Cuba

smilely

Hi,

I'm booked for Cuba on the 29th June for two weeks. Staying in Cayo Coco which i know is quite secluded an this is why we choose it as we want a get away from it all break. I would like to see some of the real Cuba though.

Does anyone have any ideas on what excursions we should do? Also any general hints and tips for Cuba would be appreciated.

I have family in the U.S will having gone to Cuba cause me problems when i go to visit them? (Next visit planned for December this year)

Thanks

misgrace

I have been to Cuba a few times, and going back again soon, but have never been to Cayo Coco, so I wouldnt know how long the travel time would be if you wanted to visit Havana, but if you can, go, as its beautiful, infact all of Cuba is beautiful, and the people.

Regards the US part, I am not too sure, but register on Trip advisor, post your question on the Cuba forum, and you will get the right answers for any questions, there are Cuban experts, and they will put you straight, specially about the US part of it.

Flearoy

Hi Smilely

The Cuban immigration officials do not place a stamp in your passport, rather it is on the visa card that you have to pay for. As such, US immigration won't know by looking at your passport that you have been to Cuba. Unless of course our good old goverment share information about where you have been flying off to....

I went to Cuba in October last year, staying near Holguin, and had a great time. We did a trip to Havana, taking an internal flight, and staying overnight. It was the highlight of the trip.

Don't bank on being able to get hold of products like sunblock too easily or cheaply if at all.

It's a lovely sunny holiday destination with a lot of interesting history if you are that way inclined. I think the political system will change eventually, and with it, so will Cuba. Make the most of it!

misgrace

Or Flearoy will be able to help lol

Good info there, I know a bit about what you can or not buy, or what to bring etc.

I hope its a long time before the political climate changes in regards to US being allowed in, as they will destroy it, I think cuba is the only caribbean island that hasnt got a macdonalds.
Its beautiful as it is, this is why I go every year, and sometimes twice a year,its unspoiled and pray god it remains so. I love it.

smilely

Thanks guys

I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm not worried about the U.S thing as i haven't done anything wrong i'm going on a packaged holiday. Just worried that a big Cuba stamp will cause issues. I have an Egypt tourist visa in my passport and they asked loads of questions about that the last time. I've done a fair bit of traveling but its only the U.S that query everything.

flea72

smilely wrote: »

Hi,

I'm booked for Cuba on the 29th June for two weeks. Staying in Cayo Coco which i know is quite secluded an this is why we choose it as we want a get away from it all break. I would like to see some of the real Cuba though.

Does anyone have any ideas on what excursions we should do? Also any general hints and tips for Cuba would be appreciated.

I have family in the U.S will having gone to Cuba cause me problems when i go to visit them? (Next visit planned for December this year)

Thanks

getting into US with a Cuba stamp in your passport isnt a problem, its more the other way, Cuba tries to exclude things to do with the US, but as long as you dont have a US passport, then you wont have any problems

Day trips from the Cayos are minimal, due to distance. most resorts will only have trips about once a week, either to swim with dolphins or visit Havana (internal flight quickest way to get there)

As for travelling times, we flew out of the UK at 7am, and finally got to our resort in Cayo Coco, at just after midnight UK time, so its a long haul

the cocos, are in the middle of nowhere, so other than your hotel (and neighbouring one if you are lucky), there is nothing to do, than stay at the hotel - car hire was non-existent, and if hiring pushbikes, if took you most of the day to pedal to the mainland and back again, with nothing to look at, or places to stop, en-route - the cayos are really designed as a total chill out place, where you have no connection with the outside world

F

denise_h_2

flea72 wrote: »

getting into US with a Cuba stamp in your passport isnt a problem, its more the other way, Cuba tries to exclude things to do with the US, but as long as you dont have a US passport, then you wont have any problems

Day trips from the Cayos are minimal, due to distance. most resorts will only have trips about once a week, either to swim with dolphins or visit Havana (internal flight quickest way to get there)

As for travelling times, we flew out of the UK at 7am, and finally got to our resort in Cayo Coco, at just after midnight UK time, so its a long haul

the cocos, are in the middle of nowhere, so other than your hotel (and neighbouring one if you are lucky), there is nothing to do, than stay at the hotel - car hire was non-existent, and if hiring pushbikes, if took you most of the day to pedal to the mainland and back again, with nothing to look at, or places to stop, en-route - the cayos are really designed as a total chill out place, where you have no connection with the outside world

F

Several years ago my husband and I stayed in Cayo Guillermo - very chilled out - spent most of our time lazing on a beautiful beach. As there are no locals living on these islands, only the staff who work there, who are bussed in, there are no hawkers to disturb you. Absolute peace and quiet - take plenty of books etc with you, and any toiletries you may need. Most tourists leave behind their bottles of shampoo, shower gel etc which is much appreciated. My husband even gave away his Nike baseball cap (and I don't think that was a genuine Nike product.) For the next few hours we saw the beach clean up team taking turns to wear it. They were so proud of it!

We took a rather different trip - a 2 day trip to the south of Cuba, to visit the Cuban rain forest. We didn't even know Cuba had a rain forest. It was quite an experience. This was a coach trip with an overnight stay.

Enjoy your stay - we would go back but I don't think we could tolerate the long haul flight any more

charlea

i have stayed in cuba twice at las brisa guadalavaca near holguin

where you are staying is pretty remote and relaxed
first time we did the overnight trip to havana which was hard due to the fact that we got picked up at 4am in the morning

the second time we had 11 days on the beach then flew to havana for 2 nights and then flew home straight from there

take plenty of books with you if you like reading, i did wonder why on our plane which picked up people who had stopped in the cayos jumped on our newpapers -

I dont think ( cant remember ) you can take in laptops and certain electrical equipments

If you have any special medicine take it with you along with anything else that you need and would usually buy when on holiday as you will find that you cant get much So take sunblock razors ect

laneycakes

I stayed in cay guillermo in 2008 - and loved it!

Guilermo is a little further out from cayo coco but still very beautiful. Top tips from previous posters re: sunblock etc - we were wearing very high spf on our first day there and because we were on the beach although it was very hot the wind tricked us into thinking the sun wasnt as strong as it was and we got burnt - as did most of the other brits who'd just arrived! needless to say we ran out of sunblock before the end of the two weeks - and although the hotel did sell stuff it was very expensive.

As for havana...deffo possible to do an overnight trip - prob with the rep. We did it - early morning internal flight, took about 50 mins from memory, followed by a bit of a tour around parts of havana - mid afternoon ish we went to the hotel (melia habana) and chilled and ate before heading to Tropicana for the show...then next day we did a walking tour of havana, including the rum museum (yummy!) before the flight back to cayo coco. I think they did 2 or 3 a week - depending on wether you did an overnight or a day trip etc etc.

If you get chance do the speedboat trip - that was great fun - and very close to the cayo's. We also did a trip that took you to the nearest local town - Moron (yes really!) and a crocodile farm etc - twas fun.

i'd go back in a heartbeat!

flea72

charlea wrote: »

I dont think ( cant remember ) you can take in laptops and certain electrical equipments

you can take laptops, as long as they dont have a dvd drive

f

World_Travellers

I went to Cuba last June for a week. We stayed at the Iberostar Tainos in Varadero which was fantastic. Good standard but not too polished off so very down to earth and quite a small hotel.
The beach is fantastic and always something going on with beach and pool activities.
Food was fine. Japanese restaurant was a great experience with food cooked right in front of you.
Only 2 hours away from Havana so really easy for either a day trip by mini-coach or an overnight including Club Tropicana.

I think Cuba is a great destination and you will love it.

Enjoy!