The best time to visit Cuba
With temperatures hovering between 20-35°C and the water bathtub-warm year-round, Cuba has a classically cosy Caribbean climate.![]()
November to April is the best time to visit Cuba, with March to mid-April the most pleasant months: warm and sunny without summer’s humidity or storms. Prices may be slightly lower in January-February, when night-time temperatures drop, but the rain stays away and the sun shines. July and August are popular with those who don’t mind navigating around stormy afternoons. Eastern Cuba experiences the highest heat, humidity and hurricane threat, so keep an eye on weather warnings. The south-east is generally hotter and stickier year-round. African, Caribbean and European cultures combine in Cuba, ensuring festivals happen throughout the year.
When is the hurricane season in Cuba?
The hurricane season in Cuba is June to November, with September and October when tropical storms really pick up. It’s unlikely that they’ll affect your trip, but consider travelling in the earlier or later part of the season to reduce your chance of bumping into one.A month by month guide on when to go to Cuba
January in Cuba
January is great for a Cuba tour
February in Cuba
March in Cuba
April in Cuba
May in Cuba
June in Cuba
I love April because the weather is so agreeable… And Christmas is fantastic, as Cubans get enough time off to enjoy themselves.![]()
– Clarita Derwent, from our partner Cuban Adventures
July in Cuba
July and August are great for a family self drive road trip around Cuba
August in Cuba
September in Cuba
October in Cuba
November in Cuba
November and December are great for learning how to salsa
December in Cuba
Havana Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
17
25
51
FEB
17
25
50
MAR
19
28
40
APR
20
29
60
MAY
21
30
110
JUN
22
31
200
JUL
23
32
140
AUG
23
32
150
SEP
23
31
190
OCT
22
30
180
NOV
20
33
60
DEC
18
32
50
Our Cuba Holidays
10 day Cuba tour, small group
Group tour exploring the beguiling and captivating Cuba
From
€840
10 days
ex flights
Cuba salsa dance holiday
Learn to salsa with the pros in Santiago de Cuba, tuition, day trips and nights out
From
£1750 to £1850
15 days
ex flights
Cycling holiday in Cuba, 7 days
Explore Cuba on two wheels in one week
From
£1030 to £1110
7 days
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Cuba cultural holiday
Immerse yourself in Cuban culture on this 8 day adventure
From
€690
8 days
ex flights
Cuba self guided cycling holiday
Independent self-guided cycling through rural Cuba
From
£849
12 days
ex flights
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Cuba or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
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Best times to visit Cuba for festivals & events
On this art-loving island, where culture has been bankrolled by the government for decades, there are literature, theatre, poetry, dance, music and visual art openings pretty much every week. The focus is on Havana, but also in the Casas de Cultura – or simply in the streets – across Cuba.
Cuba is a country where all citizens are encouraged to be artists, so annual events are merely a bigger version of what takes place daily in Cuba’s National Theatre, Casa de la Musica, Gran Teatro, Casa de la Amistad and UNEAC (National Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba). Stop by to pick up a schedule and fill your creative cup with premieres, screenings, poetry, jazz and salsa.
Cuba is a country where all citizens are encouraged to be artists, so annual events are merely a bigger version of what takes place daily in Cuba’s National Theatre, Casa de la Musica, Gran Teatro, Casa de la Amistad and UNEAC (National Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba). Stop by to pick up a schedule and fill your creative cup with premieres, screenings, poetry, jazz and salsa.
Havana Jazz Festival (January)
Cuba has music in its bones, and January marks one of its longest-running events – Havana Jazz Festival, founded by a collective of Cuban jazz musicians in 1978. La Cultura Plaza is the soul of the party, but you’ll also see both Cuban virtuosos and international jazz instrumentalists and singers playing gigs in churches, streets and on doorsteps throughout the city.Habanos Cuban Cigar Festival (February)
Of course, Cuba’s most famous export had to have a whole festival dedicated to it. This commercial festival, held each February, includes history talks, factory tours, cigar rolling workshops, seminars on cigar production and – yes – tastings.Havana Biennial (every other March)
Expressive Havana gets just that little bit artier every two years as the Biennial takes over the city for the whole of March. There are exhibitions, documentary screenings, workshops and masterclasses, with works from over 40 countries utilising urban spaces, not just galleries.City in Motion (April)
Each April, dancers from across Cuba and further afield take to Old Havana’s streets and plazas to showcase modern and traditional dance. The standard, variety and creativity are phenomenal – if this doesn’t inspire you to move your feet, nothing will.Santiago de Cuba Carnival (end of July)
Carnival takes place in Cuba’s second city, Santiago, at the end of July. A fire party kicks things off, and then it’s street parties and parades for two weeks. Parades usually start at 8pm, when the sweltering heat eases off a little – although, of course, the clock is set to Cuban time.Las Parrandas de Remedios (16-26 December)
Las Parrandas in Remedios city is one of the oldest and best-loved Christmas festivals. Conga groups play in the streets as the San Salvador and El Carmen neighbourhoods compete to put on the flashiest parade. Missed the festivities? The Parrandas Remedianas Museum logs the history of festival.“Christmas is fantastic because it’s the coolest time of year, but there’s a lot of festivals and parties,” says Clarita Derwent, from our partner Cuban Adventures. “Cubans get time off at the end of the year – not much, but enough to enjoy themselves.”
Our travellers also ask…
When is the cheapest time of year to go to Cuba?
The cheapest months to go to Cuba are May to early June and mid-September to October. Prices rise during the school holiday periods of Christmas, Easter and July to August; you’ll find cheaper flights and accommodation options outside of this time. Surprise surprise, prices really plummet during hurricane season – September and October. That said, hurricanes are unlikely to affect your trip, so if the weather forecast is clear then this time can be a great cheap last minute adventure.When is the rainy season in Cuba?
Cuba is rainiest in late spring and summer (May to November). It rarely rains all day long, however – you’re more likely to encounter heavy downpours in the hot, humid afternoons when travelling during the rainy season.When is the best weather in Cuba?
If you’re after sunny, dry days without the fug of humidity, March to mid-April sees the best weather in Cuba. It’s your final chance at settled weather before the incoming rainy season too. If you prefer cooler temperatures with your sunshine (great for trekking and cycling), then January is a good bet.When should you not go to Cuba?
Many would advise against travelling during hurricane season, but your holiday is very unlikely to be affected by one. Just keep a careful eye on the weather forecast if travelling between June and November. You could avoid the busiest months (December, Easter, July and August) if you don’t enjoy sharing your vistas, but it’s easy to step away from the crowds in Cuba even at these popular times of the year.What is the hottest month in Cuba?
June, July and August are usually the hottest months in Cuba. Although the temperature averages don’t look too high at first glance – Havana sits at 32°C all summer – the humidity can make it feel much, much hotter. Spend your mornings and evenings exploring and the hottest part of the day crashed out on a cooler coast.Should I visit Cuba before the end of the US embargo?
For decades, foreigners have been keen to see Cuba “before it changes”. But Cuba has been changing continuously, and many changes have been beneficial to both tourists and Cubans. Casas particulares, for example (government regulated homestays), allow visitors to avoid often characterless state-run hotels and stay with local families for a far more authentic experience. Private restaurants called paladares are also springing up, serving delicious home-cooked food.
But following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the US, as well as the death of Fidel Castro, the changes have been bigger and faster. While some of the more ostentatious symbols leave a rather bad taste in the mouth (a giant cruise ship providing a backdrop to the 1950s cars on the Malecon and Chanel’s Havana fashion show which regular Cubans were not permitted to attend), we also welcome the freedoms that are now available to Cuban people, and the opportunities for them to have much more control over their lives – as well as earning more than the typical monthly salary of $15-30 USD.
However, we also recognise that Cuba is in a period of very rapid transition. Its minimal tourism infrastructure has yet to catch up with the swelling numbers of arrivals, including US citizens who are able to visit legally for the first time since 1960, as well as tourists from Europe and Canada who are rushing to visit before the anticipated ‘changes’ kick in.
Consequently, tours, hotels and casas are often booked up months in advance, and some visitors have been surprised at the number of other tourists they have encountered, particularly during high season.
Cuba is still very much an alternative destination, however, with a crumbling infrastructure, high poverty levels and a lack of many essentials, from toiletries and medicines to clothes and furniture.
While we still strongly encourage people to visit Cuba, and to do so responsibly, we also advise people to go with a very open mind. Casas are comfortable but they are not luxury hotels: they are family homes. What you want to eat may not always be on the menu, Wi-Fi access is limited and expensive, and that 70-year-old Chevrolet will be noisy and the windows won’t wind down.
But this is Cuba “before it changes” – and it also offers wonderful hospitality, seductive live music on every street corner, passionate dancing and Caribbean beaches without the high rises. It’s not a postcard-perfect Caribbean beach holiday; it’s a fully immersive and thoroughly unique life experience.
But following the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the US, as well as the death of Fidel Castro, the changes have been bigger and faster. While some of the more ostentatious symbols leave a rather bad taste in the mouth (a giant cruise ship providing a backdrop to the 1950s cars on the Malecon and Chanel’s Havana fashion show which regular Cubans were not permitted to attend), we also welcome the freedoms that are now available to Cuban people, and the opportunities for them to have much more control over their lives – as well as earning more than the typical monthly salary of $15-30 USD.
However, we also recognise that Cuba is in a period of very rapid transition. Its minimal tourism infrastructure has yet to catch up with the swelling numbers of arrivals, including US citizens who are able to visit legally for the first time since 1960, as well as tourists from Europe and Canada who are rushing to visit before the anticipated ‘changes’ kick in.
Consequently, tours, hotels and casas are often booked up months in advance, and some visitors have been surprised at the number of other tourists they have encountered, particularly during high season.
Cuba is still very much an alternative destination, however, with a crumbling infrastructure, high poverty levels and a lack of many essentials, from toiletries and medicines to clothes and furniture.
While we still strongly encourage people to visit Cuba, and to do so responsibly, we also advise people to go with a very open mind. Casas are comfortable but they are not luxury hotels: they are family homes. What you want to eat may not always be on the menu, Wi-Fi access is limited and expensive, and that 70-year-old Chevrolet will be noisy and the windows won’t wind down.
But this is Cuba “before it changes” – and it also offers wonderful hospitality, seductive live music on every street corner, passionate dancing and Caribbean beaches without the high rises. It’s not a postcard-perfect Caribbean beach holiday; it’s a fully immersive and thoroughly unique life experience.
More about Cuba
Few nations have the romance of Cuba; a beautiful, tropical island that fought its way out of capitalism led by charismatic comrades...
Cuba is bigger than you think. If you’re planning to spend a week or two here then take a look at our interactive map to help you choose a route...
Cuba's charms are not all cultural; its natural wonders have been recognised by UNESCO, including the ethereal, karst-filled Valley of Vinales...
Casas particulares in Cuba are the original Airbnb: homestays with Cuban families in a network that stretches across the country...
Cuba has 5,700km of coastline, so there are quiet beaches, beaches for water sports, reefs to snorkel, deserted coves and family friendly facilities...
Our favourite cities are Havana, with its classic Malecon, 'Pearl of the South' Cienfuegos, and labyrinthine Camaguey, designed to confuse pirates.
Our mini guide reveals the pros and cons of public and private transport, self drive options and classic cars when planning your Cuba holiday...
A self drive holiday in Cuba offers independence, flexibility and an extra little pinch of adventure, as you explore at your own pace.
Diving in Cuba reveals a marine culture that is just as fascinating as the one on land: a rainbow of reef fish, sponges and turtles.
Salsa in Cuba derives from other dances such as son, mambo and cha-cha-cha, all infused with distinctive Afro Cuban beats.
Travel to Cuba is still for US citizens - find out more in this guide.
Communism may hold the promise of equality for all, yet as Cuba’s LBGT community can attest, this is far from the truth.
Cuban food is bad, isn’t it? According to our travellers, by staying in casas particulares and eating in paladares, you’ll experience a different story.
Cuba’s Revolutionary Trail traces the story of one of the 20th century’s most significant events.
As with most Latin countries, Cuba welcomes children with open arms. But it does so without malaria, altitude or crime; this is a fab family spot.
We have asked destination experts to share their insider Cuba tips and anecdotes with us, from what to eat and pack, to staying in casas particulares.
Step inside any one of Cuba’s Catholic cathedrals and you’ll instantly begin to understand the country’s cultural and architectural heritage.
We've explored some of the big issues facing this little island, from the end of communism to current US-Cuba relations.
Find all of our Cuba guides in one place, for different types of Cuba holidays we offer such as scuba diving or walking in Cuba.
