What do you think of this itinerary?

Hi,

I have came out with this draft itinerary and would appreciate any input/feedback.

First trip to Cuba though I have travelled quite extensively in Asia. My interest is nature, street and people photography. I am especially impressed with those photos with portraits of Cuban with the backdrop of colorful collonial building.

Please feel free to give any comments such as if there are other places that I should visit or I should adjust the time allocated for certain destination etc.

Day 1 Arriveda Havana airport at 1410pm, night in a casa in havana
Day 2 Havana city, night in havana casa
Day 3 9am viazul to Vinales arrive Vinales at 1250pm. Vinales city sightseeing
Day 4 Day trip/tour to the nature outskirt of Vinales, night in Vinales
Day 5 1400pm bus from vinales-havana arrive 1730pm bus from havana to santa de cuba departs 1815pm - night coach to santa de cuba
Day 6 Arrive santa de cuba 630am Santa de cuba city
Day 7 Santa de cuba
Day 8 Santa de cuba bus to bayamo arrive bayamo 1105am, night bus from bayamo 2140 to trinidad
Day 9 0645 arrive trinidad, trinidad
Day 10 trinidad
Day 11 0730 morning bus to havana arrive havana at 1300, night in havana
Day 12 Fly back in afternoon from havana

I think it is a crazy tiresome trip to go from Vinales ALL the way to Santiago de Cuba in one day!
You arrive in SdC at 6:30 in the morning and do you think you will have energy enough to see the whole city after this Viazul trip?

No good idea ...
Forget it and do just the western half of Cuba.

Succes
CJ

Ehin, your schedule is precise but not realistic, you have not factored in transit time ie to get to the Viazul, to get to a casa, between days 5 to 8 you will be spending more than 48 hrs moving around.

Forget Santiago de Cuba and Bayamo and spend a few more days in and around Havana.

Havana to Santiago by bus is only 12 hrs ?

Thanks for the feedback. If I skip Santa de cuba, is there any any destinations in the western part of Cuba that i can add? It may seem hectic, but considering this maybe my only trip to Cuba in a lifetime, I would like to see and experience as much as possible.

Please feel free to suggest other destinations. I don't drive and am travelling alone so I can onyl count on public transport though.

Thank you.

greslogo, according to the viazul web site, there is a fast bus that only stops once and will arrive Santa de cuba in 12 hours and 20 minutes.

Alternative:
Skip Vinales and fly from Havana to SdC, from there go back to Havana by Viazul bus through: Bayamo, Camaguey, Trinidad, Cienfuegos in total 12 days.
But still, I would "only" go to Havana, Vinales, Cienfuegos and Trinidad in those 12 days ... well, maybe I would add 2 days at the beach of Varadero to relax.

Thanks, ehin.

Day 1 Arriveda Havana airport at 1410pm, night in a casa in havana
Day 2 Havana city, night in havana casa
Day 3 9am viazul to Vinales arrive Vinales at 1250pm. Vinales city sightseeing
Day 4 Day trip/tour to the nature outskirt of Vinales, night in Vinales
Day 5 1400pm bus from vinales-havana arrive 1730pmto trinidad
Day 6 Trinidad
Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Varadero
Day 11 0730 morning bus to havana arrive havana at 1300, night in havana
Day 12 Fly back in afternoon from havana

Don't make the mistake to go to Santiago by night bus, lost of time for nothing. Stay in the western part and allow yourself some time to see and breathe Cuba. It's not a racing turf.

I would suggest concentrating on the western part of Cuba only. It is better to go to fewer places and see them well instead of rushing around. Save eastern Cuba for a future trip.

Cuba. The best Casas Particulares in provinces.

Viñales
Dunia´s House
Address: Sergio Dopico Norte # 25

Centro de Pinar del Rio
Maria´s House
Address: Isabel Rubio # 127 between Maceo and Cerafino Fernandez.

Matanzas
Susana's House
Address: Medio Street # 29820 between America and 2 de Mayo

Cienfuegos
Mary y Elias´s House
Address: Calle 57 # 4813 Apto 5 between 48 y 50

Santa Clara
Eva and Ernesto's House
Address: JB Zayas # 253-A between Berenguer and Padre Tuduri

Trinidad
Margarita´s House
Address: Calle Jesus Menendez (Alameda) # 62 between Lino Perez and Agustin Bernal

Camaguey
Gladys´s House
Address: Astilleros # 19A between San Ramon and Lugareño.

Santiago de Cuba
Octaviano´s House
Address: Calle N # 5 between 4 and Ave. Cespedez, Reparto Sueño.

Baracoa
Mirian´s House
Address: Frank Pais # 1 between Malecon and Máximo Gómez.

You can make your reservation and get more info of this houses by mail. We answer you in less thant 12 hours.
Cheers,

acubaven@gmail.com

The Viazul bus From Havana to Santiago is very unpleasant very little to see on the through highway the air con is almost freezing for 15 hours and unless one has a special interest in Santiago it is one of the least interesting cities in Cuba. The other places you list are wonderful.

ontario

Santiago Cuba is a different world to Havana Cuba

..............and in the winter it is much sunnier / warmer