Cuba: how can I travel there now? (hotels, vacation, planes)
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This year will be the 10th anniversary for the wife and I. Would love to surprise her with a short 4-5 night trip to Cuba. Is that possible to do from a US airport without being part of a tour/mission?
Not from the US. I think the only people who can travel from Miami right now are Cubans with relatives still in Cuba. You can go from places like the Bahamas, though. Tell her you're going to the Bahamas and then surprise her with a "side excursion."
You could fly to a Mexican or Canadian airport first and then change planes there (on separate tickets) to get to Cuba. Toronto and Montreal in particular have tons of nonstop flights to various points in Cuba.
This year will be the 10th anniversary for the wife and I. Would love to surprise her with a short 4-5 night trip to Cuba. Is that possible to do from a US airport without being part of a tour/mission?
Thanks for the advice!
I guess you don't want to hear this, but why? Not for the political or ethical issues, but simply because Cuba is a discount destination with roach motel level accomadations....or a place for European men to enjoy the services of female company for $5usd a night.
Take your wife somewhere nice. 10th anniversary should be for 5 star level accomadations.
I guess you don't want to hear this, but why? Not for the political or ethical issues, but simply because Cuba is a discount destination with roach motel level accomadations....or a place for European men to enjoy the services of female company for $5usd a night.
Take your wife somewhere nice. 10th anniversary should be for 5 star level accomadations.
K, no. Ignore this.
Cuba is, from by almost all accounts I've heard, a wonderful and fascinating place very much worthy of a visit, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There's any degree of accommodation available to something as simple as family homestays to very swanky resort hotels. You just do the research and make your pick.
But I would say, if you can get out of the resort and see something like Havana or a small virgin pueblo, you should make every effort possible to do that.
You could go from a Canadian airport, or like someone else mentioned, possibly some other nearby foreign country. Otherwise, I think the USA is still in a stage of Cuban relations (albeit improving) that you must subscribe to some sort of educational-cross-cultural-friendship tour thing. But I mean, it has a lot more to offer than most other Caribbean islands, and I think you should go for it if you can.
I guess you don't want to hear this, but why? Not for the political or ethical issues, but simply because Cuba is a discount destination with roach motel level accomadations....or a place for European men to enjoy the services of female company for $5usd a night.
Take your wife somewhere nice. 10th anniversary should be for 5 star level accomadations.
It's the lure of the forbidden fruit....
We've traveled all over the Caribbean, Hawaii, etc. We've stayed in everything from 5 star to BnB. We like to get away from the crowds and other tourists and explore on our own or at least try to see the real island as opposed to what the tour operators and chamber of commerce want you to see.
Plus, it's on our list of places to go, so our 10 anniversary is a good excuse.
Wait, you are saying ignore my posting and you have never gone? How blatantly irresponsible of you.
The benifit of having this site is you get a variety of opinions. Really however, the travel forum isn't as good as the country forums (this specific travel forum unforunetly has degenerated into threads on "how many cities have your visited"). I am posting a thread from that forum which might help the OP (ignore the political banter and Canada bashing).
You get these comments "Havana is literally crumbling in most parts and stores are empty of product. If an American wants to enjoy a vacation, cuba though beautiful is not the best place"
"though I would say you should put perspective on things because as I said most Canadians are simply going to cuba for a cheap all inclusive vacation and don't mingle with Cubans (which is actually unfortunate) but is a fact"
"I've seen Canadians in resorts that are considered bad by Cubans and gulping down buffet tables with more hunger than Cubans, and with less education."
"The reason Americans will not go to Cuban resorts is because Resorts that are up to their standards, beyond "cucarachero" category, are administered by the chains that manage and own most hotels in Dominican Reoublic and Cancun, and they have more competive offers there...as they are not subject to many factors."
I guess OP is that, if you really want to visit Cuba, the lesson from that thread is to pick your resorts carefully, otherwise you will end up in a dump.
It's the lure of the forbidden fruit....
We've traveled all over the Caribbean, Hawaii, etc. We've stayed in everything from 5 star to BnB. We like to get away from the crowds and other tourists and explore on our own or at least try to see the real island as opposed to what the tour operators and chamber of commerce want you to see.
Plus, it's on our list of places to go, so our 10 anniversary is a good excuse.
That's cool...see my thread reference above, I think it had some links that might help...
You could fly to a Mexican or Canadian airport first and then change planes there (on separate tickets) to get to Cuba. Toronto and Montreal in particular have tons of nonstop flights to various points in Cuba.
Um, not a good idea. US CBP have been known to stand there waiting for US citizens to get off those flights with their blue passports in hand.
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