As immediate gratification seeking Americans we have always had a problem with having zero access to things or places. So it was a bit orgasmic when President Obama lifted the trade embargo with Cuba which, among other things, allowed American airlines to enter Cuba from major cities. Now, for the first time, we can legally enter a country that is literally suspended in time, and whose scandalous history and salacious energy we can experience first-hand. I have been to Cuba three times and each time it gets more American and more expensive, so get there as soon as you can. From transport and lodging to beaches, food and nightlife Cuba is an experience like no other. Below find a first-hand lowdown on how to navigate Havana.
Getting There
Booking a trip to Havana, or any other major Cuban city, is very easy. Simply book your trip via any major airline or travel site as you would any other vacation. Once you have booked your trip you will need to call the airline and tell them that you need to buy a Cuban visa. They will ask you if you meet one of the 12 approved categories to travel to Cuba – at which point you say yes. Simply state that you are traveling because you are a student. After three trips I have never needed to produce backup or proof for my reason. On the day of your trip you pick up your visa, which costs $50, at the airline counter. It is that simple.
Where to Stay
The three hotels I have seen, with the exception of the expensive Hotel Nacional, left much to be desired. I advise you to stay in an Air BnB. Hands down. Most are very modern, spacious and very inexpensive. Choose one with A/C – this is crucial for those hot Havana nights. Havana has several neighborhoods. You can rent in Old Havana. The energy here for a tourist is like staying in Times Square, N.Y. – noisy and busy. Vedado (where i rent) is like a staying in Soho, N.Y., still popping enough to experience a dope night without the noise of Old Havana, or Miramar, the high end “rich” and developed neighborhood where you will rub shoulders with the Cuban glitterati but there is nothing to experience. The positive is that they are all 10 minutes and a $10 CUC cab ride from each other. Also, your Air BnB host can help you design your trip prior to your arrival and give you their recommendations on an itinerary.
How to Pay for Things
The amount of cash you bring to Cuba will dictate your experience. The worst experience is that you run out of money (been there). If you run out of money you are assed out. While things are changing, there are no ATM’s and you can’t use credit cards. So bring more than enough cash and change it into CUC’s as soon as you land in the airport as finding a bank is extremely laborious. CUC is the tourist currency and pesos are the Cuban currency. The US dollar is weak – on average .85 CUC’ s to a dollar. All unused CUC’s can be changed back to dollars at the airport.
Getting Around
You will be cabbing it everywhere. A one way car ride from the airport to your destination is 25-30 CUC’s. Once you are in Havana the fare is usually $10 from Point A to point B. Experience a coco-taxi – a three passenger coconut shaped moped. After a boozy day or night, in preparation for your next adventure, you can enjoy a scenic ride while the air hits your face as you think to yourself “damn I am in Cuba.”
Renting an old school drop top is a must. They are typically rented by the hour and comfortably fit three people, max four. The majority of them are perched in front of the Hotel Nacional. Choose the one you want and just tell the driver to drive you around all the ‘hoods in Havana. Do not pay more than $60 CUC’s for one car per hour.
Nightlife
The nightlife in Cuba is surprisingly on fire! King Bar is a bottle service high end place in an expensive and very quiet neighborhood that will make you feel like you are not in Cuba, while La Gruta is a local joint with an around the way feel where the beers are cold, rum and cokes are abundant and the young taut Cuban ladies are looking to connect. Don Cangrejo has a good mix of locals and tourists. It is an outdoor large club where you can listen to live Cuban music and gaze up at the stars as you lean back with sweet drunkenness. You must visit the Hotel Nacional, here is where all the international celebrities stayed, and stay. With its art deco details from the ’30’s you can enjoy cold minty mojitos while gawking towards Florida and inhaling the majestic view of the Havana harbor. At minimum grab a few bottles of rum and sit in the Malecón, a five mile long sea wall that stretches along the coast of Havana. This is where all the locals hang out and party because of the lack of money. A night hanging out there is sufficient to create abundant memories and conversations.
*Guys aren’t allowed to wear shorts or open toe sandals to enter the night clubs.
Food
Cuba is a country with food insecurities. You order and eat what they have, not what you want. So start out by asking “what do you have today?” My advice is to always order the (always fresh) sea food with rice and beans and/or steak. While veggies are an anomaly, fruit is abundant. Stay away from American foods like pasta, hamburgers and pizza. Shift your attitudes towards your food choices and honor and respect a country where food is rationed and limited. The government allows Cubans to host their homes as restaurants called “casa particulares.” They are abundant so I encourage you to walk around and eat in those with the most customers. A must place to eat is La Torre located in the 31st floor of the tallest building in Cuba – FOCSA – and enjoy fried shrimp and panoramic views of Havana. A foodie’s haven Cuba is not.
Miscellaneous
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi does exist in Cuba. The best approach is to switch to an international plan that includes Cuba with your U.S. provider. Or you can pay $40 for a SIM card there.
Beaches
There are gorgeous beaches in Havana, the best one is Mar Azul Playa Santa Maria. Arrive by 9 a.m. or all beach chairs and umbrellas will be rented out. Or, you can hire a driver to take you to the beach town of Veradero. It’s a two hour drive, but the sleepy town is arresting in its beauty.
Souvenirs & Cigars
Because holding on to your CUC’s is key – wait to buy souvenirs until you depart at the airport. They accept dollars and you can buy magnets/t shirts, bottles of rum ($5) and legitimate cigars ($40-$60 a box). For purists, do not buy cigars anywhere that is not a government approved storefront in Havana. Hotel Nacional, too, has great cigars to purchase.
