Topic: Anyone been to Cuba lately?

[Railton]

If so what were your likes/dislikes and where did you stay?
Thanks
Railton

[ArticSteve]

I recently went in on a Havana timeshare.  Yet to actually see it first hand.  Sales guy said inside was nothing like the outside.

[Ex-airbalancer]

what time of the years are you going?
Do want hot  or warm temps?
Are you taking your kids? or want adults only?
Are you looking a for cheap trip? or spend some cash
Sit back and veg, or to see a lot of things?
also try http://debbiesreviews.proboards88.com/

http://www.debbiescaribbeanresortreviews.com/cuba/cuba.html

Cayco Lago is you want to veg, beautiful white beach
http://www.cayolargo.net/introduction.htm

[inco]

I recently went in on a Havana timeshare.  Yet to actually see it first hand.  Sales guy said inside was nothing like the outside.

Ah....Steve, is there a cooling off period you can take advantage of?   

[Railton]

what time of the years are you going?
Do want hot  or warm temps?
Are you taking your kids? or want adults only?
Are you looking a for cheap trip? or spend some cash
Sit back and veg, or to see a lot of things?
also try http://debbiesreviews.proboards88.com/

http://www.debbiescaribbeanresortreviews.com/cuba/cuba.html

Cayco Lago is you want to veg, beautiful white beach
http://www.cayolargo.net/introduction.htm

what time of the years are you going? Within a couple of weeks. I believe that this is the beginning of the rainy season though and with rain comes mosquitos. Are they more prevalent on the Atlantic side than the Caribbean side?
Do want hot  or warm temps? Well, it's going to be May so hot I guess.
Are you taking your kids? or want adults only? Yes, Kate is going 5 years old.
Are you looking a for cheap trip? or spend some cash? Seems pretty hard to spend big bucks in Cuba... say a $1K/week/pp.
Sit back and veg, or to see a lot of things? Havana would be good to see...other than that we're open to other suggestions. I could lay ona beach all week and read but my Wife likes to explore.

[Ex-airbalancer]

I usually go end of Jan to mid Feb
So this time of year it will be warm in Cuba, Jan and Feb it can be a bit cool if bad weather blows in
In Varadero we stayed at the Sandals  so not kid friendly abut a nice adult only place
Nice beaches, also Havana is close for a day trip

Cayo Coco, there a couple of day trips to go on, nice beaches
South coast will be hot and resorts are not has nice

We were of think of trying Santa Clara this year, it is suppose to have nice beaches, but I understand it a place just to veg

Good luck with your planing

Tripcentral.ca is a good site to check out pricing

[Wolverine]

Did I ever say I'm cuban??? Born there, came to Brazil 13 years ago. Was planning to go there in May but had to leave to February, summer will start and I don't like it too much, too hot.

If you go, never miss th chance to go to Varadero, it's a wonderful beach.

[safristi]

 Wolverine....did the wind & Currents blow yer raft OFF COURSE............ ..............Anyone LEFT Cuba lately now that cuddly Uncle Raul is in POWER

[Wolverine]

Wolverine....did the wind & Currents blow yer raft OFF COURSE............ ..............Anyone LEFT Cuba lately now that cuddly Uncle Raul is in POWER

AHhaahahahahah, everyone asks me that, they say i was sailing on my barrel to reach Uncle's Sam land and then the wind brought me to Brazil, eheheheheheheh.

From what I'm seeing Raul is taking some good measures, hope it's good to the people (it can't get worst anyway). My dad lives there and I have some other relatives still there too.

[Dante]

How is whether like in mid-June? I'm looking for a place to spend one week on the beach with my family (wife and 2-year old), but I don't want to fly too far or go sightseeing (e.g. Europe). All-inclusive Caribbean destinations, Cuba included, are under consideration.

[safristi]

..so give us the REAL DEAL no B/S about what they think of Castro and Cuba in say the last 10 years.................do they still love the old rascal...has Canadian & Euro tourism made life easier for the people.....or only a few.....

  I often think about Jamaica as another Cuba.............gorgeous Islands..great people...yet shitty lives for most of the locals....is it a manana attitude...lousy governance...the US gov refusal to trade (in Cuba's case)....what say the relatives still there..........

[safristi]

carcrazy why leave Canada in MID JUNE.............perfect time fer staying HOME man...that's like coals to newcastle..... ..........14 hours of daylight...and everything FREE here......... ...No frikkiin Airport Taxes,Bum searches...departure taxes and cheap lousy RUM and watery beer,,,,,,,,,,,, Ya can camp in my back yard,If ya mow the lawn and water THE!! Plants

[99 Silver]

We've been to Cuba three times.

1) Holguin (actually Guadalavaca beach (sp)).  Great beach about 3km long with about 5-6 hotels in a remote area on the east end of the island.  Had a good time, but there is nothing else to see.  It is about a one hour drive from the airport.

2) Cayo Guillermo which is next to Cayo Coco.  One of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen.  Very close to an airport.

3) Sandals Veradero - beautiful beach, but 5 stars in Cuba does not equal 5 stars on the other islands.

Overall, the people are very friendly and I feel very safe there (unlike some other places in the Carribean).  3-4 star resorts will not have a very good variety of food available, but the seafood is always top notch.

I highly recommend Veradero which allows an easy day tour of Havana which is definitely worth seeing.  I wanted to see it before the island reverts to capitalism and the American influence takes over.

[safristi]

Silver  ...Cuba WAS Capitilism and Americana..pre Castro...when all the sh*t ya wanta see was built and beautiful and thriving...ask Hemmingway..... ...Vegas of it's TIME

[99 Silver]

Silver  ...Cuba WAS Capitilism and Americana..pre Castro...when all the sh*t ya wanta see was built and beautiful and thriving...ask Hemmingway..... ...Vegas of it's TIME

I know. 

I'm not anti-American in any way, but it is nice to go somewhere that is not overpowered by the Americans. Some time in the future communism will falter and Cuba will change very quickly because it is so close to the US.

[safristi]

so yer staying @ Artics TIMESHARE and driving a 50's Chevy then........... I tho't Cuba was overpowered !!!! by Canucks and German Sex Tourists?

[Dante]

carcrazy why leave Canada in MID JUNE.............perfect time fer staying HOME

We want to go away for a week, somewhere with sun, sand and water for our daughter and no worries about cooking or anything else. Get lazy for a week so to speak. We cannot go onto a more than 4-hours flight either as we are not sure how our super active 2 year old would behave.

[safristi]

"lazy for a week" and ya have a 2 year old..................are ya gonna sell Him?her? to pay fer tha TRIP....

[Wolverine]

..so give us the REAL DEAL no B/S about what they think of Castro and Cuba in say the last 10 years.................do they still love the old rascal...has Canadian & Euro tourism made life easier for the people.....or only a few.....

  I often think about Jamaica as another Cuba.............gorgeous Islands..great people...yet shitty lives for most of the locals....is it a manana attitude...lousy governance...the US gov refusal to trade (in Cuba's case)....what say the relatives still there..........

Most people dislike him, but also fear him, talking s..t about the gov. could send you to jail for some time and be pointed out as a traitor for the rest of your life, the police would keep an eye on you forever.

Tourism has being great to cubans, a lot of people have find different ways to make money with tourism.

To make a long history short, things in Cuba work this way: if you have "chavitos" (cuban equivalent to dollar, wich is forbiden, the gov. trades dollars for chavitos and keeps 20% to them) than you have no problems, you can buy almost anything, if you don't, then you'll have to work your way on the black market.

[MKII]

Cuba= nice people, wonderful music, good scenary, but feels like Soviet Union in the tropics=bad vibes(IMO)

Nicer places within 4 hour flight duration, check out Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Caymans, and Bermuda is wonderful in the spring.