visitor is greeted with strains of exotic rhythms the salsa or rhumba – emanating from every corner. An aquamarine sea laps the white, palm-fringed beaches of Varadero and offshore Cayos Largo and Coco. Here you can try your hand at blue marlin or barracuda fishing, just as Hemingway depicted in his novel The Old Man and the Sea, or dive to the coral reef and search for shipwrecks. The little visited Zapata Peninsula or the Bahia de Naranjo Nature Park offer the chance to swim with the dolphins. Inland, only the roar of 1950s US cars disturbs deserted roads. The tobacco-growing area of Viñales with its intriguing limestone mogotes (outcrops), contrasts dramatically with the rugged tree-covered mountains of the Sierra Maestra.

Cuba’s rich history as a Spanish colony is evident in the wealth of colonial architecture in major towns such as Havana and Santiago de Cuba. A tourism revolution is transforming this once isolated country with an ever-increasing range of flights and hotels opening up previously inaccessible corners. Once faded and crumbling houses, with ornate wrought iron balconies, and central courtyards are now being lovingly restored, while weathered campesinos sucking on titanic cigars watch contentedly as visitors discover this intoxicating island.

Full country name: Republic of Cuba
Area: 110,860 sq km
Population: 11 million
Capital City: Havana (pop 2,200,000)
People: 60% Spanish descent, 22% mixed-race, 11% African descent, 1% Chinese
Language: Spanish
Religion: 47% Catholic, 4% Protestant, 2% Santería (many Catholics also practice Santería)
Government: Communist republic
Time Zone: GMT/UTC -5 (USA Eastern Standard Time)
Dialling Code: 53
Electricity: 110/220V ,60Hz
Currency: Cuban Peso (peso)

US government restricts travel to Cuba. But almost all visitors to Cuba arrive by air, with scheduled flights arriving from Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Europe. More vacation deals in the Caribbean

Virtually all visitors require a Cuban visa or Tourist Card, available from travel agencies, tour operators or a Cuban consulate for a stay of one month. The USA officially prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they obtain a special license and very heavy fines are imposed on visitors not fulfilling this requirement.
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Almost all visitors to Cuba arrive by air, with scheduled flights arriving from Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Europe. The main gateways for US travellers continue to be Cancún, Nassau and Toronto. There are direct flights available from the USA, but to take them US citizens will need the permission of the US Treasury Department, which restricts travel to Cuba to journalists, researchers and a handful of other groups.

Cubana airlines has an extensive domestic air network that services all of the regional centres, and flights within the country are not expensive, but prices have been on the rise. Most domestic flights are on smaller propeller aircraft, which can be a little hair-raising. Viázul is the bus company in Cuba that is geared towards tourists. Its buses are air-conditioned and uncrowded and all passengers are required to pay in dollars.

The train system has deteriorated rapidly over the past several years. There are some inexpensive, comfortable train routes, particularly between major cities, but otherwise the bus is now the way to go. Cuba boasts Latin America's most extensive system of roads, and renting a car is definitely the easiest, if not the cheapest, way to see the country.

There isn't a bad time to visit Cuba. The hot, rainy season runs from May to October but winter (December to April) is the island's peak tourist season, when planeloads of Canadians and Europeans arrive in pursuit of the southern sun. Cubans take their hols in July and August, so this is when the local beaches are most crowded. Christmas, Easter and the period around 26 July, when Cubans celebrate the anniversary of the revolution, are also very busy.

Playa Paraíso and Playa Sirena: These two connected beaches are the most outstanding of the uniformly spectacular beaches that stretch the length of Cayo Largo del Sur. Located on the more protected western end of the island, these two beaches are broad expanses of glistening, fine white sand, bordering the clear Caribbean Sea. There's a simple beachside restaurant on Playa Paraíso, and not much else here -- and that's a large part of their charm.

Varadero: This is Cuba's premier beach resort destination, and it ranks right up there with the best in the Caribbean. We personally prefer some of the island's less developed stretches of sand. But if you're looking for a well-run all-inclusive resort loaded with amenities and activity options, Varadero is a good choice. Oh yeah, the 21km (13 miles) of nearly uninterrupted beach here are fabulous.

Cayos Coco and Guillermo: These tiny cays off the north coast, separated from the Cuban mainland by a long man-made causeway, are tantalizingly tucked into shallow waters that flow into the Atlantic. There's barely a sign of the "real Cuba," but what you do get are stunningly unspoiled beaches, excellent diving, and a full contingent of watersports.

Active tourism is in its relative infancy in Cuba. Still, the island offers myriad opportunities to add a bit of adrenaline and adventure to your vacation. Watersports are the main draw here, and Cuba abounds with outstanding opportunities to fish, sail, snorkel, and scuba dive. For those looking for some dry-land adventure activities, there are great options for biking and rock climbing, and you might even be able to get on a diamond to play some baseball.

Pinar del Río Province - Naturalists will love this westernmost part of the country. It boasts two UNESCO biosphere reserves protecting some of the country's loveliest landscapes, including parts of the 175m-long (574ft) Cordillera de Guaniguanico, which is something of a hiker's paradise.

The province is famous for its surreal and beautiful limestone pincushion hills. The area is riddled with caves carved by underground rivers, some of which make for great diving. If you'd rather scuba through saltwater, María la Gorda boasts some of the finest underwater scenery in the Caribbean.

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