Travel in Cuba

[Animal Farm Pig]

Hi, a couple of my Canadian friends are thinking about visiting Cuba for a little more than a week starting on Christmas and ending a couple days after New Years. They asked me if I knew anything about travel in Cuba, and all I could do was point them to the wikitravel page. I'm wondering if anyone on RevLeft has any experience in this area.

They are thinking to fly into Havana and then travel to Santiago de Cuba and back to Havana. It's a trip of a couple hundred KM in each direction. They are thinking to travel using the puntos amarillos and staying in casas particulares along the way. Is this too ambitious for a 9 day trip?

How is it with the casas particulares? Can one just walk up and get a room, or is it better to reserve ahead of time? Are the puntos amarillos a good way to travel? Maybe it would be better with bus?

They're objective is not so much tourism as a sort-of study/investigation trip to get to know Cuba as it is today. They want to see a broad cross section of the Cuban society. Can anyone suggest some good ways to meet workers and get a feel for the Cuban system?

Neither of my friends can claim fluency in Spanish, but both speak enough to have basic conversations with people and to get around. They're also both kind of poor (the flight tickets will come from a sort-of "study grant"), so they can't spend a lot of money while in the country.

[Magón]

Hi, a couple of my Canadian friends are thinking about visiting Cuba for a little more than a week starting on Christmas and ending a couple days after New Years. They asked me if I knew anything about travel in Cuba, and all I could do was point them to the wikitravel page. I'm wondering if anyone on RevLeft has any experience in this area.

They are thinking to fly into Havana and then travel to Santiago de Cuba and back to Havana. It's a trip of a couple hundred KM in each direction. They are thinking to travel using the puntos amarillos and staying in casas particulares along the way. Is this too ambitious for a 9 day trip?

How is it with the casas particulares? Can one just walk up and get a room, or is it better to reserve ahead of time? Are the puntos amarillos a good way to travel? Maybe it would be better with bus?

They're objective is not so much tourism as a sort-of study/investigation trip to get to know Cuba as it is today. They want to see a broad cross section of the Cuban society. Can anyone suggest some good ways to meet workers and get a feel for the Cuban system?

Neither of my friends can claim fluency in Spanish, but both speak enough to have basic conversations with people and to get around. They're also both kind of poor (the flight tickets will come from a sort-of "study grant"), so they can't spend a lot of money while in the country.

Well, it depends on their money. 9 days could work, but depends on exactly how much they've got themselves, etc. for the trip.

It's all personal preference in this case. And how much time they spend where, doing what, etc.

Also, if your friends want to try and stiff some more money out of the system, have them send me a ticket. I'll be their Spanish Speaker! :thumbup1:

[Adil3tr]

I would suggest you go and ask question like that guy on http://www.iammyownreporter.com/. You could visit a hospital, a community garden, a firehouse, and some factories.:cool:

[Animal Farm Pig]

Well, it depends on their money. 9 days could work, but depends on exactly how much they've got themselves, etc. for the trip.

Thanks. They're not certain how much they'll have between them-- probably US$400 to $500.

The question of "too ambitious" I mean mostly as one of distance and area covered. Would it be too ambitious to try to hitch from Havana to Santiago de Cuba and back in 9 days and still have time to stop, look around, talk to people (and not spend the whole damn time in the back of a truck)?

I can hitch around 600 km / day on the major highways in California. In Mozambique the same distance might take 2 or 3 days. I imagine Cuba should be somewhere in the middle.



It's all personal preference in this case. And how much time they spend where, doing what, etc.

Also, if your friends want to try and stiff some more money out of the system, have them send me a ticket. I'll be their Spanish Speaker! :thumbup1:

Haha, don't think they can finagle another ticket. :) They're not absolute novices at Spanish, either. The guy worked in an exclusively Spanish speaking workplace for around 2 years, and the woman worked for several months at social project in Central America. They're not fluent, but I think they'll get by.

The only reason they're considering hitching to Santiago de Cuba is because the guy thinks it would be cool to visit the Moncada barracks, and it seems like a good excuse to travel around outside of the big cities and tourist areas (with the exception of the barracks :D ). They're pretty open about travel plans though. I think the main thing is to avoid being "beach tourists" and to make a good investigation about life under Cuban socialism (while it's still existing).




I would suggest you go and ask question like that guy on http://www.iammyownreporter.com/. You could visit a hospital, a community garden, a firehouse, and some factories.:cool:

Awesome! :thumbup1: Great website.

Visiting the gardens, factories, etc. is definitely the kind of thing that's called for. I would just wonder whether many work places will be operating in the week after Christmas. Also, I wonder how they would be received if they just show up at factory and start asking questions. I know I would feel a little weird if someone showed up at my place of work asking to be shown around. Although, I suppose if they would explain why they're there, it might be easier.

[Magón]

Thanks. They're not certain how much they'll have between them-- probably US$400 to $500.

The question of "too ambitious" I mean mostly as one of distance and area covered. Would it be too ambitious to try to hitch from Havana to Santiago de Cuba and back in 9 days and still have time to stop, look around, talk to people (and not spend the whole damn time in the back of a truck)?

I can hitch around 600 km / day on the major highways in California. In Mozambique the same distance might take 2 or 3 days. I imagine Cuba should be somewhere in the middle.

Money seems to be in order, as 4-500 USD would get me in Cuba a lot depending on what I spent it all on. Usually I don't spend a lot, as coming back to the US is a serious ***** if you've got all these different souvenirs. But seeing how they're Canadian, I don't think it'll be so bad like it is here.

Well depending on weather, it can take time. But I think 9 days is probably not enough to go see the barracks, and see what all the hubbub is about, along with talking with everyone that they might want to. It might be enough, but they'd probably have to get back sometime the next day or even the next day after. (Once again, depending on weather, and if anyone will pick them up to give a lift, or however they're getting from Havana to Santiago de Cuba.) It'd be worth a shot, and they can always talk to the people along the way, and get some insight that way too. Also, terrain is sort of a ***** going from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, so that's also why I don't think 9 days is proper time to go from one end of the island to another.


Haha, don't think they can finagle another ticket. :) They're not absolute novices at Spanish, either. The guy worked in an exclusively Spanish speaking workplace for around 2 years, and the woman worked for several months at social project in Central America. They're not fluent, but I think they'll get by.

The only reason they're considering hitching to Santiago de Cuba is because the guy thinks it would be cool to visit the Moncada barracks, and it seems like a good excuse to travel around outside of the big cities and tourist areas (with the exception of the barracks :D ). They're pretty open about travel plans though. I think the main thing is to avoid being "beach tourists" and to make a good investigation about life under Cuban socialism (while it's still existing).

Like I said, 9 days probably isn't enough, but you can never tell on these sort of things with all the different effects coming into play. And being in the big cities isn't so bad, but there's definitely small little towns/villages that can be checked out around Havana too, that might interest them.


Visiting the gardens, factories, etc. is definitely the kind of thing that's called for. I would just wonder whether many work places will be operating in the week after Christmas. Also, I wonder how they would be received if they just show up at factory and start asking questions. I know I would feel a little weird if someone showed up at my place of work asking to be shown around. Although, I suppose if they would explain why they're there, it might be easier.

It's probably best to ask for the Foreman, before even arriving to any factory or place where there's a Foreman. I think they'd be a little weary themselves, with two Canadians coming up to them and suddenly asking questions. So getting in touch with the Foreman(s) is an important step to take before any sort of conversations take place. I'm sure after Christmas, factories will be open and running just fine. Might even be doing so before too!

[brigadista]

moncada barracks is now a school - great museum though

9 days is not enough-
need at least 2 weeks -
avoid varadero -

if going to santiago de cuba nice place to visit is baracoa nearby on the coast

flight to havana from santiago de cuba is on an ex soviet plane and quite safe but not cheap

cuban art is wonderful a lot of local artists everywhere

i travelled on the viazul bus which is freezing[AC on HIGH- like a lot of buses in south and central america] also had to suffer endless vids of Daddy Yankee /various reggaeton on the way- so if they go that way from havana to santiago take warm clothing - weird because it may be humid as can be outside but the route is great and stops at lots of small towns on the way to santiago and if you have limited time as i did you may have to take the fastest routes to see what you want to -

If lovers of Che they should visit Santa Clara to see the mausoleum but dress respectfully if going there...

:):)