Over a year later I find myself reminiscing on Cuba. From Havana’s antiquated beauty, to the sparkling shorelines of Varadero. It isn't quite so 'on the verge' of digital modernisation as many write-ups have portrayed. The island is still very much enveloped in remnants of the twentieth century, and whilst that hinders progression, on many fronts, it makes Cuba undeniably one of the most culturally interesting places on our planet.

Towards to end of our 9h45 minute flight (on the now extinct Thomas Cook), as we were coming into to land, the plane flew low over the northern side of the island, soaring over hills of every shade of green, interrupted by bright blue rivers carving out the crevices of the valleys. After an extremely long border control wait, we finally made it outdoors, where I was eagerly anticipating what was in store on our trip. It was an hour or so before sunset when we arrived, so the first thing we did when we arrived at our hotel in Varadero was run down to the long stretch of white, sandy beach to watch the warm, golden light sink down behind the horizon.

Welcome to my eight days in the alluring, the paradoxical, the fascinating Cuba. Cuba is somewhere to visit right now, not and to be left on a list of places to go before you die. Tourism is Cuba's biggest income source so the country has adapted to that, but the most valuable asset Cuba has is her people, and the people will sit with you over a glass of rum, and warm your ears with captivating stories of the island.

Varadero

Varadero - one of the largest Caribbean resorts- suffered widespread damage during Hurricane Irma in 2017, but it seems that due to the island's dependency on tourism, the recovery turn-around had to be rapid. Varadero extends 20km into the Atlantic, towards Florida. Yes, essentially it is a long stretch of resorts, surrounded on either side by a clean and sparkling coastline. Many have complained that staying in hotels don't put money directly into the hands of Cubans, nevertheless, in receiving over one million visitors a year, the tourism brought into Varadero is essential to the Cuban economy. Do not dismiss staying here for a few days to relax as it has one of the best beaches in the western hemisphere. Please see the pictures if you need convincing!

Marina Gaviota

At the top of the peninsula lies the beautiful Marina Gaviota. It looks sleek and expensive, like something planted here straight from South Beach, Miami. It boasts impressive seafood, a Sala de la Musica and designer outlets. We pulled up at Kike-Kcho, a charming over-water restaurant, surrounded by schools of baby fish and jellies. Not entirely budget friendly, but worth it for the seafood platter. The Lobster will have you licking your lips for the rest of the day!

Cayo Blanco

Only an hour's boat ride away from Varadero lies the secluded, tropical island of Cayo Blanco. Imagine a place where no one can contact you, and your three-sixty view is every hue of blue. You can only access the island via organised excursions on a catamaran, leaving from a small marina on a river that is almost certainly rife with crocodiles! Mid-way, you stop for snorkelling in the sea. if you are worried about sharks, don't be! The exact words of our captain was 'today we can't see any sharks, jellyfish or crocodiles so don't be scared.’ I'm sure you can imagine that this was the reassurance that I needed.

Although these trips are inclusive of food, you’ll be disappointed in you don't bring 5 CUC for a plate of seafood from the local vendors. (More about currency here)

Varadero Town

Varadero is not the ‘Cuba’ I necessarily came for, but that doesn't mean that I didn’t need it. The town is very small, but the vicinity of Varadero stretches along the entire peninsula of practically uninterrupted white sand and crystal clear sea. It is the largest of its kind in the Caribbean. Pick up a roadside pina colada in a pineapple and take a stroll.

Parc Josone

Greenery is scarce by the coast here, so if you wish, venture to Parc Josone in Varadero town, which boasts a small lake with pedalos to hire for 5 CUC an hour. Grab a drink from the bar (where you will be sold 'the best Pina Colada in Cuba' for the hundredth time) and take a few laps around the lake. Lather yourself in SPF as there is minimal shade from the sun. If you’re travelling with kids this is a great activity.

Casa del Ron

What is more perfect to compliment the mid-afternoon heat than taking a step into Casa Del Ron (literally meaning 'The House of Rum'). The inviting scent of old wood and sugar cane will lure you and your wallet into trying every single rum brand and flavour Cuba has to offer. Ask Rosa to give you a tasting, she does not hold back on the rum! Then, if it's open, take a seat in the mahogany, western-style bar. The rum here is slightly more overpriced (some exclusive bottles are 30,000 CUC...that's $30k to you and me) than in Havana, but typically the difference isn’t even noticeable, and it’s not worth leaving without a bottle for the beach :)

Trinidad

Now we move away from Varadero to Trindad. Trinidad is a time-machine, If you want to immerse yourself in an experience with very little modernity, great bars and markets, then you have found it here. It is worth staying a few days, as it is almost in the centre of Cuba. This gorgeous, multi-coloured town will have you creating stories in your head of what life was like in the height of Cuba’s affluence.

The first point of call is the Plaza Mayor. It is the main square, enclosed by colonial-style Spanish churches.

The best view of the town is from the watchtower of the Historical Museum. Once you get to the top of this incredibly perilous and exciting stairwell, a panoramic view of Trinidad will emerge, with the brightly coloured building and cobbled streets contrasting against the charming backdrop of the Escambray Mountains.

We managed to make another stop at Cienfuegos in the same day, travelling there on a road littered with red crabs! Cienfuegos is very different to Trindad; think ‘regal meets mafia’. This is not surprising given the links between Cienfuegos and the Mafiosi in the 1920s. We only got to spend an hour or so here, regrettably not being able to visit the Palmira Yoruba Pantheon; the Museum of Religious Afro-Catholic Syncretism. Cuba still has such a presence of Yoruba religious culture, originating from slaves being uprooted and bringing with them their mother cultures, which blended with Catholic ideas to create a new religious identity.

Havana

…ooh na na (couldn’t resist sorry). We packed up our things after five days and headed on the coastal road to this iconic city. Half of my heart actually remains in Havana, and though it has taken me a while to put my finger on it, I may have finally figured out why. There is simply nowhere in this world like it. Nowhere that has seen such extremities of extravagance at the beginning of a century, and such deficit at the end, and yet still remained unique in character. It is easy to imagine how decadent this city once was, in the roaring 20s when rich Americans and gangsters were seeking a place to live out their greed. But I’d rather see it for what it is now, a city with crumbling walls that tell the stories of the past hundred years.

There are two things you should know before visiting Havana. One, not everybody is poor. And two, the people who are poor are really grateful for any money you can spare. 1 CUC in the tourist currency can help in a big way. We were welcomed to Havana by way of El Capitolio, the former headquarters of the Cuban Congress. Think Eastern Bloc meets Santa Maria della Salute.

After you have wandered through the streets and alleys, you can go for a meal at La Bodeguita del Medio. Yes, it is full of tourists who read the same blog as you, but the beans and rice is tasty, and the Mojito’s might actually be the best in the world!

Once you are full on rum, lime and sugar, I would highly recommend heading to Parque Centrale and doing a tour of Havana in an old car. Your driver may not have good English, so don’t expect too much information- you’ll get the jist of most things! Haggle down to at least seventy percent of what they say they charge, and enjoy feeling like you’re a Hollywood star on a film set for an hour.

As the day ends, head down to the Malecon, a 7km coastal road where locals and tourists gather at sunset to drink, smooch, and generally just enjoy being in Havana. Be careful of the huge waves crashing up and splashing you…though, like me, you may be grateful for it given the heat!

Riding around in a Coco Taxi was also a great experience! It’s quite cheap and is a useful way to get around Havana. I love walking whilst I’m away but my feet were so sore, so we got in a Coco Taxi and had no regrets.

Here are some things to know before you visit Havana;

You need a visa from the embassy, which I did not realise this until about 5 days before our trip, and had to pay for an express service!
Make sure you get the right currency and check what the notes look like. Don’t exchange money on the street as you may get given the local currency which is worth far less! Also you cannot use cards that are affiliated with American banks-just bring cash.
Do not expect WiFi in your hotel room. This was the most refreshing part of the trip; WiFi was only available in communal areas, and you have to buy a top up card for your phone which is pre-loaded with WiFi credit. These are incredibly cheap but you really won’t want to be connected to anything. Just enjoy being in the moment!
Stop listening to talk about food being bland! It really isn’t the case. We brought a bottle of seasoning just in case, but the food was tasty enough!
If you want to travel across the entire Island, I’d recommend 12-14 days! Also, go to Vinales!

This post could have honestly been so much longer, instead I put everything else into my ‘Things You Need To Know Before You Go to Cuba’ post!

Rose x

Cuba; Rum, rumba and reality