Woman in downtown Havana
After backpacking Cuba last month, I found the country to be unique in so many ways. Some good and some bad, so I thought I would lay out the pros and cons of traveling to Cuba independently.
Pros:
- The Architecture: Some of the most stunning I have ever seen! In the old town of Havana just walking the streets, soaking up the colonial architecture and rich colors, one could easily spend a week there doing nothing but that.
- The 1950-era Cars: It was like going to a car show every day. Again, classic shots for anyone and was a joy to see them running up and down the road.
- The Beaches: Beautiful beaches with crystal blue water and the purest white sand make it hard not to just sit around all day and drink rum. I didn’t do any scuba diving while there but I’m sure there are some gem spots to find.
- Safety: I felt safe the whole time while there and never felt like I was going to be robbed or kidnapped just because I was a tourist. Unlike other Latin countries, you won’t find high gates around houses or broken glass on top of walls.
- Cheap Cigars & Rum! I got a box of Cuban cigars for $15 that I could easily sell back in the US for a huge profit… if I could smuggle them in.
- The Music: There is no such thing as a 3 or 4 man band there. 8 is the minimum, and more than likely you’ll see 10-12 people in a band playing salsa music everywhere. One thing about Cuba is that everyone has a CD, and I mean everyone. If they play music, you can bet your arse they will try and sell you a CD afterward! You’ve been warned!
- The Clubs: Nothing better then a hot Havana night and you can find a ton of hot chica’s in the clubs. Just be careful though, because 1-2 are working (see below though for the rest).
Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)
Cons:
- It’s a Communist Country: If you’re American, remember you have no embassy and technically you’re not supposed to be there. That being said, expect to get drilled when going in and out of immigration about what you did, how much money you spent, where you stayed, etc. If you’re a blogger, don’t tell them that. They freaked out on me during the interrogation (basically that’s what it was when leaving) because I said I had a website and I guess they thought that I was some kind of CIA spy journalist or something.
- No internet! The government controls everything and the internet is outlawed except for a few special circumstances. The only places that will have internet for tourists to use are the nice resorts. It’s big time expensive, costing anywhere from $7-12 per hour and slow doesn’t even describe it. Forget about WiFi as I don’t think they even know what that is… so bringing the laptop will be nothing but a paper weight.
- Public Transportation: It’s next to nothing. The whole tourist industry is set-up for guided tours and not independent travel as most backpackers are used to. One of the first things I noticed, once I got outside of Havana, was the line of people you would see standing along the highways trying to get picked-up. The bus system is so horrible that it takes locals days to get from one side of the island to the other, sometimes even weeks. Renting a car is possible but the costs are high. It’s one country where it pays to be on a tour, but they still suck as you get fed the cookie-cutter guided package that we all hate and strive to avoid.
- The Double Currencies: When in Asia, you have to deal with the double standards in costs, one for tourist and one for locals. In Cuba they simplified it by making you use a separate currency guaranteed to cost you double on anything a local would buy. There are two types of currencies: Tourists use Cuban Convertibles (CUC) and locals use Cuban Pesos (CUP). For example: we once went to get ice cream in a small town and paid 1 CUC per cone, but later found out if you’re local you could get 1 cone for 1 CUP (Cuban Peso). That ended out coming to 24 cones for a local, and 1 for a tourist, for the same price. To convert CUC and CUP click here. Don’t bother with bringing US dollars either, as the government slaps a 10% tax for any transactions with them and all American credit cards won’t work their either.
- Hotels Only: If you’re backpacking there and think you’re going to stay at a cheap hostel to save money, good luck finding one. Just go to Hostelbookers.com and try to find a hostel for Cuba. I’ll give ya a hint, there aren’t any! All the major resorts and hotels are owned by the government, and it’s pretty much illegal for locals to have their own. I heard if you get lucky you can score some cheap accommodation by staying at a local’s house, but these rooms rented out are illegal a lot of the time and you’re on your own if caught. It’s doable but it takes some looking around.
- Che Che Che: The communist propaganda is everywhere and you can’t escape it. After a few days of seeing Che everywhere, it just gets old. It’s history and I appreciate that, but it’s overbearing at times. It was cool to see his face on every billboard the first day. By the 2nd, it was ok. The 3rd bearable, and by the 4th you were sick of seeing his face. Everywhere you went, that was all there was: Che this, Che that, Che peed here once. It would be like going to the USA and seeing nothing but Obama, Obama and Obama crap 24/7 (which we know doesn’t happen).
- The Clubs: Maybe I have been in South America too long, but paying more then a few dollars to get into a club is loco to me. All the hottest clubs that anyone told us to see while there charged a minimum $10 entrance fee. I tried to ask where the locals went, as I didn’t want to party with a bunch of Westerners, but they all said the same thing “Everyone cool is going to Club _____” (ie; $10 cover fee). Maybe I just had bad luck but it seemed the norm to me the 3 nights I went out while there for a week.
Local Cuban with a cigar
I think the only way to see Cuba (unless you know someone there) is by an organized tour. I won’t lie though, the last 2 days I was so sick of the resort style vacation (which I’ve never really been a fan of) but it seemed to me that’s how almost all the tourists were traveling. I didn’t see many young backpackers doing their own thing and I was actually trying to find a few to ask them some questions.
If you’re going to Cuba and staying in Havana for a week, then by all means it’s backpacker friendly (minus the internet and lack of hostels), but anything else outside of Havana is terribly difficult.
Have you traveled Cuba independently? If so, tell us what experience you had while there and the pros/cons of it.
About the Author:
T-roy is the author of 45 posts on Go Backpacking.
T-roy is taking an extended holiday from being responsible. Quitting his 6-figure salary job that was killing him with 12hr work days, he decided that this wasn't the life. He moved to Thailand and spent 3 months living a humble backpackers life and loved the experience so much he kept going. He now resides in Medellin, Colombia doing photography work while running his own travel blog: www.foggodyssey.com
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Categories: Central America, Cuba, Features, Reviews
Post tags: blogsherpa, Central America, cuba, havana, review
30 Comments
Great round-up of traveling to Cuba! I had a friend who went a few years ago and she loved it. I didn't get this much detail out of her, though, so thanks for sharing!
Thanks and tried to keep it balanced in the article. Cuba just has so much to offer to the backpacker but it's nothing like Asia or the rest of Latin America for the independent traveler. That being said it should still be on your list of places to see because in a way it makes it that much more unique but is harder. Havana no problem, getting outside of Havana though gets harder and harder if your not on a tour of some sort.
Renting a moto-bike I think would be the sweetest way to see it (if you could afford it and know how to ride) as hitting all the small towns is where it gets really fun in Cuba! :)
Great story and the opening photo was outstanding!
Interesting piece. I hadn't heard many of the negatives that you mentioned. Your photos are great — thanks for sharing!
many of the “negatives” are non-existent, that’s why you hadn’t heard of them.
Only hotels? bullcrap, have you heard of (legal) casas particulares, of which there are tons?
No transport? bullcrap, have you heard of Viazul?
Double currencies? Well, you don’t work for 200 CUP a month, so you don’t get the government subsidy that the double currencies are meant to address. So boo-frigging-hoo for you.
Seeing Che is too boring for you? Suck it up, it’s THEIR hero! Do you think they look forward to seeing your sorry American ass every day you’re there?
what a crappy article – if you’re going to Cuba do yourself a favour and ignore all of this “advice”.
I've always wanted to go to Cuba, but I wonder if it's because travel to the island is forbidden. I guess my question for you is: despite the cons seemingly outweighing the pros, would you go back?
To be honest I doubt it any time soon. I really got jacked with at the airport coming in and going out. Just got targeted for some reasons and it left a bad taste in my mouth from it. If you can speak Spanish you can read my letter to the Cuban Immigration people here (was a little mad when i wrote that! lol) http://www.foggodyssey.com/2009/11/23/dear-eman…
I would like to go back one day though but am a little leery now because of what happened. Lots of American though have traveled their and had no problems, so please don't let me discourage you from traveling their on your own. It's a beautiful country and enjoyed my time their but to be honest if I go back it will be when they lift the embargo. Just afraid I made some list when I was their the 1st time and don't want to get hassled again because so, as right now we don't have an embassy if something escalated. Just being honest.
And to be fair I did 7 Pro's – 7 Con's and tried to be neutral when writing this… just took a little more to write the cons.
it’s gonna be ruined once the Americans arrive en masse. Too bad.
That's what I've heard before. I guess my best bet is to hope that Prez O keeps one of his promises.
P.S. Let's just say that the cons were a little more descriptive than the pros ;)
Thanks for an interesting and informative post on backpacking in Cuba! I'm thinking about backpacking there and I haven't traveled there before so there is food for thought here.
Tamahome –
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your question and thoughts. I agree, the con's were a little more convincing then the pro's!
I still hope to visit Cuba before the restrictions are lifted, but at least I'm not in as much of a rush now. :)
Hi Rich,
Thanks for checking out T-roy's post on travel in Cuba. Hope to see you around here more often!
Great article, and for the most part I agree with you but I have to say my experience differed on a couple of points.
First on immigration I wasn't asked any questions or interrogated when entering or leaving. Though my friend did have to convince a security guard that a iClicker wasn't contraband. I guess your experience probably relates to your American passport, but you have to remember that tourism is one of the few things that props up the Castro government and they won't jeopardize that by arresting a westerner for something simple.
As for the public transport I agree its non existent but I don't think it makes independent travel impossible, to be sure a confident traveler is needed but you could get by with the national hitchhiking system or renting car, a buy-back might also be a option. Independent travel in Cuba will require relying on the kindness of strangers, I wouldn't worry with Cubans, I encountered nothing but kindness off the beaten path.
Though I never utilized them my research pointed to casa particulars to be common enough and legal to use. They even have a triangle symbol that they post to let you know it is a casa particular. Of course cheap is relative, for a 'developing' country Cuba is very expensive, though once you get your hands on regular pesos it shouldn't be a problem use them for small transactions.
Che is a national hero, regardless of the propaganda circulated by the regime, he will always be in the hearts of Cubans. His legacy will outlive the regime. Though I agree that people asking you “You know Che?” can be a little tiresome. But it is a conversation starter, you could liken it to asking a Canadian about Terry Fox or hockey.
Even if you are with a package tour or staying on a resort you can still get off the path easily with a car rental, I know its pricey but completely worth it for a couple of reasons. 1 Cuban driving is insane, you should experiance it. We were passed by a huge truck while going up a steep hill, we were going 110 and it passed us like we were standing still. GPS is illegal and maps suck so you will get lost, this means you'll meet locals, you'll learn some Spanish and you may get yourself into unique situations. Without a car I never would have been able to find the abandoned resort called the “Grand Hotel” A absolutely stunning abandoned resort in a town that was booming in the 50s because of the natural springs. Here are the pictures I took of this amazing place.
http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=13953563@N…
In addition if you don't go driving on your own you won't see the amazing rugged hinterland of Cuba which has got to be one of the most amazing experiences of my trip.
Matthew- Goods points and thanks for the feedback. It's always good to hear what other people experienced and their own views and thoughts. Loved this picture you took and would have killed to be able to photograph it myself. Sounded like you had a hell of a great adventure their!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfalk/3318765072/
Matt, thanks for taking the time to share all your thoughts. This could've been a blog post in and of itself!
Yah I couldn't believe how much I wrote, a separate blog post may not be a bad idea.
This blog on Cuba is so incredibly ridiculous and non factual and so biaised as to be totally unreal but please spread it to any American citizen of your culturally-challenged type.
Your 50's era condescending rattitude is really something ! You're a museum piece of red-neckism.
A great American named Mark Twain once said : Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness. I guess foggodyssey is invincible.
Luckily for Cubans, the million or so Canadians and the other million tourists from 45 countries avoid being judgemental and visit the island with an open mind.
Please stay home, we'll keep Cuba for ourselves.
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.� Einstein
This blog on Cuba is so incredibly ridiculous and non factual and so biaised as to be totally unreal but please spread it to any American citizen of your culturally-challenged type.
Your 50's era condescending rattitude is really something ! You're a museum piece of red-neckism.
A great American named Mark Twain once said : Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness. I guess foggodyssey is invincible.
Luckily for Cubans, the million or so Canadians and the other million tourists from 45 countries avoid being judgemental and visit the island with an open mind.
Please stay home, we'll keep Cuba for ourselves.
“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.†Einstein
I went to Cuba for two weeks – and absolutely loved it! We were three norwegian girls, and as you say we felt safe all the time (and were all blond ;) As to your thougths on accommodation, I really disgreee. The government lets alot of people rent out at romm in their house, its cheap, safe and you get to meet the locals and help them out. Dont really remember the name, but they have a blue anchorsticker on their house to show that they have been approved.
We also used Viazul tour buses alot. Fairly ok transportation, though the roads are bad… We got to see alot of beatiful places! Dont miss the hills of Vinales or the old city Trinidad. Varadero is gorgeous, but a little bir to touristy I think.
I had the most relaxing vacation ever going to Cuba – and totally fell in love with the music, weather, people an mood (the is by the way not good, Im glad I got vaccinated before I came – except from the pineapple love love love it! wanto go back just to eat it once more!)
Marline – thanks for sharing your experiences in Cuba too!
Hi Marlene,
I plan to go to Cuba late December going into the first couple weeks of January and try to approach the country with a backpack mentality. How did you find these local home stays? As for Viazul tour buses, was it as easy as going to the bus terminal and hopping on to your desired destination?
Cheers,
Mark
I live in Cuba for three months earlier this year, and i can honestly say i will go back. also, most of the REAL negatives (like lack of food, no water pressure/hot water and uncomfortable beds) don’t bother you if you’re only there for a few weeks, and especially if you’re there with a tour since they’re not a factor.
as for wifi, they definitely have it–i had it in my room and it worked decent. no skype, google pulls a lot of their stuff (not gmail, but you cant download any of it). you can find wifi and free (sometimesish) internet at a lot of the cultural places. try casa de las americas. i think if you pay admission you can use it for free in their awesome, hand-painted library.
hostels don’t exist, but seriously, go to casas particulares and then make friends. people are very open and welcoming in cuba, and most of your issues (like where to go out at night that’s fun and cheap) are resolved by making friends with habaneros.
i would say if you’re american, don’t bother with cuba if you’re just doing the all-inclusive thing, because then you may as well be in some other island, or florida, for less risk. the all-inclusive stuff is super sterilized, a la jamaica, with cubanos not even allowed to live in the big resort town of Varadero.
i dunno what the heck you did to arouse their suspicion/wrath leaving habana, but i flew in and out, as well as within cuba, and never had a problem, nor did anyone i was with.
finally, you DO have an embassy, sort of. it’s the US Special Interests Section of the Swiss Embassy, and it’s the giant building with all the flagpoles in front of it along the Malecon in Habana. it’s near the large plaza where Calle 13 played and the Elian Gonzalez protests took place. you’ll know it because security won’t let you walk on the same side of the street as it, unless you go in the back through security. and yes, they will help you (as much as possible–they cant get you out of jail) and they won’t even ask if you’re there legally. and given how many people ARE there legally, you really won’t arouse too much suspicion. just don’t tell them you know Asata Shakur and you’ll be fine.
hope that helps–everyone should go to Cuba, it’s an amazing place filled with some of the most artistic, politically active and educated people in the world.
~delia
Thank you for this blog.
I’m planning my trip to Cuba and staying there for 2 months.
I have a limited budget therefore I will appreciate if someone can describe daily expenses and how much money would be enough for the period.
Also if anyone has an idea how much it is to rent a moto-bike.
-Tariq
One thing about renting cars in Cuba: Driving is dangerous and few traffic laws are enforced, signs are scarce etc… Accidents are the number one cause of foreigners being jailed, as it is required that you prove you’re innocence before being released.
i just wrote below but wish to add that Cuba is a beautfiul and welcoming place. i absolutely love the country and i was enthralled by the people, sights and their culture of strength and resilience… they stand tall and proud even though they are disgraced by the USA… it’s really powerful.
I discovered your blog last week and started follow your posts religiously. I have not commented on any blog just yet but I was thinking I would love to. It’s really exciting to actually contribute to a article even if it’s only a blog. I really don’t know exactly what to write other than I really enjoyed reading through 2 of the articles. Nice articles indeed. I sure will keep visiting your blog weekly. I learned quite a bit from you. Thx!
hey you are not right about crappy buses… we backpacked with viazul – http://www.viazul.com/ (bus that takes you around cuba) and its very convenience, on time and not that expensive (varadero to havana = $10, santiago de cuba to havana = $50)
Is it safe for a woman to go by herself? Would you recommend it ?
i just returned from cuba last week and going back on sunday accom is plentiful they are called casa,s safe and clean wonderful people will say im not going back for the food rice beans chicken pork rice beans chicken pork…………..the problem with the food is the politics well lets say control mind you my feeling is that the cuban people are ready to blow or revolt you can only push someone so far before they push back… anyhow im going back sunday and wonderful people wonderful country cant waitp.s if you are married i dont sugest to bring your wife oopssie but true the women are 2nd to none!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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