Aline Ho review 22 Mar 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
So many. One of them, is this sunset on the sand band between the river Toa and the beach. Incredible beauty. But also a great memory at Casa Trova in Santiago de Cuba, and Baracoa. Cuban music is very passionate.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
- Make your plan to stay as long as possible because it's never enough :-)
- Stay with homestays and eat with them: People are so nice and cook so well
- Ask Marcel from the operator to organise the best guide in Baracoa for you
- It's a plus if you like the colonial architecture and retro cars. So good cameras to take plenty of photos and wear good shoes because it's really worth to do a lot of walking in the city.
- Bring small gifts for the kids.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we do (see above)
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
UNFORGETTABLE - BREATHTAKING - FUN - EMOTIONAL - EDUCATIONAL
Micki Klearman review 4 Jan 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The Cuban people -- warm, welcoming, helpful
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Definitely stay in casa particulares -- the best way to meet people and see the real Cuba
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, the proprietors of the home stays and the local guides benefited
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent; an experience of a life time. Marcel arranged the perfect trip
Clare Gray review 19 May 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
To stay in people's homes makes for a much more diverse and interesting, and indeed pleasurable experience. Most homes have only one or two available rooms but landladies operate a cooperative and all seem to know each other well. We occasionally were unable to stay in the same homestay as our friends but were always nearby, either next door or a short walk away and were able to have meals together. Understanding such arrangements in Spanish, which none of us spoke, was all part of the fun! In every case we felt very well looked after by our host family who happily phoned ahead to confirm our accommodation booking the following evening and were happy to reconfirm or book taxis.
We had a private tour for two weeks. We stayed in people's houses and travelled around (4 of us) by tourist bus and taxis. We had a brilliant holiday, the homestay accommodation was always excellent even if it was not the house we were expecting to stay in.
We stayed in Havana, Vinales, Cayo Levisa, Soroa and Trinidad. These provided a variety of experiences and we went on various day trips, all were booked in advance and were of a high standard. All our homestay meals were delicious and the portions were very generous. Live music everywhere, wonderful! Cuba was a very interesting country to visit, different to anywhere we have ever visited before.
2. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?Yes. By touring around Cuba, staying in home stays and using local guides we felt that the regional areas we visited benefitted from tourist currency and income. All our guides were very knowledgeable and informative. Although it is possible to hire a car, we were very happy with the local taxis and tourist busses.
3. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?We have rated our holiday very highly. The arrangements made on our behalf by the operator were perfect and it was very reassuring to know that the representative in Havana was at the end of a phone in case there were any glitches.
Stephan Nikolov review 13 May 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I can't select one sole part, moment or component of the trip. It was a present
to me from my family for my 60th birthday. They know, that my teenage has
passed with emotions connected with the Cuban revolution and its heroes. Many
years has gone since then, I have missed chances to visit Cuba earlier, but I
have read a lot about its recent history and development, and one time
inspiration and fascination have gone away. Nevertheless, in no way it was not
a banal vacation trip. And I am deeply thankful that by chance I spotted Marcel
who, after I was almost disappointed facing refusals from many other
tourist agencies to organize my ambitious itinerary, made what seemed
impossible. Thus, my and my wife were able to see in ten days 100% and even
more of what I wanted to see, and a good deal of the numerous valuable to be
visited places in Cuba.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
My aims for and expectations from the trip were too special, that certainly
there will be few other travellers to match them. Most of the tips for the
travel to Cuba are listed in the good tourist guides, and they generally refer
to what tourists need to avoid elsewhere - outright trust to what locals offer
you in the street, avoiding eating and drinking of food and drinks from
unreliable sources, and eluding involvement in any argument concerning visited
country's political regime. And certainly, I'll recommend to everybody who
seeks not an all inclusive packages for trip not only to Cuba, to approach
this operator or Responsible Travel.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Probably not enough, but I believe we did our best to benefit local people with
staying exclusively at casas particular, and eating at paladors. Our family's
credo is to live according to strict reduction of environmental impacts. As for
supporting conservation, first, only small part of the trip was in the natural
environment, and because of our age and physical impediments we did most of
that part by a car, which is real shame, but we met there Marcel’s local contact, a guide and person who is an exceptional cognocsente of nature and its admirer, and we felt that with such people Cuba's conservation cause has a promising future.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great, exciting, reflective!
George Turnbull review 4 Apr 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Singing the Hokey Cokey with school children in Soroa.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared to have your ideals about socialism challenged! Learn Spanish. Remember it's Cuba not England
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It benefited the homestay owners and the guides and the Cuban economy.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Plenty of variety. Some insight into the culture and politics. Met
some lovely Cubans. Information and attention from Marcel was excellent - before and after.
Anne Marceau review 24 Mar 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting Cuban people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't rush it. Give yourself time to settle into each community.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, in that casa owners are small entrepreneurs, and we were supporting their initiative by staying with them. But we also consumed far more food, energy, etc than they do. By using (and generously tipping) local guides, we tried to show support for their knowledge and the conservation areas where they worked.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was eye-opening - definitely another side of Cuba from the resort holiday.
Noreen Edwards review 22 Mar 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Biking across Cuba was a great way to see the country. It was a completely different experience than riding in a tour bus and staying in tourist hotels. The most memorable part was riding through the countryside, seeing how people live and work, stopping in the small towns and villages that have few tourists.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Carry tools to do most bike repairs. Bikes must be broken down somewhat for in-country air travel and bus travel. Bike repair shops are few and far between, although we did find an excellent mechanic in Cienfuegos. On the domestic flight Cubana de Aviacion did not charge any extra baggage fee to transport our bikes.
If you are biking long distances as we did, pay attention to the temperature. Plan to leave early on hot days to get your ride in before the hottest part of the day.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Travelling by bicycle is about as "green" as it gets. As an added gesture, consider taking a bicycle that you are about to get rid of. Ride it in Cuba and then give it to a local person rather than transporting it home.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had a wonderful trip. Marcel, our tour planner was very knowledgeable about terrain, sight-seeing and accommodations. The casas particulare in which we stayed were all clean, friendly and adequate in every way. We were completely comfortable. The bicycling was excellent, the people were friendly and we felt safe everywhere we went.
Read the operator's response here:
We are very happy to hear that Noreen and Mark had a wonderful holiday and wish to thank them for all their comments they made to us. It made us clear that we should explain certain issues specifically related to bicycle holidays.
We can organize tailor made bicycling trips on Cuba from 3 to 28 days (or more) with culture and nature excursions. From Havana in West Cuba to Santiago or Baracoa in East Cuba, or the other way around, in case when you have 2 or more weeks. When you have a limited amount of days you can bicycle eg from Havana to Trinidad over the Bay of Pigs and return by bus or taxi, or from Havana via Soroa to Vinales.
You always have to bring the bicycle with you from your home country. The protection case you can leave behind in Havana at a hotel deposit, or at a homestay and use it again when you fly back home. For the larger itineraries a domestic flight can be integrated eg from Havana to Holguin or Santiago and start biking from there. So far, Cubana de Aviacion does not charge any extra for the transport of a bicycle but that can change of course in a short time.
You can take the bicycle with you on the same flight, but you have to take off the handle bars and saddle. If you do not have the tools at hand to make the bicycle smaller, the bike will not pass through the X-ray and will be send one day later with the risk of even more delay. On location we do organise transfers with minivan taxis to skip the long distances that are not interesting and to enjoy at the fullest the best possible routes for bicycle holidays. You can also make use of minivan taxis to bring you to the top of some mountain passes in case you prefer to avoid strong climbing.
You can travel with the bikes on the regular tourist buses of Viazul to travel some larger distances. They are put below in the bus and you pay only a little amount extra. The network of Viazul is however limited to the bigger cities and some tourist destinations, so it will not always serve you. For this reason a well thought and well planned itinerary is of great importance to start with. We can offer homestays (casas particulares) all over Cuba, as well as all levels of hotels and/or all-inclusive beach resorts. You can make use only of homestays or have a mix of both. The homestay network on Cuba is very widespread through the whole country and the best network of Latin America so far.
Trevor Hopper review 21 Jan 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being transported back in time to many things from the 50's rekindling forgotten childhood memories. As well as the obvious things like cars there were household items like plastic fruits & flowers,plastic 'lace' table mats & cloths,plumbing systems kept working thanks to Heath Robinson adaptations.
Elegant buildings which looked derelict yet at night revealed through internal illumination that they were still being occupied. Elegant buildings brought back to their former splendour following restoration. Dancing on the stage at the Tropicana Club.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Stay in Casa Particulars rather than hotels. Not only does this put much needed income in to the hands of local people but it offers an insight in to Cuban family life. The food is far superior too!
Do not try to see all the island in 2 weeks. Far better to see half but in greater depth.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. We benefitted local people by staying in private homes & using local guides.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very highly.
Much care & discussion went in to tailoring our holiday to suit our interests & needs. All recommendations lived up to promise. The itinerary flowed seamlessly thanks to rigorous liaising between our operator & each accommodation.....not an easy feat in the light of poor telephone & internet connections.
Desmond Lauder review 6 Feb 2013
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved our time in Trinidad, exploring the old town, listening to the music and learning about life in a small Cuban town. We even managed to see a wedding and a funeral. Most of our evenings in Trinidad were spent at Casa de la Trova listening to a variety of son and trova bands performing the music for which Cuba is famous and watching the locals (and some tourists) dancing salsa.
Most enjoyable was our four days staying at the all-inclusive Iberostar Varadero at the end of our holiday - a comfortable room, beautiful beach, good food and very relaxed atmosphere.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Stay at casas particulares and eat at the casas or in paladares. The service and food is much better than anything from state run hotels or restaurants. We felt we got closer to the real Cuba in Vinales and Trinidad than in Havana. The tour guides took more trouble and the people we met were more open and friendly. Although you must spend a few days exploring Havana Vieja, make sure you also travel to the rest of the island. The tourist buses provide a good service; but a hired car enables you to get off the beaten track. However, take care to hire a car in excellent condition.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
By staying in casas perticulares and taking local tours, we were able to provide some benefit to local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We asked Marcel of the operator offering this holiday to design and arrange our programme; but the partner Cuban agency in Havana managed and delivered our programme in Cuba, sub-contracting our tours and transport to other Cuban agencies. And we paid direct for our accommodation and car hire. With so many agencies involved, we had the impression that we may have paid more than we should for some of these services. However, we had a good holiday with some ups and downs - which is probably what you should expect in Cuba. Overall we had a good holiday.
Saavan Gatfield review 7 Mar 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were many highlights, but the best thing was meeting various Cubans across the country, and getting a feeling for them, their country and their culture.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
1. Take the opportunity to talk to people wherever you go - Cubans are very friendly and want very much to talk with everyone. 2. Tip widely, especially where tips are not asked for or expected: a little way to spread the wealth a bit. 3. Take ear plugs, particularly if staying in town centre casas particulares (rooms can be by the street, and therefore noisy)... 4. Finish your stay with a couple of nights in Cayo Levisa (luxury cabins on an exclusive tropical island with beautiful pearl-white sand) followed by a couple of nights at the Hotel Nacional to regroup before flying home. 5. Eat at La Guarida in Havana for a totally different dining experience (as compared to the rest of the country).
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - throughout the trip we had the opportunity to interact with local people, to buy from craftspeople and to see traditional ways of living.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent - a really eye-opening and thought-provoking experience. Marcel was very helpful in putting together our itinerary and ensuring we had on-the-ground support in Cuba. Would recommend anyone to use this tour operator.
Shirley Haywood review 6 Jan 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We have so many great memories from our holiday in Cuba... the casas particulares were all different, welcoming and provided great food. We found empty beaches on the drive to Trinidad and had private salsa lessons once we arrived. Everyone was very helpful and flexible, the tour guides were knowledgeable. The Rambo tour on the 2-day trek was excellent - as was Yuri our guide.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Review your itinerary carefully and feel free to make suggestions and tweak it until you have exactly what you want. I don't think we could have bought the variety we had in our holiday from anyone else; we really did get to do everything we wanted; visited coffee farms, a cigar factory, trekked in hills, swam in pools and under waterfalls, in the sea and lazed on beaches, drank all the famous cocktails, had our 1950's car tour of Old Havana, hung out in cities and villages, watched locals on the maricon, ate gorgeous seafood, danced salsa, walked, drove and cycle taxied all over.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We were able to meet lots of local people, the casas particulares owners were clearly benefiting from tourism, but particularly on the 2-day walk in the hills above Trinidad we had chance to see the real coffee families and they saw a benefit from the tips we left in CUCs. We didn't support any of the larger hotel complexes and that felt good.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. Cuba was wonderful, the variety, weather and people were fabulous. I've been recommending it to everyone since I got back.
Alan Holgate review 5 Dec 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The stay in Trinidad because of the visit to the mountain and nature trek.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
JUST DO IT ! Well worthwhile.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes it certainly benefited the locals and, since we travelled around Cuba by bus we like to think that we did reduce our carbon footprint from what it might have been.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
First Class! We cannot fault the arrangements by the holiday’s operator or their local Cuban agent. Marcel is a really good arranger and the Casa Particulares he chose were generally good. We have already spoken with him since our return to tell him about the ones that were not so good. On her part the travel arrangements by the local Cuban agent were first class.
Stephanie Chu review 1 Jul 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being exposed to the lively and unique culture of Cuba, and meeting the locals who have such an esprit de vivre.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Having Marcel as our guide throughout the holiday made all the difference to our trip. If you have the budget to have a private guide with you for the whole trip (we had a large group and could share the costs), do go ahead with asking Marcel to be your guide. Without him, we would not have experienced half of the things we did in Cuba. Through Marcel's language skills, knowledge of the Cuban culture (and its constant changes) and the connections, he has established in Cuba throughout his many years running tours in Cuba, we were able to see, meet and experience parts of Cuba that would simply have been inaccessible to us had we decided to explore the country by ourselves.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent and highly recommended.
Lesley Hall review 13 Jun 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
So much was memorable: the architecture of Havana the variety of modes of transport throughout the variable Casa Particulaires; some health & safety night-mares but always welcoming, friendly and excellent value, wherever you end up! the roads, Vinales & Soroa, crabs crossing outside the Military base on the road to Maria la Gorda. Almost empty hotels: Isle of Youth particularly. Diving by day boat - only 2 dives - very gentle & relaxing. Very quiet. Maria la Gorda busier with more diving options; delighted to see turtles unexpectedly. Fabulously responsive transfer services - not so great car hire arrangements.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Learn some Spanish. Don't expect the menu to match what's available in hotels. Food much better in restaurants/paladares and Casa Particulares. Print itinerary/cost for meetings. Driving (with care) was not as scary as feared!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Certainly expect our business to have benefitted local people. All tours include shopping opportunities!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fabulous, a really interesting variety of experiences. Only managed to see a small proportion of the island. Met some lovely people; both Cuban and tourists & all sharing enjoyable experiences.
Suzanne Burwood review 16 Apr 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Lots of memorable parts to our holiday but I think the most exciting was just looking forward to what we were going to be doing the next day. I have to say it exceeded all my expectations and was extremely well put together. Every day was different and brought its own memorable highlights.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Definitely stay in the Casa Particulares / Homestays - you will have a wonderful experience and the people are so friendly and welcoming. Ensure you have a good map to find your way about if you are driving!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely felt the holiday benefited local people. Eat with them, let them do your washing etc and you will also benefit.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Overall the holiday was a brilliant experience. We enjoyed every single day and feel we made some excellent friends.
Barbara Lammas review 19 Mar 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Old Havana was so full of vitality, street entertainment and contrasts but a strong memory is of the Sunday morning Art market; the whole length of the Prada round each artist, pen, pencil, paintbrush in hand, were groups of young people learning to sketch and paint. But the most memorable was at La Guama. After a night sleeping in our own private hut on stilts on the lake, we were picked up in a rowing boat at dawn. Out on the misty lake we heard the dawn chorus as never before and as the sun rose over the mangroves we saw Spoonbills, Ibis, cormorants, osprey and many many more.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you only have two weeks, like we did, accept that you can’t see it all. Cuba is a large island . We wanted some birding days as well as city days and we had 3-4 nights in each place- apart from the one night at La Guama. Also stay in Casas Particulares - and eat there too. Good food, good company and good value.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. Because of the dual currency in Cuba, it really helps families if you stay in Casas Particulares as the tourist currency goes directly to your host family. Better still for them if you eat at least one meal there. All our excellent Birding and City guides were Cuban.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. We had a tailor-made budget holiday. We wanted a mixture of city days and birding / walking days with some free days for us to explore on our own. We did not want to drive. After discussing this with the operator, they gave us several options and costings and we were able to keep our costs down (we are in our seventies and did not want the horse-riding and snorkelling options).We were to have several journeys by taxi and were delighted that we had the same driver throughout the trip. We learnt a lot about Cuba. We always felt safe. The Cubans are very friendly and welcoming even if your Spanish is weak.
Vincent Amoursky review 25 Jan 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were many: starting with Havana visit (especially Old Havana and Central Havana), driving along the Malecon in an old american cabriolet, wonderful people that we met in the casas we stayed at (with a special mention to Ania and Eberto in Remedios, and Esther and Domingo in Vinales) or that we met elsewhere, Santa Clara for its "pay-a-tribute" atmosphere, Cienfuegos for its architecture and its wonderful botanical garden, Trinidad for the true Cuban feel, the little mountain hike in Topes de Collantes, the cruise to island Cayo Leguano and its iguanos and hutias (tree rats) everywhere, the amazing diving at Playa Larga (Cueva de los pesces) and Maria La Gorda, the stay and landscape at Vinales (maybe our favorite town) and the nice visit to the cave Santo Thomas and, finally, the beautiful waterfall and scenery in Soroa and Las Terrazas
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Chose to stay at casas particular rather than hotels, don't miss such paladars as La Guarida and Dona Carmela (both in Havana), Davidmart and Sol y Ananda in Trinidad. Learn a few words of Spanish (that might be especially helpful if you drive on your own as you'll lose your way many times!). If you are travelling with children and are diving don't hesitate to ask the instructors whether they'd accept to instruct your children (mine are 10 and 12 y.o. respectively) and dive in shallow waters. And last, but not least, I only regret that we stayed the last night in Soroa as it is a place really worth visiting (waterfall + orchids park) but the hotel was "so-so". In the morning, on the way back to Havana, we drove to Las Terrazas which is a wonderful place nearby that we discovered by chance and understood that we'd better had stayed there, probably in the eco-cabin (great fun for the kids!)
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Frankly, it is hard to say about minimized impacts on the environment but we truly had the feeling that our money spent in the country would benefit the local people, especially the casas particular and paladars owners as they have to pay high taxes for the right to manage their own businesses and really rely on tourists like us.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
10 and higher if I could!!! I would have given 5 stars herebelow if it wasn't saying "the best holiday I have ever been on" - there are many other places in the world that I found fantastic but Cuba directly enters in the top 5 categories (and I have been in more than 40 countries...)
Chris Thomas review 25 Jan 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting the people of Cuba, enjoying the music and understanding a bit more about a society run on completely different principles than our own.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Number one tip for anyone going to Cuba, what ever type of holiday you plan is; the more Spanish you know the better you will be able to interact with the people and be less bewildered by both the personal and political issues you run into. You will also get the best out of the Cuban people who are anxious to engage with you. With out it you will just benefit from the sun and the rum.....
Specific to our holiday there were some delivery problems.
Our plan was a tailor made holiday, exploring independently, mixing walking in the mountains and countryside with the enjoyment of the music and culture of the big cities. We wanted to both hire a car and use public transport to get about. We also wanted R&R on the fine Caribbean and Atlantic beaches. We did quite a bit of research and discovered that although Cuba was moving a head in leaps and bounds in organizing things for the independent traveler there is still potential for quite a few mishaps, cancelation of bookings and shall we say 'Cuba moments' when the best laid plans fail.....
We choose this travel company because they presented themselves as knowledgeable about tourism in Cuba and they were clearly sympathetic to the people. They had also run tours in Cuba for 5 or more years and are familiar with both the state sector, which you have to use to book guides, walks, car hire, internal travel (coaches & planes) hotels, and the private sector which can now run restaurants and B&Bs (Casa Particulars). The latter we were particularly keen to use as it gives you the opportunity to stay and talk with Cuban families. However as there is no way to confirm bookings in Cuba before your arrival with a cash deposit, bookings are all down to trust. Families running Casas have to pay a hefty tax whether rooms are occupied or not, so Cuban landladies work on the bird in the hand principle and let out their rooms to who ever shows up first on the day. So in all the travel books and all the advise we got said a 'firm' booking in a Casa is not what we generally think of as a firm commitment, being bounced is very common, we were hoping to avoid this by using this experienced company...
We were bounced 3 times out of 5 booked and this is where the problem arose. We were clearly under the impression that because the agent indicated he had an established relationship with a network of trusted Casa Particulars this would not happen, (especially if, and we did, re-confirm our bookings the day before arrival). In discussions after our return with the agent he said a 100% guarantee of not being bounced can not be given, but an equivalent Casa Particular will be found by the owner who has bounced you.. This was not clear to us and we felt let down at having to check out several other Casa's at the end of a long day with the added inconvenience of having to drag our bags round. Many were clearly below the standard that had been booked for us and it was down to our determination to put pressure on to get a Casa similar in quality to what had been booked, which we got in the end. Many people may not feel that comfortable challenging the Casa owner and settle for something not to their liking and will be unhappy. The potential for this situation needs to be made much clearer by the agent.
The agent has to work with a Cuban agent from the state Tourist agency to book car hire, guided tours and internal travel. These agents can vary from the indifferent to the good. The one we had we were told is one of the best, but we had probably 6 failures, varying from not being met at the airport , wrong dates for car hire and transport errors on tours we had booked. The only advice here is keep telephoning the Cuban agent while you are there to check everything is still in place. This again is outside of the control of an external tour operator and needs to be made clear
One particular point that can be resolved by the agent. All the tours and travel arrangements that are booked for you have a voucher, these are given to you by the Cuban agent when you arrive. They can not bee sent in advance, you can only get them in Cuba . These vouchers all look identical and you have to take copious notes on exactly what each voucher provides, only the very basic in Spanish is written on the voucher. These vouchers are scrutinised very closely by those you give them to who provide the service. If it is not on the voucher you don't get it. So it would be very useful if the agent provided a detailed list before departure of what to ask and check you are getting when the vouchers are handed over. We thought we had checked all the details but we handed over a voucher on two occasions to be told a jeep we had paid for was not listed.
We have to say in our subsequent discussions with this tour company they were very concerned about all these issues and are anxious to clarify these problems to new clients in the future
Also it has to be said in our experience most things worked out fine in the end, just go with the Cuban flow!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimised impacts on the environment?
Cuba has wisely organised things that the visiting tourist gets nothing for free. Everything from using the toilet to taking photos is a chargeable event and everyone is anxious to get the hard currency (CUCs) out of your pocket and into theirs. Cubans do this with style and determination. This can be a bit trying at times for the visitor but is the correct policy if local people are to benefit from tourism (other countries would do well to take a leaf out of Cuba's book). As for environmental impact, impossible to say, you fly in on a Jumbo jet, hire a car to drive about, get in what is by western standards pretty polluting taxis and buses so you are probably burning it up a bit. But overall Cuba is such a low consumerist economy by western standards, they must have a pretty small footprint and the tourist element is therefore small too I suspect.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was very enjoyable, would certainly advice people to go with the above providers.
Read the operator's response here:
A) First of all we would like to thank our customer for all feedback and discussions we have had, so that we have been able to learn from their experiences and help us to improve our Cuba Manual & services for future travelers with a tailor made itinerary on individual basis. We also like to mention that travel parties of 4, 6 or more people can contact us for a specialized tour leader service so that all typical Cuban issues are smoothly solved by a TC directly at location.
In Cuba we work with home stay coordinators for every city or village. They have their own home stay which has received a rating from 7 – 10 from our clients for hospitality, ambience, gastronomy & services. They work with a high quality network of home stays in their direct neighborhood with similar standards in case you can’t be placed in their home stay. The home stay coordinator / family receives you at the bus station in case you come by bus when this is indicated in your itinerary (when this is not indicated please call and check with the family the day before), in case you travel by rental car they can pick you up at an easy to find meeting point in case it concerns a big city to help finding your way, or you drive directly to their address.
The system of booking home stays on Cuba via home stay coordinators is very common and is functioning, but it is not perfect as you can have read above. We offer this extra service so that you can have an experience of a more authentic Cuba then by only staying in hotels or all-inclusive resorts. The home stays are private owned micro- enterprises with their own internal market mechanisms. We do our very best to offer a great experience to our customers and select friendly and good home stays and committed coordinators. We support in this way these families and an income is going directly to the local people, that is a good thing and usually it goes all well. In case of any problem it has to be solved on location with the home stay coordinators who are more than willing to help you. Many travelers have very positive experiences with staying at the home stays as you can read in the other reviews on this page.
So what happened here? One is that our customer had another expectation of how it would work with making the reservations through us. Although we had this all written out clearly and in detail in our Manual and worked out itinerary it has shown us that the texts and explanations needed further improvements which have been implemented by now. What they experienced as being bounced, was actually that they were received by our coordinator and brought to another casa in their network. It was in the peak of high season and this can happen, at low season you usually always stay at the casa of the coordinator. Then what happened was that this home stay offered by our coordinator was not according to their liking and they requested to our coordinator to find another casa, they did and in the end were very happy with the new casa. This took some time of course and created some anxiety with our customers which we understand. So also here we inform our travelers now in our Manual that this is an option to consider (although the consequence is that it will take some time for all being re-arranged) and the coordinating families are very committed in helping each traveler and have the network of casas functioning in the interest of all parties involved. They select their network, families and home stays, have usually many years of experience and any family that let them down is taken out directly from the network, so here solidarity on Cuba is of great importance for long term success as a home stay. In the last case at Baracoa an older woman at the casa did not remember about their reservation which is of course not a nice experience after having arrived after a long journey, maybe it is because of memory loss due to her age or a lost note made when she received the phone call for reservation, we could not find that out. Anyway, we have taken out this home stay directly from our database and have it replaced by a very friendly Cuban family with excellent home-cooking and where we always dinner with our customers. The home stay we offered to our customers had a great view over Baracoa – this is what we wished to share - but in case of a failure of this kind we prefer to go for a committed and to be trusted family.
B) Agent in Havana
Cuba is far from an easy destination for operators to have tailor made travels work out perfectly in all details. We inform our travelers as much as we can in our Manual how to deal with typical Cuban issues and are offering now a personalized briefing by phone or Skype to every client before going to Cuba. They receive also a briefing in Havana from our partner but this is more about the vouchers, transfers, bookings and all logistical aspects. Many operators only offer standard packages and hotel holidays. We take this challenge to offer tailor made holidays with hotels and home stays as we think that Cuba needs to be explored, fully tasted and be enjoyed in its authentic way. We are very happy with our partner we work with in Havana and in case something is not going well it is all about communicating directly to her mobile or even call her in the evening at home as mentioned in our Manual. She can be called anytime on her mobile or at home in case of emergencies or other issues, and that also expresses her dedication to make everybody’s travel a great holiday. Our partner has gained a lot of experience over the years in tailor made trips with ecotourism, which is one way of exploring the authentic Cuba off the beaten path. All original & attractive programs are sooner or later copied by other agencies, we can not avoid that, but we try to offer true and authentic experiences with local people on Cuba. Things can go wrong in Cuba as everywhere in the world on a journey, although Cuba has its specific difficulties, but in most cases it is all sorted out with the help of our partner at Havana, local guides, taxi drivers, local home stay families or any helping hand on Cuba.
C) Vouchers
In Cuba you receive your vouchers on the second day of arrival, vouchers are used on Cuba for everything. They can not be sent before by mail in digital form, as is done on other Latin American destinations, this is not how it works on Cuba with the Ministry of Tourism. So we recommend all travelers to make notes on the vouchers during the briefing with our partner on the second day, in order not to forget which voucher is for what use to avoid any mis-understandings, and to avoid that a local guide or taxi driver takes out the wrong voucher as happened to our customer. This is all mentioned in the Manual and has been given now extra attention again due to the experiences of our customer.
D) Individual VS group travel
In the end we would like to express that individual tailor made travel always requires, in some extent, some improvisation, creativity and a laid back attitude coupled with being attentive and sharp on the right moments. We can not be there with our customers and tell them what to take with them, what to put in their day backpack, how the weather will be etc etc. We try to foresee things for our customers of course and are now offering a personalized briefing by phone or Skype before their departure.
We also like to mention again as we did in the beginning of our response, that in case people look for a complete guided tailor made itinerary in which they do not have to bother about all kind of minor or major details, in which they just can surrender to an overwhelming experience of the authentic and seductive Cuba – which Cuba can be and many times is - we offer to guide travel parties of 4, 6 or more people up to 20 persons. We have guided many travel parties over the last 12 years together with local Cuban guides and in this way Cuba has become also a family of us. You can contract us for a specialized tour leader service so that you have an amazing holiday with your travel party and all typical Cuban issues are smoothly solved at location. This is not only valid for Cuba but is also offered for roundtrips in Argentina, Peru, Brasil, Bolivia, Chile & Colombia.
Jan Nanor review 26 Sep 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We had a 2 week holiday in Cuba in April. What was the most memorable part? It's hard to choose! The guided tour of Havana, walking and in an old American car, introduced us to the life and colour of Cuba. We loved the music, salsa and our evening at the Buena Vista social club. We fitted in visits to cigar and rum factories, a snorkeling and 'desert island' trip, a cave walk and loads more! One highlight was a day trip to Che Guevara's Memorial. Our Homestay in a colonial house in Trinidad was great! And our hosts were generous and friendly.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The Agency of the Ministry of Tourism, which is based in many hotels and towns, works very well. We pre-booked our excursions when we booked our holiday but you can book them yourself at the local offices a day or more ahead. If you pre-booked excursions confirm the arrangements with the the local agent of the state at your hotel/resort. You have the chance to escape from commercialism and see life from a different perspective. Embrace it!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Our Homestay directly benefited our host family and the people who they employed. We spent money in local markets and went on excursions with local guides. We chose not to hire a car. We used the clean and efficient tourist coaches for the longer journeys.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We arranged our holiday with an operator who exceeded all expectations! Everyone we met was helpful and friendly. We felt safe finding our way around. It was a brilliant holiday and we are going back!
Read the operator's response here:
When everything goes well on Cuba we are very happy of course to hear that, but we need to add some remarks. It is mainly the merits of two agencies working together as a team to have all things done on Cuba: the operator who offers tailor made tours on Cuba via this page and our Cuban partner who works together with the Cuban Ministry of Tourism. Cuba may look very simple as if all excursions can be booked locally, but Cuba is not that simple and not a simple holiday destination where everything runs smoothly by itself, esp. in case when you look for a tailor made holiday, a holiday designed according to your travel wishes you need a Cuba specialist. We can integrate in your holiday itinerary excursions with a private English speaking local guide that can explain all about Cuba’s nature and Caribbean culture that you would like to know. Some of the excursions we offer are off the main tourist stream and have been designed by us over the last 12 years together with local guides and have been recognized as something special, they are based on direct experience of accompanying clients on Cuba. You need to pre-book this kind of excursions through an agency that is specialized in this kind of services, and although it sounds exclusive, which in some way it is, on Cuba private excursions are not that much more expensive then group guided tours. Our clients receive vouchers in Havana for their booked excursions and these need to be given to the local representatives / guides who take care of their excursions / activities. When this all works well, it looks simple. This does not mean that you can buy these same excursions at any local state agency, some yes, but usually the state agencies only offer standard packages, in case you come with a special wish, it needs much more time to be processed to have it arranged for you, the time that a traveler usually does not have, and besides the traveler will usually not be informed about all other possibilities that exist off the main tourist stream. On most state agencies the representatives don’t know themselves what can be done more than the standard map with excursions they have, and even they may not be familiar with the offered activities, they can not be blamed but is the reality. For enjoying the Cuban nature and exploring the authentic Cuba by selfdrive or bus with local taxis, besides all car rental & bus tickets arrangements we can offer daywalks with specialised guides, trekking & staying overnight in the mountains, design itineraries with best diving & snorkelling locations, with meeting locals, cultural tours in all places of interest, horseriding, birdwatching with specialists, and stay overnight in a mix of homestays, boutique hotels & tropical keys all according to your wishes.
Anna Vissens review 3 Jan 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It's a very interesting and beautiful country. We went there together with our son (13) and we believe it will be the most memorable holiday for him (at least for a while). All people we met were very friendly and kind. We managed to do everything we planned - Havana, tobacco factories, hiking, swimming, snorkelling etc. thanks to good planning beforehand.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The most important tip - try to set your mind to a different scale - especially if you live in a big city. Be positive! Things not always go smoothly there - and if you expect it to be like in Europe - you might get upset easily. There is little crime in Cuba - so do not be afraid walking around etc. Spanish language is essential though - bring a dictionary with you - comes handy.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We would like to think it did. We ate at Casas Particulares we stayed in and we think that was an additional benefit for these people who work really hard to survive. We rented a car though and cars in Cuba are not that environment
friendly but our one was kind of ok.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. The best so far although we have visited so many different countries this one was really special.
Elaine Smith review 15 Dec 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved the diversity of the country, the music, the history and the friendliness of the people. We enjoyed most the hiking in the campo.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Check out and agree the itinerary before you leave and make sure that you understand everything. There are few road signs in Cuba and the maps are not very good.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Definitely, the country is suffering an acute economic crisis and needs tourism.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We liked it very much.
Dennis Mills review 8 Oct 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The last meal in Trinidad. It was taken at restaurant 1514. The tables were all set with English Bone China, cut glass goblets. Two beautiful young dancers and a seven piece band. The large Chef was a large laughing man and a great chef as well. The dancers made us do the Salsa and bolero. The band played as we ate our lobster meal. The ambiance and service all on could ask for.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The only tip that I ever give to any one who asks - "It is not your country that you are going to see, do not expect to see what your home is like. Be patient, polite and smile." If you take this advice you will enjoy your travels.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I am not sure what effect my stay had on the environment. Negative I would think as I fly there and eat and drink more than a local and more than I should. Having said that, the fact that I am there and spending must have a positive effect for the local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
My holiday was very enjoyable. Made that way by the efforts of the operator. He worked tirelessly for us.
Ruben Pinacho review 8 Apr 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The beaches and the contact to the people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book your accommodation in homestays and not in hotels.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Not specially, just the same like any other holiday.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great time in contact with local people enjoying the amazing Cuban beaches, landscape and the afrocuban culture.
Jan Smith review 7 Apr 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The atmosphere and the people. Staying in Casa Particulars with Cuban people.
I'm not a city person, but absolutely loved old Havana - fantastic charm and
nowhere near the hassle we were led to believe. Trinidad is a great musical
place. Baracoa quiet and really laid back. Walking in the Sierra Escambray was
amazing. And, of course, can't forget bicycles, horse carts, people and animals
walking towards you, or crossing in front of you on the Autopista!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get out of Havana and the all inclusive resorts - experience the real Cuba!
Driving is easy - get a cyclist to follow through the one-way streets to your
destination in towns - they may be touting for business as Casas but are more
than happy to help if you say you have a reservation somewhere else. Pick up
hitch-hikers, they are great (though do tend to be very quiet unless you start
conversation). Learn some Spanish - it really helps. Finally, don't go too much by information in guide books and from the Home Office website, etc., which can be quite negative. All our apprehensions were proved unfounded pretty early on. Crime rate is low, driving easy, we had no problems with an internal flight and food was easy to get - particularly if you stay in Casas, where you will be over-fed!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - OK the Casa Particulars, Paladars and tourist guides may be slightly
better off than the normal Cubans, but quite often the people working there are
the normal Cubans, just trying to make a living!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. Would more than happily go back and do it the same way again - next
time will feel much more relaxed about it. So glad we didn't do a group
holiday!
Suzy Royal review 28 Feb 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It’s hard to choose just one thing, but probably hiking for two days in the mountains outside of Trinidad (Sierra Escambray) with our own private guide and spending the night in a tent at hacienda in the mountains. It’s beautiful and peaceful there, plus our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. Trinidad was probably our favorite city, but Havana is also exciting.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Try staying in the Casa Particulares (private houses which operate like B&Bs).
A good deal for the money, one can eat there as well, but watch out, the meals are usually huge (but good)!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I think so. Staying in and eating at Casa Particulares the money goes directly back to local families. Paladars (private restaurants) also give the money back to the families who run them.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was wonderful! Our trip operator helped us to organize everything (fairly last minute as well). Everything went smoothly on our vacation. Before we left they were quick to answer questions we had.
Abigail Lamikanra review 17 Jan 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Walking through Vinales, Soroa and the Escambray. Each quite different but the same in that they left us feeling invigorated and wanting more of the same outdoor experience!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
1. Make sure your credit card cam be used in Cuba- A few of the High street banks in the UK are linked to US banks.
2. If you buy art make sure you obtain a certificate at the time of purchase. This saves time at the airport when departing.
3. It really is true that food in most Casas are much better than the hotels
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
To some extent – yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A brilliant experience in many ways. Everyone will have a different story to tell. Best way to enjoy is to try to follow the same rhythm of the locals and leave your reservations behind!
Stuart Bell review 8 Jan 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It was all great! But high points included the Christmas Eve festival in Remedios. Christmas is relatively quiet in Cuba but they make up for this in Remedios with an all-night party including all night fireworks involving apparently everybody from the region. Remedios would also be worth a stop anyway if you're en route to the northern cayos as its a pretty provincial town in its own right.
New Year's Eve in Havana was also special, but beware of getting soaked with buckets of water from balconies at midnight!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We hired a car which was easier than we thought, having read that there were no road signs. In fact it was no worse than many other countries in this respect and a little Spanish to ask the way proved useful. And there are hardly any cars on the road so in many ways a driver's paradise. However, Cuba is bigger than we anticipated, so allow good time for journeys, especially once you get off the main motorway.
I would also definitely stay in casa particulars. Many are fine old colonial houses and you get to meet the owners and get a feel for their lives. The tourist hotels can be a bit soulless - some of the new developments on the northern cayos on the way to Cayo Santa Maria were definitely to be avoided, though Villa las Brujas at Cayo las Brujas was lovely, but beware, it’s quiet and there's nothing in the way of nightlife up there.
We also did a two day walk in the Sierra Escambray, north of Trinidad. This was a highlight - peaceful and beautiful and not at all strenuous. But if you're going in Winter, take some warm clothes for the evenings.
Finally, read Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene. It’s not only very funny (and still very relevant in terms of the amateurishness of the secret service), but you can also find many of the mentioned-haunts in old Havana.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Definitely staying in casa particulars benefits locals, or at least those that can afford to have large enough houses. Tipping guides, maids, waiters etc is probably the best way of getting cash direct to locals.
Difficult to say how environmentally-sustainable Cuba is. The national parks in Sierra Escambray were very unpoilt and well-organised for litter etc. Basically, the low level of economic activity in Cuba (no cars!) and lack of commercialism due to its outlook and various problems reduces its environmental footprint compared to other developing countries. It’s definitely greener to stay in casas than hotels, but then again, we did a lot of driving.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic if busy.
Dave Twiney review 7 Mar 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The two guided tours were very good - intelligent and communicative guides gave us a good insight into the place which we wouldn't have got otherwise given that none of the party are fluent in Spanish.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Study a detailed map of Havana before attempting to drive anywhere - it's easy to get lost.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I guess our two homestays and meals out put some money into the community. I'm not sure flying from the UK and driving 1500 kms was very environmentally friendly.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a very good holiday - everything worked out as hoped for.
Jonathan Katz review 21 Feb 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Wandering in our car through the countryside to little off-the-beaten-track villages; so many people on the road, walking, travelling on horses and pony traps, oxen and archaic ploughshares; blue clear sea and mojitos at sunset under the palm trees; lovely, friendly people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Cuba is much bigger than you may think and driving distances can be long - it can easily take nearly a whole day to drive between one place and another. Pick up hitchers, they're all good people PLUS they can help you with directions (very few roadsigns). You would get a lot more out of the holiday if you could speak Spanish (we couldn't) because the most interesting thing about Cuba is finding out about how people live and what they think of the regime.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, I felt it benefited local people (although uncomfortably aware that there are those in Cuba who have access to tourists and who are better off; and those who don't and who are poor). Not sure about environmental impact - we flew there and drove around.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Enjoyable and interesting.
Joanne Withy review 3 Feb 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Trinidad was an amazing city and really touched our hearts, but having a car and the freedom to explore, and being able to see the real Cuba was the best thing we did. Every city, valley, beach, mountain, and all the roads in between, were just amazing. The Cuban people were always kind, if we were lost, they were always happy to help, and loved to speak what little English they could to us, whilst we spoke back what little Spanish we knew.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you can drive and don't mind some pretty bad roads, drive it. Its a great sense of freedom & you don't need to rely of day excursions or guides, you can do as you please. I wouldn't rely on public transport, but I hear that transfers are cheap too. Also, learn Spanish. We didn't know enough. And don't be afraid to pick up people hitchhiking, they are just trying to get to work, or home, or somewhere.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We used local guides and stayed in a mixture of hotels & casa particulars, but mainly ate at paladars or our casa, so yes the money we spent was going straight in the hands of the people. It's hard to avoid giving money to the state as most things are state run! But I think we did what we could. We are sending a book of Australian Flora & Fauna to our guide from the Topes de Collantes as he was interested in that, something he'll never be able to find to Cuba, so that's nice to offer if you are willing to make the effort when you return. Obviously the car wasn't the best for the environment, but giving lifts to people meant better use of petrol.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
5* - as it was so amazing I'm going to ignore the terrible food we had at times. Our last casa particular in Trinidad was the best food ever, so we felt pretty lucky.
Read the operator's response here:
The public transport for tourists is well arranged on Cuba, buses are on time, they have airconditioning and it is safe. The public transport for the Cuban people is another story. What we sometimes suggest to travelers, depending on their holiday wishes & itinerary, is to cover the large distances by bus. On location they or we can arrange local transfers for an excursion or a beachday with taxis. With the option to pick up a rental car in Santiago de Cuba in case people travel from West to East Cuba by bus and wish to have the experience of driving around for several days from eg Santiago to Baracoa & Cayo Saetia with their own rental car.
Mary Tangelder review 31 Dec 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved the opportunity to drive around the country. Great views, great opportunities to drive through small towns and stop and poke around the town. We went on three hiking excursions, which we very much enjoyed.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you make reservations at a casa particular (like a bed and breakfast), you may find that it is booked already when you get there. Plan to arrive a bit earlier to check out different casas and compare before you make a decision. Highly recommend Villa Los Brujas.
Cuba is a relatively easy country to travel in, and we found the Cubana tourist offices quite helpful-they can help to book tours, provide good information and maps and make recommendations.
If you don't speak Spanish, take a good phrase book, be friendly and flexible, and you're good to go. If you're driving, be prepared for some challenging driving as there are lots of horses, bikes, pedestrians on the roads and the signage is variable. Avoid driving at night and take a compass.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It's hard to say. Renting a car was surely not the most environmental way to travel around the country, but we tried to minimize the impact by picking up many of hitchhikers along the way (the way many people in Cuba get around), staying at casa particulars and eating at paladars (independent family-run restaurants). We were stopped by the police once, but it turns out he simply wanted to hitch a ride.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A great trip! Because we wanted quite a bit of flexibility and because Cuba was fairly easy to travel in, on reflection I would likely simply use a guide book and do it ourselves.
Having said that, I found the communication with the operators prompt, friendly, reliable, and the in-country operator was also excellent. Overall, we found the hosts at the Casas that the operator booked really great-very friendly homes, clean, great food.
Read the operator's response here:
We work with local homestay coordinators in cities and villages mostly visited on Cuba, when a booking is guaranteed of a homestay through us. It means that you stay in the home of the coordinator or in one of their direct networks, all approved by former clients, all with a high reliability to maintain the reservation and with a good rating. When a homestay does not respect the reservation it is immediately taken out by the coordinating family. This is how they work and have chosen to work voluntarily, as loyalty between the families working with homestays is very important for a long term success. We visit the most important coordinators personally 2 or 3 times a year to keep contact with the family, the market and to maintain things going well. The rating of homestays we use range from 7 to 9 or even 10 on a scale of 10, for hospitality, ambiance, room & cleanliness, gastronomy & services. In case a homestay scores lower then a 7 we check what has happened with both parties and change the homestay if we see no improvement on short term. What sometimes has happened is that despite the information in our Manual and worked out itinerary, travelers forget to call to the homestays a day before or in the early morning of departure. A recurring complaint of families is that they are waiting the whole day and that travellers arrive suddenly unannounced late at night. The families may get uncertain when they don’t hear any news of their arrival, and it has happened that some families unfamiliar working with an operator cancel the reservation in favour of new appearing clients. We like to avoid that of course for the good feelings & wellbeing of all involved, but it is the client who is well informed and finally responsible to give a call to the family on time or ask the homestay family to do that for them when they are traveling from one to another homestay.
The Cuba tourist offices only offer standard excursions, usually group excursions with mainly or partly tourism from the all-inclusive resorts. In case you wish to have a fully or partly booked itinerary before going to Cuba, enjoy also off the beaten track events, have private guided excursions with very good guides and have authentic meetings with local Cubans on an excursion, you need to make use of an operator who knows the guides personally, who knows the possibilities in a certain area to have a more interesting offer and experience of Cuba. We not only offer itineraries with excursions, hotels or homestays all fully booked but also itineraries with free roaming time exploring Cuba on your own for several days without any bookings then just the bus tickets if requested or a rental car. It all depends on the travel wishes of the client.
Cara Foord review 16 May 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Both the guided walks we did - the wizards walk in Soroa with Alberto and a hike in the Sierra del Escambray - were excellent, enjoyable and informative. The guides were wonderful people, spoke excellent English and were very knowledgeable. The scenery, local people and wildlife were also truly lovely.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Learn some Spanish - we needed my basics quite a bit. Driving is ok as there is little traffic except bikes and horses but the roads are variable with some massive potholes (craters) so you need to be very alert and also good at map reading as there are few road signs outside Havana. Ensure you have a big appetite - eating in the Casa's provides you with wonderful home cooked meals in enormous portions.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I hope we benefitted locals by trying to be educated about their lives and visiting local businesses and schools. We stayed in Casa's where possible and bought some produce direct from the farmer. Probably not as low am impact on the environment as we'd like since we drove our own car around and couldn't avoid drinking water out of plastic bottles (maybe Cuba recycles them?)
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent!
David Grindlay review 8 Mar 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Best thing was the music and dancing. Even the small towns had music venues, with great bands, dancers and singers.
Old cars and especially guided vintage car tour of Havana was great.
Always felt safe, even in poorly light streets in poorer areas of town.
Our guided walks were also a highlight and the guides we had were exceptional. please pass on our thanks to them.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We went to Havana, Vinales, Soroa, Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Cayo Ensenachos (all-inclusive).Havana is a must, and needs at least 3 or 4 nights, Vinales great for a couple of nights, I wouldn't bother with Soroa. Trinidad was great, walk in mountains excellent (especially the swim in the cave), music great.
To finish with 3 days of luxury was very relaxing and an amazing contrast to the real Cuba.
For an experience of the real Cuba, stay in some casa particulares where you meet the people and see how they live. All the casas recommended by Marcel were excellent.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Staying in the casa particulares gets money directly to the local community, not just to the owners but also, for example, to neighbours who will let you park nearby for a couple of CUCs. All of the excursions use local guides which also helps.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A great holiday which really gave an insight to the real Cuba
Deirdre Forde review 12 Jan 2010
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole trip was amazing, most memorable was Vinales, I thought the countryside was beautiful and the people very helpful, but Havana and Trinidad were also fantastic.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you haven't got the language then I would advise booking car hire and accommodation through an agent, road signs are non existant so buy a good map before travelling. Take guided walks if you can because they bring you to places you won't find yourself so easily and give you the opportunity to meet the people. Our experience of the casa particulars was wonderful and certainly to be recommended. Driving can be stressful enough because although there is very little traffic roads have large potholes no signs and people jump out at you looking for lifts or money!!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Most definitely, we were very anxious to support small operators and enterprises and going through responsible travel made sure that happened.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Our holiday was great, Marcel the managing director from the operator worked out a great itinerary, we had one hard day of driving but it was worth it. His rep in Havana were very helpful with the car hire and the accommodation.
Read the operator's response here:
The more you drive on Cuba the more you will get accustomed to the road situation on Cuba and after a few days you even may experience it as a very normal situation, at least for Cuba. Some smaller roads off the main ways that are relatively little used may have certain stretches with several potholes one after the other, but it is certainly not the case for the majority of the roads on Cuba. It involves some carefull driving and after you have passed such a part you can continue as usual.
Nic Powers review 9 Dec 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Maria la Gorda is an unspoiled paradise. Vinales was very beautiful for a rural area, worth a quick stop. As is Soroa... worth spending a night there... or longer if you are happy sitting by a pool. Playa Giron.... great diving, otherwise keep going to Cienfuegos. Bit more life as a town and diving good from there too. Trinidad is again a beautiful town... the catamaran trip was excellent. Havana.... big, crumbling city... loads of character but wasn’t my highlight.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
You do get lots of attention from the poorer locals offering cigars, of course... then selling Cuban peso's to take home... failing that... they ask for the clothes off your back and any unwanted soaps shampoos etc... even the most patient and charitable will get annoyed by it. Say no... keep walking or 1 will grown to 2... their kids turn up, you buy drinks, meals... milk for the baby (up to about 10 yrs old in Cuba).... get the feel for Cuba before interacting with the locals... to most, you are a wallet... not a friend.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, undoubtedly benefited local people because I spent money with them while I was there. As for minimising impacts on the environment... there was the flight... the car - 1700km in 17 days. We hiked with guides and horses... went out on a catamaran - no sails motor only... so... no. Nothing in the holiday was geared at minimising impact to environment. But benefiting Cubans directly who recycle and reuse EVERYTHING... would in itself help maintain their environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Superb. Cuban is fantastic place. The travel representative on Cuba was very helpful - always on her mobile when you need her... when it went wrong - hotels over booked (common in Cuba) or we wanted to change or booking. It was done quickly or problem solved with one phone call from her. The guides were excellent. Casa's always clean and food very good - and ENORMOUS portions. We are agreed it was the holiday of a lifetime.
Stella Parker review 6 May 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole holiday was memorable but I think the views and the uniqueness of Vinales will linger in the memory the longest. Also loved Havana, the music, the mojitos, meeting the guides, the experience of staying in Casa Particulares and the Cuban people and last, but not least, the weather! A truly wonderful experience!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Read as much as possible before you go as the history is very interesting. Take everything you are advised to take plus batteries for cameras. We only had one camera because we ran out of batteries and couldn't find any other than alkaline which are no good. Also take as much sterling as you feel comfortable with as you will be charged 11% commission! I would not recommend staying in Casas if you have young children as health and safety are minimal. Also food is quite basic compared to what we are used to.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Staying in Casas means that your money goes direct to the Cuban people. We were obviously very careful not to leave any litter anywhere on the walks and hikes. The Crew of the Catmaran which took us to Cayo Leguano soon shouted at people who tried to snorkel anywhere near the coral!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant! There were 6 of us, my partner and I and four children aged 20 down to 11 and we all enjoyed different things, me the scenery, the snorkelling and mojitos, Tim the beaches, smoking cigars and meeting the guides, Katy and Hannah the sunbathing and the salsa dancing, Joe Havana and the music and Ollie the swimming pools and the Coco taxis!
Read the operator's response here:
About money issues, how to obtain CUC (cuban pesos convertibles), credit cards, absence of cash dispensers, commissions, etc we advise travelers to contact us with their questions and see our FAQ section on our website. For changing cash the commission is 8%, for credit card transactions 11% is charged to obtain cash CUC from a Cuban bank. We have had several families who stayed in homestays with young children - for which we also tried to arrange a hostfamily with children of their age - and they were very happy with all experiences. Young Cuban children stay also in the homestays themselves and the situation is safe & healthy in our opinion and that of the Cuban government for homestays that are officially registered. The food at Cuban homestays is some of the best cuisine of Cuba. The kitchen of Cuba is not famous for its creativity and wide variety of tastes as we know, but most travelers are very content with the food & dedication with which the food is prepared and in general the homestay cuisine is rated much higher then the state owned restaurants.
Gwithian Birchall review 16 Feb 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It was lovely to meet Cuban's everywhere and chat with them (our Spanish was limited but got better through the trip). In Havana we met locals and other parents around the city, it was wonderful for our daughter to play with Cuban children in the city playgrounds and make friends just the same as she would do at home. Most people we met were very friendly, we felt that there wasn’t an "us and them" attitude between locals and tourists.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Stay in the Casas Particulares - it’s the best way to experience Cuban hospitality and good food. It’s a great way to learn Spanish by chatting to the house owners and getting local information. The casas are also better value for money than most hotels. However, it is nice to at least experience one of the grand hotels in Havana - stay a couple of nights in the Hotel Nacional at the end of the trip to round it off, it’s a real treat!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
When staying in Casa Particulares you know that the money you pay goes straight to the owners so this benefits them and the local community. In Cuba everything is owned/run by the state so you know that the money you spend there goes to the government and is reinvested in the country, its infrastructure, education, health services etc. When we visited the Pinar del Rio region we bought gifts and produce from the local farmers so this money went directly to them. Because we were travelling in a small family group (3 adults, 1 child) it didn’t feel like we were making as big an impact than if we had been travelling in a large tour group.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
5 stars - It is one of the best holidays experiences we've ever had and we will be recommending it to our friends. Hopefully we will be booking another trip soon!
Pam Menzies review 18 Oct 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There isn't one particular thing but many exciting and wonderful memories. Sunday afternoon in Artex in Santago with the Rumba band and Cuban families dancing, was great. Pretty Trinidad, with it's friendly people. I was glad we stayed in some Casa's. Colonial Casa Manuchi's food and hospitality set the standard which was hard to beat. Cayo Ensenachos was a welcomed retreat into 5* luxury but we missed the real Cuba and couldn't wait to escape. Many colourful fish swimming around me, was fab. The bird life is fantastic we would just sit and watch the many colourful and wonderful birds from our balcony. The 2 Treks in Soroa and Vinales. Seeing tocororos? Cuban national bird x 2 in Soroa.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Stay in a combination of Casa's and hotels. Don't change your money at the airport the rate is dreadful and if like us you have to pay the holiday in cash you lose out. Travel around the country. If you are intending to lighten your load as you go like us, leave the clothes you don't need for the staff rather than throwing them in the bin. If things go wrong, just chill out you're on holiday.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I suppose so. We stayed in Casa's and gave tips. As for the environment, I don't think so as we had on internal flight and several private transfers.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was one of the best holidays we have had, we will have wonderful memories and have swapped emails with local people and other tourists. Our transfers were great, with punctual courteous and friendly drivers. We over stayed in Santiago by one night due to an error. This for us was not a problem, so what we had one more day there! We missed our bus to Trinidad. But the local operator called and was panicking and blaming. This was unhelpful, as a solution was what we needed and we sorted it out ourselves. We had planned this holiday for months and agreed the final itinerary, but the changes should have been added to our itinerary. After all we were paying for this service. The casa had us booked for 3 not 2 nights which added to the confusion. Our guide in Vinales didn’t know if we were coming as there had been no communication. Overall I we loved it and would highly recommend Cuba.
Read the operator's response here:
The commission charges of Cadeco banks is on all places on Cuba the same, there is no difference in changing cash on the airport, in the city or in a village. For further details about money issues, credit cards and payments on Cuba see our website and Cuba Manual.
The clients forgot to take a night bus although they had a voucher with the correct data and were briefed correctly in Havana about this night transfer and stayed therefore one night longer by accident in Santiago. The local operator was very concerned that the whole sequence of the program was at risk and that the following bus was fully booked. It turned out in the end that the whole program could be adapted and all went well and we are happy to read that the holiday has been a great experience. Concerning the personal attention & services: as mentioned in our Manual and in all our documents, the client has to call to the operator and make contact themselves in case certain issues needs to be solved or an itinerary needs to be adapted. The client has used text messaging with a UK mobile to communicate with the local operator on Cuba, but the messages never arrived and it was not checked by client that they had arrived. This has created disappointment about the level of service, but has nothing to do with the good level of service, but all with not using the right method to communicate as indicated by us and the local operator. We will stress once more in our Cuba Manual about the importance of the briefing at Havana and the way of communication.
Belinda Mitchell review 27 Jul 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We have a lot of great memories of Cuba, from lunching with the iguanas on Cayo Leguano to riding through banana plantations in the green and beautiful Valle de los Ingenios, and swimming in waterfalls.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We would strongly recommend staying in the "casas" in Cuba as well as in hotels - perhaps mixing the two so that you can have the wonderful food and hospitality in the former but then have a chance to recharge with hot water etc in the latter.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, definitely - staying in casas is good for this.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Really good - everything was just as planned and explained to us in the manual we received from the tour operator before we left so there were no nasty surprises, only a few good ones.
Joy and Ian Guy review 13 Mar 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable and exciting part was getting lost in the outskirts of La Habana on the way back to the airport at the end of the holiday. But we got some good advice from local people and got there in time to catch our flight. We really enjoyed a trip with our Cuban friends to the Guama nature reserve, and also learning how to play Cuban Dominoes.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We designed our holiday ourselves so it's a bit difficult to think of any tips that might be useful to everyone. But the following might be helpful to some: Try a Viazul bus - very comfortable and reliable, but take a torch you can hang round your neck in case the lights in the toilet aren't working. To get closer to the real Cuba hire a car rather than be taken to places in a tourist bus - but get a good map from the InfoTur shop at the top end of Calle Obispo in La Habana. Engage with jineteros with a smile and you will often have a good conversation - you can still say 'no' to the cigars, taxi rides, casas particulares, etc... Take a supply of toilet tissue. Hotel Villa Las Brujas is a great place to stay if you want somewhere really quiet and away from it all. That was what we wanted for a week and it was perfect. Hotel Sevilla is a good place from which to explore Old Havana. Visit the outside second-hand bookstalls at the bottom of Calle Obispo.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It benefited the people we met who are involved in the tourist trade. I'm not sure about its effects on the population as a whole. The situation reminds me of the late 60s [I'm getting on a bit!] in the south of Spain, when many young people were attracted from the countryside to work in the tourist areas. They saw that the tourists were living a very different lifestyle to their own, and I guess this may have played a part in the drive towards the political change that happened later in Spain. I wonder if the same might be the case in Cuba. Tourism is bringing new money into Cuba, but it seems to be introducing an economic divide too, and distorting the local economy. For instance we met an engineer who said he was better off working in the tourist industry because that gave him access to Convertible Pesos.
Kiona Simpson review 25 Feb 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Hard to say really; we enjoyed all of our holiday and all the different aspects of it for the experiences they afforded us. We loved meeting Cuban people when staying in casas particulares, we loved driving through the beautiful countryside and the little towns dotted about the place. The beaches were spectacular, as was Topes de Collantes. And Havana was brilliant - the music, the people, the busy streets and the beautiful buildings. Fantastic!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Make sure and learn some Spanish. I learnt a little but regretted not learning more - I could get by, but I missed the opportunity to get to know some of the people I met a little better. And don't expect great food if you're a vegetarian... there's plenty of rice, beans, salad etc. but not the variety of foods we're perhaps used to at home. However, what you do get is fresh and plentiful and in large quantities.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, as much as was possible given the long flight and the amount of travelling we did.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant. I'd love to go back to Cuba and see more of it (Santiago and Viñales especially) and I've recommended it to everyone I know! Marcel at the tour company and our host in Havana also provided an excellent service for us in organising our itinerary.
Rob and Trish Longair review 7 Jan 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Just driving through the countryside and seeing everyone going about their daily life via horseback, bicycle, horse/oxen and cart, walking or via massive trucks was a cultural experience that has changed my outlook. People actually had/took the time to greet each other as they passed. People were outside everywhere. But to be more specific for me and my daughter (16) - the Walk of the Wizard at Soroa - incredible insight into the life of rural Cubans, exceptional guide who spoke fluent English. It was a great cultural exchange experience. He also was very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and traditional medicines. For my son (13) - homestay in Vinales where he introduced the local youngsters to hockey and they included him in football and riding in a cart among other unknown but harmless things. For my husband - snorkeling around the old piers at Maria La Gorda right in front of our room.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Forget the all-inclusive Hotel Ancon, DO include homestays - they are the best food, best hospitality, and a great way to learn about real Cuban life. The only difficulties were due to under estimated driving times compounded by a general lack of road signs in espeCuba which led to stress both by driving in the Sierra Escambray after dark and a 4+hour drive to catch our flight to leave Cuba. Some of our written directions were misleading but we will make suggestions to the tour company to rectify that for others. If at all in doubt ask the locals, they are happy to help even if only in hand gestures! We never went very far the wrong direction. If you snorkel at the beach near Grille Caribe (Ancon), be careful if you don't have experience with the ocean. We felt a little out of control there with the waves and poor rented equipment.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, it benefited local people through homestays and learning from well-educated local guides who wanted to know about Canada as well as share their knowledge and experiences of living in Cuba. We brought medical supplies to a rural clinic through www.notjusttourists.org and were able to identify specific needs through the personal contacts of the tour operator. We flew and rented a car so our carbon footprint was large but we didn't eat beef for the 2 weeks so maybe that offset some. We felt very bad passing the locals in need of a ride but the rental agency said giving rides was a no-no and our car was full (at least by Canadian standards).
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic! Verging on 4-1/2 stars for me but maybe 4 for the rest of my family. The only 2 things I would change - skip the all-inclusive and stay longer at each of the other places - Vinales with half day tour, Maria La Gorda, Soroa with Walk of the Wizard, and Trinidad with full day in Sierra del Escambray and horseback riding in Valle Ingenios. The tour operator is to be especially recommended. I don't think he sleeps because he always returned my emails in a matter of hours 24/7. He was very knowledgeable about Cuba and its highlights and his arrangements for us were impeccable. The voucher system works great!! WE LOVE CUBA!!!!
Amelia Shepherd review 11 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were so many highlights, where do I start?! Havana's quiet back streets are definitely worth a wander through-we stumbled upon an impromptu jamming session with about ten musicians squeezed into one small space who were making incredible sounds. There is also a wonderful Camera Obscura at one of Havana's plaza's which gives an incredible view across Havana and you might even get the space to yourself as we did. On the way to Trinidad in our hire car we stopped at a beautiful beach called Caleta Buena with the most amazing snorkeling. Trinidad itself is a fantastic location to base yourselves for some time. Steeped in history but pulsing with life, every building seems to tell a story here. As with Havana, do wander off the main streets and mingle with the friendly Trinidadians. From Trinidad you can easily explore the surrounding countryside.
The tour operator organised a days walking for us in Topes des Collantes where we spent the day with an incredibly knowledgeable guide who told us all about the flora, fauna and wildlife in the tropical forests. To complete the day we had a late lunch at a hidden Hacienda with delicious fresh home cooked food and a glass of rum on the veranda- a serene and peaceful end to the day. Cuba's beaches are simply exquisite and we made a point to try and see quite a few of them! Sometimes getting to Cuba's beaches might be a case of travelling a good hour by car but they are well worth the trip. Perhaps the most memorable beach was Cayo Leguano - also organised by the operator. The boat ride there is memorable as is the island where you will be greeted by more iguanas than you can count! An amazing site.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Definitely stay in Home stays. The tour operator helped us come up with an itinerary based around what we had researched and then they booked the home stays for us. Staying with a family is a wonderful insight into Cuba. Home stays are a little like B&B's where a family are allowed to rent out 1 or 2 rooms in their house for tourists. You will find that these are always the best rooms in their house, with the best facilities (often with an ensuite) and often with a fridge-which can be very useful. Cuba is fascinating and can seem confusing at times but it's worth every minute. Do get about in either a hire car, local transport or private taxi and see the country-don't just stay at a resort-you'll experience virtually nothing of the real Cuba if you stick to a resort. It might seem beautiful at a resort (Cuba is a beautiful Caribbean Island after all) but you'll really see the country and understand more about it if you travel-not to mention the benefits this will have for all the local people you encounter and spend your money with rather than pouring all of your money into a large hotel...
Do learn some Spanish and have a good dictionary/phrasebook and don't be afraid to use it as you will need it. Especially if you are driving around or travelling independently as you will need to ask directions on the roads all the time.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
As already mentioned, you will get a far far richer and more rewarding experience staying with families, not to mention the immediate benefit to local people as the money goes directly to them. We ate most of our evening meals with families or in Paladares (where locals open up a room in their house to run a restaurant with a few tables) and we found that the food and service were far better than that of state run restaurants and hotels. You pay the family directly too therefore assuring your money goes directly into their hands. We also tried to spend money on local produce-fruits and veg and bread wherever we could. As far as the environment is concerned, using your 'travellers' common sense will help as far as re-using water bottles and not leaving litter is concerned. Havana was by far the most traffic-laden city but it isn't a patch on most European cities in terms of traffic pollution. As soon as you are a few miles from the centre you realise how vastly un-used Cuba's roads are since there is a miniscule amount of cars to people compared to anywhere else I have been. People get around on bikes, trucks and lift-share all the time.
Of course this is down to the countries economy rather than environmental policy but never the less it does mean that the environment is impacted less. I think the more people who travel to Cuba responsibly, staying in home stays, booking with local operators-the better it will be for tourism in Cuba in the long run. The right sort of tourism will totally benefit Cuba and its people and this is the sort of tourism that needs to be promoted for Cuba so it continues in a positive way for those living there and those visiting.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
5 stars without a doubt. The more you understand Cuba the more there is to understand. I would love to go back.
Maire and Anne O'Carroll review 31 Mar 2008
The secret to having a wonderful time in Cuba is to stay exclusively in casas particulares. We made good friends and had fun meeting our hosts’ friends and neighbours. Secondly, learn as much Spanish as you can in order to get full value from your stay. (A little Irish whiskey goes down very well.)
Pride of place must go to the local guide in las Brujas. He was a fund of interesting conversation and information. Visiting the small, well-equipped rural school was charming. The gracious lady in a coffee farm made us up a delicious tisane of ginger and a local green vegetable/herb. Delicious! The highlight of our trek was lunch in an old plantation house. There the lady of the house and her son treated us to rum cocktails, fresh coconut drunk through a bamboo straw, a variety of fresh fruits and the most delicious meal of our holiday cooked over a wood fire in the yard. It was a long, lingering lunch, enlivened by great conversation. A wonderful day. Thank you.
Sierra Escambray was also a joy. Our friendly local guide took great care to look after all our needs. Highlights were sleeping under the stars on the hacienda verandas and plunging into the cool mountain pools after hot and sticky treks. The eucalyptus-fired barbecued suckling pig at Guanayara will be dreamed about for years!
The advantage of having an individual guide was that he could tailor our trek to our abilities. (I am in my 70th year and would have been conscious of holding other people up if I couldn’t keep up.). Also, we had good opportunities for talk and discussions.
Mike Cotgreave review 26 Dec 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We had 18 days of it!!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Beware of scams - listen to the advice not to be sucked in by the expert con artists - say no and walk away (with a smile). There are road signs sometimes not when u need them but driving is enjoyable - we did 2000K.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes - but I guess all that driving did not help with pollution.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very good.
Matthew Genders review 17 Nov 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Havana was a great city and the most memorable part is the kindness of the people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I think if you have little time stick to a resort nearer Havana than Trinidad as the road journeys are a bit tricky.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I don’t know really. I hope the tips we gave them directly did but the overall expenses I can’t say too much about as I don’t know how the tourism industry works.
Gillian Rowe review 18 Sep 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Never a dull moment. Old Havana is full of life, crumbling architecture and surprises. Swimming in the waterfall outside Trinidad was quite magical.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Keep small change handy for tips and needy people. Allow plenty of time for travel, so don't be too ambitious with your itinerary - there is too much to see in one holiday - unless it is a very long one.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
This is a very difficult question to answer without resorting to obvious clichés.
Meeting and staying with the local people was, hopefully, a mutually rewarding experience. I hope our impact on the environment was as modest as it could be.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It wasn't really a holiday more an experience! We had a very exciting time. The way that the Cubans live their lives with such fortitude and good humour under such trying circumstances is both humbling and mollifying of our own apparent problems. Our rep, was outstanding; she really had to think on her feet to modify our itinerary in front of the advancing Ike.
Natalie Whitworth review 1 Sep 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cuba as a country had the most spectacular sights... the waterfalls at Topes de Collantes, the amazing scenery at Vinales, the picturesque Trinidad... I think the trekking excursions booked in our holiday proved to be the best experiences, and the most educational. The guides who walked with us were a great source of information and were great company!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I would recommend learning a little Spanish -we didn't and it proved to be a slight disadvantage. I would change your money at the airport, as it seemed to be the best rate compared with the banks in Cuba. For rental car drivers, don't be scared to ask people for directions! The roads are notoriously difficult, with very few road signs and the only way to find your way around is to simply ask! Toiletries such as soap, shampoo etc are really difficult to get hold of in Cuba, I would recommend taking some small gifts along with you to leave for the maids who clean your room, and the people who you may stay with. Also in Trinidad many people will ask you for money, soap, clothes... be careful who you give to. Ask a guide who will ensure your gifts are delivered to the right people. Also, Havana's Revolution Museum's exhibits have now been translated into English, we nearly gave it a miss as the guide books said that everything was in Spanish but we are so glad we went!
3) Do you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes! We stayed with Cuban families, toured with local guides from the villages, we also gave Cuban workers lifts in our rental car. After visiting a small village in Mil Cumbres, we are now holding a collection in our town to send over toys and educational material for the children's school and nursery.
Dorinda Davies review 30 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting and eating with local people during the guided walks and also having long debates about the merits and problems of Cuba today with our guides. Swimming in the warm clear sea during the stay on Cayo Santa Maria. Seeing the wonderful huge corals whilst scuba diving at Maria La Gorda. Seeing the Cuban national bird, the Tocororo close up in the Topes de Collantes National Park guided walk. Listening to live Cuban Salsa bands.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Think carefully about which parts of Cuba you want to visit, as you can spend a lot of your holiday travelling if you want to go to the east and west of the island. Having your own guide at times makes for more interesting personal contact. Learn some Spanish before going if you don't know any already; even some basic phrases will help you get around and communicate in casa particular. Do stay at least a few nights with local people in casa particular to get a feel for how locals live, but it's also relaxing to retreat to a hotel at times! A few nights by a beautiful Cuban beach is a must. Do try to do some reading about Cuban colonial and revolutionary history, Castro, Che Guevara etc before you go, as you will get so much more out of visits to museums in Havana, Santa Clara, Bay of pigs etc where English captions are rare.
Take at least 3 credit cards as there is a high chance that one or two of them won't be accepted because of USA contact (eg even Abbey National cards which is owned by the Spanish Co. Santander is not acceptable.) If you go in July and August be prepared for very hot and humid weather. Take lots of Imodium Tablets because they are completely unobtainable in Cuba, even suntan lotion is hard to come by outside the big hotels. If you want to go scuba diving in Maria La Gorda, and it is very spectacular, we advise you to consider taking your own equipment (ie BCD, octopus and mask) because their equipment is quite old and could be considered unsafe by Western standards.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, we stayed with local people and especially if you keep tipping everyone who helps you, even in small ways. This is especially important in the rural areas and away from the usual tourist places, as people will be living on very low incomes. No distinctively innovative way of protecting the environment. We set example by collecting what little litter there sometimes was in the National Park or Rural walks (cans and bottles) which seemed to surprise our guide.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
This was an amazing holiday during which we learned so much about Cuba and what it means to live under a repressive political regime. It's a holiday that combines so many things- scenery- mountains and beaches, history, music, politics, contact with local people etc and we ended up feeling very moved and curiously fulfilled. We plan to do the holiday again after Fidel and Raoul pass on.
Soo Min Seo review 23 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Connecting with the locals thru various events such as dance lessons and mountain hikes.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go for the homestays, casa particulars, for more than half of your stay in Cuba.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I believe so.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Pretty good to amazing.
Jeanette Kelly review 19 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cuba was a varied and interesting destination. Arriving into Havana and spending a couple of days in this vibrant city - we loved the amazing architecture, over-the-top Tropicana show and friendly locals, all accompanied by a continuous salsa beat and a mandatory mojito. Then getting out of the city to see the contrasts of everyday life and the diversity of the scenery meant a real journey of discovery as we toured the western part of the island. Trinidad, Las Terrazas and Vinales were all fabulous destinations to explore and having local guides gave us a much greater insight.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don't have too high an expectation of Cuba's tourism infrastructure. Hotel rooms are a bit run down, the food is very bland and menus repetitive, the roads are pretty rough and the road signage virtually non-existent. However if you keep a fairly laid-back attitude and consider each incident to be part of Cuba's quirky charm, you will have a great experience. Staying in the casa particulares is a great thing to do, however if you are non-Spanish speaking it is a lot more difficult. We had one family that spoke good English and it made the experience so much better. A surprising of number of people speak good English and it means you really can learn a lot more about the lives of the locals.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
You felt that any money you were spending in Cuba had to be good for the people as they are obviously dependent on tourism. It definitely seemed that anyone involved in tourism had the chance to be better off financially, through tips in the case of guides, drivers etc, and with the ability to have some form of private enterprise like the casa particular families and salsa teachers etc. Despite the fact that we had a rental car, I felt our clean-burning modern car was a lot more beneficial to the environment than the many black-smoking trucks, buses and cars we saw on the roads.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
This was a really interesting and enjoyable holiday. We travelled as two couples on an independent trip and thought this was the best way to go. Marcel at the tour company did a great job of putting together an itinerary that suited our interests and travel preferences. If a holiday can be rated by how many laughs you had - this was one of the best!
Rainer Roesky review 17 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting Cuban people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be relaxed, do it individually, only reserve the hotels but no other activities.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Partly yes: staying in guesthouses etc, partly no: in Cuba everything is regulated by the state and it is not possible to avoid the associated charges (tourist apartheid).
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
4 stars
Diana Toynbee review 11 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Hard to pick one thing - perhaps the luxury of having had it planned in advance - I'd never done that before. It saved a lot of time and hassle, which was welcome when travelling in extreme heat with three teenagers! My highlights were probably: flamenco in Havana, snorkelling off the South coast, chatting with the people, learning more about Cuba's history and culture, riding with the children, sleeping outside at the hacienda.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I think you are probably right to keep away from Varadero! Give yourselves plenty of time in Habana - it's fascinating. It's VERY hot and humid there in our summer. Make sure you do some snorkelling, and take your own equipment. Brush up on your Spanish, and make an effort - it makes such a difference. Learn about Cuba while you're there. Dare to do the things like riding and trekking. Give yourselves time to just wander round the streets of an ordinary place, or sit in a square. Be prepared for the fact that it's quite expensive when compared with other Central and South American countries. I wouldn't bother taking young children - they'd be as happy anywhere - but for teenagers it's great. USE RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I hope so, though I don't know if we were really any better than any of the other tourists. But economically it was good to feel that the money we spent was well spent, and not just disappearing into the bank accounts of foreign multinationals. We tried to spend carefully. As for the environment, we should I guess have done more bus and no car, but we did enjoy that as a treat. The Costa Sur resort was very comfortable but felt very Cuban too, with very little imported food and drink, and unpretentious style. It was nice to meet local families on the beach, and I imagine the beach resorts and the tourism in Trinidad must help the local economy. I hope that what we have learnt and will share with people we know here, and our recommending you, will also help Cuban people indirectly.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had a wonderful time. Cuba was fascinating, and much more relaxed and organised than I had imagined, which helped make it a feel like a holiday as well as an interesting experience. It was a privilege to meet people there, and I was very pleased with our itinerary, which balanced nature, culture and beach. The host and operator were extremely helpful and I am very grateful for all your efficient and friendly work. The handbook was extremely useful, and I was pleased to be forewarned of possible problems (eg difficulty of getting taken to Cayo Leguano!).
Victoria Fisher review 7 Jul 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
So many things: travelling on Cuban roads + finding our way to the various locations without having many road signs or being able to speak much Spanish was quite an adventure; meeting Cubans in various locations and situations; 2 weeks of sunshine; travelling more or less independently but still having backup support; the right mix of seeing the country + chilling out; walking in the Cuban countryside; the wonderful hospitality + generosity of Cubans… Wish we could have stayed for longer.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I can truly recommend the tour operator, they organised our holiday to perfection. Stay in a casa with Cubans + enjoy the hospitality + generosity. Learn at least some basic Spanish to get by. Be very careful in Havana – it is very safe + people are very friendly but many of them only want to part you from your money. Go to the Cuban Art Museum in Havana, its amazing. Don’t go with high expectations of a luxurious holiday. Do some research to have an idea what you can expect.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I think so – we gave lifts to various people while driving to different places – we stayed at a casa with a Cuban family + had dinner with them - we had lunch with farmers while on a group walk – when possible we walked – we had dinner at a paladar in Havana – tried to be economical with the air conditioning.
Read the operator's response here:
Giving lifts is a great opportunity of learning about Cuba in case you speak good Spanish and helping people along the way. Just be very careful to whom & where you give lifts, avoid doing this in the big cities when you are for the first time on Cuba, see for more information our Cuba Manual.
Philippa Widman review 5 Jun 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We really enjoyed Vinales. Our guide there was really informative and it was great to chat with him about Cuban life. The scenery was stunning and we loved the views from our hotel (Jazmines). We also really enjoyed the casa we stayed in Trinidad. The family were very welcoming and friendly.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We hired a car which was a great way to see a lot when you're a bit short on time and you can go to some more out of the way places. Many Cubans have to hitchhike just to get to work and we gave quite a few lifts along the way which was a good way to meet people. However, many of the roads are in a terrible state and there are very few road signs so be prepared to get lost and have to ask for directions frequently!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Staying in casas particulares and eating there hopefully benefited the family. Hiring a car probably wasn't the best for the environment but we were able to give quite a few lifts so hopefully that helped local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We really enjoyed it - saw some great sights and met some very interesting people.
Read the operator's response here:
The state of the roads is relative, depending on where you live & what you have experienced before. Most stretches on a West & Central Cuba itinerary are actually quite good in our opinion, also taking into account the economic situation of Cuba. Here and there some stretches off the usual route are not as good and may have holes. The highway outside Havana is almost empty and is an unusual experience. The only road we can not recommend driving is between Baracoa and Moa in the East of Cuba.
We advise people to learn some basic Spanish before going to Cuba, so they can ask the way to locals on their way and also chat a little about Cuban life if they decide to take hitchhikers with them. Some warnings about robberies by hitchhikers are reported in and near the big cities, and/or for deviating clients to other homestays rather than those booked by us. This last issue is reported from all over Cuba nowadays and families ask us to inform travelers. If you travel by bus the house owners will pick you up at the bus station and accompany you to your homestay; if you travel by rental car you can call them the day before and arrange a meeting point & time, or drive directly to the indicated address.These themes are explained in detail in our Cuba Manual, which clients receive upon booking. In Havana clients receive a briefing from our host as well.
Sharon Goodsell review 27 May 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
I can't single out one memorable experience as the whole holiday was unforgettable. We had an amazing time with a wonderful mixture of city tours, wildlife treks or simply relaxing by the beach or pool. Cuba is a beautiful country. Within the cities there are building which are architecturally stunning, the beauty not lessened by the peeling paintwork and crumbling concrete. And the lush green valleys are peaceful, tranquil and picturesque.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
There is so much to see and do in Cuba, make sure you have the time to do what you want. In our case, this will probably involve a return trip to the country. The holiday worked on a "voucher" system which were given to us at the beginning of the holiday. It is worth checking carefully that the vouchers are correct.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
The holiday certainly helped local people. We stayed with some local families, and ate in private houses which help to boost the income of these poor people, as does the purchase of food, drink and souvenirs from street vendors. Travelling around we used the local coach company, a far more environmentally friendly way to travel than private car.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had an excellent time. The Cubans are warm, friendly people open to foreign visitors and happy to share their homes and life stories with you. We have come home with some wonderful memories of the people we met, the places we visited and the trips we undertook. Seeing Havana in a 1950's Chevy, swimming in a deserted subterranean cave pool, listening to the beat of Cuban music and visiting a macabre crypt underneath an old church are just a handful of the experiences we will remember.
Dominic Green review 26 May 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Probably our tour of Vinales, particularly our excellent guide.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Don’t expect Cuban food to always be excellent (although it is not as bad as people say!), and have your wits about you, particularly where money is concerned. Also, the Bay of Pigs is nothing particularly special, but Vinales is unmissable!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I would certainly like to think so!
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
4.5 stars I would say. An unforgettable holiday and I would recommend Responsible Travel to anyone and everyone. Also, must mention Marcel. When I emailed him from within Cuba to clarify a travel arrangement, he phoned, emailed and texted me back within 10 minutes. Very efficient and friendly with it!
Elanor Gill review 21 May 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Staying with families in the 'casa particulares' in Trinidad and Vinales, Cuba.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Definitely would recommend hiring a car, but allow sufficient time in each place to relax as the driving distances are quite long. Would also highly recommend a few Salsa and Spanish lessons before you go - as allows you to really get to know the Cubans.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, I think we benefited local people through encouraging staying in casas rather than hotels - which not only helped them but really made our holiday for us. Not sure how the holiday minimized environmental impacts though given we hired a car and did a lot of driving.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
We had a fabulous time - a really good mix of sightseeing, walking, diving and being on the beach. We wouldn't have been able to fit everything in in the time if we had organised it ourselves when we were out there. Everything that was arranged for us by the operator went really smoothly and we got really good service.
Choon Huat Tan review 21 Apr 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It was a family holiday and it was our first trip to Cuba. Everyone had a memorable time in Cuba. We agreed that the uniqueness and the special culture of Cuba intrigued us. We travel with a driver and a tourist guide. They gave us a good understand of the people, the culture and the history of Cuba. We especially like the experience of their ordinary activities like having a leisurely lunch in a hacienda, walking in the country side, visiting tobacco farmers and having tea with them. It is a good time to visit Cuba now as I believe this will change as Cuba is taking more and more tourists and allowing more access to internet.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Traveling with a tourist guide and a driver for the first time visitor is the best way to go. We could plunge into local scene as soon as we arrived. We were fortunate to have very good and interesting guide and driver. They were flexible and they provide the bridge for us to interact with the locals.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
With doubt, the local people are benefited by our holiday. As far as we can, we ate at small “local” restaurants and purchase crafts and CDs from local artists.
Anne Pascall review 18 Apr 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Difficult to say which was the best - all was good. Havana and Trinidad very interesting and also walking near Vinales and Soroa. There was one disappointment which was the catamaran excursion to Cayo Blanco. The boat was crowded, there was not enough shade or places to sit down; the crew played music loudly on the way out and way back and above all the snorkeling was very disappointing. The reef was almost totally dead although there were a fish; it was a pity because there are good places to dive and snorkel in Cuba - just not at Cayo Blanco, near to Trinidad.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go now before Cuba gets too westernised.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, I think it benefited local people a little,
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very good, Cuba interesting place to visit and good to talk to local people who are quite forthcoming about the political situation there.
Read the operator's response here:
We always try to offer an excursion to Cayo Leguano (in this particular case the catamaran was in repair). The catamaran is smaller, there are less people on the boat and it is much more cosy. The trip takes about 5 hrs for a return trip to the island and there is only one catamaran available. On this island there is much more to see and experience then on Cayo Blanco: nice beaches, abundant shallow waterfauna & flora, mangrove forests & large populations of leguanos and tree rodents (hutias); besides you have a more interesting reef to visit when the water is clear and calm. On both islands you need to know where to find the coral reefs, unfortunately some times people do not pay attention to the boat crew (who only speak Spanish) on where to go and stay snorkeling around the boat only. On Cayo Blanco you can see many fish and interesting corals but you need to swim 4-5 minutes away from the boat with flippers towards the coast. Above the reefs of Cayo Blanco once I had a meeting with a group of squid fish which curiously kept on watching and following me when I moved slowly away. I have snorkeled all over the world but never saw this on any other snorkeling trip so far. For snorkeling you need to explore a little bit away from the boat in the indicated directions and be lucky that the water has not been turbulent the days before so that the water is clear for good sights. The excursion to Cayo Leguano needs to be booked ahead to be sure of your place.
Roisin White review 25 Mar 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The fantastic people in Cuba, friendly and very helpful, as we did not have a lot of Spanish.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Probably no need to rent your own car, road signs are not too numerous, and hire of taxis is always available.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, we did feel that we were helping some people, but hard to know how to reach the people who are really in need.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
As we were planning for 4 months, I would say it is most important to prepare, and ask the tour operator if you are going to Cuba.
Read the operator's response here:
We arrange tailor made travels by rental car, bus and/or taxis according to everyone’s preferences. You will experience more freedom & contact with locals while travelling with a rental car. All people have arrived to their destinations so far. There are very few road signs on Cuba but with a good map, good sense of humour and laid back attitude, some Spanish phrases and some travel intuition you will find your way and enjoy it fully.
Spencer Simmons review 18 Feb 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
5 piece band playing on the balcony of our casa particulares whilst we had a candlelit (enforced by a power cut!) dinner for my wife's 50th birthday.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
You must have a laid back attitude as things will go wrong!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Benefited local people. Minimal impact on environment as we picked up people in our car as that is the Cuban way of travel.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Had a great time.
Read the operator's response here:
For every destination in Latin America the best travelers attitude is to be relaxed, open to enjoy your travel fully, to be alert and go with the flow all at the same time. Cuba is, given its specific historical & difficult economic situation over the last decades, not a country where you can expect that everything goes perfect as it does in Europe. Best indeed is to have a laid back attitude on Cuba and enjoy eg a dinner with candlelight when there is for instance a powercut of several hours, to accept and enjoy the help of friendly Cubans when you have a flat tyre, when you can not find the way or things do not work as you had planned or are not as expected.
Laurianne Smiley D'Arcy review 5 Feb 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of it, Casa's, walking tours, beach resorts. Can't pick a favorite.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It is easy to travel around Cuba on your own. However, it was nice to have all accommodation, transportation, and individual tours pre-booked and travel time planned.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Tourism is greatly helping the local people involved. How this will change things on the whole, who can say. My trip should have been a low impact on environment, even the resort hotels strive for low impact on the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very good, interesting to say the least.
Julie Richards review 22 Dec 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were a few memorable parts: the Santo Tomas caves in Vinales which was more of a caving experience than a tourist visit - scary but fantastic!; great bands in the square in Trinidad every night with all the locals dancing amazing salsa; swimming in the river at Las Tarrazes; catamaran trip to a beautiful tiny island filled with Iguanas; and eating under the stars at Paladar La Guarida where the food was fantastic and the place was incredibly romantic.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Have patience - it was very hard work and frustrating. Trying to buy anything is very difficult, especially outside of Havanna - water (do not drink the tap water!), toilet roll etc. Trying to get anywhere is very difficult - no sign posts and not very good maps, which makes getting out of Havanna extremely difficult. Get a basic grasp of Spanish - it really does help, especially as you will need to ask for directions on the roads.
If you have a car, do stop to pick up people as it's often their only way to get to work and all the people we picked up were very friendly and helpful. If you're a vegetarian, don't go! My husband had to live on omelette for 2 weeks. They don't understand vegetarians and we found they won't make any effort to accommodate them - some restaurants even asked us to leave!! You should be aware that Cuba has two currencies - one for tourists and the other for Cubans and it is illegal for you to have their currency. This leads to problems if you want to go in to certain shops, bars and restaurants as they cannot accept your money. Again, it can be frustrating!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
As we had a car for the entire time I don't think this was good for the environment, but then there's little alternative if you want to travel around Cuba. By staying in B&Bs some of the time and eating in Paladors (private restaurants which are normally people's homes) our money went direct to the local people. Of course, Cuba is different to most places in that the State owns everything so in theory if you stay in a hotel or eat in a state restaurant, your money goes to the state and therefore the people anyway, but who knows.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
I would love to say that it was great, but the reality of it was that it was hard work and frustrating, which most other tourists we met along the way also felt. It did have some great highlights though. It was also very expensive overall and for that reason I probably wouldn't recommend it, which is a shame as I had been wanting to go to Cuba for many years.
Read the operator's response here:
The shops may look different on Cuba but we have never experienced any problems at all to purchase water and other basic needs, for luxury articles and electronic devices & accessories it is a different story of course. Some people find driving on their own difficult others manage very well and love it, it certainly is a much bigger challenge than driving in Europe. And all our customers so far have arrived at their destination on the day they had to. So it is more about being prepared with the right mindset for a different situation then that it is really that difficult. Speaking some basic Spanish helps a lot for asking the way, besides that you will have much more contact with the locals when you give them a lift, and of course you need to have a good map with you. Driving in Cuba requires a laid back attitude, to be able to read a map well, sometimes ask the way and overall can be a lovely experience.
Nowadays it is allowed for travelers to take the new generation mobiles with GPS function into Cuba (GPS devices as such are still forbidden) and we hope to map most routes as soon as we can in GPS and make selfdrive travels more comfortable in this way for our customers. It is certainly true that many Cubans don’t understand vegetarians and their lifestyle (but this is valid for whole Latin America, so Cubans are no exception!), but mostly because nobody ever explained them well the reasons why people chose to be vegetarian. Have traveled extensively over Cuba with vegetarian clients and as long as you speak Spanish there is no problem at all: if you make clear your diet wishes, the people in the kitchens or at homestays will prepare with love and care whatever is within their possibilities. In this way we have had great vegetarian dishes in homestays. But you need to be pro-active, speak Spanish and create the best out of your situation talking with the staff, cooks or owners of the homestays. This vegetarian issue is further explained in our manual also with some tips for restaurants.
You can travel on Cuba also by bus, by bus + private tax transfers, by private taxi transfers only. So there are enough variations in the mode of traveling for people who prefer not to drive on their own. For larger travel parties traveling with their own bus and a Cuban guide and/or tour guide are also options. Cuba is not a cheap destination compared to Peru or Bolivia for food but it is not that expensive either. If you can stay at a good homestay for 25 USD for 2 persons, that is around 15 -18 USD per person per night including breakfast, you wont find this in many places in Latin America for this price, and in Europe for sure at no place at all. So it all depends on expectations.
Steve and Mary Fisher review 16 Nov 2007
We requested an unusual trek in the real Cuban Country and 'boy' did we get one! The Director of the Environmental Group in Mil Cumbres picked us up and was so passionate about his country, the land, mountains and the people. We arrived at the hostel and were greeted with smiles great food and glorious views. After local food, drink and Cuban songs the night became pitch black with only the sound of insects to sing you to sleep. We slept in the same room that Fidel Castro uses when he has his annual birthday walk.
Our guide for the walks spoke very little English but we understood each other through sign language. They took us to the real Cuba. To families, farmers, in into the wild up to the highest point in Mil Cubres. This was not an easy trek, may be 7/10 for difficulty. Our guide was like a mountain goat and very quick but happy to slow down when asked. We had our trendy trekking gear which helped but we were worn out on the return. Our guide had shorts, a tee shirt, old shoes and a carrier bag with his sandwich. We were his first customers that morning. He was doing the same trip in the afternoon!
If you like the raw basics being with the real Country Cubans, great company and experiencing the real history of a proud and beautiful people, bring your Deet, hat and silk liner to sleep in and stay a couple of nights in Mil Cumbres.
Sally Hooton review 26 Jun 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The diversity of even a small part of one region in Cuba
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get out on your own
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Hard to say - we did spend time with families both in bone fide arrangements and spontaneously when asked to go to a home for a meal - so hopefully they gained financially a little. We selected a small car but flew to the island so not brilliant environmentally
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fascinating! A great experience! Seeing socialism as work - despite all the hardships they are stalwarts
Stuart McCletchie review 7 May 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cuba's way of life is so different. Seems to be much more happiness around despite the economic and political issues. Breath of fresh air to visit a country that is not being slowly 'Americanised' and isn't overrun by all things commercial. Great to see landscape and scenery uncluttered by ads and billboards.
Walking through Vinales valley with an excellent local guide - staggering scenery, friendly local farmers, hand-made home grown cigars, coffee and bananas. Hospitality and friendliness of the Cubans. Particularly in Casa Particulars. Their genuine pleasure from our gifts and our gratitude.
Coco taxi running out of petrol in Havana. Cayo Legauno - surrounded by iguanas and then being calmly approached by a tree rat (about 2ft long exc. tail!) Music - everywhere. Pineapple and banana smoothie made by Ana in Trinidad - Yum. Black beans and rice made by Esther in Vinales - Yum. Jose at the end of the road in Trinidad
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get there before it changes! With uncertainty about Castro's tenure there is always a risk that it may change from the unique place that it is now. Make sure that you stay in a casa particular with Cuban people. We stayed in two during our trip and the food was excellent. The hospitality is superb and you get a better insight into Cuban life. You can also pick up tips as to where to go and do the more 'local' thing. From an economic perspective it also helps these families supplement their income.
Vinales is a fantastic base for visiting the tobacco fields and exploring the countryside. You probably need two to three days to do the area justice. Cienfuegos is not worth an overnight stay but handy for a refreshment stop on the drive from Vinales or Havana to Trinidad (note it does have a mad one way system though!)
Near Trinidad try and take the catamaran excursion from Ancon to Cayo Legauno. Great trip and amazing surprises when you arrive ! Don't be concerned about the driving. Okay, there may not be road signs, but the roads are quiet and Cubans are courteous, cautious drivers. Even in Havana the traffic is relatively calm by UK standards. You can't beat overtaking a horse and cart on the motorway! Hotel Raquel in Havana is fantastic. Situated in the old town it has a great feel about it, the staff were great, and both rooms we stayed in were spacious. Good Mojitos at the bar.
Take a trip in a Coco taxi in Havana - uncomfortable, noisy but great fun. It feels like you are doing about 80 mph through a pedestrianised area in a kids pedal car. Visit Hemingways hotel room in Hotel Ambos Mundos in Havana. Small, low key, but somehow engaging. Don't forget the 25 convertible pesos per person airport tax on departure. Walking city tour of Havana was excellent. Recommend Mariela from Cubatour.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Overall yes to both. Obviously, the flight is an exception. Staying in casa particulars is a great way of helping out the locals. For the Cubans we left some gifts of items that are more difficult to obtain in Cuba. We spent a lot of time in the countryside and contributed to the up-keep of the local national parks
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
**** and a half. A great trip and an excellent itinerary from Marcel at this operator. Get to Cuba before it changes!
Barbara MacLeod review 23 Dec 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
We loved Trinidad, it's a special and picturesque little town with lots of music, close to hill walking and beaches. You can't ask for much more. Overall, I think we enjoyed staying in the casas particulares most, which gave us an opportunity to understand the lives of some (not necessarily ordinary) Cuban people.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Get everything organised before you go. The stress of arranging things once you arrive is only worth it if you're there for a long holiday. Make sure you stay in some casas particulares as well as hotels.
Avoid the developed tourist beach destinations on the North coast. We went to one for the day. It's the only part of the holiday which we disliked. Do take useful stuff like soap and pens and paper and be generous with them. We took lots of pens which we gave to the doctors in a local hospital.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, but (and it's a very big but) the tourist dollar is not spread evenly throughout the country and its people.
Give a tip of two convertible pesos to the taxi driver and it's worth two days' salary. Look at the costs of fairly basic stuff like soap, given in convertibles, and see how unattainable it is for Cubans who only receive the basic state salary in local pesos. We spent three days in Hotel Moka, and felt that was fairly helpful to sustaining the local environment (reforestation which has created a local tourist trade). We used a mixture of buses and taxis for travel, which was probably marginally less impactful, and certainly less stressful, than hiring a car.
4. Any other comments?
Brilliant, we thoroughly enjoyed it. **** per your grading.
Mike Love review 7 Dec 2006
We had two weeks in Cuba with a tailor made holiday through this operator. They were great – sorted us out at very short notice and everything went according to plan.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The people! Staying with Cubans in casas particulares was the best.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Outside Havana try and eat in the casa particulares or in paladares. We found hotel and restaurant food mediocre at best.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Staying in people’s homes obviously benefits them, especially if you eat there too. We did three great guided walks in bio reserves so I guess that supports their maintenance and development.
Paul Bolger review 1 Oct 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The trekking in Sierra Escambray was fantastic and one of the highlights of our trip. Along with the wonderful scenery and swimming in an underground cave our guide was excellent; he was extremely and had a tremendous knowledge of the flora and fauna of the forest. We had a very nice meal at the Hacienda Codina as part of this trip also (in the middle of a tropical storm). We had to stay for a few extra beers until the storm passed!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I advise travellers to Cuba to (a) take everything they need for the trip with them as it is very difficult to get Western-type travel items in Cuba
(b) take lots of mosquito repellent for yourself and pens/soap/old clothes to give to Cubans
(c) stay away from state-run restaurants; they have very poor service and food quality.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Definitely with one exception: on a catamaran trip to Cayo Los Iguanos the captain dropped anchor on the top of the coral reef and provided no warnings to snorkellers to be careful around the reefs. I have told the tour agent about this and he will contact the company.
4. Any other comments?
Thanks for helping us to book the holiday. You offer a fantastic service that allows the public an opportunity to travel in a social and environmentally responsibly manner and yet have a great choice of destinations.
Read the operator's response here:
The boat always anchors aside of the coral reef and not on top of it. However on the boat there is only a boat crew and not an ecological guide or supervisor in case excursions are individual and no group travels organised by us. The boat crew is not well educated in ecological issues and also does not give snorkelling instructions. That is why we have mentioned this issue esp. in our Cuba Manual what to do and also how to instruct other individual travellers in order to avoid that people damage the ecosystem and step or touch the coral. It is true that the anchor causes some damage on the bottom of the seafloor, but also severe tropical hurricanes that have passed over this area recently have caused a natural damage of the corals and fauna. When you go ashore on the island you will see that the island is built up of debris of coral and that this is part of a natural process. We have asked to the Cuban state company that organizes the catamaran tours if it is possible to instruct the boat crew better, so that they can instruct individual travellers and give everybody a good feeling of taking care of this fragile ecosystem.
If people take mosquito repellent with them, we advise in our Cuba Manual to take one that is not toxic to humans / yourself, which is nature friendly & that works too. There are some very good Cuban state restaurants on Cuba that can compete in price and food with private house cooking & paladars. We give culinary suggestions in our Cuba Manual.
Anonymous review 8 Jul 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Most memorable part was going off the tourist trail with two of our guides in Trinidad. After a day of horseback riding we got caught in a tropical rain shower and since we were already wet we decided to go swimming in a local stream. It was one of those unplanned and spontaneous moments and it was a lot of fun! Overwall, we were impressed with the variety of activities that Cuba had to offer...no two days were the same!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Tips: be streetwise but curtious at all times also. The Cuban people are very very friendly and they like to talk and laugh a lot. It's good to join in and mix with the locals but don't be surprised if you're expected to buy drinks or lunch for anyone who offers to show you around or even walk you down a block. Tourists shouldn't feel like they're being hassled. Cubans simply don't make enough money, that's all.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Very much so. We were glad to being staying in 3 star hotels or local families as we felt that they would benefit more from our tourist dollars than the 5 star hotels who were already receiviing plenty of trade. A more even distribution of tourist dollars should be encouraged and we would travel the same way and stay in the same types of accommodation should we return to Cuba.
Claire Durrant review 15 Apr 2006
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All the places we went to in Cuba were very enjoyable, but it was most memorable for the people we met in Cuba. Other highlights of the trip were the sounds and colours in Havana, and the beach in Cayo Lavisa was breathtaking. The local representative from the operator was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and made sure everything was as planned.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book well in advance and do your research so you can pick exactly where you want to go and stay. The travel representatives were very helpful with suggestions and ideas. Also stay in the casa particulares whenever you can as they are so much better than the hotels. The hosts are friendly, the food is awesome and the local tips they give you for things to do and see are very useful. e.g. private salsa lessons, horse riding excursions.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Staying with local people in the casa particulares meant more of our money went to the local people, and travelling by the local coach network meant we minimized the environmental impact as much as we could.
