If we are planning to travel to Cuba for our next holiday, we may well find ourselves asking: travel to Cuba on an organised tour or independently and travel at our own pace?
Few countries are better suited than Cuba to travelling at your own pace.
People are extremely friendly, the language is (almost) the same as ours, and the country is much safer than most wealthy countries.
Organised or independent travel to Cuba?
Cuba, the island of music, cigars and classic cars, captivates you with its vibrant culture and natural beauty. But what is the best way to travel to Cuba and enjoy its charm to the fullest?
Flights to Cuba
If we want travel to Cuba independently in July and August, it is very important to look at flights in advance. Cuba is a highly sought after destination in summer and Airline seats are limited. Booking systems and availability are much the same across flight search apps, but the cheapest fare classes sell out first.
The secret to finding cheap flights is to book well ahead of your Cuba trip.
In the organised trips or independent trips with fixed dates, flights are usually the responsibility of travel agencies. Travel agencies with organised itineraries through Cuba usually book flights with several months of advance and having a certain volume of seats on the plane, they can negotiate prices.
What is the aim of the trip?
Once we have decided we want to travel to Cuba, the first thing to consider is the purpose of our trip. If we intend to spend our time lying in the pool drinking mojitos, and then head down to the beach for more mojitos, we need little planning. Many international hotel chains on the island offer great-value all-inclusive wristband packages.
If what we want is getting to know the island a little bit more deeply and explore rural Cuba, we can travel independently independently or on an organised trip in Cuba where you visit the places that you most want to know.
What matters is what we do when we arrive at our destination.
Touring Cuba is a real pleasure: Havana, the beaches, the interior… Shared language and cultural familiarity also help us look beyond the obvious discover special places and experience Cuban daily life.
How to get around Cuba?
Cuba’s maximum road distance is 880 km (Havana–Baracoa), and two main cities: Havana and Santiago, 765 kilometres apart. We can choose several ways to travel around the island:
- Explore the island by rental car with Fly & Drive
- Travel around the island by public transport
- Organised small-group travel by minivan
The Fly & Drive system lets us explore the island independently, at our own pace on a planned itinerary, with a rental vehicle available.
To explore the island independently by bus, you need to be prepared for delays and vehicles with some other problem. Another factor to take into account is that public transport in Cuba is state-owned and financed for the Cuban people. A tourist on a public bus is like a Hollywood celebrity in the unemployment queue: seemingly out of place.
Another option is a small group minivan tour on a planned route, discovering the island’s different facets from Granma province in Sierra Maestra, cradle of the revolution, to Havana in the West.
Staying in well-known private homes and having lunch or dinner at the “paladares”, we approach the Cuban culture and way of life.
Where to sleep and eat in Cuba?
Since 1997 it has been legal in Cuba host foreigners and sell food in private homes, making it ideal for discovering daily life in Cuba.
Whether exploring Cuba independently or on an organised trip, private homes are the best accommodation option. The challenge is choosing among thousands.
Tasty Cuban food! Travelling through inland Cuba, independently or on an organised trip, we will have the opportunity to staying and stopping to eat in private homes, where hosts prepare tasty local food such as cassava, beans, chicken, lobster and all kinds of fruit.
Whether travelling independently or on an organised trip, choosing where to eat and sleep is fundamental to the journey's success. In the case of travel independently Read review websites carefully and agree arrangements with homeowners rather than arriving blindly in search of the cheapest option. In recent years, internet access has become freely available to Cubans despite its limitations. Even so, advance reservations can sometimes prove worthless.
In the trips whose itineraries are arranged by the agency, whether guided or independent We take care of choosing the best private homes based on previous trips and the opinions of our travelers.
Private homes licensed by the state have a blue stamp at the entrance specifying that the owner has permission. It is advised not to stay in houses that do not have the blue seal, as doing so is an offence under Cuban law.
Controls in private homes are very strict with the aim of protecting visitors to the island and avoiding conflicts, thefts and scams.
Checking in resembles a large hotel chain: all visitors’ personal details must be entered in a register. In the Guided tours, they usually pass the list of details to the homeowners.
What is the best route to get to know Cuba?
If you have enough days on the island, crossing it from east to west, or vice versa, is the best option. Cross Cuba by car to discover all its facets. Although political circumstances can cause unusual shortages, the whole island is well prepared to welcome visitors; and where supplies don't arrive, Cuban ingenuity does.
From Santiago, passing through the province of Granma in Sierra Maestra, cradle of the revolution, to Havana in the West.
For those who prefer explore the island independently; travelling at your own pace on a planned itinerary with a hire car, it is worth leaving the A-1 for the coastal roads.
Although no road in Cuba meets the international standards required to qualify as a highway, the main Cuban roads are named in this way.
A planned trip through Cuba offers more than sun and beaches for curious travellers. Crossing the island, away from the resorts, reveals all its facets. Staying in private homes and eating lunch and dinner in the “paladares (private restaurants)” brings us closer to Cuban culture and ways of life.
Upcoming trips to Cuba
Cuba✔️ Departures MAY to DEC 2024
✔️ Price from 2100€
✔️ Departures MAY to DEC 2024
✔️ Price from 2260€