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Cuba
Where to Stay:
I found a great Airbnb in Vedado in Old Havana for 9 days for $360 USD. The apartment was beautifully done and had everything we needed. Around there we found a great place for breakfast “El Toke” and we were just a few blocks away from the famous Malecón. The host Elena was great and the caretakers were even better.
Money:
- Cuba has 2 different currencies: CUP which is the national peso that ONLY the Cubans use and then there’s the CUC which is the Cuban Convertible Peso, which is what tourists use there
- The Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is equal to the USD so you can imagine why it’s so expensive there
- The Cuban ATMs (even at the airport) DO NOT do business with American banks so it’s useless to try using them to withdraw cash. Bring enough cash with you to exchange and if you don’t spend it all, they always buy it back at the port before going back home.
- We exchanged USD to Euros, and then to CUCs when we arrived. We went to find a CADECA which is where they do their exchanges.
Visas:
- I booked my flight direct from JFK to Havana like a regular flight you would take to any other destination
- When I checked in to the flight that morning at the counter, they asked if I already had a visa or if I needed one… Naturally, we needed one so she gave us one there and we paid the $50.00. I used my debit card to pay for it at the airport with no problem. You have to fill out the visa without any mistakes, otherwise, you have to buy another visa.
- Your boarding pass gets stamped and that becomes your health insurance in Cuba. (We were told to carry our boarding passes along with our visas at all times just in case.)
- Keep that other half of the visa safe at all times. If you lose it in Cuba, you have to find your way to the U.S. Embassy Cuba.
**I would recommend that you make copies of your passport and keep that with you at all times. We were stopped on the way to the beach by the Revolutionary police, who we had to pay off in the end so they would let us through.
Cuban Taxis:
-Before you even get in the taxis, ask them what they charge and then barter with them… for a nice antique car, they’ll end up asking 15CUCs and mainly because that’s what all the tourists will pay.
-Take an antique car and do the 1 hour tour around Havana. It’s totally worth it and you’ll get to see other things you wouldn’t be able to!
-ALWAYS AND I MEAN ALWAYS bargain before getting into the car.
Food/Drinks/Etc.
-In Cuba, it’s not a big deal to have beer or rum while walking on the street. YASSSSS!
-There are places where a meal can cost you 12CUC and if you go to a “paladar”, the same meal is 4CUC… and tastes MUCH BETTER. The same goes for los mojitoooooos.
-There’s a place called “Ambos Mundos”. It’s a hotel where Hemingway used to stay. Although very touristy because you can actually see his room, it has a great rooftop for a mojito or piña colada.
-La Bodeguita del Medio is another touristy place for a mojito. They charge 6-9CUCs but a pretty awesome place to have one and listen to live music. (Emperador No. 207)
La Floridita:
Hemingway used to go and have his piña coladas here (guess he really liked piña coladas). There’s actually a statue of him at the bar.
-Hotel Los Frailes: This used to be a monastery back in the day, which they turned into a hotel. I recommend stopping in to look at the place.
***ALERT! Here is where I had the BEST mojito in Havana! Yes, in the lobby where the monk makes you a fresh one!! (Calle Teniente Rey No. 8 e/ Mercaderes)
Sandwichera La Bien Paga
If you just want a quick lunch, I recommend this place. Everyone goes here. They have lots to choose from and super cheap (CalleAguacate No. 259)
Museums:
La Camara Obscura is a place most people don’t know about, but it is a gift given by Spain to Cuba in 2001. Basically, it’s a huge camera where you can see all of Havana at the present moment. It’s cool to check out but if the elevator is broken (like it was for us), then you have to climb all the stairs until you get to the rooftop…
Museo de La Revolución gives you the history of the Cuban revolution, the military vehicles, uniforms, etc.
Museo del 28 de Septiembre is cheap and pretty interesting, if you’re in the revolution.
Museo Del Ron is the rum museum and you can buy rum there. too. Although if you want, right next to La Floridita is Havana Club which is official store where you can buy rum and cigars . (San Pedro No. 262)
Partagas Fabrica is where they make the Partagas cigars. It’s a pretty cool spot to go since you won’t be going to Vinales. (Industria No. 520 Barcelona and Dragones)
La Maqueta: I suggest you go here. This is special and not too many people know… It’s around the corner from Ambos Mundos and it’s a model of Havana that an architect made for Fidel Castro years ago. They have a pretty awesome show there.
WiFi:
There’s no wifi there unless you are a guest at a hotel or get your hands on a wifi card.
***Download “maps me”!!! It’s an app that downloads the map of Havana on your phone so you’re not lost or need to find where you are. Be sure to download it while you have WiFi and then you won’t need the internet while using!
Excursions:
We did an excursion one day to Pinar Del Rio and Vinales. I recommend it, if you want to visit the tobacco fields. It was an all-day activity. We left at 8am and got back to Havana around dinner time 6pm… Lunch was included and also was a cave called Las Cuevas del Indio. Totally recommend this!
Written by Estefania Sanchez and Edited by Raquel KingEstefania’s Photography: @es_ph0tography
Estefania’s Personal IG: @ssanch3zcamacho
“The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.”
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