Mexico (Yucatan) or Cuba?
 

Hi all, I'll be visiting Miami this September and I plan to do a 1 week trip to one of those destinations. Initially I thought Cuba was the place, yet when I started to read blogs and thought about organization aspects I got a bit distanced to my decision. From what I've read I think Yucatan would be easier to get around, rent a car or predit the overall cost of the trip. I've never been to Cuba and Mexico, I'd like to hop from place to place, have a nice time sightseeing, experiencing the food and the culture itself. Could you please give me some recommendations?

PS. I know it's kinda bad timining to go to either place on September, but is any place 'better' weather-wise?

Thanks!

Hello, in my experience traveling to the two countries, I had a better experience in Mexico, the weather at that time was perfect and did not affect us much in the activities we do and were great thanks to Yoplan.com where we could get the guides. Nor do I say that Cuba is bad, only that it is better to travel there in another time of the year.

I've read many negative experiences of visiting Cuba, focusing on tough logistics and people being generally underwhelmed by the experience. You're also less likely to get a hurricane in the Yucatan, and if you do, evacuating will be easier than Cuba.

A trip to Cuba can be life-changing. But then again, I'm a biased Cubaphile, have an apartment in Havana and just love the people, the energy, the music.

I’d head for Mérida (MID), being sure to be there over a weekend to enjoy the Sunday downtown scene. Sightsee nearby places like Dzibilchaltún, Celestún if you’re a nature fan, and spend 2-3 days anyway doing the Ruta Puuc and its haciendas and Mayan archaeological wonders. Easy driving.

Link to Ruta Puuc site’s here, and Google is good.

Thank you for the feedback! Now I'm even more convinced that any of these two options is great :) I read some more travel reports and I consider Yucatan to be more interesting in terms of nature, e.g. cenotes, jungle. I heard also that Cuba has the best beaches (Cayo Coco). Any advice regarding September weather in these to places, apart from hurricane risks? I know there are chances of rain in both countries, and Yucatan can be more windy this time of the year?...

September in Cuba is very hot and humid, exhaustingly so for me, and when I was there, sunny every day. Havana is particularly hot if you do not spend time at the local beach. Not all cars or restaurants/bars have ac. But the atmosphere and the music are exciting. Hotels are not good value and casas particulares can be basic (but with ac) because of lack of options for certain items. The beach at Vedado (2.5 to 3/5 hours from Havana) reminded me of Tulum a bit (long stretch of white sand and turquoise water), but more commercially touristy with big resorts and their frequenters. Haven't been to the resorts in the cayos, but they are exclusively resorts, no locals; even the staff commute. The local Havana beaches were OK ,in Guanabo, lots of construction and other debris to cross to get to the beach itself and nice water. You can also get a day pass to a hotel pool.
In the Yucatan, we have always rented a car with ac, so we have some relief from the heat in the interior after touring a ruin. We have had no rain in September, although the forecast beforehand said differently. Lots to see. We usually do some sightseeing in the mornings and find a cenote or beach for the afternoon. Lots of charming posadas to stay at. For a week, you could make a circle from the airport to Valladolid and the ruins at CI and Ek Balam, maybe add Merida and the Ruta Puuc, and head for Tulum via Coba. The problem with many beaches there right now is heavy sargassum (not near Merida though).
I now have made friends in both places, Maya locals in Tulum and warm, wonderful Cubans in Havana, who we keep on touch with between trips.

Thank you! I've decided to go on with Yucatan, hope the weather will be nice :)

I hop you have a nice trip and enjoy everything in Yucatan

Excellent choice!! Try to visit the cenotes, Tulum, Playa del Carmen… Also, check on the weather before going, so you can be sure if you will have to handle some rainy days (anyway, you will have many activities to do) or there is any hurricane risk (which I hope not). Have a nice trip!!

I traveled to Cuba with Yoplan, if you contact hem, you won't have any of those problems about fun. If it were for me, I would go to both countries. Visit Yoplan.com and you'll see all the activities they have in Mexico and Cuba

What activities did you do with Yoplan in Cuba? I'm really thinking of using them again, but I don't know if the quality has diminished.

Yoplan continues with a very high quality in it's services, don't worry about it. And the activities they provide in Cuba are photografic guide, dancing, sightseeing tours, music and the best (for me) is diving. Come on, travel with them again!

Bienvenidos, Venezolanos. :)

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