CUBA

Latin American Travel Guide

Travel to Cuba

Cuba has undergone a transformation since it first opened its doors to global tourism after almost three decades of isolation. Most noteworthy has been the rapid growth in private accommodation, the extensive network of casas particulares allowing the independent traveler the opportunity, not only to experience life more as it is lived by the average Cubano, but also to explore corners of the country that had previously been inaccessible or off-limits. Good news for the tourist is the growing choice of resorts and the number of new or refurbished hotels that are opening in towns across the country. While eco-tourism is still in its infancy and much of the island’s extraordinary natural beauty remains to be discovered, the Government is already making strides in the right direction.

Havana

La Habana

One of the largest and most vibrant cities in the Caribbean (with a population of over two million), Havana (La Habana) boasts an old town, which features on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Much of the money made from tourism is currently being pumped back into restorative works in the city and its buildings.

Havana is closely associated with the US writer, Ernest Hemmingway. One of his favorite haunts was the bar, La Bodeguita del Medio, only a stone’s throw from the city’s magnificent 18th-century cathedral.