Viva Cuba 2017
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Day 2: Havana
Itinerary
Walking in Cuba is a great way to see
the country, to appreciate its colours,
aromas, sounds and sights at a laidback pace.
We take a walking tour to the historic
heart of Havana. Granted UNESCO
World Heritage status in 1982, the old
town, or ‘Habana Vieja’, has been
handsomely restored and is the largest
colonial centre in Latin America.
Our Viva Cuba holiday concentrates
on central and western Cuba, seeing
in detail the mixture of historic towns
and cities, small villages lost in time,
lush tropical hills, fertile valleys of
tobacco fields, limestone hills, and
stunning Caribbean beaches.
We walk to the Plaza de Armas, lined
with attractive Baroque buildings, and
continue to the Plaza de San
Francisco de Asis, the Plaza Vieja,
Plaza de la Catedral, the Greek
Orthodox Church, the memorial
gardens to Princess Diana and Mother
Theresa, and the original city walls. We
stop along the way at Hemingway’s
haunts.
Cuba is a country that is changing
fast. Now is a great time to visit while
its exotic and distinctive style remains.
Walks are 2-6 miles (3-10km). All but
one walk have an ascent of less than
1,000ft (300m), the exception having
an ascent of less than 1,500ft (450m).
Travelling days include sightseeing
stops, or short walks.
We will have lunch at a typical
Havana restaurant. This afternoon is at
leisure to relax or explore Havana
further.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 1: Havana
Day 3: To the Vinales Valley
Arrival in Havana. You will meet your
local guide and driver who will take
you to your hotel in time for dinner.
Transfer time, approx 30 minutes.
Accommodation: Havana hotel (2
nights)
(Meals included; dinner)
We drive past the plantations and
cultivated fields west of Havana, to
the beautiful Viñales Valley. After
lunch at the Mural de la Prehistoria we
take a walk.
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Palmarito walk - we walk in the valley,
among spectacular scenery of
mogotes with their sheer cliffs. These
bizarre hills are the remains of an
ancient limestone plateau.
Our ecologist guide leads us through
areas of Cuban oak and pine, with the
chance to see some lovely birdlife. This
is a traditional farming area and we
stop at a small community to see how
they cultivate tobacco, root
vegetables and coffee.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 5: Viñales Valley
We will have a free morning to enjoy
the views and charms of Viñales Town.
Later in the afternoon walk on the
Sendero Valle del Silencio through this
enchanting countryside.
The walk takes you to visit a farmer
who will show you how the Cubans
process coffee rustically, the one
called Café Criollo (criollo coffee),
and if you want you could also have a
refreshing drink, a natural juice, or why
not, a criollo coffee.
Once the walk is finished, check in to
your accommodation and relax
before going out for dinner at one of
the many local paladars recently
opened in Viñales.
(Distance: 4 miles/6.5km).
The walk takes place to time with the
beautiful sunset at the end of the day.
The entire route is in the Valle del
Silencio and the starting point is
approx 2 miles/3 km from the village.
After witnessing a marvellous sunset
we will enjoy an organic dinner at
Wilfredo’s Farm.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Accommodation: Viñales hotel, or
Casas Particulares (3 nights)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 4: Viñales Valley
Tradiciones Campesinas Trail - we walk
again in the shadow of the mogotes,
with their thick vegetation attracting
wonderful birdlife. The trail follows
valleys dotted with small farms of
tobacco, pineapples, mangoes and
other fruits. (Distance: 4 miles/6.5km)
Day 6: Santa Clara
Today is mostly a travel day (approx 6
hours) as we head towards central
Cuba. We will make a stop on the way
for lunch at Pio Cua Restaurant.
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From here continue to Santa Clara to
visit the Che Guevara memorial,
resting place for Che and sixteen of his
men who were killed in action in 1967
in Bolivia.
Accommodation: Hotel in Santa Clara
(2 nights)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
plantations and descends steeply to El
Rocio waterfall. Following the course
of the Río Melodioso (Melodic River),
you pass another inviting waterfall and
swimming pool before emerging into
the gardens of the riverside Casa la
Gallega, a traditional rural hacienda
where a light lunch can be organised.
After the walk we continue to Trinidad
town and to our Casas Particulares
(bed & breakfast) where we stay for
the next 3 nights.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 7: Day excursion to Remedios
In the morning we depart for the city
of Remedios, located fifty minutes to
the northwest of Santa Clara. Well off
the beaten path and forgotten by
most tour operators, Remedios is one
of the oldest towns in Cuba and the
17th century colonial architecture
dominates this peaceful town.
Day 9: Trinidad
This morning we will travel out of
Trinidad to visit the Valley of the Sugar
Mills (Valle de los Ingenios). We’ll take
the train if it is running...it’s fairly
unreliable.
Remedios was declared a National
Monument town, and on arrival we will
have a walking tour of the historic
centre. The main attraction of the
square is the colonial church “Iglesia
Mayor” of San Juan Bautista which
possesses thirteen beautifully
decorated gold altars. Time for lunch
in town before driving back to Santa
Clara.
This fertile plain, with the Sierra del
Escambay in the distance, is carpeted
in the green hues of sugar cane. The
valley is dotted with ruins of 19th
century sugar mills. We visit the
Manaca Iznaga estate where we can
wander through the ruins and climb
the seven storey tower for wonderful
views. The tower was once a lookout
for supervising the slaves. The estate is
a telling reminder of the days of
colonisation.
Tonight dinner is included at a local
paladar in Santa Clara.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 8: To Trinidad
After breakfast we drive to Jibacoa
where we will be taken in Russian
trucks to the starting point of the
Guanayara trail in Topes de Collantes.
(Distance: 3m/5km return, medium
difficulty): This is the least accessible
but by far the most rewarding hike
from Topes de Collantes. The trail itself
begins in cool, moist coffee
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In the afternoon we take a walking
tour of the historic heart of Trinidad.
Founded in 1514 by Diego Velazquez,
Trinidad is one of the most stunning
colonial towns in the Americas. The
city was once the centre for the sugar
trade and its cobbled streets and
lovely architecture bear witness to its
former glories
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 12: Cienfuegos
After breakfast we depart for the
Cienfuegos stopping for a visit to the
Botanical Garden. We will visit the
Orchid Garden Macradenia, Palmira,
and an orchard.
Cienfuegos is one of Cuba’s most
charming cities. Set on the shores of a
huge natural bay, the city was
originally one of Cuba’s most
important harbours. It was settled by
French immigrants fleeing the slave
uprisings of Haiti, the city has elegant
boulevards and classical homes, as
well as spacious squares and one
Cuba’s most famous theatres (Teatro
Terry).
Day 10: Trinidad
Today is a free day. There are many
options including taking a visit to Playa
Ancon, joining a catamaran trip to the
offshore cayes, or exploring the
charming streets of Trinidad a little
further.
A picnic lunch is provided today.
Dinner will be at a local Paladar.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch &
dinner)
Day 11: To Cienfuegos
After breakfast we drive to
Hanabanilla Hotel and begin our walk
around Hanabanilla Reservoir.
(Distance approx 7m/12km, and a
medium degree of difficulty). During
the walk you will see typical country
houses of the area. The walk finishes at
Lago Hanabanilla from where we will
be taken by boat to Rio Negro for
lunch.
We will visit the theatre and the main
square before having lunch in a local
restaurant. After lunch you’ll have
some free time before returning to
your hotel.
Tonight’s evening meal will be in a
local paladar.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
After lunch, transfer 1½ hours to
Cienfuegos, and check into our hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel on outskirts of
Cienfuegos (2 nights)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 13: Bay of Pigs and to Havana
Today we return to Havana. We stop
en route at the Zapata Peninsula and
the Bahia de Cochinos, or Bay of Pigs.
We also visit Playa Giron, the site of the
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final battle between Fidel Castro’s
forces and the counterrevolutionary
army, and visit its museum.
We depart our hotel in Vintage
American cars for a visit to Finca Vigia,
which is lovingly kept as it was when
Ernest Hemingway lived here. After the
visit we continue by bus to Cojimar,
where he moored his boat “El Pilar”.
The fishing village is full of memories of
the great American novelist and he
kept a home close by for more than
20 years. We will enjoy a daiquiri and
lunch at one of his favorite restaurants
“Las Terrazas” which overlooks the
Atlantic Ocean.
In the evening we enjoy our last group
meal in a centrally located paladar.
(Meals included: Breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
This evening take a guided walk to
Havana’s atmospheric waterfront
promenade, the Malecon. This is a
favourite gathering spot for the
residents of Havana who come here
to meet friends, sunbathe, swim and
fish. It’s a great place to appreciate
the city’s atmosphere.
Day 15: Departure
Morning at leisure before lunch at
Restaurant la Barraca, within the Hotel
Nacional. Transfer to the airport for
your return flight.
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch)
We’ll enjoy a cocktail at El Floridita,
one of Hemingway’s old hangouts,
and round off the evening with a
special lobster dinner in Old Havana.
Accommodation: Hotel in Havana( 2
nights)
(Meals included: breakfast, lunch,
dinner)
Day 14: Havana
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Accommodation
Cuba. The hotel is likely to be the Hotel
Capri or the Hotel Nacional.
Cuba's infrastructure cannot be
compared to that of other Caribbean
destinations. While city hotels are
generally good 3 and 4-star standard
(this is Cuban star rating),
accommodation in rural areas is
in guesthouses, where the facilities are
more basic. Despite Cuba's increasing
popularity, it is still a developing
country and some of the
accommodation is not of a standard
that is perhaps expected from a
Caribbean destination. The
accommodation is all air conditioned
and in excellent locations.
Los Jazmines (3 nights) is our
accommodation in the beautiful
Vinales Valley, its comfortable rooms
and pool making the perfect place to
relax after our walks. If we are not in
Los Jazmines, we'll be staying at Casas
Particulares (bed & breakfast) with
evening meals in local Paladars.
We'll then travel to Santa Clara where
we'll be at Hotel La Granjita or Los
Caneyes (2 nights)
On to Trinidad for 3 nights in Casas
Particulares where we enjoy wonderful
local hospitality and get a real insight
into Cuban culture. Guests will be
accommodated in different properties
on the same street. Those booked in a
single room will be staying in a house
where other HFH guests are staying. All
bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms
with hot and cold water. They have
fans and/or air conditioning. Each
house will have its own character and
will be decorated according to the
tastes of its owner. Food will be hearty
home cooking and breakfasts will be
in the house where you sleep. Dinner
will be in different homes/restaurants
each evening. Please note, it is likely
that beds may not be made during
your stay.
As Cuba becomes more popular,
hotels are only confirmed 2 or 3 days
prior to travel. Even then, things could
change during the tour.
Many of the hotel facilities are still as
they were 60 years ago, and money is
only just now being slowly invested in
improving the hotels or the
infrastructure. If you can see past the
accommodation problems, and really
travel with a sense of adventure, then
the locals and the scenery will more
than win you over.
Although we use the best available
hotels in these areas, standards of
service can be leisurely, but this is
easily compensated by the warm
welcome and Cuba's unique culture
and scenery.
We then move on to the modern
facilities and city scenes of Hotel Faro
Luna or similar (2 nights) at Cienfuegos
before returning to Havana for our
final 2 nights.
Our holiday starts (2 nights) and
finishes (2 nights) in Havana, in the
middle of the Vedado district of
Havana, overlooking the harbour,
seawall and city: a magical setting
and an excellent introduction to
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Kit List
Before your holiday
Please try to keep luggage to a
minimum as you will need to carry it
yourself at airports and between your
transport and your hotel.
We hope you find this information
comprehensive – if not please visit our
website for more details or contact us.
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All details correct at time of writing
(May 2016). Passport and visa
requirements are subject to change;
please check with your consulate
before you travel.
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We would advise that you check your
government’s travel advisory before
travelling. For UK travellers, please
check www.fco.gov.uk
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In all instances during your holiday,
your first point of contact should be
your HF Holidays’ leader or local
leader. If for any reason this is not
possible, HF Holidays’ emergency
contact details are as follows:
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Mon - Fri 9am - 7pm
Tel 0345 470 7558
or +44(0)20 8732 1250 ( from overseas)
Fri - Mon 7pm - 9am
Tel +44 (0)7918 737777
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Airport parking and accommodation
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If you require airport
parking or
accommodation
before your flight, we
recommend our partner Holiday
Extras. Call 0871 360 2750 and quote
HX031 or book online at
www.holidayextras.co.uk/hfholidays
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Walking boots – (worn in) with
good ankle support and spare
bootlaces
Walking sandals
Walking socks
Lightweight fleece
Lightweight waterproof trousers
and jacket
Shorts
Long trousers and long-sleeved
light coloured shirts with collars
to protect from the sun − your
clothing should ideally be pretreated with insect repellent and
in-built sun protection (available
from specialist clothing stores
such as Rohan, Cotswold
Outdoor)
Sun hat
Comfortable clothes and shoes
for evenings and sightseeing
Sun protection – sunglasses, high
factor sunscreen and lip
protection
Water bottle – at least 2 litre
capacity
Lightweight survival bag
Small/medium rucksack (30 litre)
– a bin liner will keep contents
dry if it rains
Soap and hand sanitizer gel
Insect repellent
Universal adaptor plug
Universal sink plug
Personal first aid kit including:
personal medication, tissues,
plasters, blister kit, painkillers,
antiseptic wipes, Imodium,
rehydration sachets
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Passport (and copies); booking
confirmation; insurance cover
note; HF Holidays’ registration
form
Travel insurance
If arranging your own travel insurance,
please ensure it is adequate for your
specific itinerary.
Optional: trekking poles, camera,
umbrella, binoculars, swimming
costume, snorkelling gear and towel.
Health advice
This is subject to change and we
would highly recommend that you
consult your doctor before travelling.
For further information on country
specific advice, visit
Please ensure you have access to
emergency funds should you need
them; carrying a credit card is
probably the most convenient
method.
www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or
www.traveldoctor.co.uk
Please note that your HF Holidays’
leader reserves the right to refuse to
take any guest on a walk should they
consider that a lack of suitable
clothing/footwear may affect safety.
Hepatitis A and Tetanus vaccinations
are recommended. Diphtheria, Rabies
and Typhoid vaccines are sometimes
recommended too. Dengue fever,
Zika virus, meningitis and Chikungunya
may also occur in-country. Please take
suitable measures to avoid being
bitten by mosquitoes.
Baggage allowance
1 piece checked-in luggage (max
23kg).
Please check details of your airline’s
baggage allowance, as shown on
your e-ticket. Remember to also check
any connecting flights you may have
booked.
Please note: the use or possession of
some common prescription or overthe-counter medicines is banned in
some countries. If you will be carrying
medication, please check with the
country’s embassy/ consulate prior to
travel. As an extra precaution:
Passports & visas
Passports must be valid for six months
after departure. A visa/tourist card is
required. The tourist card is included in
the price of your holiday for the
following passport holders: EU,
Australia, New Zealand, Japan and
USA. The application form will be sent
with your booking confirmation. Please
return this at least eight weeks before
departure. We will return your Cuban
tourist card with your tickets. Other
countries should consult the embassy
for advice.
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Keep your medication in its
original packet
Take a copy of your prescription
too
If possible, ask your chemist to
write the name of your
medication in the language of
the country that you’re visiting
Dietary requirements
Please contact us as far in advance as
possible if you have any specific
dietary requirements. We will do our
best to accommodate you. If you
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require a specific meal on the flight,
please let us know as soon as possible,
and no later than 96 hours before
travel.
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Travel tips for a comfortable flight
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We’ve put together a few simple tips
to help make your flight as
comfortable as possible, ensuring you
begin your holiday in tip-top shape.
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always carry your glasses with
you, as your eyes may feel dryer
than usual
Stay loose. Wear loose fitting,
comfortable shoes and clothes
Flight socks are recommended
to help prevent DVT on longhaul flights
Lost/damaged luggage
If your bag or its contents are
damaged or lost while in the airline’s
care, this should be reported to the
baggage service agents at the
airport. They will assess the damage
and in some cases the airline may
decide to settle your claim
immediately. You will be given a
reference to quote to your insurance
company if settlement cannot be
reached. In many cases baggage
claims can only be accepted in
writing. A baggage claim form must
be obtained from the airport.
Move about. Change position
and avoid crossing your legs.
Immobility poses the greatest risk
in the development of clotting
disorders. Get out of your seat
and walk around as regularly as
possible to improve circulation
No pills. Unless advised by your
doctor, do not take sleeping
tablets on the flight; this will
reduce your mobility and make
you feel sluggish
Protect your ears. If you
experience discomfort due to
the cabin pressure changes,
suck a sweet, chew, or hold
your nostrils and gently blow
through your nose; this should
equalise the pressure. If you still
experience problems, speak to
a member of the cabin crew
Drink plenty. Ask a member of
the cabin crew if you are thirsty.
Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee or
carbonated drinks as these will
dehydrate you. Instead, try to
drink plenty of fruit juices or
water
Eat light. Avoid heavy meals
and foods – air expands at
altitude and heavy meals will
result in that bloated feeling
Moisturise. Your skin, especially
your lips and nostrils, may feel
dry so moisturising creams may
help. If you wear contact lenses,
HF Holidays’ with-flight guests
For those travelling on our HF Holidays’
group flight, please proceed to the
arrivals hall once you have passed
through passport control, customs and
baggage reclaim, when you arrive at
your destination. Your leader or local
leader will assemble the group in the
arrivals hall. Look out for the
HF Holidays’ sign.
Independent travellers
If you are arriving ahead of the group,
and are meeting them at the first
hotel, please leave a message at the
hotel reception for the HF Holidays’
leader or local leader, detailing your
room number, and a mobile
telephone number if possible. The
leader will contact you once the
group arrives. If you are arriving after
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the group, a message will be left for
you at the hotel reception, welcoming
you and giving details of the time and
place to meet the group. If your flight
arrives before the group flight and you
would like to join the transfer to the first
hotel, please contact our Abroad
Administration team on (0)20 8732
1271. They will have a list of the
relevant transfer costs.
Tipping
Tips have been included in your
holiday price for key services such as
local guides/ driver/restaurants. Any
additional tips are at your own
discretion.
Climate
Temperatures in Cuba are fairly
constant year-round with sub-tropical
heat being cooled by north-easterly
trade winds. Average temperatures
are 27°C (81°F) in February and 26°C
(78°F) in November. Cuba has 80%
humidity year-round and a wet season
running from May to September and
this is the main hurricane season.
Safety on your holiday
Once you have made your booking,
you will receive a pre-holiday
questionnaire where we ask for details
of next of kin, and insurance details.
We need to have this from you at least
4 weeks before travel.
Local currency & money matters
Please also inform us of any medical
situation which may affect your
enjoyment of the holiday
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Convertible Peso (CUC). The import
and export of local currency is
prohibited. MasterCard and Visa are
increasingly accepted, provided they
are not issued by a US bank, or a bank
with links to the USA, but hefty fees are
often added. ATMs are more common
but not everywhere. However, cash
can be obtained in banks and
Cadecas with non-US Visa credit and
Visa debit cards. GBP (£), Euros (€) and
CAD are readily changeable. US
Dollars are no longer legal tender.
Traveller’s cheques are not advised.
Please listen to any safety
instructions from the leader
Keep group members in view,
especially if weather or visibility
is poor
If you become separated from
the group, please stay where
you are, the leader will retrace
their steps to find you
Each leader carries a first aid kit
but is not allowed to supply any
medication including aspirin,
paracetamol, antihistamines,
and antiseptic cream. You may
wish to bring these items with
you
Food
Until recently the simple answer to any
question about Cuban food was to
say that it was pretty awful! Dreary
meals of rice, beans with chicken or
pork and a cabbage salad is what the
Cubans have been eating for
decades so it’s easy to see why
Cuban chefs have got into a bit of a
rut. Things are changing, however,
and there are now some decent
In the unlikely event that your leader is
incapacitated, please use any
emergency kit in their rucksack and
call emergency services on 106.
Please then call our emergency
number (see page 8) and let us know
there is a problem.
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paladars (private restaurants) in most
towns. True, the menus can be a bit
repetitive but what’s not to like about
cheap lobster?!
decay, but also creativity, where artists
have turned a defunct cooking-oil
factory into a performance space, bar
and music venue that on any given
night makes Brooklyn look as cool as a
suburban Ikea. It’s a city where finding
ingredients for a stellar menu requires
feats of Promethean ingenuity; where
opera is subversive, and kitschy too;
where the Internet is just arriving, fully
formed and censored; and where
young Cubans without money are
fleeing, while those with connections
and ideas await great success.
Don’t expect spicy food as Cubans
hate anything with a hint of “picante”
but do expect plenty of gutsy home
cooking with an emphasis on creole
cooking : black beans, fresh fish,
lobster, roast pork and chicken dishes
are the staples with more and more
restaurants trying to do something a
little different with the limited range of
ingredients available locally.
Officially, some limits for Americans
remain in place. Despite restored
relations with Cuba, tourism is still
banned by the embargo but
Americans are flocking to the island,
wanting to savour the “forbidden fruit”
before Starbucks and McDonalds
arrive. Adventurous Europeans have
been travelling to Cuba for years but
it’s only recently that Cuba has
become so popular that travellers
might mistake it for a mainstream
destination.
Vegetarianism is a relatively new
concept in this part of the world, and
vegetarian cuisine is therefore rather
basic.
What is Cuba really like?
So many people want to visit Cuba at
the moment that we have put
together a survival guide which helps
you be prepared for a trip to Cuba,
the country that is ready to entertain
and confound.
Expect the unexpected
Havana is no longer frozen in time, at
least not completely. With Cuba’s
guarded openness to private
enterprise taking hold, classic
American cars and salsa singers now
share the cityscape with new and
inventive offerings in food, culture,
night life and hospitality. No other city
in Latin America, or perhaps the world,
can claim to be having just the kind of
moment that Havana is experiencing
now after so many decades of being
shut off from the rest of the world.
The first rule of any trip to Cuba is that
nothing is set in stone. Even though
your booking may have been made a
year ago and HF Holidays has
confirmed that all is in place, things
can change quickly and at the last
minute. Please understand that we
and our local agent in Cuba will have
done everything within their power to
get the best possible solution for you.
The Cuban tourism industry continues
to be controlled almost entirely by the
State and its reservations systems are
fallible and rickety. By law, most of
your services will have to be booked
For visitors, the capital is a mash-up of
past and present, freedom and
restriction. It’s a city of architectural
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through the central reservations
systems – designed for the good old
days when barely a European or an
American came to the island. Now
that Cuba is so popular, the system is
critically overstretched and things do
go wrong frequently. Go with the flow
and take it as part of the Cuban
experience.
Guaranteed hotel reservations are the
biggest issue at the moment and it’s
wise to expect your accommodation
to change at the last minute as the
rickety reservations system buckles
under the sheer weight of numbers
wanting to stay.
Hotels in Cuba are famously
overbooked and unkempt. For years
Cuba languished as a forgotten
backwater and the chic hotels of the
1950’s slowly became more shabby
than chic. Think Fawlty Towers and
you’ll begin to get the picture! While
some decent restoration work has
been implemented on many hotels,
especially in Havana, there is very little
budget for maintenance so it’s quite
common for hotel rooms to have
minor plumbing problems and noisy air
conditioning. It only takes a short visit
to a Cuban home to realise that
conditions in hotels are far superior to
the average Cuban dwelling.
Cuba really is buzzing at the moment
and you will probably come across
your fair share of frustrations and hotel
cancellations - enjoy Cuba for what it
is! A gloriously disorganized, original
and off beat place. If your guide does
announce a last minute change of
plans, rest assured that everything
possible has been done to try and
avoid the change.
As you will be staying in Casas
Particulares (Cuban bed & breakfasts),
and eating meals in paladars then you
will experience the beginnings of
private enterprise in Cuba and you’ll
appreciate how efficient, warm and
hospitable Cubans can be when they
are given the opportunity to run things
for themselves.
Regular visitors to Cuba quip that the
hotel star system doesn’t really apply
in Cuba. The general rule of thumb is
to remove a star or 2 from the
advertised standard to get a fair idea
of what to expect.
What will my accommodation be like
in Cuba?
As hotels become more expensive
and as more people want to have a
genuine experience in Cuba, casas
particulares are becoming a great
alternative solution. These can range
from quite luxurious and stylish hostels
in Havana to very simple country
rooms in Trinidad and Viñales. Even
though you will be staying in
someone’s home, don’t expect too
much interaction with your hosts.
Most understand that their guests want
privacy so will leave you alone unless
Cuba is experiencing an
unprecedented rush of visitors; tourism
is up by more than 30% in one year
and all accommodation is currently
very overbooked. The Cuban Ministry
of Tourism has responded to this rush
by raising the prices for
accommodation and other services
by 100% in the last 12 months in an
attempt to control numbers of visitors
to Cuba. But people still keep coming
so expect to find full hotels and
restaurants wherever you go.
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you specifically make attempts to
strike up conversation.
infected in the hot, humid climate. If
you’re staying by the beach, make
sure you apply repellent in the
morning and in the evenings just
before sunset when tiny sand flies
nibble. The bite won’t itch for 24 hours
but when it does, boy does it itch!
Take anti-histamines orally for a couple
of days to stop the itch.
Rooms have en-suite bathrooms (poor
water pressure is the norm and most
towns only have running water on
alternate days so shower quickly to
ensure the water tanks don´t run dry!)
and air-conditioning units. Décor can
be an eye-opener; some rooms will be
so plain that they resemble a room in
a friary while others are painted in a
carnival of colours and decorated
with kitsch silky curtains and matching
cushions. All will be spotlessly clean.
Health and Safety
Generally speaking Health and Safety
hasn’t come to Cuba yet. The basics
are there so you don’t need to worry
about whether your bus is safe to
travel. It is. In general there is no
obsession with health and safety and
many of the safeguards we take for
granted are not in place. So expect
some or all of the following:
Are there any health worries?
Cuba is a tropical country so it’s a
good idea to take extra care with
personal hygiene to avoid stomach
upsets and infections. We recommend
that you carry anti-bacterial gel with
you at all times and use several times
daily and especially before and after
meals.
Potholes - part and parcel of any road
trip in Cuba.
Cracked pavements - most
pavements have their fair share of
cracks and uneven surfaces so take
care when walking – even in the
centre of Havana – and wear
comfortable shoes.
Jineteros - this is the local Cuban word
for a hustler. Offering to take you to
eat at their cousin’s paladar, to drink a
mojito in their home or offering you cut
price cigars they are the most
charming band of hustlers in the world
and can usually be batted off with a
polite “No thanks”
Dodgy Electrics - loose wires and
electric showers are part and parcel
of a Cuban home. It’s not unusual to
see loose wires in hotels and some of
the casas particulares still use the
electric showers. We would love to
eliminate all of them but these risks to
health and safety will probably be
If you’re keen on Cuban cocktails
then we recommend that you only
drink them in really clean restaurants
and bars where the water for making
ice will have been filtered. When in
doubt ask for your drink without ice or
go for bottled or canned drinks
instead. Tap water is drunk by the
locals but will almost certainly give
foreigners stomach upsets.
You should bring a good insect
repellent with you and make sure that
you apply both during the day and
night. The Aedis Aegypti mosquito
bites during the day and is the carrier
of dengue and zika. While it is highly
unlikely that you will catch either
disease in Cuba, mosquito bites can
cause an allergic reaction or become
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part of Cuba for a number of years to
come.
Dehydration - it’s quite easy to get
seriously dehydrated, especially during
the first days of your trip as you
acclimatize to the heat and
humidity. Make sure you drink plenty
of mineral water and try to avoid
drinking too many mojitos.
Standards of hygiene - Cubans are
extremely clean and house proud but
lack the cleaning products which we
take for granted. This can make it
extremely hard to give the impression
of a well cleaned bathroom when, for
example, the bathtub is stained by
hard water deposits. Replacement
taps, toilet seats or broken tiles can be
impossible to buy due to the US
Embargo which still makes importation
prohibitively expensive, so even hotels
sometimes lack the basics or fail to
replace leaking taps or faulty toilets.
This can give the impression that high
standards of hygiene are not being
demanded of cleaning staff. No
matter what standard of
accommodation you’re staying in,
expect some of the equipment to be
faulty!
Time difference
GMT/UTC -4 hrs
Group size
Max 20 people
Suggested reading and maps
Lonely Planet Cuba 2015
Sasha Korniak Cuba Wanderer 2015
James Kavanagh, Cuba Birds 2016
Ernesto ‘Che’Guevara, The
Motorcycle Diaries 2004
Maps can be obtained in advance
from The Mapshop
www.themapshop.co.uk
Electricity
110V, 2 pin flat or round blade plugs
HF Holidays Ltd, Catalyst House, Centennial
Court, Elstree, Borehamwood, WD6 3SY, UK
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