 Travelling to Cuba is no longer illegal for Americans. There are 12 legal reasons to visit Cuba. They are: 1. Family Visits 2. Official business of the U.S. Gov't 3. Journalistic activity 4. Professional research 5. Educational activities 6. Religious Activities 7. Public performances 8. Support for the Cuban people 9. Humanitarian projects 10. Activities of private foundations 11. Exportation of information 12. Certain authorized export transactions* * According to www.cheapair.com We chose to visit Cuba under Religious activities. My mom's pentecostal church found us a church in Cuba and we spent our last full day with them. Donating goods to the members of the church and the orphanage they are associated with. How to get there? Although it is not illegal to go, you cannot buy a direct flight from America. You have to buy two tickets. We chose to buy round trip tickets from NY to Cancun, Mexico. Then one from Cancun to Havana on Interjet. Interjet was amazing! They dont charge for checked bags and changed my connecting flight to a direct flight at no extra charge. You must be in Mexico (or whatever country you choose to fly to first) for at least 2 hours before flying to Cuba. You need a Cuban visa. Interjet sold them right at the check in line. They are $20. Most of the group allowed customs to stamp their passports. It wasnt a big deal at all. Out of 12 of us, I was the only asked why I went to Cuba and I told them and it was fine. Where to stay? Hotels are booked solid for about a year. We stayed at an Airbnb, 50"s Decor Casa. The owners Ignacio and Ana are great and extremely hospitable. They have a 6 bedroom 5 bathroom apartment. It is adorable, super clean, and walking distance to the Malecon. The highlight of our stay was a daily breakfast spread on their terrace for 6 CUCs (about $6). https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/10614626 (Link to our Airbnb). What to expect? Cuba is so SAFE! I've been to about a dozen countries in the Caribbean and I seriously felt the safest in Cuba. I arrived hours before my entire group and explored alone and didn't feel uncomfortable at all. There is virtually no WIFI on the island. We heard some of the nicer hotels have it, but we never found it. If you have work to do NOT count on having wifi anywhere. No credit cards. BRING CASH. We all budgeted for $100/day, but the prices were really affordable and none of us really spent that. I would budget for less than that a day. I think $60/day is just fine. Drinks were $1, meals were between $4-12, cabs were $5-10, and souvenirs were usually $5 or less. I bought a wood sculpture for $12 and a friend bought some art at $140. The people of Cuba are in serious need. By day two people were asking us if we had gum, soap, lotion or clothes we could give them. It was heart breaking. Bring stuff to give away and keep it with you at all times... it will be used and they will definitely be appreciative. What to eat? Food is hit or miss. We went to a paladar (privately owned restaurant) and we didn't like it at all. We were nervous all the food of Cuba would lack flavor, but lucky for us it just kept gettin better and better! Make sure you have some ropa vieja, empanadillas, ice cream, and Cuban coffee!!! My top 5 eateries not to be missed are: 1. Paladar Los Mercaderes ( Get the Ropa Vieja skip the passion fruit mojito) 2. El Cocinero (Super hipster, awesome prices, and greatttt ambiance) 3. El Ajibe (get the specialty chicken... so tender... so flavorful!!!) 4. El Palio (pricer than all the others, but absolutely delicious. Get the pesto pasta) 5. Los Nardos (huge portions cheap prices) What should I do?
Live, Love, Travel, LMJ
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3/6/2023 03:56:38 am
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AuthorI'm 50 countries into my story, join me for the rest. I'm a penny pinching self proclaimed travel guru, eager to share my ways. Archives
February 2018
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