Note: Javascript is disabled in your browser.
To see the gallery in all its glory, you'll need to enable Javascript.
Introducing Cuba
Defying all logic, the world’s 105th-largest country is also one of its most instantly recognizable. Think psychedelic Che Guevara murals and antediluvian American Buicks, dudes with bongos and old men slapping down dominoes, queues outside ration shops and communist cadres smoking chunky Montecristos. Cuba has a way of going against the grain. It’s all part of its historical make-up, part of its dynamism, part of its intrinsic beauty.
Advertisement
Travel here not only requires a passport, money and a good sturdy rucksack; it also requires flexibility, creativity, good humor, patience and a healthy sense of adventure. Speaking Spanish, though not a prerequisite, is undoubtedly a huge advantage, and will allow you to travel further and dig deeper than the average tourist.
Linguistic dexterity aside, Cuba remains an easy country to travel in and there are few barriers stopping you from wandering around pretty much how and as you choose. A slight loosening of the screws since Raúl Castro took office in February 2008 has allowed Cubans access to cell phones and entry into tourist hotels, meaning interaction with the locals is now simpler and often surprisingly candid.
Last updated: 01-Jul-2009
Tips & articles
-
Top spots for a medical adventure
4 December 2009
Want it modified, enhanced, drilled out, implanted or just plain alleviated? Whatever your bodily need,...
-
YOUR top 10 countries for 2010
19 November 2009
A couple of weeks ago, we published our list of hot destinations for 2010. You sure had a lot to say!...
-
10 great Caribbean secrets
17 November 2009
The Caribbean isn’t all just yachts and cruise ports (or souvenir hassle). Here are a handful of the...
Cuba
Our Top Picks For Cuba
-
1 Las Terrazas
Model village and eco-lodge nestled in reforested UNESCO biosphere
-
2 Viñales
Spectacular limestone cliffs, lush green tobacco fields, and an expansive network of caves
-
3 Punta Francés
Wrecks, drop-offs, caves and coral reefs, make this one of the Caribbean’s best diving spots
-
4 Havana
Old forts, fascinating museums and a kicking Caribbean nightlife
-
5 Varadero
Gorgeous beaches, swanky resorts and first-class tourist facilities
Fast Facts about Cuba
- Visa
All visitors require a tourist card (CUC$15), which is usually issued with your plane ticket or can be bought at airports.
- Money
Cuban convertible peso (CUC$) and Cuban peso (CUP; also known as moneda nacional, MN); CUC$1 = US$1.08 = €0.82 = UK £0.76
- Official name
Republic of Cuba
- Departure tax
CUC$25 (cash only)
- Area
110, 860 sq km
- Population
11.3 million
- Famous for
Cigars, rum, Fidel Castro, salsa, classic cars
- Country code
53
- Language
Spanish
- Capital
- Phrase
Qué bolá asere? (What’s up, brother?); chao/chaocito (goodbye/bye)
- Number of cell phones
198,000
Related Groups
Our favourite Cuba Blogs (beta)
-
Havana in Pictures
Blog: Lonely Girl Travels - 19 January 2010
To end my series of Cuba posts, I’m bringing you photos from my brother’s trip to the forbidden island. Aside from being a far better photographer than me, my brother traveled with a Cuban-American friend and his family, so he had even cooler adventures (cooler than wrecking plumbing? I know, it’s hard for me to [...]
-
A Day Trip To Cuba’s Beautiful Playa Pilar
Blog: Have Baby Will Travel - 12 January 2010
Before I booked I didn’t realize that Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo are essentially just hotel strips. No town, no shops, and no Cubans - except, of course, for those working at the resort. There were plenty of excursions, but with a baby in tow, I prefer to do our own thing on our own [...]
-
Faces From Around the World: Cuba 002
Blog: GoBackpacking - 12 January 2010
You can find many ladies in the old city of Havana sitting around with cigars. Join Travel Blog Success and learn to build a better travel blog.
