Coming attractions: Cuba

by Brenda Yun on

The buzz about the end of the near 50-year U.S.-Cuba trade embargo is mounting and soon enough American will have the privilege of experiencing Cuba as tourists, like the rest of the world’s citizens have all along. Despite being just 100 miles off the coast of Florida, Cuba is figuratively worlds away from the familiar capitalist lifestyle we lead in the States. From its unique music to its unbelievably resilient and friendly people, this amazing country is certainly more than a coming attraction: it’s a must-see, and you should see it now (or soon) – before the country is Americanized beyond recognition, which it could very well be within ten years or perhaps less.

The first and most important distinction that must be made is that it is not illegal for Americans to travel to Cuba. It’s just illegal to spend money once you get there. It is true, though, that if you travel there you will inevitably spend money, so American tourists should seriously consider whether it is worth the risk in committing such a crime.

If you do decide to travel to Cuba, you are advised not to use your U.S.-based/issued bank or credit cards. That means bringing a big wad of cash and not losing it. Additionally, there is still a steep tax when converting U.S. traveler’s checks and dollars, so it’s best to bring Canadian money or Euros.
Many people believe that Cuba is a dangerous travel destination, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. There is very little crime in Cuba except for the large cities like Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Nearly everywhere you go, locals will go out of their way to help you – so much so that you need to be selective about who to ask for help. Of course, you should always have your wits about you, but travelers needn’t worry about serious crime.

With money and safety concerns settled, it’s time to hit the road and see what Cuba has to offer – and there’s plenty. Here are few highlights of the sights, sounds, and tastes of this beautiful island nation:

  • Havana: Most visitors to Cuba arrive in Havana, which is the perfect launching point for all the sights on the island. Most of the tourist-worthy sights in Havana are located in “Habana Vieja” (Old Havana). Walk along narrow cobblestone streets lined with a mixture of polished colonial buildings and dilapidated apartment complexes. Be sure to walk along the Malecon (the boardwalk) and have a drink at La Floridita, the bar that Hemingway made famous. And, of course, you must take in some salsa music at night in the hip Vedado neighborhood.
  • Trinidad: An 8-hour bus ride from Havana, Trinidad is Cuba’s colonial gem. The maze-like cobblestone streets lead to the Plaza Mayor, where shops skirt the main church and visitors and locals alike take in live music at the Casa de la Musica or open-air stage nearby.
  • Santiago de Cuba: A city with a strong Afro-Cuban history and presence, Santiago de Cuba was the sight for many Revolutionary events such as the historic July 26 attack on the Moncada barracks and Fidel’s victorious march into the Plaza de la Revolucion on January 1, 1959. In addition, Santiago boasts its own brand of salsa called “son,” which means steamy, sizzling nights are ahead of you in such well-known establishments as La Casa de la Trova or Casa de las Tradiciones.
  • Baracoa: This place is all about the outdoors and relaxation. With the enormous plateau called El Yunque, the UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site of Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt, and beautiful Playa Maguana, there’s plenty of exploration and nature for every type of traveler.

To get a real taste of Cuba, I would highly suggest getting off the tourist trail by staying in a local home called a “casa particular” and dining at a “paladar” instead of a mainstream restaurant. Casas particulares are owned by Cuban families who pay a heavy tax to rent out a maximum of two rooms in their home. Staying at a casa particular instead of the larger hotels allows you to learn a great deal about Cuban family life. Similarly, paladares are a small restaurants inside residential homes. The owners of these eateries also pay a heavy tax to run their businesses from home. Most paladares are hard to find, so make sure you ask the locals where to go.

If you sleep and dine locally, you will certainly have more opportunities to have authentic interactions with the locals and learn more about their lifestyle. The hosts are eager to please you, their customer, and they’re equally interested in understanding where you come from and what life is like off their Cuban rock. Most of these families will never see the world outside of their island, so share what you can – or better yet, leave a gift behind for them as a symbol of your appreciation.

Getting there:
There are now direct flights to and from the U.S. and Cuba, but these flights are only offered to Americans on business or naturalized citizens who still have relatives in Cuba. For tourist travel information, Cheapflights.com offers a good Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba guide, which offers the most comprehensive information on air travel to Cuba.

Read my own travels in Cuba through Gadling’s Cuba Libre series HERE.

Read about Gadling’s other Coming Attractions HERE.

Frommer’s lists Top Destinations for 2010

by Katie Hammel on

Frommer’s has just released their list of what they think will be the top destinations for 2010. Culled from the suggestions of industry insiders and readers, the list covers every continent, meandering from India to Hawaii, Argentina to Vietnam. Along with listing each place, Frommer’s has also given reasons why each one should be on your list of destinations for the coming year.

How accurate is the list? Last year, the top destinations predicted for 2009 included Washington, DC; Cartagena, Colombia; Istanbul; Cape Town; and Berlin, all of which were popular with tourists, as they have been for several years. Including Berlin may have been a no-brainer. As the 20th anniversary of the falling of the Berlin Wall took place this year, of course the city would be well-visited. Other locations predicted to be hotspots have remained in relative obscurity. How many people do you know who went to Waiheke Island (New Zealand) or followed the Civil Rights Trail in Alabama?

2010’s list will probably be equally hit and miss when it comes to predicting the hot spots for the year. Included on the list is the Big Island of Hawaii, which I recently visited. Frommer’s says the Big Island has everything you need but still retains an untouched feel, and I completely agree.

But other destinations might not rise to the top of many travelers’ lists. Frommer’s says Mexico City will be big in 2010, but unfortunately the city may still suffer from the after-effects of swine flu paranoia. Cuba, another location on the list, isn’t open to Americans yet, but may see an increase in tourists from other countries. And lesser-known destinations, like Kerala, India; Tunisia; and the Isles of Scilly in England may see a boost in tourism thanks to the publicity they receive from the list.

** Be sure to check out Gadling’s picks for the top adventure destinations for 2010. **

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A review of Cheapflights.com’s “Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba” guide

by Brenda Yun on

Change is upon Cuba, and American travelers are especially eager to capitalize on the end of the travel embargo. In anticipation of the easing of travel restrictions to Cuba, Cheapflights.com recently put together “Travelnomics: Calling on Cuba,” a helpful PDF guide on traveling to Cuba. The guide provides travelers with a glimpse of life and travel in Cuba, travel accounts from writers familiar with the country, and a list of airlines that are or will fly to Cuba.

Having traveled to Cuba myself, I think this handy guide is an accurate reflection of what it’s like to travel there. It provides interested travelers with a good overview of the country’s sights, sounds, and smells, which helped remind me of what made Cuba such a unique place — lost in time and unbelievably beautiful. Keith Jenkins of Velvet Escape and Cuba travel expert Christopher Baker further describe the country’s real richness and warmth.

I did, however, find the “Cuba — Fact or Fiction” section only marginally useful for travelers, as food, accommodations, and money were not properly addressed and present significant challenges for American travelers in particular. There are two kinds of “restaurants”, “hotels”, and currencies in Cuba, and the guide doesn’t make this distinction. Travelnomics guides “are written to help the traveler find deals in a down economy and reassure travelers that travel is easy and affordable,” but traveling in Cuba is not cheap (even penny-pinching budget travelers will find themselves spending about $50 a day) and the guide does not sufficiently “break down the barriers to Cuba travel” as it states in the guide’s subheading.

Right now, not anyone can just hop on a plane to Cuba. The list of airlines flying to Cuba seems a little too anticipatory and not cautionary enough.

For a more comprehensive guide to travel to Cuba, you might want to read my “Cuba Libre: Travel observations and tips.”

Man arrested for selling fake package deals to Cuba

by Scott Carmichael on

Cuba is “hot” – US based travel firms are trying to get the destination opened up for anyone to visit. All this Cuban buzz has apparently created a bit of a market for selling fake trips. One man in Southern California actually managed to sell 41 of them before he was caught.

The 33 year old “criminal mastermind” advertised his trips in religious magazines and managed to scam people out of $154,000. He spent his earnings on a new Mercedes and a divorce lawyer.

After people handed over their money, they were told that the US Treasury Department had canceled the trips, and he was able to convince them that they were not eligible for refunds but that they could take the trip at a later date.

His scam ended up costing him dearly – he’s been sentenced to five years in jail, and will have to repay the victims of his fraud.

Pan Am hijacker caught after 41 years

by Scott Carmichael on

On November 24th 1968, Luis Armando Soltren and two others, hijacked Pan Am flight 281. Using guns and knives, Soltren and his accomplices forced their way into the cockpit and demanded that the plane land in Cuba.

Of course, back in that era, hijackings were a little more common than they are nowadays, but that does not mean the crime was easily forgotten. For 40 years, Soltren lived in Cuba, away from his wife and two sons. His two partners in crime were arrested back in the mid 70’s, and each served their time.

Soltren decided that being the number one fugitive on the FBI list for 41 years was long enough, and his deteriorating health forced him to surrender and return to the United States. He was accompanied by security personnel, and was arrested when he landed at JFK airport.

He’ll have to answer to a court today, and chances are his old age and poor health won’t get him much leniency in sentencing – he committed a horrible crime, and probably changed the lives of all those involved on his flight. It took a State Department chartered plane to get them back to the US.