The winds of change are sweeping through Cuba like the waves crash against Havana's most famous sea-walk, El Malecon. Change can't come fast enough for some, but might be too much for others. We met with half a dozen Cubans over 3 days, discussing the thawing relations with the US, their internal politics, and how best to enjoy Cuba as tourists descend on the once isolated island nation.
Very Important Tips: Do not take US dollars down to the island. Take Euros or Pesos. You are automatically deducted 13% when using dollars to get Cuban Pesos. Most of your money should be converted to CUC (Cuban Convertables $1- 1 CUC) This is what taxi cabs, restaurants and bars accept. The locals use CUP (Cuban Pesos $1: 24 CUP), you want to convert no more than $20 to buy something from street vendors. Take a guide book, the internet is spotty at best. I used Lonely Planet.
Getting there? Several options. Easiest is via Mexico or Panama City. Copa Airlines, Aero Mexico or Canada Air all fly to Havana. You will have to book tickets seperatly from the US to one of those cities and then to Havana. At immigration, you might be asked to present health insurance. We weren't. If you don't have it, you are forced to buy at $5 a day rate. We were asked whether we wanted our passport stamped, we said yes. It won't be long before US carriers will be flying there. The first cruise ship docked the day we were leaving.
Where to stay? I would stay near Havana Vieja (Old Havana) or the Eastern part of Vedado (a upper class residential neighborhood). Airbnb is currently the best option, hotels are expensive ($165 and above), and in most cases run down. We spent 3 days in Havana, and you don't need much more than that to adequately see the city and meet the people.
Cigar lover? If you want to buy Cigars, buy them at the hotels. Do not buy them on the streets from shoddy vendors, they are fake. Do not buy at the airport, they are overpriced. I would get the Monte Cristo, its a top brand with medium to strong flavor.
Souvenir Shopping: If you want to buy souvenirs, do not buy from touristy old Havana. There is a small market near hotel Habana Libre in Vedado near Calle L and 22nd. Negotiate everything, start with 50% off asking price and you will end up at 60%-70%.
Seeing the city on a tight schedule? The best way to see Havana is via a tour in a classic car. You can rent one with a driver right in front of the National Theater in the Center of Havana (Costs 60 CUCs). You will get to see all the highlights Havana has to offer, from there you can determine where you want to spend your time.
Off we go: Havana is divided in the 3 areas, Old Havana, Centro (Central) and Vedado. Old Havana is a gem of Spanish colonial architecture. You can spend hours roaming the streets, getting lost as you move from one plaza to the next. Plaza de San Fransisco was my favourite. An old Church overshadows the square of cobbled stone streets. El Catderal Plaza was another place worth stopping by. Obispo st has some used book vendors that line up against its gardens. But Mercardes is the busiest street and the best preserved.
Visit hotels like Ambos Mundos (great rooftop bar), Florida, Frailes hotel. The area is touristy, full of souvenir shops and a growing list of restaurants serving rejuvenated Cuban cuisine. There are several hot spots that revolve around Hemingway like the Floridita bar, where he enjoyed Daiquiris and La Bodugeta where he sipped on the famous Mojitos. I personally couldn't care less about what Hemingway did in Havana. Places tend to highlight that he ate here, drank there or baptized this wall during a drunken escapade. A great writer, but I don't give a crap about where he crapped. Way overblown in my opinion. These places tend to be tourist traps, expensive and of low quality.
I would enjoy the sunset from the Fortaleza, which is a fort with the best views of Havana. A canon show starts at 9 pm, and I would get there by 7 pm to roam the fort and catch the sunset. From Old Havana to the fort is 4 CUCs. El Malecon which is the street on the city's sea wall, runs more than 15 miles and is a great place to sea the sunset and meet some of the many locals that congregate there in the evenings, listening to music, drinking beers and smoking cigars. Cubans are very friendly, and you will find many willing to engage you. We met several people, and will share our discussions later.
Central Havana is where you get to see the real Havana. These are the slums of the city, dilapitaded buildings, uneven streets, unemployed youth roaming aimlessly. The ware and tear of communism takes center stage in these neighborhoods and is not something you want to miss if you want to see the real people and how they live. The Capital buiding you cant miss, even if your tried. The National theater is a masterpiece representing an era of opulence and decadence, a far cry from its surrounding neighborhoods. Some really good hotels like Ingelterra (my favourite), Seville, Saratoga, and Nacional. Go for coffee and a snack at the lobby of any of these hotels where all of them have a band playing good Cuban music.
Vedado, the upper scale neighborhood is home to Revolution Plaza with monuments commemorating Jose Marti and Che Guevara. Not to be missed. The national cemetery is not far, and is a massive graveyard dawned with elaborate tombs. They are similar to Puerto Rico's San Juan tombs, I would skip going and save the 5 CUC fee. The dead don't have much to offer.
Where to eat? Whatever you do, don't leave Havana without eating Yuca fries, Moro (Rice and Beans), Lobster and Flan.
In old Havana there is Dona Eutimia which serves local flare. Get the Picadillo a la habanera (ground beef dish cooked to perfection), flan and fish croquettes. Price 12-15 CUCS with coffee and water. Make a reservation, they get really busy. Paladar de Mercardes is great, I had a fish stew, but it is really expensive (30 CUCS).
In Vevado, there is El Cimmaron, serves awesome Lobster, Pulpo (Octopus) and Shrimp ($15-$20 CUCs). Breakfast is great as well.
In Central Havana, there is a good pizza place called Mimosa, with authentic Italian flair and a dark, but romantic ambiance. For a good Chorizo Y Queso sandwich and a Guava pastry, head to Dulcinea.
Do not miss out on sugar cane juice sold via stalls all over the city.
Entertainment & Nightlife: As I mentioned some hotels have bands playing Cuban salsa music, but for a full blown experience, i would head to the Tropicana club, and for 75 CUCs enjoy a show that would put Cirque Du Soleil to shame. Havana has a buzzing nightlife. In old Havana there is 3er Piso, full of locals, and not far from the Capital building. In Vevado, Amarillo Submarine (yellow submarine) a bar dedicated to the Beatles but plays great American pop and Spanish music. Jazz Cafe bear Habana Libre hotel offers a relaxed environment. The best is Fabrica de Artes, recommended by tourists and locals alike. It's an art galley, a bar and a nightclub all housed in an old factory. Get their early, long lines and they do stop taking people in around 1:00 am on busy nights.
Meeting people: As for the multiple meetings and interviews we had, we met several people. I want to thank them for their openness and candor in discussing politics, culture and the many aspects of Cuban life. They are: Gustavo Rena, our Airbnb host. Jose Carlos (business owner), Ernesto C. (a journalist) Manuela K (a merchant), Aidara and Carlos (students), Raoul J (a vegetable seller). We spent a couple of hours each day interacting with people, thanks to Obama's people to people education allowance. Here is a summary of where people stand:
Many Cubans love the United States, and want normal relations between the 2 countries. They want to own their own business, improve their livelihood and practice the same freedoms we have here. Many believed in Castro, his revolution, but by the early 90's they lost hope. There are others who are very reluctant to change, they firmly believe in the Marxist - Leninist model, and Fidel's revolution. They don't want anything to change, they have good healthcare, decent jobs, great education and do not need material things from life. These were the students, they were very idealistic.
Some were reluctant to discuss politics, and it is best not to press the matter. However, all of them agreed that change is coming to the isolated Island, and the pace of change remains disputed. The US congress has yet to remove sanctions, and Raoul Castro is moving at a very slow place to enact change. This trip would have not been possible if it weren't for the relaxation of rules by the Obama administration. We visited Cuba, because we fulfilled the Journalistic requirement (by documenting this trip on my travel blog), people to people education (by meeting, visiting and interviewing locals) and Professional business with Weddings in Houston magazine (investigating weddings in Cuba). If you do not meet the requirements stated by the Treasury Department, we advise not going.
All in, everyone loved to talk about their culture, their music, especially the famous Celia Cruz, and their food. We are thankful to have met so many wonderful people, and we appreciate their openness and candor.
Thanks to Vik Day & Porter Nolan for working with me on this piece.