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.
Spring is the best time to visit Cuba, with Mar-mid Apr the most pleasant: warm and sunny without summer's humidity or storms. Prices may be slightly lower in Jan-Feb, when nighttime temps drop, but the rain stays away and the sun shines. Eastern Cuba experiences the highest heat, humidity and hurricane threat – so keep an eye on weather warnings. Latin, African and Caribbean cultures combine to ensure festivals happen throughout the year; whenever you come you’re sure to encounter music, dance or parades.
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
Cuban casa holiday
Go local in Cuba staying in friendly family B&Bs throughout
From
£1145
15 days
ex flights
Cuba salsa dance holiday
Learn to salsa with the pros in Santiago de Cuba, with tuition, day trips and nights out included
From
£1525
15 days
ex flights
Cuba tour, The Revolutionary Trail
Follow in the footsteps of the revolutionaries
From
£1925
10 days
ex flights
Cuba highlights holiday
Explore Havana, visit tobacco hills & doze on dreamy beaches
From
£788
8 days
ex flights
Cuba self drive holiday
Get a taste of the real Cuba on your own road trip!
From
£1298
15 days
ex flights
Cuba small group holiday, 8 days
Explore the history and the nature of the Caribbean wonder
From
US $2350
8 days
ex flights
Cuba holiday, culture and nature
A mix of nature and culture; discover what makes Cuba tick
From
£1265
15 days
ex flights
Trekking holiday in Cuba
Hiking and exploring the unspoiled national parks of Cuba
From
£270 to £580
4 days
ex flights
Cuba adventure tours
Authentic Cuba using guesthouses and local guides
From
£330 to £380
8 days
ex flights
Cuba highlights and beach holiday
Balance Cuba’s culture & natural beauty with sunny paradise.
From
£1488
15 days
ex flights
Cuba cycling holiday
Cycle the quiet country roads of Cuba
From
£2299 to £2749
9 days
inc UK flights
Small group tour to Cuba
Discover the fascinating diversity of Cuba
From
£875 to £960
20 days
ex flights
Classic Cuba holiday, 11 days
Get into the Cuban swing over just ten days.
From
£1085
11 days
ex flights
Cuba cultural tour, 9 days
Fun and legal tour for American travelers
From
£1120 to £1545
9 days
ex flights
Classic Cuba cycle holiday
Cycle Cuba - Beaches, Mountains and Revolution!
From
£1899 to £1999
15 days
ex flights
Self drive Cuba family holiday
Family holiday Cuba for parents & children
From
€1590 to €2990
15 days
ex flights
Cuba cultural holiday
Immerse yourself in Cuban culture on this 8 day adventure
From
US $690
8 days
ex flights
Skyline Trail cycling tour in Western Cuba
Cycle the spectacular Skyline Trail through Western Cuba
From
£1109 to £1199
8 days
ex flights
Cuba tour, small group
Discover the old and new faces of Cuba
From
£1972 to £2590
21 days
ex flights
Eastern Cuba self drive holiday
Discover lesser explored Eastern Cuba by car
From
£1828
13 days
ex flights
Cuba tailor made holiday, nature and culture
Explore the highlights of Castro's Cuba
From
£2360
14 days
ex flights
Scuba diving and tour in Cuba
Scuba diving and roundtrip Cuba with homestays and/or hotels
From
€995 to €1790
15 days
ex flights
Discover Cuba holiday, 15 days
Experience the real Cuba on this 15 day cultural adventure
From
US $1360
15 days
ex flights
Mexico & Cuba Tour
Fun, sun, history and culture in Mexico and Cuba.
From
£3298 to £4095
22 days
ex flights
Cuba cultural holidays, 15 days
Fun and legal way to experience Cuba's diversity
From
£1775 to £1970
15 days
ex flights
Small group backroads and beaches tours to Cuba
Explore off the beaten track locations
From
£1545 to £1930
9 days
inc UK flights
When to visit Cuba & when not to
PLAY
The end of the 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 ostentations symbols leave a rather bad taste in the mouth (a giant cruise ship providing a backdrop to the 1950s cars on the Malecón, Chanel’s Havana fashion show which regular Cubans were not permitted to attend), at Responsible Travel we also welcome the freedoms that are now available to Cuban people, and the opportunities for them to become have much more control over their lives – as well as earning more than the typical monthly salary of US $15-30.
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 ostentations symbols leave a rather bad taste in the mouth (a giant cruise ship providing a backdrop to the 1950s cars on the Malecón, Chanel’s Havana fashion show which regular Cubans were not permitted to attend), at Responsible Travel we also welcome the freedoms that are now available to Cuban people, and the opportunities for them to become have much more control over their lives – as well as earning more than the typical monthly salary of US $15-30.
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 looking 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 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, WiFi is in its infancy, 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.
Our top Cuba Holiday
Cuban casa holiday
Go local in Cuba staying in friendly family B&Bs throughout
From
£1145
15 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
Everything is tweak-able, giving you the freedom to build a unique and personal trip for your chosen date. Upgrade your accommodation for all - or just part - of your trip, slow down the pace with few extra nights here and there or add a few more active adventures along the way
Everything is tweak-able, giving you the freedom to build a unique and personal trip for your chosen date. Upgrade your accommodation for all - or just part - of your trip, slow down the pace with few extra nights here and there or add a few more active adventures along the way
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.
Responsible Travel recommends
Clarita Derwent, from our supplier Cuban Adventures, shares her best time to visit Cuba:
“I really, really love April – mostly because the weather is so agreeable. Most of the year Cuba’s just really hot; while that’s great it does limit what you can do because you’re exhausted all the time and you have to spend a lot of time resting.
April is still a bit hotter in the East but in Havana there’s beautiful sunny days. The air is cool and it’s just such a pleasant time. Other than that, Christmas is fantastic because it’s the coolest time of year, but there’s a lot of festivals and parties. Cubans get time off at the end of the year – not much, but enough to enjoy themselves.”
Our cultural pick
Old Havana, City in Motion
Each April, dancers from across Cuba and the globe take to Havana's streets, plazas and colonial buildings to showcase modern and traditional dance. The standard, variety and creativity is phenomenal – if this doesn’t inspire you to move your feet, nothing will.
Festivals & events in Cuba
Havana Biennial
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 master classes, with works – from over 40 countries – utilising the urban spaces, not just galleries.
Weekly shows – countrywide
In a country where all citizens are encouraged to be artists, 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, UNEAC (National Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba)…
Stop by to pick up a schedule, and overdose on art premieres, screenings, poetry, jazz, salsa and dance.
Did you know about...?
The Habanos Cuban Cigar Festival
Of course, Cuba’s most famous export had to have a whole festival dedicated to it. This commercial festival, held each February, includes cigar factory tours, cigar rolling workshops, seminars on cigar production and – yes – tastings.
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 include Havana with its classic Malecon, Cienfuegos - the 'Pearl of the South', 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 just that 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, turtles and gorgonians...
You cannot hope to understand Cuba if you don’t understand the Caribbean island’s culture of music and dance - dancing holidays in Cuba are one of the best ways to immerse yourself into everyday life.
Travel to Cuba is still straightforward from the United States, despite President Trump's increased travel restrictions, announced in November 2017...
Communism may hold the promise of equality for all, yet as Cuba’s LBGT community can attest, this is far from the truth.
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...
We've explored some of the big issues facing this little island, from the end of communism to the dual currency; donating goods and keeping an open mind...
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.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Nick Kenrick] [Beach image - Cayo Levisa: Vicki Brown]
[End of the embargo: puffy eyes]
[Rt recommends - colourful buildings: Vicki Brown]
[Event 1 - The Havana Biennial: Diaspora Vibe]
[Event 2 - Weekly shows - countrywide: Andrea Sartorati]
[Did you know - The Habanos Cuban Cigar Festival: OptimoBikerPlus]
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