Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

The optional trip to a waterfall from Trinidad involves a 3 hours walk through a forest but it is absolutely amazing. And you get to have a dip in a refreshing lake :)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Friendly, patient and knowledgeable group leader; with a great sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is Worth extending your stay to relax on the beach at Varadero as the tour Taste of Cuba can be a little tiring as we are constantly moving and visiting different places.

Most Inspirational Moment

Watching and joining in with the Buena Vista Social Club on Christmas Day. Really learning a lot about Cuba. Feeling the change that is coming to this country.

Thoughts on Group Leader

She was excellent, got involved with the group and didn't shy away from questions about how it really was.

Advice for Potential Travellers

We spent about £150 each. Money changing was easy. Two booths outside the terminal we arrived at. The food was OK, the best was local food in vinales. Shame that isn't what you get everywhere. Take loads of photos, this country will change massively once the Castros are gone. Capitalism is coming!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the children of Cuba and walking around Trinidad and seeing how people live.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good. He gave us enough information and knowledge without talking all the time, especially on long coach journeys. He could have looked after the elder members of our group a little better, sometimes they were a long way behind main group and it was up to members of the group to see if they were ok.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do not think that what you see at first sight is what it is like. Hotels may look good from the outside but sometimes not much works in them. Do not take notice of what guide books say about poor quality of food, everywhere we ate was superb, especially in the private farms and houses. Do be careful about engaging in conversation with locals in Havanna, they appear very friendly but mostly want you to give them cucs or go and buy things for them. They can be quite persistent.

Most Inspirational Moment

Going to the Buena Vista Social Club concert, featuring 3 members of the original band, it was a great night. Also great was getting the old cars to a restaurant in Trinidad and then dancing salsa outside under the stars after dinner...  The whole trip was fabulous though, very difficult to pull out just one highlight!  

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jorge (George) was fabulous. He had the patience of a saint (which he needed with our group!) and was so passionate to ensure we had a fabulous holiday and an understanding of his country's history and challenges. He chose the best places for us to eat and we had fabulous food all week, he was also a great dancer and led a great dance session at Casa de la Trova in Trinidad. He also had a great sense of humour and there was never long between laughs!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring some things to give to kids (Jorge can donate to a school) e.g. pencils/pens and collect soaps for your hotels as you go to give to cubans at the end of the trip. Make sure you bring some toilet roll and hand sanitiser with you as well. Also if you're going to go out dancing and to the clubs bring a small over the shoulder bag to just put your key and money in as you can't leave things at a table whilst you're on the dance floor! 

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking around Trinidad, visiting Casa del Trova - rum and dancing.Havana - visiting Buena Vista social club - rum and dancing.Food much better than expected and staying the Casa in Trinidad was a real bonus. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent, Jorge could not have been better and was very entertaining.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Enjoy it all and spend a few days in Cuba afterwards

Most Inspirational Moment

So many special moments.   Drinking Coco Loco cocktails in the middle of a national park (made by a man with a machete!).   Lunch at the eco-farm near Vinales.  The visit to Santa Clara and the Che museum.  Wonderful Trinidad and the fantastic music and dancing. Exploring Havana and finishing the trip with the BuenaVista Social Club (more great music and dancing).    

Thoughts on Group Leader

Rayselis was fantastic.   Always had options for us - whether it was going out dancing, trying a family-run palador, or getting a classic car taxi.   She was very knowledgeable and ensured we got enough information so we could appreciate what we were seeing or experiencing.  Totally excelled in Havana when we went to Hotel Nacional for mojitos while driving along the Malecon in classic convertibles.  

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you change sufficient money at the airport as the first hotel would not change Sterling (but Euros was okay).   Few chances to find a bank/exchange.Take every experience going.   Yes its a busy trip and there's not often that you have time to relax, but you can always sleep on the 9 hour flight back to the UK.   Don't miss out on the dancing/music in Trinidad or Havana.The overnight stay at Guajimico is the low point of the trip.   You are in the middle of nowhere so no options for where to eat or what to do.   Try and stock up on some rum before you get there to help pass the evening - a few of us sat out in front of the "lodges" with a few drinks and some music on the iPod and it turned what would have been a grim evening into something a bit more tolerable (well Rum has a habit of doing that!)   

Most Inspirational Moment

Every day there were inspirational moments - the beautiful Vinales valley, swimming in the Bay of Pigs, the stunning architecture in Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Havana, our guide reading a letter from Che to Fidel as we drove to Santa Clara to visit Che's mausoleum - just to mention a few. And of course the dancing (which we participated in!) and music everywhere we went!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide, Tony, was also inspirational. The perfect combination of professionalism and great fun. He was always willing to organize any extras for us and shared so much knowledge about his wonderful country.Our driver, Alex, also deserves a mention. Not only was his driving excellent but also his salsa dancing!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Change more money at the airport than you think you'll need. I certainly managed to spend a lot. Perhaps it was all the mojitos!

Most Inspirational Moment

Difficult to pick one thing as we saw and experienced so much. Trinidad is amazing - explored independently on our 2nd day there rather than take the catamaran trip - even took a classic car taxi from the hotel to the city.Visiting Casa de la Trova in the evening to hear the salsa bands in the open air and watch the dancing was great. A classic open car tour of Havana followed by lunch at the National Hotel in Havana was memorable.Staying in the nature reserve in Guajimico and visiting the organic farm followed by a superlative lunch which included whole suckling pig!Eating in the privately owned paladares either when on tour or in the tiny backstreets of Havana was a very different experience.Going to the Tropicana (much better than expected - a really slick & classy show) and also to the Buena Vista Social Club where the old timers really know how to party will be part of my lasting memories.Music everywhere - being serenaded in every restaurant and on many street corners too.  

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tony was the ideal tour leader. His knowledge of the history of his country was excellent. He was well organised, putual and went the extra mile to help us all in what we wanted to do. He had a great sense of humour and although at first he thought some of our group were a bit 'eccentric' he took our behaviour in good part and I will always remember singing 'Highway To Hell' on the drive back from Trinidad' after our visit to Casa del Trovas :-)One of our party had her 40th birthday on Easter Sunday and the meal that Tony organised was amazing right down to the band of musicians that played throughout the meal & the HUGE birthday cake which we all shared at the end. If you go on this tour and have Tony as your group leader you are sure to have a great trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take hand gel, wet wipes and your own toilet paper - be warned many toilets outside of hotels have NO seat! There are usually attendants who will hand out a few sheets of toilet paper but will expect you to pay for this or tip them. Change money at the airport and remember to keep 25CUC for departure tax. Be careful when changing CUC back in the airport before departure home as I was short changed by £50 and didn't realise it until I got home and worked out what the rate for buying back was! I also bought a CD of Cuban music from the group who were playing in La Bodiguita del Medio where the group had lunch. It cost 10CUC and was shrink wrapped. When I listened to it at home, the first track was ok, then it deteriorated into hissing & crackles and finally silence. So I was ripped off - beware!Sorry about the negative comments but I'm just forewarning you and these are only minor annoyances.

Most Inspirational Moment

It is a fascinating time to visit Cuba and you are very aware that this is a country in transition.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent leader.

Most Inspirational Moment

Visiting Che Guevara's mausoleum in Santa Clara.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jorge was an exceptional leader who took us to a couple of fantastic paladares as well as more "up market" restaurants. (I should also like to mention our driver Eduardo who was always smiling and attentive to the ladies when disembarking from the coach). 

Advice for Potential Travellers

Book it now! you will not be disappointed, guaranteed!