Port of Spain
The Renegades panyard is a little out of the way on the fringe of downtown Port of Spain, so getting there and away can sometimes feel a bit edgy. But…
Must-see entertainment in Caribbean
Negril
With a rotating roster of musicians anchored by a rock-solid ‘riddim’ section, the house Hurricane Band shows tourists a thing or two about roots music…
Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago’s oldest folklórico group was formed in 1959; they are currently bivouacked at the Teatro Heredia. They perform a huge range of Afro-Cuban dance…
Cienfuegos
Best theater in Cuba? The Tomás Terry is certainly a contender. The building is worth a visit in its own right, but you'll really get to appreciate this…
Bayamo
One of Cuba's best trova houses, in a lovely colonial building on Maceo. Pictures on the wall display the famous '70s afro of Bayamo-born trova king Pablo…
Guantánamo Province
As primary pulpit for Guantánamo's indigenous music, this is the place to experience changüí and is a shrine to its main exponent, local timbalero …
Port of Spain
Led by Len 'Boogsie' Sharp, Phase II inspires loyal devotion from its many fans; the spruced-up panyard hosts practice sessions on Tuesday and Thursday…
Aruba
Easily the best casino in Aruba, with more than 260 slots, a bunch of table games (blackjack, craps, roulette, three-card poker) and some sports-betting…
Santo Domingo
Housed in a renovated colonial building, this fantastic arts complex features a gallery with rotating exhibits by Dominican artists, an open-air bar, and…
Tumba Francesa La Caridad de Oriente
Santiago de Cuba
For pure tumba francesa dancing check out the Tumba Francesa la Caridad de Oriente, one of only three of these French-Haitian groups left in Cuba. They…
Holguín Province
A fine cultural center in the main square that hosts live traditional music on a Saturday night and provides taped stuff at other times. The courtyard is…
Kingston
The place for cricket in Jamaica. The 30,000-seat arena hosted its first test match in 1929. Come here for international matches, and to watch the Jamaica…
Port of Spain
This friendly panyard is centrally located and a great place to listen to practice sessions, held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings (nightly…
Negril
This Negril institution is one of the oldest beach bars. The Live Reggae Beach Parties feature local and occasional international acts, beginning around…
Trinidad
A fun live-music venue aimed at those practicing their salsa steps. It can also connect travelers to dance teachers for private lessons during the daytime.
Santiago de Cuba
Every Saturday night, the side streets branching off this main thoroughfare teem with street food, music and crowds for a city-wide outdoor party.
Guantánamo Province
Housed in a royal blue building on a quiet street, this spot for variety shows and humor is openly referred to as 'the place.'
Trinidad
A must for rumba fans, this open patio on Trinidad's music alley has an eclectic menu incorporating salsa, son (Cuban popular music) and trova …
San Juan
Named after the first Puerto Rican to play in the major leagues (Chicago Cubs, 1942) this 18,000-seat baseball stadium is home to the Cangrejeros de…
Havana
Known also as the 'theater of a hundred doors' (in reference to the French windows adorning its exterior), this neoclassical gem is a masterpiece of…
Vedado
One of the twin pillars of Havana's cultural life, the Teatro Nacional de Cuba on Plaza de la Revolución is the modern rival to the Gran Teatro in Centro…
Habana del Este
In an old shirt factory abandoned in the 1990s, when it became a rubbish dump and public urinal, this new state-sponsored community arts project was…
San Juan
A city landmark, the Teatro Tapia on the southern side of Plaza Colón is an intimate neoclassical theater, with three-tiered boxes and an elegantly…
Havana
Some label it a tourist trap, but this restaurant–entertainment space bivouacked upstairs in a deceptively dilapidated Havana tenement plays some of the…
Santiago de Cuba
The Ballet Folklórico Cutumba is an offshoot of the Oriente group formed in 1976. You can usually see them rehearsing at their HQ, the Teatro Galaxia from…
Havana
If you're looking for something inherently Cuban, tag along with the local habaneros for some very caliente action at this outdoor venue known…
Santiago de Cuba
Anything Havana can do, Santiago can do better – or at least cheaper. Styled on the Tropicana original, this 'feathers and baubles' Las Vegas–style floor…
Havana
Launched with a concert by renowned jazz pianist Chucho Valdés in 1994, this Miramar favorite is run by national Cuban recording company EGREM, and the…
Vedado
Once the headquarters of Havana's alternative artistic and sexual scene, the 'one-eyed cat' is now a nexus for middle-aged lovers of traditional Cuban…
Havana
The largest stadium in Cuba holds 55,000 people and was built before the revolution, in 1946. It’s the home of Havana’s widely revered (or reviled,…
Vedado
This elegant pink mansion built in 1926 by Juan Pedro Baró, a rich landowner involved in a scandalous marriage with high-society belle Catalina Lasa, is…
Vedado
Occupying the site of the old Rodi Cinema on Línea, Teatro Mella offers one of Havana's most comprehensive programs, including an international ballet…
Vedado
If you want to rub shoulders with socialist celebrities, hang out here at the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists (Uneac) social club, replete with…
Willemstad
Check out the island's music scene at this happening club overlooking Waaigaat. Rockers crowd in to hear rock 'n' roll, reggaeton and everything in…
Baracoa
This venue does a wide variety of shows including some good rumba incorporating the textbook Cuban styles of guaguancó, yambú and columbia (subgenres of…
Vedado
You can't escape the Beatles in Cuba; their iconic status is epitomized in clubs such as this one abutting Parque Lennon, where every tabletop is…
Cienfuegos
Uneac's a good bet in any Cuban city for live music in laid-back environs. Here it's quite possibly Cienfuegos' best venue, with an outdoor patio hosting…
Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A Ferré
San Juan
Built in 1981, this center has more than 1900 seats in the festival hall, about 750 in the drama hall and 200 in the experimental theater. It hosts…
Vedado
Set up in 1959 by revolutionary Haydée Santamaría, a survivor of the attack on the Moncada Barracks, this powerhouse of Cuban and Latin American culture…
Matanzas Province
Capitalizing on its success in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, the famous Tropicana cabaret has a branch 8km east of Matanzas, next to the Hotel Canimao…
