We booked a 2-week all holiday package which included transfers to and from hotels and airports (I highly recommend paying extra for this as getting around most of Cuba is difficult otherwise - cabs are hard to come by outside of Havana).
We spent the first 10 days in the Eastern end of the island, in a province called Guardalavaca (literally meaning 'Guard the cow'!?) which is situated near the city of Holguin. Guardalavaca has only 4 hotels - the main one being Hotel Club Amigo Atlantico (where we stayed). Club Amigo is an all inclusive resort hotel situated right on Guardalavaca's best beach (so good that the locals go there on weekends with their families). The beach is a white sandy one with plenty of shade. The hotel has about 4 swimming pools - one even has a bar in the pool where you can receive your free (inclusive) drinks. On the drinks menu is usually either beer, pina colada, cuba libre (cola and rum) and a decent coffee. Other cocktails can be obtained if you offer to tip (1 or 2 CUCs will usually get you something else on the drinks menu). At the beach you can hire pedal boats, snorkeling equipment or go on a quick catamaran ride (if you tip).
Breakfast, lunch and dinner is included and is served in the buffet restaurant. The food can be hit and miss and is worth remembering that things like fresh milk is hard to get in cuba. DIshes like red snapper, roast pork and pasta can be had there. Cuba, unfortunately isn't famous for its food - the fruit is amazing though, if you can get it fresh (especially the mango!). Food in Cuba should be more viewed as a necessity rather than a pleasure - you get more out of it that way! There is also an a la carte restaurant which you can book for up to two times a week (also inclusive) which is slightly better.
Beach towel hire is free (don't lose any or you'll have to pay over the odds for them!). There are safes in the room which you have to pay for. The hotel provides some in house entertainment (mostly quite tacky - celine dion played on a violin anyone?), but there are some good cuban music bands that play there, some of which attracts the locals! Other tacky things to look out for is bingo, water aerobics, water volleyball etc.
Guardalavaca is quite far from Holguin city and you should take full advantage of the excursions available to you. We went on two of them - both of which I highly recommend. Although they were apparently exclusive to our travel company (the Holiday Place), you may still be able to go on them. They were called Journey To The Heart of Cuba (includes horse riding, driving in a jeep, visiting a cigar factory, hat factory, speed-boating and having a hog roast). The other trip was called Santiago Forever (an overnight trip to Santiago [Cuba's second largest city, after Havana], the cost of the hotel and meals are included in the price of the trip). On this trip you'll get to spend an evening at the famous La Trova music venue (where we had our first and best mojito).
Cheaper ways to escape from the resort include taking a horse and cart ride to a local village or booking a cab or coach to Holguin city centre (you may be able to visit the city centre on the way to Santiago depending on your tour guide).
The resort also includes activities like mini golf, 5 a side football and the site also has quite a nice little craft market that has some good value souvenirs. The hotel also has a bank to change your money (most of which you'll use for tipping). Tipping is highly recommended for bar staff, tour guides and the kitchen staff (most of whom are lovely ladies, who really appreciate any tips as they are paid ridiculously low). I wouldn't recommend tipping any of the reception staff as I, along with all the other people we made friends with at the hotel, found them to be rude and unhelpful - which is a shame, as all the other staff seem to be really nice. Depending on where you staying at the resort, getting an early night may prove impossible as the entertainment can go on until midnight.
As I'm on the subject of money, let me try my best to explain the currency system they have in Cuba:
Cuba has a dual currency system - a national Peso and a Convertible Peso. There are roughly 25 national Pesos to the Convertible Peso. However, on our holiday we only used Convertible Pesos and dod not need the old national ones. The national ones are mainly used my citizens to pay for energy and other utilities. Convertible Pesos can only be bought in Cuba and nowhere else! So you'll have to wait until you get to your hotel to change your money (the rates at the hotel are fair, but it is wise to do your own calculations beforehand as scams do happen).
Crime is really low in Cuba, but begging is really high. You'll notice fairly early on (even at resort hotels) that people are often going around saying "Canada". These people are beggars. As Cuba had relied on Canada so much financially, it has become known to all people there that Canadians must be generous and rich! Some beggars are just after clothes or stationary for their children. You may also be approached by young men in the sea, who are just plain chatty to begin with, before either asking you for clothes or trying to sell you black market cigars! Be persistent and just keep saying no, as they are quite persistent too!! Don't let this put you off as they are few and far between, and they are just trying to make ends meet, and they are never violent.
We spent our last 3 nights in Havana - taking an hours flight from Holguin airport. Havana was quite a culture shock after 10 nights in Holguin as it was a lot busier and lot hotter. We stayed in a hotel on the outskirts of Havana and had to pay for cabs to the centre (Habana Vieja [Old Town]). If you are able to get a hotel that is more central, then it will save on cab fares, but it will probably be nosier at night.
Havana is a great city with some lovely architecture and classic cars from the 50s and 60s that are well looked after and shiny! Much of Havana is best enjoyed from the outside - just walk around and look at the people and buildings. You will also see an increase in the amount of hassle from people here also - from trying to get you to come into their shop or just asking for change. There are some great bars with some great bands to be had here and it is just a matter of following your ear to see of you like what you hear - the prices of drinks don't vary much from bar to bar, so just go on whether you like the music or the vibe.
A scam to be aware of whilst in Havana is if you get approached (usually by a couple) saying you look Cuban etc. and they invite in to a bar whilst they write a list of what they think you should do whilst in Havana. Before you know it - drinks will arrive at the table and they will expect you to pay for them, and they will be very expensive!!
Things to do in Havana: visit revolution square (plaza de revolucion), visit the National Art Gallery, take a ride in a vintage car, have a drink at Hotel Nacionale, visit Plaza Vieja and try the beer the micro brewery/bar there (delicious!). All bars and cafes have toilets which you can use even if you're not a customer, but be sure to tip the inevitable old lady sitting outside (you should pay even if you're a customer there) - 30 cents is plenty. Many toilets (especially in Men's) there is no running water - so take hand wipes. Also ladies, take your own toilet paper and take tampons as they're apparently hard to get there!
Oh yes, always negotiate your cab fare before getting in as they aren't always metered and stay away from the yellow coco taxis as they are dangerous!
TripAdvisor has free and easy resources to help you enhance your listing and promote your property.
- Start Here - Visit Your Owners' Center
- Add Photo
- Add Video
