I have always found packing for trips stressful.
21.07.2023 - 08:29 / roughguides.com
Cuba’s captivating, colourful streets and carnaval feel make it appealing for travellers year-round. And, as relations with the US thaw, the country's popularity has skyrocketed, with visitor numbers showing little sign of abating.
Planning to join them? Start with our top tips for making the most out of backpacking Cuba.
Casa particulares are the best bet for accommodation in Cuba. You pay per room, so they can be more expensive than hostels in some other countries, but the chance to stay with a local family will give you a true insight into Cuban life.
Passing the day on a rocking chair, or drinking rum with your hosts, might be one of the most memorable experiences you have on your trip – and their tips and recommendations will be invaluable.
Camaguey, Cuba © Shutterstock
While you might think that driving around in a 1950s Ford or Buick will be expensive, many are private taxis – and they’re rarely more pricey than regular taxis. It can also be easier and cheaper to take a taxi colectivo (communal taxi) on long distances than a Viazul bus.
However, don’t expect a luxury journey. You’re likely to be squeezed in with other tourists, vintage cars rarely have seatbelts, and it’s not uncommon to switch cars once or twice before you reach your destination.
Whatever you do, be sure to arrange your price before the journey, as if you’re in a private car, it won’t have a meter.
And if you want some gorgeous, Instagram-worthy shots, consider taking a tour in a beautifully restored Classic Car in Havana. It'll cost you more than the communal taxis but the experience will be worth the investment.
While internet access is becoming increasingly available in parts of Cuba, it’s still not widespread, and you certainly won’t be able to log in to free wi-fi at your accommodation.
To access the internet, you’ll need to buy a timed ETESCA card and find a hotspot. It’s often not worth the hassle, so ensure your travel plans don’t rely on using the web.
Varadero, Cuba © Shutterstock
From the songs blasting out of the taxi radio to live bands in restaurants and seemingly spontaneous dance shows in the street, salsa music will be a constant background beat when you're backpacking Cuba.
Whatever the setting, you won’t be able to help shaking your hips to its swinging sound. Try a dance class or ask a local for some tips and you’ll be ready to show off your moves at a Casa de la Música in no time.
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Even in Cuba’s so-called dry season, heavy downpours can be sudden and unexpected, so be prepared for a soaking. Pack a raincoat and and remember, it’s unlikely to last long. The Caribbean heat will be with you soon enough.
Morning view to Vinales valley, Cuba © Zaruba Ondrej/Shutterstock
Rum is cheap and easy to find in
I have always found packing for trips stressful.
Western Europe’s most populous country doesn’t always spring to mind as a low-cost destination. However, in a place this big and diverse, there will always be a smarter way to spend your euros.
As Insider's travel reporter in Singapore, I've backpacked in four countries across Asia and have stayed in a dozen hostels.
Love and marriage may be the ultimate gift, but just beyond those cherished vows and celebratory toasts comes the unforgettable honeymoon. Unlike the nuptials themselves, the honeymoon is intimate; a private dessert for two. It’s chapter one of a love story. Better still, it’s the newlyweds’ first chance to voyage together in wedded harmony. For LGBTQ+ couples, planning a romantic honeymoon comes with familiar choices—beach or city, resort or B&B, adventure or light recreation—plus considerations about feeling welcome as well as safe.
Beginning on June 1, Spirit will become the third airline to pull out of the Cuba market altogether, joining Frontier and Silver Airways. Two other airlines, American and JetBlue, have cut capacity on their Cuba flights, either by reducing frequency or downgrading to smaller planes.
The last day in August marks the unofficial end of summer, and now also a historic day for U.S.-Cuba relations. JetBlue announced last month that it would be the first to send a passenger plane to Cuba in 2016, and at 10:58 a.m. today, fulfilled this promise.
A recent report released from travel marketing engine Sojern, analyzed travel trends from January 2015 to April 2016 and found the top international destinations for U.S. travelers as well as the top emerging and declining international spots.
In a historic agreement signed this week, the United States and Cuba have now resumed commercial air traffic between the two countries for the first time in 50 years, with routes expected to be running by fall 2016. Currently, only chartered flights are allowed to operate between the two countries.
With rules updating on a constant basis, you’ll need to know these eight new things if you want to travel to Cuba in 2016.
With the launch of many new direct flights from the U.S. to Cuba, it may seem like the door to the formerly forbidden country is wide open for Americans. Unfortunately, that’s still not quite the case. Right now, you’ll still need to travel under one of the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) 12 categories of travel, the easiest of which is a “people-to-people” Cuba educational tour.
The Department of Transportation today announced its nominees to operate nonstop flights to Havana, Cuba. In all, eight airlines were approved for service to Havana from 10 U.S. airports, as follows:
As a college student in 2002, I was lucky to be part of a small group of Americans who gained legal passage to Cuba through a little-known educational byway. I couldn’t have timed my visit better, because shortly thereafter the U.S. government implemented a policy change that eliminated the travel exemption for Cuba.