Provincia de Ciudad de La Habana Travel Forum

Hey guys/gals :) Just bought a ticket to Havana, Cuba for mid-august, and now I need to figure out some minor details.. My idea was to spend a couple days in Havana, see the city, then hop in an old american car (preferably a convertible!) and drive around the island. Some thoughts on the towns/places I wanted to visit with my trustworthy camera are (besides Havana, obviously)
- Santa Cruz
- Matanzas
- Drive up to see Varadero (don't plan on staying there)
- Cardenas
- Guama, then playa Larga
- Cienfuegos
- Trinidad
- Santa Clara
(time permitting - Sancti Spiritus)
- Camaguey (and I've heard about Anabanea (sp?) lakes somewhere on the way to Camaguey - can someone tell me where that is? I hear it's beautiful
- Back to Havana

The questions are -
1) if my total trip is 10 days, giving me 3 days in Havana, do I have enough time to do this trip and come back to Havana?
2) should I book a hotel in Havana at least for the first day (budget isn't an issue, really, but I would like to make this trip a bit more authentic and stay at casa particulares)
3) speaking of casa particulares - irrespectively of my wishes to make this an authentic trip, I would like air conditioning :) Do most/some CP have that?
4) how feasible is it to get an old US convertible in Havana for a week or so? How much should I expect to pay for car hire/gas? (Just don't want to take much more money with me than I would realistically need)
5) Better idea to look up casa particulares in the towns I intend to visit (since I will need to stay somewhere :) or just solve this issue on the spot?
6) data/gprs connection in Cuba - probably a right-off-the bat "NO" question, but will my blackberry work in Cuba? Havana and major cities? Anywhere at all?
7) probably some more questions will follow, but already would like to thank anyone offering any useful info

Rod
P.S. My spanish is kinda-sorta limited :) I can probably get by with a dictionary, but Russian and English are fluent. i'm NOT an american, btw.

Is there a parking lot near the hotel where we can park our rental car? Is it safe to park the car in old havanna for our visit for 2 days?

Hi Everyone - I'm trying to book a one way flight from Havana to London but every airline online is not allowing it. Is this the norm?

i heard casa particular offers good lodging at a lower cost compared to hotels in Havana. Can someone give us more info about casa particular?

Are there reasonably-priced day-tours ($50 to $100 per person in Havana?

Does someone know the hotel inglaterra website in havana? thanks N.

Hi dear VT's
I'll be going to Havana in 2 weeks (Club Atlantico in playa del este) by myself.. and i was wondering if i did the right choice. are these beachs nice, clean ?? I choose Club Atlantico because of the good review on tripAdv, and that i want to be closer to La havana without missing the beach.
I'm 29 male, and I'm going to Cuba alone to relax (after 6 months of heavy snowfalls in Montreal, I can't take it anymore ;-))
is it better to go to Varadero or Cayo Largo ???
Thanks for your comments

Hi, I will be travelling to Cuba next week and am not sure what currency is best to take with me. I have been advised here in the UK to take Euros and not to take travellers cheques. I have also heard that sterling is also accepted??? I have heard from some people that you can get money from the ATM machines as long as your cards are not affiliated with the US. Can anyone clarify for me?

Many thanks.

I am looking for a fishing guide for bonefish in Las Salinas.

Any ideas?

Good day!

We are 3 guys in our 30s from Toronto going to Havana (Cuba) May 3or4 for 1 week and looking for ideas about whick hotels are great in Havana. We want to be close to the city (as opposed to Vardero), but alos on the beach, and have heard Club Atlantico is great.

We're going to explore the city including it's nightlife. Any ideas of great night spots in the city!

Thanks,

D :)

We are hoping to hire a car and drive to Trinidad and then on from there to Cayo Norte ( Villa Las Brujas ) and then back to Havana airport - as my husband does not drive I will have to do all the driving! I am worried about finding the airport - eg. missing the plane on the way home and would also like an indication of the time it will take for each of my 3 legs Havana - Trinidad, Trinidad - Cayo Norte, Cayo Norte - Havana airport.
Incidently, I was able to book the car in the UK through cubancar 02075368175

Hello,

We are going to Cuba at the end of March. We are flying with Virgin Atlantic from London. I've been told that if you fly with Virgin you can get the visa on the same departure day from an agency at the airport for £5.00.
Does anyone know if this is true? and if so what are they called, how do we get in touch with them? I can't find any info in internet.

Thanks.

Hi

Does anyone know where there is a good place to watch and also to train boxing in Havana?

I fancy spending a week seeing how the cubans train.

I previously trained in New York and Bangkok so it would be intersting to see how there style contrasts I noticed they have different footwork to all the other latin boxers.

Many Thanks

HELLO ALL..

as a first timer which area to stay in havana? to see the museums, squares ets.. within walking distance. ps: I am planning to stay at a Casa. not a hotel

Hi fellow VTers,

On behalf of a friend, can anyone give a ball park figure for daily car hire with a view to travelling out from Havana around Cuba and returning to Havana? Also, any good car hire recommendations?

Also looking for accommodation recommendations in the US$12 per night per person budget range.

Thanks!!

I am travelling to Havana 5th March. I need help! I am travelling alone (female) and this will be my first but long awaited trips to Cuba!

Firstly, I need a place to stay and am on a tight budget so would like advice on an area/ casa to stay.

Secondly, I am a keen socialist and would like to see the real deal. Are there any tours I can take that will show me schools etc (I'm a teacher and would love to see school underway although I know this may not be possible)

I would also like to go to the coast. Should I stay out?

I am bedazzled with all the info out there on Havana and so wish I had more time but any advice of my too short trip would be greatly appreciated.

Ola!

I heart that the hot spot for nihgt life in Havana is Plaza Armas and around, is this correct? And clubs, also. Which club do you recomend?

Would like to know what is the cost to go from Havana airport to Varadero?
Thanks

Hi all,
I will be arriving in Havana in a week (Saturday) and going to Varadero.... but don't yet know how to get there. I have heard of Viazul but their schedule and pick-up points - I am not so sure of, and also whether their buses actually go to and from the Havana airport. So that's my dilema.
I arrive Sat. afternoon (3'30 pm) and didn't really want to rely on taxis to go to Varadero.
Can anyone help??
It would be very much appreciated.
THANKS!

I'm aware that Internet access in Cuba is considered generally available for tourists, but I'd like to know of any first hand experience with e-censorship or access being denied to web addresses outside of Cuba. In particular, I need to use Hushmail.com for sensitive email needs but heard it and similar services may be blocked by the Cuban gov't.
Thanks

I'd like to take a day trip from Havana to Santa Clara. Any ideas on how I could do this? Train, bus, air? How long for each?
If so, do you know the costs involved?

Hi Fellow travellers

I´m heading off to Cuba for the first time in two weeks and am a little worried about carrying money on me. I will be staying at a reputable casa particular but have been told that it would be unwise to leave valuables anywhere that doesn´t have a safe or security box.

Any advice on this matter?

From what I can glean, a tourist can expect few if any problems carrying tech gear such as a laptop into Havana. My question is what about peripheral stuff? I have
a very small (1kg. 8"x6")that I use around the world as I need guaranteed connectivity to braodband internet. Internet cafes and hotel hookups are not an option. This gear (Thrane Explorer 110) does not look anything like the older
antennas.

Since I'm not going as a journalist or other professional entity, I've been told getting a permit from the Ministry of information is doubtful. I just want to carry this small device and use it discreetly. My question is limited to what others have experienced with custom officials at the airport.

Does anyone know roughly the cost of flight to Havana out of Cancun? Also does this need to be paid in cash if one were an American?

Much thanks.

Hi, all!
I am looking for casa particular in Havana and would like to know the best place to stay the nigh. Should it be Vedado district or old Havana? what would you suggest? Perhaps you can share your experience with particular casa in Havana where you had great experience.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!
I am planning a trip to Cuba the end of March and still have not decided on the places which would be must see when there. So far I know for sure I will go to Havana first, then to Vinales, Trinidad, Baracoa, Holguin. What else would be recommended to see? Perhaps I missed someting very important!

I would also love to spend some time on the beach (couple of days)and I am sure that I dont want to go to a big hotel place like Varadero, I would like to find less crowded place and not so touristy....can anyone recommend me something?

Thank you!
Laura

Hi,

I am planning to visit Cuba towards the end of February and will obviously be looking to spend time in Havana. However, I was wondering if anyone can advise what they think is the "right" amount of time to stay in the city in order to not have to rush around, and as I've probably got about 8 or 9 days then can anyone recommend anywhere else in Cuba that's worth seeing as possibly a 3-day/2-night excursion. Would it be worth going to Varadero or is this really just like going to a beach resort in Spain ??

Any help is appreciated !!

Cheers,
Darren

I am thinking of going to Cuba during January,
I am planning this break following the breakdown of a 26 year marriage so want lots of advice including is this a good location if on your own.
I would want to plan everything without the help of a travel agent so advise on flights accommodation etc would be great.
I assume the climate is hot and sunny in January,is it expensive? my only other experiance outside europe was India where I have spent a great deal of time recently.

For me and my wife 30 + 41. Low level one's preferably an definitely no cats(allergic).
Thanks

Hi, im going to Havana soon. Does anyone know if they allow to bring laptops into the country? Please help
Thank u

Hi, I'm going to Havana at the end of January 2008 to celebrate my 60th birthday! If there are any mature singles out there who will also be in the city from 28th January and would like to help me celebrate, I'd love to hear from you! Ruth