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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.
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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: Jul 1, 2009
Tips & articles
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Cuba’s architectural highlights: ‘music turned to stone’
16 November 2009
If Cuba’s soul is hidden in its music, then its architecture – in the words of novelist Alejo Carpentier...
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Caffeine-fuelled travel: the world’s top coffee spots
19 August 2009
It inspires passion, opinion and addiction. It’s the world’s second most valuable commodity...
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Revolutionary roll call: Cuba’s fighting heroes
13 August 2009
Cuba churns out revolutionaries like other countries produce movie stars and, with outside influence...
Cuba
Our Top Picks For Cuba
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1 Las Terrazas
Model village and eco-lodge nestled in reforested UNESCO biosphere
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2 Viñales
Spectacular limestone cliffs, lush green tobacco fields, and an expansive network of caves
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3 Punta Francés
Wrecks, drop-offs, caves and coral reefs, make this one of the Caribbean’s best diving spots
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4 Havana
Old forts, fascinating museums and a kicking Caribbean nightlife
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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)
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Meet the New Travel Blogger
Blog: GoBackpacking - 25 October 2009
I’m Matthew and soon I’ll be contributing a regular column to GoBackpacking. I’m currently planning a 4 month backpacking trip to South-East Asia and my posts will explain what is involved with planning a long term trip, everything from budgeting to visas. In the past of I’ve backpacked through Western Europe and Cuba, two experiences [...]Buy travel insurance from Worldnomads.com (Lonely Planet's preferred carrier) No related posts.
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Staying in Cuba’s casas particulares
Blog: mock-heroic.net - 27 August 2009
What is a casa particular?
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If you were stranded on a Beach...
Blog: EZGuler - 12 August 2009
Continuing along with the Top Ten theme, here is another Top Ten list, this time, with photo accompaniment.Top Ten Beaches To Fall In Love With (in order of degrees of love, 1 being the strongest)10) Athens, Greece
