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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Cuba, I really want to go but it's so expensive.

38 replies

Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 13/09/2013 21:54

I'll have to plan and go in a few years time I think? Dp and I both work full time but dss are teenagers so I reckon it'll be almost 5K for all of us?

Has anyone been? Is it as amazing as I imagine? (no don't tell me)

OP posts:
Soontobemama · 13/09/2013 22:02

I found it a huge disappointment to tell the truth.

EstoyAqui · 13/09/2013 22:05

We've been twice. The first time was amazing, it was when Fidel was in charge. The second time was last year. It was fabulous but you could see the change to the country since Raul has started to lead.

It's such an interesting place. Where are you thinking of going?

FourGates · 13/09/2013 22:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 13/09/2013 22:10

I didn't have a place in mind tbh.

I'm not sure I'd want to stay in people's houses with dss though? Do you mean with them in them too?

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HorsePetal · 13/09/2013 22:14

Charity Challenge do a charity trek to Cuba.

Could you consider that? You could self fund the trip and then raise funds for a chosen charity?

thenightsky · 13/09/2013 22:18

We did a 2 centre holiday last year. a week in Havana and a week at an all inc place.

If I had my time (and money) again, I'd not bother with the all inc bit at all.. could have been anywhere in the world really.

Havana was amazing though. Did local deals with lovely old american car owners to run us about and show us stuff.

soimpressed · 13/09/2013 22:25

I thought I might be disappointed with Cuba but I loved it! We did some travelling and some staying in a very nice all inclusive place. The house stays are a bit like B&Bs but most only have a couple of rooms because they are just people's homes. They are great though - very clean and lovely food.

Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 13/09/2013 22:26

Have you done something similar HP? I don't think that'd be for us?

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exexpat · 13/09/2013 22:28

I went this summer with two DCs (15 and 10) and it was amazing. We did a small group tour taking in Havana, Trinidad, a few brief stops in other cities plus national parks (river swimming, jungle walks, wildlife spotting) and a couple of beaches. We would happily have stayed on longer - we only got two nights in Havana, and it wasn't enough. Yes, it is expensive, but worth it IMO.

But I'd agree with thenightstky about all-inclusive resort places - our last two nights were in one (Jibacoa, but most go to Varadero) and you could be just about anywhere, except that in other places the food might be better...

The 'people's homes' is basically small-scale B&Bs - a new relaxation of laws which allows some private enterprise, and one of the main things is new private restaurants and small guesthouses. We only did two nights in guesthouses, and the quality was pretty good, plus you get to see a bit more of real life, talk to genuine Cubans and so on. The quality and variety of food in private home-based restaurants is generally way better than in the big state-owned restaurants.

Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 13/09/2013 22:28

I fancy going to Havana. Am really tempted now.

B&Bs sound good I'll look into that. I'd rather do it independently than with a tour company tbh.

OP posts:
Juniperdewdropofbrandy · 13/09/2013 22:30

Thanks exexpat, glad to hear it was a success with dcs too.

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Suzieismyname · 13/09/2013 22:35

I agree with Soon

mummymeister · 14/09/2013 10:58

if I had a choice I would go to Venezuela. the independent travel option there felt a lot safer in cuba. if you are going to go then you really have to immerse yourself in it like exexpat says and accept it will be a bit chaotic. if you go for the organised then you will be disappointed ime.

OldBeanbagz · 16/09/2013 16:54

We went on an organised family holiday with Exodus last year. Quite expensive but very well organised though the hotels/meals were a bit disappointing (that's the price you pay for a group holiday).

This year we returned and organised it ourselves with the help of a contact there. Stayed in casas, ate in local restaurants and saw loads. It was much better value. Probably 2/3 of the cost of Exodus for a lot longer holiday (17 days instead of 11).

We loved it so much we're considering going back again next year Smile

bigTillyMint · 16/09/2013 17:00

Ooh, so glad I found this thread - really fancy doing some independent travel in Cuba!

So how much might it cost for 2 adults and 2 teens for 2 weeks doing something like you did, Oldbeanbagz/exexpat/thenightsky - not AI - have had enough of that (though the teens love itConfused)

Selks · 16/09/2013 17:06

It depends what kind of holiday you want. If you want to explore, take in local culture - art, music, streetlife etc, it is a simply amazing and unique country. If you want purely an all-inclusive hotel stay go elsewhere.

I went a few years ago with my two teens. We stayed in Havana, travelled down to the town of Trinidad then a couple of beach days at Varadero. It was incredible. The only let down was food - it was pretty poor all over, but that is the legacy of a country that has been on 'basic rations' for many years.

EagleRay · 16/09/2013 17:12

DIY holidays can work really well if you keep an open mind and do your research. I really wanted to go to Central America last year (particularly Belize/Guatemala) but the flights were prohibitive (and we had a meagre budget). I looked into Cuba at the same time but we couldn't afford it.

After doing loads of research, I found out we could save a fortune by getting a charter to Cancun in Mexico instead. Took a bit of a gamble and waited til the last minute, but got the flights for £250 each (compared to the £1,000+ for flying to nearby Belize) and then got a bus down through Mexico into Belize.

We then had two wonderful weeks spent in the jungle and on little Caribbean islands, staying in lovely but low budget accommodation (between £5 and £20 per night). Not everyone's cup of tea, but for us it really was the trip of a lifetime.

Oh, and we went out there as a couple and came home as a family as DD was conceived out there Smile

Fluffy1234 · 16/09/2013 17:21

We went to an all inclusive hotel in Playa Pesquero and then flew from Houlgin to Havana and had a fab time at both places. At the first hotel we relaxed and went swimming with dolphins in the ocean and on a catamaran trip and then in Havana did lots of sightseeing including a Hemingway trip which was really good. We booked it through Going Places, they specialise in Cuban holidays. I think it would be a real Shame to go all the way to Cuba and not see Havana.

eurochick · 16/09/2013 17:25

I found it disappointing, tbh.

Havana was smelly and crumbling.

The resorts could have been anywhere in the Caribbean but were crappier and terrible safety wise (I did one dive there - the equipment was falling apart, they overloaded the boat and then didn't count people back in afterwards Confused).

I'd wanted to go for years and imagined it being poor but lovely. The romantic crumbling image of the photos is just buildings in poor repair up close.

EastwickWitch · 16/09/2013 17:28

I've been with my 2 teens. A bit disappointing; beaches not as lovely as the caribbean & the food was dire.
We didn't bother to dive as the set up was very unimpressive.

Fluffy1234 · 16/09/2013 18:08

I must have got lucky with the beach as it was proper white powder sand, palm trees and turquoise sea. Not quite as nice as St Lucia but better than some of the other islands.

bigTillyMint · 16/09/2013 18:33

Oh yes, Belize - I have happy memories of Belize - would be very happy to go back thereSmile

exexpat · 16/09/2013 19:19

I think it depends on what you want out of a holiday. If you want a luxury Caribbean beach holiday, then Cuba is probably not a good choice - hotels & food definitely aren't up to world standards.

I chose it because I wanted a holiday that would have something for beach-hating DS (15), who is interested in music and revolutionary history, DD (10) who wanted to snorkel and see wildlife, and me - I don't really do beaches (burn in 5 minutes flat) but like wandering round interesting old cities and wildlife-spotting in the countryside, as well as being interested in the history and economic development of Cuba. Highlights for us were things like touring Havana in 1950s cars, a long walk through jungle in a national park to a river where you could swim under a waterfall into a cave full of bats, and sipping mojitos in a courtyard in Trinidad with lizards scurrying around, under a spectacularly pink sunset sky.

I asked advice on MN (waves at oldbeanbagz - thanks, the Exodus trip was perfect for us), and did a lot of reading up before booking, so went with very realistic expectations about not-brilliant food (but the fruit is amazing, specially if you buy it direct from farmers at roadside stalls - DD used to hate bananas, but loved them there), less-than-5* hotels, and likelihood that not everything would go according to plan, which meant that when some of the food was actually not bad, and the bus only broke down once, we could count that as a success.

LeaningTowerOfGaffney · 16/09/2013 20:34

I live in South America in an expat community and Cuba is one place that's really divided people. Some love it and some really hate it.

I've been and compared to the rest of this continent (and I've only explored a few places) there are far, far more interesting/fascinating/beautiful places to see.

bigTillyMint · 16/09/2013 20:48

OK, so if not Cuba, then where? I am open to all suggestions! How about you juniper?Smile

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