havana | cuba

Vibes

Cuba feels like it’s stuck in the 1950’s, but never the less picturesque and perfect as is. It’s beautiful architecture, old cars, and warm Caribbean people make for an incredible cultural experience none like anywhere else in the world you’ll go.

Accommodations

Casa Particulares: “Casa particulares” qualify to support the cuban people; You legally stay with a host family in their home, and there usually is a blue sign posted outside with “arrendador divisa”.
AirBnB: We stayed in an AirBnb which was like a casa particulares. I could not speak more highly of our experience. Rafael and his wife greeted us in the BNB when we arrived, and gave us a lay of the land. They were incredibly hospitable, helped us set up taxis, brought us bottled water, checked in on our household supply needs daily!
Hotels: Many of the hotels in Cuba are government owned; thus, they fall on the restricted entity list and do not recommend staying at a hotel. I’d advise checking the restricted entity list before booking any accommodations.

Transit

Cabs | Cabs are available more or less everywhere. A cab from the HAV airport to Old Havana should cost no more than 25 CUCs; Always negotiate! Look for a sticker in the corner of the taxis to identify legitimate cabs. Many people use their old cars to drive as “taxis” to make money under the table. Unless you’re familiar with the Spanish language, and/or a highly experienced traveler, I’d recommend sticking with the legit cabs.
Car Rentals | Car rentals are available for those who are venturing outside of Old Havana. However, if you’re staying in Havana there is no need to rent a car.

Food & Drinks

El Dandy: Delicious tacos and breakfast/brunch food. Cute cafe style spot with good music, old interiors and good food (for Cuba!) There also is a wifi park across the street in Plaza de Cristo. Vegetarian friendly.
El Chanchullero de Tapas: One of my favorite meals in Cuba, we had a large salad, side of sautéed chicken and rice. Always a long line, but worth the wait! Vegetarian friendly.
Los Nardos: Tons of locals eat here for the cheap price, portion size, and Spanish inspired cuisine. Be weary of the long line. Go early around 6:30p if you plan on not waiting all night.
Sia Kara: By far the most delicious cocktails we had our entire trip. They’re massive, frozen, and delicious. Try their Daiquiri with frozen fruit (e.g. Pineapple) or the Sangria. Both are AMAZING. Also the bartenders and staff here are all super kind. We went out dancing with them one night.

La Guardia Rooftop/ La Guardia Paladar: One of the best meals we had in Cuba (relative to the rest of the food we had). The restaurant is on the top floor of an old, run down building. Great sangria, ceviche, and their chicken crepe is fuego. Make sure you get a reservation for dinner! I heard Obama ate here?!
King Bar: Local spot in Vedado that we went for late night dancing and drinks with a few locals. Super fun music and lively vibes. LGBTQ friendly.
El De Frente: Incredible drinks and awesome rooftop vibes. Some of the best ceviche I’ve ever had, no joke. To top it off, the management was super hospitable and helped to make room for us when the restaurant was packed. However, make a reservation to be safe on weekends!
OReily’s: Small and quaint bar known for a “treetop experience”. A favorite of locals and is very hospitable for foreigners. Reservations encouraged.

El Cocinero: A great spot to grab food or drinks before headed out to Fabrica del Arte. The food is a bit more expensive, but the ambiance and convenience was great. Make sure to get a reservation for dinner!
Other places that were recommended by others: Paladar Dona Carmela, Dona Eutimia, La Escensia, Sloppy Joes, Dos Pelotas, Cafe Madrigal, La Fontana, Miramar, Parque Coppelia; La Floridita

Activities

Fabrica Del Arte: This spot is a MUST. On Friday and Saturday nights, the art museum turns into a nightclub every type of music -- live music, discoteca, hip hop. All the locals go here, as well. Go by around 10:30p otherwise, the line will be super long and no guarantee you’ll get in.
Calle Obispo: Take a stroll down this street. It’s full of bars, restaurants and street food. It’s pretty touristy, but fun to people watch!
Classic Car Tour: Drive around Havana in an old car. You can find a ton of people waiting to take tourists on Car Tours in Plaza Central. No need to book in advanced. Don’t pay more than 40 CUCs and make sure to negotiate. You probably can find someone what will do 20 CUCs for 1 hour. Definitely a highlight from the trip
Walking Plaza tour: Take a stroll through old Havana and visit all 4 Plazas. It was a great way to get accustomed to the city by foot on our first day.

Take a salsa lesson: A highlight from our trip. We booked a salsa lesson through Airbnb Experiences, and I couldn't recommend this experience more. The experience handled all logistics, and the teachers were all SO kind and patient with us. There is a bar at the at the dance studio in case you need a piña colada or two to loosen up! :)
Take a trip to Viñales: Highly recommended by ALL the locals. You can book a day trip with a company that covers the transport. We didn’t make it here, but I plan on returning someday and want to spend a few days in Viñales. It’s supposedly a great place to do tobacco tours, horseback ride, and enjoy the beautiful greenery. 2.5 hours from Havana.
Take a trip to a local beach: There are a number of beaches that supposedly are easy to get to from the center of Havana. From what I hear the beaches are almost as nice as Varadero, but during peak seasons are SUPER busy with people from Havana. (e.g. Santa Maria del Mar, Playa Baccuranao, Playa Guanabo, Playa el Salado)

Take a trip to Varadero: Another great spot to spend a few days, but definitely doable in 1 day if you’re short on time. BEAUTIFUL blue and white sand beaches. There were barely any people at the beach. We hired a cab drive to drive us to and from Varadero in one day (~120 CUC total round trip). 2.5 hours from Havana. There are some (supposedly) really cool caves on the way to Varadero. We missed them on the way up, but if you able to route your driver to include them, I’d try to go and check them out!

Smoke Cuban Cigars and visit a cigar factory: Cohibas are the most well known and recommended brand by Cubans, but Romeo y Julietas are just the cutest little cigars. Don’t buy cigars on the street, but actually purchase them in the store. Partagas and Romeo Y Jullieta were two cigar factories recommended to us!

Hang out at privately owned rooftop bars: A few great rooftop bar spots recommended to check out: Bar Piscina Mirador @ Hotel Saratoga, The Rooftop @ Inglaterra Hotel, La Flauta Magica
Walk the Malecon: Walk or drive the malecon, or coastal boardwalk, at night. It was closed when we were there, but everyone RAVED about how lovely it is at night.

Considerations when traveling

Wifi: Wifi is only available in limited parks and a few restaurants, but you will always need to purchase a wifi card. Purchase wifi cards from the local equivalent “AT&T” store. Don’t buy off the street, you’ll prob get ripped-off.

Supporting the Cuban People: To “support the Cuban people”, they recommend about 6 hours of activities per day. This can include activities such as “experiences” on AirBNB, casa particulares, eating at Paladares ( or private restaurants), Cigar Factories or Tobacco Farm, dancing lessons, attending music venues, art shows, museums, meeting with local business people, purchasing from independent museums and markets (e.g. local vendors), and discussing Cuban society with locals. Maintain receipts, itineraries, and records for 5 years.

Visa: You need to get a Cuban Entry Permit to enter the country. For many flights, you can buy at the gate. Check your airlines for details.

Service: Turn off your phone before arriving and/or keep phone in airplane mode. Rates for roaming are insane.

Charging: Chargers are for the most part the same voltage as in the United States.

Currency: There are 2 types of currency, 1 for tourists, 1 for locals. CUCs are the tourist currency, and CUPs are the local currency. Do NOT accept any change in CUPs because the two currencies are not equivalent. Cuba is a tip culture, so make sure you tip. A small number of CUCs goes a LONG way in CUPs for the local people.

Water: Hydrate lots, but only drink bottled water. Bottled water can sometimes be hard to find at local shops, so stock up when you see a good price for a large bottled water.

Getting Around: Download Galileo or Google Maps with your locations saved. There is NO internet in Cuba, so having a map available will be very helpful to walk the city. Download Google translate incase your Spanish isn’t that great. English skills are minimal. We spoke in Spanish 90% of the time.

Rooftop afternoon snacks and a Romeo & Julieta cigar

Other:

Print all accommodation details ahead of time (there is NO wifi!) (e.g. passport, copies of airbnb, excursions)
Pull cash out all the cash you think you’ll need BEFORE you leave the United States. This can be in either USD or CAD (Sometimes Canadian rate is better conversion). You cannot use US debit cards unless you’re at Western Unions. To get the best rate, exchange your money at the airport; otherwise, you can exchange at big hotels or banks. Banks close at 2pm in Cuba. I recommend bringing $50 - $100 per day.
Before leaving I’d recommend making a few reservations for activities/restaurants. Once you arrive, it’ll be hard to make plans unless you’re going through a tourist center. Many popular restaurants are booked out during high travel seasons.
Enjoy yourself!!!!

Local man selling flowers off of his bike.

Cutie old man walking the streets matching the walls!

TravelDana DavisApril 15, 2019