BootsnAll Travel Community

Perhaps I posted this in the wrong 'destination' before... so I thought I'd try it here to see what you guys might be able to offer in terms of advice. I now have up to 10 days at the end of Feb through into early March and would happily move around Cuba (say 2-3 base locations) if it meant seeing more.... so what are the places you recommend, what are the must dos. I am particularly interested in some authentic live band salsa nights if anyone knows of any. I speak Spanish if this influences any advice you might feel like offering!!!

Thanks all as usual!

kbcara
Posted 27 December 2006 06:48
Can you recommend a plan for just one week in February or March.

I want sunshine and relaxation but adventurous/interesting day-trips options - all at a bargain price!

The biggest issue is that I don't want to go somewhere that I will regret not having stayed longer. So I'm looking for the ideal one week destination - or a couple of days in each of two or three places. Is one week too short a time in Cuba?

Recommendations for places, accommodation, trips gratefully received!!

Happy Christmas!

Kathsmee
Posted 28 December 2006 06:33

I had a similar two week break in Cuba this February. I got a cheap package flight to Varadero with First Choice and ditched the accommodation and went straight to Havanna. this takes about 2 hours on a bus (hitch a lift with any of the tour buses heading that way from varadero airport).

Havana is fantastic and you could make it your base for a few days then i would recomend heading to is Cayo Levisa. its a tiny island off cuba with about 20 beach huts right on the beach and a small restaurant/bar and dive hut. it is a proper desert island paradise and i can't think of anything more relaxing. we stayed for two days but could have stayed a week! you can organise a day trip there from Havana but you don't get as much time there and it is best in the evenings when all the day trippers have left.

we arranged ours when we arrived in havana but had to wait a few days for availability, as you only have a week you should probably book in advance? you can arrange this through websites. there is no-one there, nothing to do except swin, sunbathe maybe dive/snorkle - its bliss!

http://www.cubahotelreservation.com/hotel.asp?hotel_code=SCTHORCLevisa

(i'm not recommending the links but they just had good images of what i was trying to describe, i'd do your own search)

i have lots of other pictures and info if you need any, just let me know. I'm not quite technical enought to post them anywhere yet i'm afraid!

have a great time tho - i'm very jealous!

Havana, Trinidad, and Viñales are nice. We did 5 in Havana, 3 in the other two...You could probably stick to two of those places.
I'd stay away from Varadero. You can see a resort beach area like that in many places in the world. Cuba has so much more to offer...Our opinion, anway.
Trinidad has a nice beach nearby (Playa Ancon). Trinidad is a very pretty city/town.
You can get to Viñales from Havana in about 3 hours. It's a beautiful valley with large limestone rocks jutting out...kinda like some places in Vietnam and China. It's a small town and cooler..pine trees.
Havana is a fun place and you can spend quite a bit of time there. The architecture and cars are very cool. Same in Trinidad.
There is salsa music going on all the time, everywhere. We've never seen so much music. I think we saw more there than Brazil...

Thankyou but it seems almost impossible to get a reasonably priced 10 day flight. Arrangements in Cuba are no problem. So... am gonna wait and head there for 3 weeks later in the year and am off to Egypt instead!

Hi kbcara.
Ok, that's great...good option.
Have a nice time in Africa.
Best wishes.