CubanWaters

Buenas Noches,
Just returned from a trip to Cuba, starting in Havana and ending in Holguin. I travelled by Viazul bus, from Havana to Santa Clara, then Santa Clara to Ciego de Avila, then Ciego de Avila to Holguin city before taking a taxi northward to the beach. I wanted to stop in more places but because of time commitments in Havana and Holguin my travels in-between were fairly rapido. This trip was a learning process.

So sit back, grab a drink, put your feet up and let me bore you silly with the details..........

I stayed in Hotels every stop on this trip. Why? Because I found good deals at nice hotels and I have had a history of annoying casa owners with my late outings that have me coming home in the wee hours. Not a party animal, just a professional night-owl. I did not regret this decision at all, even financially.

Let me just say that the Viazul bus system was an efficient way to travel long distances in almost every respect. From the cheap price (48 Euro for all 3 legs of the trip) to reliability (they were only late once by almost an hour) and the fairly clean and comfortable ride while inside the coach. No, no bathrooms on board but they do make stops. The bus is a popular mode of transport in Cuba, therefore Cuban bus stations are quite large. The bathrooms in the stations however (guarded by a money demanding attendant) can be a source of discomfort for any traveller expecting comfort. Peweee Jjjjja.

Modern Day Travel within Cuba


I noticed that at any government place that I stayed at there were annoyingly multiple shortages of products from wine to sodas etc. and yet when you walk the streets of any of those 4 cities, anything you desire can be found in abundance. Weird. Pretty much anything but at a jacked up price at private establishments. In gov't stores products were aplenty but you had to pay by card. No cash.

The sun shone brightly for most of the trip. Cuba has the weather, don't worry about that!
I found very little harassment of any sort anywhere I went. I found city streets to be patrolled by young army cadets and saw very little police presence around any town.
The young folk that I talked with seemed to always complain about living conditions and hopes for a good future life in Cuba. Then again, young folks are universally restless in most places around the globe.

Inflation has hit much of the planet and Cuba was not immune but I found that if I got a good exchange rate, eating and drinking out, was definitely cheaper than doing so in Canada, even in Havana. I took U.S. dollars and asked for a 250 to 1 exchange. If the seller made a bit off of the transaction, then good for him. I never bothered to ask for more. I noticed that most private places in Havana would take U.S. dollars whereas with CDN, they would not.

.......(more to come later....)

Johnabbotsford

Lovely report so far mate!!
Keep it up.
Very interesting about hotel stays.
Perhaps name them and costs?.

SimonT

Looking forward to hearing more about your trip and glad you made it back. I was waiting for a call for me to come and bail you out.

CubanWaters

John - I don't want the secret to get out that hotels outside of Havana are very well priced. Let's just say that I paid around 30 USD for a room at the best hotels in both Santa Clara and Ciego de Avila city. A casa would have cost me 20 USD. For that extra 10, I got a very large and well decorated room with private bath, a bar and restaurant on site, a 24 hr doorman and a front step onto the one of the busiest streets in town. Sorry, no names.

Simon - Things were rosy at the beginning and finish parts of my journey but there was reason for concern somewheres in the middle part as you will soon read.

Johnabbotsford

OK be selfish then CW.
LOL.
Pretty sure I know both those hotels though.
Had a drink in one and lunch in another..

CubanWaters

John, you sure get around!!
​​​​​​​I did a review of both hotels on TA. Both very nice places for the price.

CubanWaters

HAVANA - Flew into town late at night, smelt the sweet soothing warm air upon exiting the airport, hopped in a taxi and arrived at my hotel. It was great to be back in this grand old town after six years. I had a few days to spend there. Met up with some folks and reacquainted myself about town (although I don't think that I ever left Vedado). A favourite little restaurant and FAC were temporarily closed but I made new discoveries. As usual I walked a whole lot and made a point of saying "hi" to John Lennon at the park. There was actually some big construction projects going on that would change up the skyline. Rarely in the past had I seen this anywhere in Cuba.


A brand new skyscraper on avenue 23, Havana

+_+_+_+_+_+

There were a few new restaurants to try out and a few to re-visit. If you are able to get a good exchange rate on your money, dining in Cuba can be quite an affordable adventure. Some workers at my hotel exchange my US dollars to CUP. I was paying 4,000 CUP for a great meal and some drinks. That was roughly 20 CDN according to the exchange rate I got. I did notice some very high-end places about town as well. This seems to be the new norm. A trip to "El Monguito" was a bummer when they gave me a not so good rate on my US dollars and it wouldn't have been all too great if I had paid in CUP either. I definitely won't go back there. Now, it is almost the same price as eating at the back restaurant of the National hotel! Also got a bit jipped eating at some tourist trap on avenue 21 called "El Balcon Bruno y Pilar". I maybe should have tried others but the good restaurants had me coming back for more.


Dinner date and professional leg rubber at Arpa.

The magical Madrigal Bar Cafe.

Every night it I ended up at the Jazz club La Zorra y el Cuervo and I sure wish that I was in Havana now for the Jazz Festival. One of these years. The rooftop and back garden of the National Hotel was another frequent spot. Many times before I had been there and never knew about the rooftop bar.

La Zorra y el Cuervo Jazz Club. The entrance is a telephone booth.


The Malecon at night taken from The National Hotel rooftop bar.

And that was some of Havana 2024. Not near long enough a stay but the Viazul bus station was calling. Next time I will rent a bike and get out to some outer parts that I have never seen before. I did use the pool at Hotel Roc Presidente. Cost was 3,000 CUP of which about half of that was usable as a drink and food credit.
Havana is still a big favourite of mine. Many say that I should be but I ain't finished with Cuba yet especially La Habana.


.......Up next.....Santa Clara......

SimonT

Thanks for continuing your trip report CW. It was a great read. Sorry to hear about Monguito. During my last trip to Havana, it was still a good choice with their reasonable prices and large portions. Way too many of my favourite establishments have drastically raised prices and lowered quality, service and charm.

CubanWaters

Simon, not sure if it was you or DonTomas who steered me to El Monguito many years ago. Like I said, lots of new places around to try out. I am sure the pandemic changed things up just like anywhere else. Always plenty of good restaurants in Cuba proper - not including the slop served up at resorts.

CubanWaters

SANTA CLARA - I hadn't been there in almost 20 years. I only had vague memories of the big central square, the pedestrian-only Boulevard, the Che train-wreck and mausoleum and that tall Santa Clara Libre shack of a hotel that I once stayed at where some dame operating the elevator spoke fluent Cuban French. This in-between part of my trip, I was alone.

It was a 4.5 hour bus ride to Santa Clara from Havana. With one 30 minute stop in-between it was a bearable first ride on a Viazul bus in many many years. Once in Santa Clara, I got a taxi to take me to Parque Vidal in the center of town. I did not have a casa reserved but found a splendid room at the Hotel E Central. I was quite impressed with Santa Clara. It had more than I remembered or expected. I was there for the weekend and the city had a healthy nightlife going on.


Bueno acoustic guitar show at La Luna Naranja.

Vidal Park featured mini-car rides for the kids night and day..

In Santa Clara, they drink....
Santa Cola - product of Spain

Dining options in this mid-size city were decent as well. They even had their own version of "La Bodeguita Del Medio". They had a big hulk of a "Coppelia" building downtown as well although I was no fan of the ice-cream helado they served-up there.
I did however, more than once. experience some anti-tourist sentiment here. Purposely trying to overcharge me at bars. Even the guy on the street with the very nervous chuckle exchanging my money tried to make me out for a buffoon. I got every little peso I deserved from the weasel. Maybe the townfolk didn't like my response of "I'm from Tehhhxas" when they asked me where I was frun.


Kids and baseball in Santa Clara.

All in all my 2 quick nights in Santa Clara were well worth the effort of going there. I
would not hesitate to go back and explore more of the city some day.


Hotel E Central - vines and all.

YaHez

Always enjoyed your trip reports on the TT, CW. Some observations on your observations, if I may....
The hotel option - glad you brought this up. Hotels can be great for anonymity, privacy, more spaces than if you're in a casa with a room and a terrace/balcony. Facebook groups are flooded with people advising against staying at hotels. It's like there are a load of US posters dominating the narrative that EVERYONE is supposed to travel to "Support the Cuban People", which is irrelevant to the majority of tourists. Similarly, there is a lot of promoting of private taxis and colectivos.
Some even pipe in to promote renting a Cuban SIM card rather than buying one, "to help out a local".

Irksome, I find it. Key aspects for Cuban tourism to achieve, in my view, are choice and ease. Do hotels, do casas, do Transtur buses, do Viazul buses, do taxis, do colectivos... whatever fits your requirements or preferences, not what others try to infer is a "better" way to holiday.
And don't get me started on the confusion between holiday and charitable mission...

Anyway, yes, government places to me seem not to to be stocking up. For ages. And across the board - supermarkets, hardware stores, hotels, all sorts. The hotels operate a skeleton offer round my way. Only cocktails on offer: Cuba Libre, Daiquirí, Ron Collins (isn't that a Daiquirí in a different glass?), Mojito.

Viazul is a good option for getting around and saving your cash.

azulkiki0577

Thank you for your trip diary, will continue reading them.

I always travel by Viazul on island from West to East or vice versa, and some people tell me that they cannot believe I do sit on the bus for over 16-17 hours (and possibly longer). It stops at every single province (depending on schedule but) and I do enjoy it! I had once taken a flight from Havana to Santiago, but as I read many reviews ahead telling me about many delays and cancellations, I was ready for that, but my flight was not cancelled just delayed for about 4 hours, just like it is a normal thing to happen, so I was lucky. Viazul delays but not so easily get cancelled, I believe, right? After May 2019 Cubana Air accident, I really stopped considering of flying domestically. I got chicken out.
I would love to stay at hotels in the city, some of those very historic ones. Other than those report hotels, I had once stayed at Boutique hotel in Habana Vieja, it is called Meson de la Flota, very cute historic building featured in Spanish Tablao with flamenco show at night. I visited Hotel Nacional for a few times but never stayed, I would love to stay over someday!
The Jazz club you went, mentioned the telephone booth entrance, it is very interesting! One of Travel V-log Youtubers I follow, when he went to the same Jazz club, it was closed! He was so sad.... he was showing that Telephone booth entrance image in his video. You did not take a photo of it!?

I wanted to "Like" yours and YaHez post but I could not find the "Like" button.

CubanWaters

Yahez - It never occurred to me these things you stated about what others say about staying in a hotel in Cuba. To me it's about comfort, not whether I am supporting the state over it's citizens. I have always preferred hotels because I just feel more comfortable and free in a hotel whereas in a casa, I am in someone else's home and under their rules. I have stayed in many casas over the years in many parts of Cuba. I'm fairly sure that casas pay a tax for each time a room is rented in their home.
Another thing to add to that argument is that I tip in a hotel (the bag handler, the bartender, the waiter, the cleaning lady) whereas in a casa ,I do not tip anyone for anything. I have paid for meals and laundry to be done in a casa though.
I also help out the private sector by using all sorts of taxis, getting a shave and haircut, frequenting private restaurants and stores, exchanging currency.......etc......
I used Viazul mainly because I did not know what it would be like getting a long distance ride at a good price with all the talk of fuel shortages.
I have no regrets about staying in hotels or taking the Viazul bus. They served me well and are after-all employing citizens.

azulkiki0577 - 16-17 hours on a Viazul? Now that's a bus ride! I was kind of dreading it but with my headphones on, it was not bad at all.
It would be a lot more economical to stay at a casa than a hotel in Havana but that might not be so true for much of the rest of the country.
Havana Jazz Fest is on right now. I am sure that I have some photos of the telephone booth entrance to La Zorra y el Cuervo Jazz Club from other years so I did not take any this year. I am a good customer for them when I am in town. Their room reminds me of The Village Vanguard in NYC.

Thanks Yahez and azulkiki0577 (what "like button"?)

CubanWaters

La ciudad de CIEGO DE AVILA - I came rolling into town on the big V bus so early in the morning without a wink of sleep. As soon as I got off the bus, as usual, the taxi hounds were on me. They offered to take me to Moron but I did not want to go to Moron! I got a guy in a very old and very slow car to take me to the Hotel Rueda. Again, I did not have a casa reserved but that did not matter. After I shook the taxi guy off, the boutique of a hotel let me check-in quite early (for an extra small fee). First impressions of this dusty-looking town were not so good other than my digs at the hotel. The waiter serving me breakfast let it be known that Ciego was no Santiago or even Santa Clara and I did not feel that I had any right or reason to argue with him about that.


Following the green brick road......


After a bit of needed shut-eye, I got up in the afternoon and went explorin' the small city. Ciego's own rendition of a pedestrian-only thoroughfare called Independencia was of interest all the way down to Ciego's own Parque Jose Marti. The city did become more appealing, the more I explored, but I thought it be prudent not to expect too much. As with Santa Clara, I only had 2 days and nights here, so I didn't leave either place any kind of expert. Restaurant options didn't look too promising though and the best bar I found was sitting on a bench in Parque Jose Marti sipping a cervesa from the corner tienda. Still, for a couple of non-weekend nights, a bit of nightlife was happening.


Parque Jose Marti at night.


There was something unique and somewhat peculiar I noticed about this town though. In the downtown core, every sidewalk was covered and lined with columns to protect the townsfolk from the rain or the hot sun, unless of course, you had to cross the street. This very thing, to me, is Ciego's mark of distinction.


Columns upon columns and covered sidewalks.

Unlike Havana and Santa Clara (am I supposed to mention this?) in Ciego de Avila, I could not find a money changer anywhere. Just by chance, I randomly asked a fellow selling stuff on the sidewalk and he said, "follow me" and led me to a back room behind a store where stacks of bills lay waiting to be exchanged.


Una mesa de dinero.

People sometimes say that all Cuba cities look alike but if you stay and look around one enough, you will find that each place has it's own specifics.

It was at some point on my 2nd and last day there that things went sour in Ciego and the wheels came off the bus, so to speak.......

..........(to be continued)........

SimonT

I spent a few nights at Madrigal in Havana. Not one of my regular places though. I also preferred the jazz bar in the mall beside the Melia Cohiba over La Zorra. Mostly because they had a no smoking policy years before anyone else in Havana. I always enjoyed Santa Clara. All those students contribute to the happening nightlife scene.

SimonT

And, don't keep us hanging CW. Your continuation please.....

Beansntoast

Carry on CW. Enjoying the trip report. Photo of Ciego's sidewalk looks exactly like Cienfuegos to me. Form follows function.

YaHez

Some of Guantánamo also has those shaded walkways. In Santiago, I can only think of one - down at the port. In Havana, some have survived, but I really can't remember where.

And yes, carry on...

CubanWaters

Simon - if you are talking the Jazz Cafe, Havana, then I don't think that I have been there since 2007. I wonder if they are still in operation.

Beans y Yahez - In Ciego, practically every building has shaded sidewalks. Never seen anything like it in Cuba.

Wessislander

Thanks We enjoyed your report especially with photos. Is there more?