Photo by Michel Gauthier
Top 10 suggestions from one of our members
1 - Find yourself a Casa in Centro Havana. Just finding a casa directly on site will be an experience in itself. The first night can be done on AirBnB, but after that, we try to find one ourselves. We set a budget of 25-30 cuc per night, we walk down a street that interests us, and when we see a Casa Particular sign, we knock and ask if there is a room available... if there isn't, or if the room doesn't suit you, there's a good chance that the owner will go see his/her neighbors to see who has one. 2 - Go to the local market in the morning. Buy fruits in season. An avocado and a mango of one kilo each will cost you 1 cuc maximum, and nothing to do with the fruits that are served at the buffet because they are so good. 3 - Learn the map of Havana, and be aware that there are 3 main parts. Old Havana which is 95% tourists, Centro Havana where many poor Cubans live, and Vedado which is like the commercial heart for Cubans. A walk down San Lazaro Avenue will give you a good idea of what life is like in Havana. 4 - If you see some Cubans lining up for a makeshift restaurant in their house, go for it. You will probably get a good pizza for 10 national pesos, or an excellent Cuban sandwich, or a coffee. 5 - Be nice to everyone, but be wary of those who stop you on the street to invite you to a bar, or sell you a music CD, or whatever. A simple "no gracias" and you're done. It's part of the Havana experience. 6 - In Havana, there is no problem to have a drink, and Cubans will never judge you if you are a little drunk at 2 in the afternoon. Alcoholism is not part of their vocabulary since if a man/woman can drink every day, it is because he/she is not poor and has succeeded in life. Go to a bar in Cuba where there are no tourists, and watch Cuban life go by, you will see very interesting things! .... for example, it is normal to see a Cuban woman arrive with a bag full of underwear and negotiate to exchange the bag for a bottle of rum, or to see a 95 year old lady go to the bar to buy a cigar and smoke it while rummaging in the bag of underwear to see which pair of g-strings would fit her. 7 - If you are lucky enough to be invited to dinner at a Cuban's house, go buy a cake from a pastry shop (for the matriarch of the family), and a bottle of cheap rum (for the patriarch of the family). Leave your wallet at the casa, and leave the gifts at your casa. Have a great evening. They will have much more respect for you if they perceive you as a guest, as opposed to an ATM that dispenses toothpaste. 8 - Collectivo. Unless you are really caught off guard, do not take a taxi. There are collectivo routes that go everywhere, and it is an experience to get into a 60 year old car, which stops to pick up a Cuban who is going to the market with a chicken LOL.... it will cost you 1 cuc for two people. 9 - La Guarida. Want a good restaurant where it is really worth arriving early to take pictures? Located right in the center of Centro Havana, it is worth it. It's expensive, but you've saved so much money eating street sandwiches that you can afford it at least once! 10 - Malecon, at night.... Bring a backpack with at least 2 1-liter bottles of rum, and go to the Malecon wall to watch the sunset. Rum on the Malecon becomes "communal" and pretty much everyone will get involved. We share rum, we share good times, we make great friends, all this with the breeze and the sound of the ocean hitting the rocks... an experience to live that is worth 10X any excursion available in the Caribbean...
If you prefer a single day trip
There are two options: bus tours offered from your hotel or those done with a private guide (taxi transportation from your hotel – make sure to use an air-conditioned taxi for your comfort). We did the bus one, but next time, it will definitely be with a private guide! No unnecessary waiting because people do not respect the instructions and no long stops at places that do not interest us or very little!
See this article for suggested guides from our members:
There are also articles on these guides if you search with the magnifying glass.
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