Havana is what I expected it to be: hot and sticky, frozen in time, and super gorgeous- probably the most beautiful “big” city of any island nation I ever visited. The people of Cuba are what I expected them to be: curious of strangers, friendly yet reserved, but full of city pride. They are ingenious in making do with what they have or lack thereof. I saw inventive (maybe questionable) ways of people fixing 60+ year old vintage cars and the use of pulley system from third story balcony to buy, pay and move things.
Cuba is not an easy destination, it requires some planning and lots of flexibility even for a short trip. I wanted to share some general information and tips for your trip to Cuba.
Preparing for your trip to Cuba:
LOGISTICS: It is important to plan ahead since you might have to book with travel agent (if you are American, check the latest travel advisory). I booked FLL-HAV flight with Southwest and HAV-LAX flight with Alaska airlines. Both airlines can guide you through the process of getting a Visa. Some airlines include medical insurance in the price of your ticket. Just keep the boarding pass as proof of insurance.
*Pro tip: Book Taxi ride to & from airport through your hotel/ host (typically 30-35 CUC depending on type of car). You’ll be glad you did- the scene can be quite chaotic.
*AVOID checking in your luggage. We didn’t check in our luggage but have heard countless horror stories of people waiting for hours for their bags. Immigration moves fast and uncomplicated.
I booked a stay with AirBnB in Habana Vieja (old Havana). I definitely would recommend staying in Habana Vieja since you can walk to all the major sights and the buildings has charms.
*Pro tip: AC is a luxury item in Cuba. Be sure to book a place that has one.
CURRENCIES: Two currencies are used in Cuba. One is CUC -technically for tourist and one is CUP- technically for locals.
In Cuba, the value of 1 CUC = ~ USD $1. While the value of 1 CUC = 25 CUP.
For reference purpose: I used CUP to buy mangoes (10 CUP) and guava (3 CUP) at local market. The CUC is used in restaurants (entrees 6-16 CUC).
You can exchange Euros and CAD at Casa de Cambio (CADECA) to CUC. Then you can exchange CUC to CUP at some CADECA (if it’s available). The airport CADECA only has CUC. There are a few CADECA in Old Havana – you can tell by the line of tourists.
*Pro Tip: use only Euros and CAD to exchange to CUC as USD exchange is charged extra fees.
Also, your credit and ATM cards won’t work. So bring extra cash than what you think you need.
NECESSITIES: There are small shops selling really basic household items (oil, sugar, beans, coffee). So bring your own medicine and toiletries. The shops sell alcohol and sodas but it is hard to find bottled water (you can buy from street vendors).
*Pro Tip: Always drink bottled water and be wary of ice cubes. Unless the water is boiled, our Cuban hosts said the tap water is unsafe to drink.
FOOD: I ate a lot of fresh fruits in Havana. The mangoes were my favorite: sweet, big and juicy. Overall, it was hard to find healthy food options. In general, there are lots of Italian and Cuban food options but not much else.
COMMUNICATION: Most Cubans only speaks a few words of English. My Spanish is at a 4 y.o. level. You will have a better experience if you speak more Spanish, but I got by okay. Our hosts and most Cubans I met were patient and were very good at charades.
Favorite Moments in Havana:
- One of the best food experiences was eating a Cubano (ham & cheese sandwich) and drinking mango juice (sold in used bottled water container) from a guy on a motorcycle – all for 40 CUP (~$1.80). Since the taxi drivers get their breakfast from him everyday, I figured it was a good way to get a true local flavor.
- Walking between Old Havana (Habana Vieja) and Central Havana (Habana Centro). We passed lots of parks, old buildings and interesting alleys.
- Chatting (more like gesturing) with our hosts while drinking strong coffee on the roof top.
- Vintage car ride to & from the airport. I must have taken like 200 pictures of the interior of the car alone. We rode in 2 different types of vintage cars. Both beautiful inside and out.
- Eating freshly fried Churros on the street while watching local kids do rollerblade tricks
- Watching Havana sky turned purplish pink at Sunset on La Guarida restaurant’s rooftop
After years of contemplating a visit to Cuba, I finally went to Havana. Despite the unknown – of travelling outside my comfort zone. My final verdict is: Havana is beyond beautiful. I know what I saw is very, very far removed from the experience of average Cubans. After all, I only look for pretty picturesque buildings and was just excited to be there to experience it all. But Havana seems to be growing, I see cranes and new constructions sites. Overall, I am really grateful for the time I spent there, for our hosts (Felipe and Raul) – sweet people who make strong coffee and generous with their time (patiently explaining by gesturing to a girl with very, very limited Spanish).
