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!

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.

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.

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.

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!!!!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.