As mentioned in a prior post about my first day in Havana Cuba, I visited the country of Cuba for the very first time. Travel to Cuba had been somewhat off-limits to Americans for some time, so that might explain the huge influx of U.S. travelers to Cuba to see what the country has to offer. The majority of my time in Cuba was spent in Havana.
We arrived in the port of Havana by cruise ship and headed out to explore the city of Havana. Let me first say that we almost didn’t make it to Cuba due to a very intense hurricane season in the Caribbean. Luckily, all three of the major hurricanes that hit Cuba died out and finally left us in the clear to travel. We had been watching our cruise line’s website by the hour in the event they canceled our cruise or would divert us to other islands. The problem was that a larger majority of the islands that the cruise line usually diverted to were also badly hit.
We were also slightly aggravated by the talk by the Trump administration of rolling back Obama era regulations regarding travel to Cuba. The main concern was whether we would be allowed to book our excursions ourselves and travel as individuals or if we have to book a group tour.
Tip: If you’re a U.S. citizen, I would highly advise that you check the US travel website for any recent changes for travel to Cuba before you book your tickets to anything. The regulation changes were actually pending after we had booked our cruise and our excursions, so needless to say we were kind of on edge. As far as tours go, we decided to not book our tour through the cruise line as it was actually more expensive than picking a local tour company on our own. If you are worried about getting back to the cruise ship on time or have a tight schedule and/or don’t feel comfortable booking tours outside of cruise line, then you may want to consider the excursions through the cruise line.
Usually, my sister and I can figure out an itinerary on our own and just make an experience in line with what we like to see. This time we decided to be a bit lazy and let someone else navigate and do all the talking as we did all the walking. You may still be okay to navigate on your own if just get a detailed map of Havana. Be aware though that you most likely will not have cell or internet service in Cuba as it’s regulated and pretty spotty in most areas, so print your maps prior to coming or buy one when you get there. There are certain spots that have Wi-Fi and there have been talks that due to increased tourism there may be changes to allow more Wi-Fi access. I will say that all of the key sites are reasonably close to each other so you won’t have to travel far. If you’re trying to get out of the city a little further, you might need a lot more than just a map.
After a bit of searching on the internet to find a credible tour company, we settled on Havana Tour Company which is a sister company to Locally Sourced Cuba Tours. We didn’t want to be in the midst of all the people rushing off the cruise ship for the earlier tours provided by the cruise ship or other tour companies. Also, it was easier to get through customs later in the day since it wasn’t packed with all the cruise ship tourist. So, we slept in a bit and eased into the day and then ventured out for the Havana Afternoon Delight Tour.
There are a lot of tours to choose from but we picked this tour since it offered a little bit of everything. It’s part walking tour, part classic car ride, and lastly an interactive authentic mojito making. The tour is noted on the website to be four hours long and for groups of two to twelve, so you might be mixed in with a group that is less than twelve. We headed off the cruise ship, exchanged our U.S. dollars (USD) into the Cuban Convertible currency (CUC) and headed our the terminal.
TIP: Exchange your USD for another currency like Canadian Dollars, Mexican Pesos, or Euros to possibly get a better exchange when you exchange in Cuba. You are automatically charged 10% just for exchanging in USD and then an additional 3% for a financial transaction charge. So you may be able to avoid the large 10% fee if you exchange in a different currency. This is only if you get a good exchange rate to begin with on the currency you originally exchange your USD from.
We didn’t know this before we went but we weren’t worried about the 13% fees since most things are pretty cheap to purchase anyway in Cuba and you may not need a huge amount of money if you’re traveling on a budget.
Anyway, we met up with our guide at the location that was noted on our confirmation email. We found out that we were the only people on our tour, so we basically got a private tour! We also learned throughout the tour that our guide was very educated about Cuban history as well as international current events. He spoke about the degrees he received in university in teaching and in history. We also talked about how many people think that Cuba is completely cut off from the world but they aren’t completely cut off. They know quite a bit about what’s going on in the U.S and U.K and worldwide. As we crossed the Paseo de Marti toward the statue of Jose Marti, our guide was stopped by the police in military clothes. He showed them his tour guide license/identification card and answered a few questions and we kept on truckin’. He advised us that this is a regular occurrence as there are tour guides that aren’t licensed to be actual guides that solicit tourists for tours and they aren’t actually valid tours and may not charge a fair price or provide a comprehensive tour. This is why it’s important to do your research and pick a company that is official.
We walked past the restaurant bar El Floridita which was frequented by Ernest Hemingway and down the beautiful cobblestone streets of Havana. He explained the historical significance of certain structure around town and talked about the times of revolution. He also drew similarities between the history of the U.S. regarding the slave trade and the history of Cuba. It was intriguing to find out that even Cuba was built on the backs of slaves from Africa, among others. We discussed general opinions about the Obama administration and the Trump administration. He let my sister and I know that it was astounding and extremely motivating when Obama visited Cuba. He said that people were in awe of the fact that an African American, someone like themselves, was the leader of the United States and would choose to visit Cuba. He said that it was a very humbling experience and something that he would never forget. We also talked about the changes that were pending implementation from the Trump administration. It was interesting to understand the impact of actions taken by the president of the nation in which you reside and how it affects other people from the perspective of the people that actually reside in that country. The conversation wasn’t heated politically and I never got a feeling from our guide of any animosity or hatred toward one side or the other. It’s not common nowadays to just have an honest and open discussion about issues that affect the world without interjecting one’s own bias. It was a very comprehensive and eye-opening discussion.
We walked into Havana’s Old Town with it’s wonderfully laid out public squares and market areas. We stopped by a building were local artists were busy at work creating beautiful works of art and were able to chat with some of the locals about their craft. We stepped in briefly to the La Catedral and marveled at the intricacy of the ceiling and other fixtures as well as the facade of the outside of the church. La Catedral charges a small fee to walk around the inside of the church. It’s a nominal fee but just be prepared. It was around $5 CUC as of the date of this blog post.
What I loved about this tour is that it didn’t feel rushed at all. The guide let us ask all the questions on our mind and it almost appeared that his explanations were finished just as we came upon one of the main areas of focus for the tour. I don’t know if this was strategically planned but it was really awesome to not feel rushed and really get a chance to digest the information that was being provided. There was plenty of time for photos as well. Once we made it to the Plaza San Francisco de Asis, the walking portion of the tour was over and we went to a local bar to have an adult beverage while we waited for the classic car to arrive.
When the car arrived, I chuckled a little because it looked like a short pink Cadillac. I’m not sure how much of the car was actually classic as our guide let us know that they haven’t imported any cars for several years so they have to re-use parts to keep all the classic cars running. We winded through the streets of Havana, past the El Capitolio and away from the city toward the Plaza del Revolucion.
This seemed to be a stopping point for many of the classic cars but our guide advised us not to venture too far as there is a strong military presence within the Plaza as well as by the Monument to Jose Marti.
The military personnel aren’t to be feared, but you have to just be cautious and mind your manners. So, be respectful and don’t take any photos of military personnel without permission.
After stopping at the Plaza del Revolucion we drove back into the city as the sun started to set for the mojito making. The mojito demonstration was on the rooftop of a local house which appears to be turned into a bar once the sun goes down. The friend of our guide showed us how to make two drinks, a mojito, and a caipirinha. Let’s just say, they’re not light on the liquor and after walking all day I was ready to experience the power of alcohol other than cruise ship drinks if you know what I’m sayin’. Since we were a party of two, let’s just say the drinks were….flowing. It was such a chill vibe and our conversations continued through at least two packs of cigarettes between our guide and my sister. I don’t smoke, so don’t get it twisted.
They do have non-alcoholic options if you want to take this tour so don’t let the alcohol scare you off. I asked our guide what made him most proud to be Cuban and he said that he knows that wherever he goes on the island if he’s ever in need, people will help out as a community even if they don’t know him personally. He said he enjoys the sense of community as a nation and that in a way, he is his brother’s keeper. He said this after I answered that what I like most about being American is that we can be whatever we what and have a sense of self and individualism like no other. This was another point where I really had to stop and think because one thing that I do think is missing in the U.S. is a sense of community. We all try so hard to make it on our own that we forget to stop and ask for help from time to time or don’t try to help each other toward a common goal.
Needless to say, the sun was almost completely set by the time we left the mojito making and our guide took us to a little cafe/bar as a drop off point. My sister and I had a beer as we processed our day and talked about the entire experience. I can say that this was one of the best experiences of my life! I say this not because of the tourist attractions and the key sights but more because of the conversation and the interaction with true locals. That is the experience I yearn for. This was an experience that will leave a lasting impression and give me stories to tell to start a conversation with people who may never get the chance to do the same. I’m also happy that my sister felt the same way. I’m glad that she and I were able to share the experience together as siblings because it’s something I’ll always remember. Pardon the blurry photo with a front-facing camera on an iPhone 5.
As of the date of this blog post, the fee for the tour was $75 per person. As you can tell, it was well worth it. As I mentioned in my previous post, our tour ended up being nine hours even though it was supposed to be four. Don’t let this scare you because the guides are very mindful of your time so if you need to stick to the four-hour timeline, they will make sure you meet your time goals just in case you have other excursions planned or need to get back to the cruise ship terminal or airport. We didn’t have anything planned and I’m glad we were able to make a full day of it.
On a side note, there is also a Free Walking Tour company that operates if you’re on a budget and just want to get a taste of the city to bookmark places to go back to.
If you want to read more about My 36 Hours in Havana Cuba Day One, click on the link. I had to break it up in two parts so you can read about My 36 Hours in Havana Day Two.
Happy Travels!
Don’t forget to save this post to your Pinterest for later reference
LOVED ALL THE PICTURES, VIEW AND VERY INFORMATIVE, THANKS
Thank you!