I am going to Mexico in March 2007 and am thinking of adding a side trip to Cuba. Is it worth my time going for 4 days? I would only have an extra 4 days to add on to my trip. What sort of costs am I looking at to stay in a good 4 star hotel? Also what is the night life like and is Cuba a safe place?

I'd definitely go. With four days in Havana you can have a great time. There's lots to see and do, nice restaurants, nice beaches and friendly people. Expect to pay about 80 - 150 euros for an international standard hotel. The Melia chain has a couple of nice properties in Havana.

Cuba is a very safe country but there is a small amount of crime, mostly pickpocketing and small theft. Nightlife in Havana is pretty good, as you'd expect there are some excellent clubs with live Cuban music.

If you do go, then make sure you don't take US dollars or a credit card issued by a US bank. They are not accepted anywhere by anybody. I always take Euros and never have a problem. I guess that they will take Australian dollars but you should check before you go.

Definitely go, 4 days is a perfect amount of time for Havana as it's not too big. Doug has summed it up nicely even if I'm wary of a (Flying) Blue from Brum. ;)

I say go! But I've always wanted to visit Cuba.

Thanks for the feedback. ^ Looks like I’m gonna go ;)

Definitely go, 4 days is a perfect amount of time for Havana as it's not too big. Doug has summed it up nicely even if I'm wary of a (Flying) Blue from Brum. ;)

I'm wary as well. But not as wary as I am of a Villa fan in Ireland. I thought that you'd swap places with the Baggies at the end of this season, but now that you have O'neil I don't think that's going to happen.

:)

Doug

I'm wary as well. But not as wary as I am of a Villa fan in Ireland. I thought that you'd swap places with the Baggies at the end of this season, but now that you have O'neil I don't think that's going to happen.

:)

DougI don't mind the Baggies, 2 of my first cousins and their kids are season ticket holders but it's fair to say my goodwill to them isn't reciprocated. ;) Best of luck for the current season, hope you come up as we we want one local derby but I hope Small Heath get relegated again. :cool:

Having been to Cuba I would also suggest you go ( before Castro dies and its flooded with US tourists :) )

I however would add the advice to do take US cash since if you are careful, you might be able to exchange them at a more favourable rate.

Favorite dishes Chicken Baracoa and the papaya yoghurt.

mikE

Were you hassled customing back into the US? Looks like I have suceeded in convincing my better half to hop to Havana from our upcoming trip to Nassau, and we're wondering how to prepare for coming back into the States. This ranges from not worrying about it, to considering whether to practice our 5th amendment statement, or get a lawyer on retainer! ;)

cheers,
big V

Having been to Cuba I would also suggest you go ( before Castro dies and its flooded with US tourists :) )

I however would add the advice to do take US cash since if you are careful, you might be able to exchange them at a more favourable rate.


mikE

Don't bother doing this, as I said in my previous post US dollars are useless in Cuba and have been for about 2 years. I'm not sure when MIKESILV went but believe me, absolutely no-one will accept dollars. Taxi drivers, market traders, bellboys, barmen, black market money changers. No-one.

Doug

Don't bother doing this, as I said in my previous post US dollars are useless in Cuba and have been for about 2 years. I'm not sure when MIKESILV went but believe me, absolutely no-one will accept dollars. Taxi drivers, market traders, bellboys, barmen, black market money changers. No-one.

Doug

Interesting, I went over 10 years ago and it certainly was not the case then.
Considering the amount of US dollars sent back to the island by relatives I wonder what the reason might be? ( unless they had a rash of counterfeit notes )

As to the other question if I was hassled by the US authorities, well no, but them they didnt know I went ( and I forgot to tell them :D )
I do belive they have been checking up more under the current Administration
and I think they will even try to haul vistors into court if your trip is not demed "legitimate"
Flew via Jamaica.

mike

Interesting, I went over 10 years ago and it certainly was not the case then.
Considering the amount of US dollars sent back to the island by relatives I wonder what the reason might be? ( unless they had a rash of counterfeit notes )


mike

Dollars were no problem up until 2 or 3 years ago when they were completely outlawed as a currency. I'm not sure why this happened but ever since then dollars have been useless in Cuba.

Doug

Just Google "Cuba peso convertible"!


In 1994 Castro & Co. invented the Convertible Peso = US$1, later US$1.08. Then around 2003--4 a major Swiss bank was fined US$100 million by the US authorities for sending US cash to or accepting from Cuba--perhaps charged with misuse of US currency??! So now when exchanging US dollars in Cuba, there is a penalty tax of 10%, which can be avoided by bringing Euros, British pounds, Cdn. $, etc.
But AUD$ probably are unfamiliar to them & probably hard to re-exchange, so one can expect a poor exchange rate.

found a few good hotels Raquel national and florida

avoid the Placio ofarrill at all costs
it is a dump\
went to a show at the national and there were a lot of people from hollywood so I dont think its that hard to get in and out