Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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82 Reviews
4.5 out of
5
Reviews
Martin Samuels
Reviewed December 2023
A Great Tasting Experience in a Different World
This was a trip of variety in a very different culture with plenty of different experiences. The Cuban people have a lively spirit, both in their rum and in their music and these are readily available through the trip from city to beach. The trip provides a great feel for the people, their lives, history, economy and their struggles. Although a poor country, the people and the visit were overall uplifting. The trip flew by but will remain a memorable visit.
Most Inspirational Moment
Drinking Cuban cocktails in the bars listening to the Cuban music and watching the Cuban dancing; walks around Havana, Cienfuegos and Trinidad; spending time on the beach in the Bay of Pigs; and of course, driving around Havana in a brightly coloured veteran US car.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader had a great knowledge of the country, the people and their lives, and was invaluable in navigating our way around ensuring we were kept safe, secure and entertained.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Food choices are limited, especially if you are vegetarian; take two-flat pin socket adapters; do not expect much wifi; take USD or EUR cash; buy rum, cigars and handmade crafts; take some small items of daily living for the locals (soap, paracetamol, etc); be prepared to see some poverty; and the airport is freezing!
Ilenia Barausse
Reviewed December 2023
Amazing trip!
Cuba had been on my bucket list for a very long time and it did not disappoint. What an amazing trip this was, perfect in every way! Cuba offers so much: beautiful and diverse countryside, colourful historic towns ,fantastic beaches and the friendliest people I have ever met. I was also very lucky to share this experience with a lovely group of like-minded people who made this experience extra special.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were so many!! The Che Guevara mausoleum was my personal highlight and I found it quite moving. Trinidad was special too, filled with music and colours. And of course staying in the local Casas was a beautiful experience, every host was super friendly and welcoming treating you as if you were part of the family. And I have to mention the ride around Havana on a beautiful classic car on the last day of the trip. What a cool way to end this amazing experience!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader Rayselis was fantastic! A true Cuban, so passionate about her country and very informative. She told us so much about every aspect of Cuba, from the history to the Cuban way of life. She was always kind, always smiling and making sure everyone was ok. The best leader you could ask for!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just go with an open mind. Cuba does not offer the luxuries of some other countries but it is extremely safe, locals are very friendly and welcoming. If you can learn a few words of Spanish that will definitely help as in some Casas English can be very limited. Also a power bank is very useful in case of blackouts.
Suggestions
If you ever wanted to go to Cuba go on this trip! It is quite a busy and packed itinerary but it gives you a real taste of Cuba and it will leave you wanting so much more. I will go back for sure.
Gavin Ireland
Reviewed November 2023
Awesome Experience
Cuba has the most beautiful scenic mountains, forests, beaches, lowlands, and wildlife. The roads are pretty awful in Cuba, but our driver did a great job of navigating the potholes. Cuba’s towns and cities are a beautiful example of people who have the least being happy to share what little they have. The locals were all friendly, generous, and welcoming, not to mention happy to put up with me murdering the Spanish language in an attempt to communicate. Trinidad is party central! Every night of the week, bars and clubs have excellent live bands, and so many amazing dancers. Havana is packed full of culture, and although a lot of the city is run down and falling down, you can see where restoration work on the colonial style building has been completed to a very high standard, and where it is ongoing. The Rum museum (Museo Del Ron Havana Club) is well worth a trip, the basic tour lasts about 1/2 hour and includes a generous sample of the 7 year old Havana Club rum for 350 pesos, which at the time was less than £4! Generally prices in Cuba are very low, and thankfully now you only have to deal with Cuban pesos and Euros, whereas in the past there was also CUC too!
Most Inspirational Moment
We know that generally people in Cuba don't have a lot, and Rayselis showed us a few of the projects being run not only to preserve Cuban heritage, but also to give the people jobs and allow them to earn a little extra. Whilst in the tourist areas, beggars we fairly common, my general view of Cubans is that they want to work for a better life.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rayselis was amazing. Her local knowledge was awesome, and she seems to know everyone! She was constantly working behind the scenes to make sure that our experience was the best that it could be, and she looked after us all so well. I think we would have been lost and broke without her.
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you're prone to getting bitten, or you react badly to insect bites, bug spray is essential even during the day. If you want to help poor people, do it via your tour guide. The moment you give to one beggar you'll be swarmed by all of them. In bars and restaurants in Havana, if you want to choose a "special" cocktail from the board - ask the price first. We found that the cocktails on the menu were 700 pesos (around £3.50) and the ones on the board were 2200 pesos (roughly £11). Still good value compared to London prices, but not 3 times better than the ones on the menu. There are some amazing rums to try, but before you buy that £180, £400, £3500 bottle of rum to take home, find a bar and try them first. Maybe it's my unrefined palate, but out of the various expensive bottles I preferred the £50 masters selection to the more expensive ones.
Suggestions
What an amazing country and fantastic experience. As I understand it, it doesn't look like "the Americans" will be arriving anytime soon, but if you get a chance to go, do it before McDonalds, Coke, and flashy new buildings and cars arrive. Whilst I would love for the Cuban people to have more and a better life, right now it is an unspoilt gem in the Caribbean.
Angela Whitbread
Reviewed October 2023
wow what an amazing and diverse country!! one moment you are in the stunning serene countryside learning about tobacco the next you are in a loud, vibrant city full of unexpected things and history at every turn.
From being invited to dance in a restaurant by an after work group who were out drinking one night in Havana to blackouts, from salsa dancing with a live band to the beautiful beaches a treasure trove of a trip that I will never forget.
Most Inspirational Moment
visiting the cassas where the real Cubans live and very generously let us stay with them often with little English to get by but the shared love of animals and an open mind. visiting a local farmer and a local fisherman to see how they live and work was a privilege. Dancing in Trinidad with my tour leader Jorge accompanied by a live band was defiantly a highlight. seeing how hard it is for Cubans just to get to their workplace and dealing with the blackouts and the Wi-Fi connections and just everyday living that we take for granted.
seeing the very different towns of vinales and Cienfuegos with their beautiful buildings then onto Trinidad and the wonderfully historic buildings there is like a time machine!!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge was amazing his English is perfect and his sense of humour was on point!! The love for his country and history is infectious and I can say I learnt a great deal from him. He is a very inspirational man. Our driver Juan carols was so good, driving such long distances is not an easy things on the Cuban roads which were mostly empty I might add due the fuel issue. both were such lovely warm people we wont forget in a hurry.
Advice for Potential Travellers
go with an open mind and you dancing shoes for a whistlestop tour of this beautiful country!!
Suggestions
The food is amazing and the fish is some of the best along with the lobster which I defiantly cant afford here in the uk.
you wont need anything to keep warm with at night either, take lots of euros in coins and small notes surprisingly they don't want their own currency!!
Deb Griffiths
Reviewed March 2020
Cuba
Have just come back from a Taste of Cuba trip. What an amazing time we had, Rayselis the guide was so passionate about her country and so knowledgeable. We visited local community run projects, got to eat in local restaurants and generally have a good time with the Cuban people. I would recommend this trip if you want to see Cuba rather than just sit on a beech. Cigar rolling, rum drinking, salsa dancing , pottery throwing, amazing.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing Cuba in the raw, old Havana is amazing, seeing local Cubans going about there everyday lives, happily singing and dancing.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Rayselis is an amazing, passionate guide.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go with an open mind, and enjoy.
Suggestions
The food was not bland, there was plenty of variety, vegetarian meals were available, the Cuban Hosts were lovely, the Casa' s and Hotels were lovely and so clean.
Alys Goodchild
Reviewed February 2020
Fantastic experience
Week long tour of western Cuba stopping off at loads of interesting and enjoyable locations: just some were Cienfuegos, Trinidad, pottery studio and ‘have a go’, Vinales Valley and tobacco/coffee plantation with fascinating demonstrations and of course not forgetting the wonderful Havana.
Lovely places to stay and very very good food.
Most Inspirational Moment
Can't narrow it down to 1! but including visiting the traditional house of a couple who lived via their coffee and plant production, overwhelming hospitality of the places we stayed in, Cuban friendliness and seeing how they manage their lives so well despite some hardships.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Fabulous. The most informative, entertaining and helpful person we could have wished for in that role.
The coach driver who took us everywhere was wonderful too, and made sure we never ran out of fuel!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared to live out of a suitcase, it's not nearly as difficult as we thought!
Suggestions
We would wholeheartedly recommend this tour. It gave us a great holiday, wonderful experiences and plenty of great memories!
Serena Chance
Reviewed April 2017
A fantastic whistle-stop tour
A great week – lots of different aspects of Cuba, really enjoyable, very informative and a lot of fun. There is a lot of travel involved however it gave us all a good insight into some of the life in a different and fascinating country. Very hospitable hosts in the Casals Particulares.
Most Inspirational Moment
The final Salsa class with our Cuban dance partners; realising how hard most Cubans have to work in order to make ends meet; appreciating just how widespread the ability to perform music to a high standard is amongst the Cubans;
Thoughts on Group Leader
Lenay was a fabulous guide. Kind, helpful, very informative, assertive when needed, always smiley cheerful and positive, realistic about what we should expect, and she made it a great week for us all. She was very concerned that we were happy with the accommodation wherever we were, and that we let her know if anything wasn't as it might be. I don't think we could have had a better guide. A big thank you to Lenay for a great week, and for all her hard work.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Expect some long journeys; don't expect European luxuries or standards of accommodation everywhere; take time to learn some Spanish as the hosts in the cases particulares are extremely kind, and friendly; take things as you find them and with a sense of humour; understand that we are very wealthy/privileged in comparison to most Cubans; enjoy it all!
Suggestions
I would love to return.
rona barton
Reviewed March 2017
Taste of Cuba
Hugely enjoyed this tour….. truly was an adventure.
We were introduced to an extraordinary peoples and culture….our guide was exemplary.
I luved every moment and and am extremely keen to return.
‘The Taste of Cuba’ filled every moment with fascination and surprise.
Everywhere very comfortable and safe but with a sense of how challenging it is for the locals…
Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to single out one...
'growing insight into the history of past 200years
The positivity of the guide..... a 'child' of the post revolution
The awesome colonial architecture
the enterprise of the peoples...rural and urban
snorkelling in the Caribbean
The delightful hospitality of the hosts in the casa particulares
very little that could be left out!!
Thoughts on Group Leader
A star plus plus plus. She was so informative and prepared.... always positive and enthusiastic. The whole group thought her fabulous. For the whole week she was completely available and responsive to our needs and foibles.. a huge asset to Exodus and excellent Cuban ambassadress.
In addition to the program, she researched material for further research into our family history during her free time... superb young woman!
Advice for Potential Travellers
'bother' the team online via web chat......! it allays all doubts and instant access to advice or help.
Suggestions
kindly forward info on your input/ support for local charities (for my information only)
As a family, we left small gifts in the casa particulares..... hoping this was sensitive and right action...?
Kathryn Moore
Reviewed March 2017
More than just cocktails!
A fantastic introduction to Cuba, its culture, history, music, dancing (and cocktails!)
Most Inspirational Moment
Loved it all!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Ray is the best leader I've had on any group holiday. Informative, funny and encouraging during our attempts at dancing. I couldn't rate her highly enough. She made it a memorable trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Don't expect too much of the Casas and then you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Take the optional Cadillac ride; it was great fun!
Jenny Sinnott
Reviewed February 2017
Amazing country, but Exodus were a shambles
Cuba is amazing, fantastic country and people. But Exodus were poor from start to finish.
Before we left – most staff were great. One asked us for same info 3 times!
On arrival, we had booked an extension in Varadero. We weren’t told that Exodus can’t guarantee your hotel for this part of trip. We found out at airport we couldn’t stay at hotel we booked. Disappointing, but the substitute hotel was lovely too.
Havana – hotel so far out of town hotel we couldn’t do sightseeing as planned. Took an hour to check in! Room was dirty and badly maintained. On a road so noisy the windows shook as big trucks drove past constantly. I asked to move and was given a quieter room, but with no hot water!
Vinales – beautiful place, but more issues with room. It was cramped, grim and noisy. Could have coped with that, but also had swarms of mosquitoes in my room. I killed dozens. Told tour leader, who chided me for not telling her immediately, although I had no way to contact her! My phone wouldn’t allow me to make outgoing calls in Cuba. Owners sprayed my room, but I still killed another couple of dozen mosquitoes later that evening. This room is available for $20/night on airbnb. Massive mark up charged by Exodus.
Cienfuegos- decent, quiet room, although windowless. Air con broken and leaked all over bed. No one to report this to. Told tour leader in morning and she looked at me blankly and said nothing! Breakfast was bread and jam. Pot of coffee to share that allowed only half a small cup each. If we wanted more coffee we had to pay! In this hotel, my iPad was stolen. It was charging and never left my room. In morning, I checked the room was clear. As soon as i sat on bus (at 7.45am), I realised I hadn’t packed ipad. Told tour leader immediately, hoping she would call hotel. She didn’t call them until we reached Trinidad and she told me my iPad wasn’t in the room. Only explanation, it was stolen by hotel staff, either before or after I left. I told Exodus hoping they could use influence to pressure maid into returning stolen item. Exodus did nothing for THREE DAYS! After a lot of hassling, they called me, but still did nothing to try to get the iPad back. I believe they still use this hotel, so beware!
Trinidad – decent room, but didn’t get any breakfast one day. We think they mistook the time we requested food, due to language barrier. Girl was barely listening to us when we booked breakfast. Tour leader arranged breakfast for us elsewhere.
Havana – finally a decent hotel! And trip home was fine.
Most Inspirational Moment
Vinales - beautiful place, fantastic way of life for the locals, in my opinion.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I took a while to warm to her. I had a lot of problems on this trip and she made me feel uncomfortable when I told her about them. I only complained when I really felt it necessary. For example, I didn't tell her I got food poisoning from 2 of the restaurants she took us to.
She talked too much for my liking. She was interesting and very knowledgeable. But on a 7 hour bus journey, she probably talked for 6.5 hours. I couldn't talk to my friend on the bus or I got a glare from her! Couldn't talk to her privately for most of the trip, she was always talking to the group and didn't like being interrupted, unless it was a question relevant to her lecture.
On the plus side, she was fun, very interesting and knowledgeable. Happy and able to give advice on anything I wanted to do or know.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I wouldn't recommend travelling to Cuba with Exodus, sorry! The accommodation was below par. I expected basic, but it was worse than any back packing hostel I've ever stayed in and massively overpriced.
You need to get up horribly early every day in order to beat the other crowds of tourists. You're very much on the tourist trail. I would not have chosen to go to the tobacco and rum factory where crowds of tourists stare at the workers, it was weird and an uncomfortable experience. Could have done without the mojito lesson and I found the one on one salsa too intense and awkward. Two Cuban lads baa'd at us and I agreed with them. I felt like a herded sheep!
Best times were free time. So much to see, but not enough free time to see it all.
Exodus are useful for getting you around the country, but if you can do this another way, I would advise it.
Suggestions
Be careful of your belongings. If anything goes missing I doubt you'll get it back and Exodus won't help.
