Cuba

I was thinking in going to Cuba as well, since probably is the last opportunity we'll have before all changes so I'm bumping this thread

>>1114715
>Anything in particular I should remember with regards to visa?
Only if you're from the states, else you just buy the tourist card and thats it.

>Are you still able to travel spontaneously and without booking too much in advance, what with the thawing diplomatic relations?
You can travel pretty spontanously but you can only stay in registered casa particulars and hotels. Staying anywhere else will get your hosts and you into a shitload of trouble (remember cuba is 16 million people and 8million are part of the police force). Wild camping is possible to some degree but it might end with hilarious scenes involving the local CDR or Military....

>Must sees? Places to avoid or skip?
Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Pinar del Rio are great.
If you don't absolutely love lads tour tier binch drinking you can skip Varadero.
Havana is cool, stay in Vedado and if you feel like going to the beach take a taxi to Playas del Este (15CUC)
Else well skip Habana Vieja or go there for a walk but it's just a large tourist trap where the americanization of cuba is already completed. beggars, scammer, rose vendors and homeless next to luxury brand stores, shitty restaurants that are 2-10x as expensive as the rest of cuba filled with fannypack equipped selfie stick wilder...

>General advice?
Most of the stuff has fixed prices and a beer has the same price in a restaurant as in the stores in most places, Rum is dirt cheap (3CUC for a bottle) and tastes great make sure to try the different brands and ages, the island is filed with 24h fastfood stands so you can always get a drink/food, just because it's on the menu is no guarantee that a restaurant actually has it, as well Cuba has zero concept of stock management so expect even a large upper class hotel to run out of coke, beer, rum or even bottled water daily and they won't learn from it....
DONT FUCK AROUND WITH THE POLICE (or any officals) !!!
Even if you're the alpha so smart chat shit king of bants, just STFU

>>1114729
Thanks, that was really helpful!

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I'm going to Havana in september

how safe is it at night in bars and clubs? My brother's long term girlfriend is from Havana so chances are we'll be with her family (locals) throughout the day, but at night I'll be a lone white 20yo englishman who knows little Spanish. Am I going to get mugged?

>>1114795
np buddy, just gonna go on with a few things

>Credit Cards
Visa did work, Amex and MasterCard got rejected at every ATM
>Internet
Some hotels have wlan but usually the only place to get reliable wland from is a NAUTA hotspot. You need to buy a 1h or 5h ime card at any ETECSA store for 2CUC/h. 3G or mobile internet? nope. Also 4chan is banned on almost all hotspots, so you can't rareflag shitpost.
>Taxis
Always haggle. As they will try to scam you.
Airport to habana 20-25CUC
Vedado to Centro Habana 3-5CUC
And yes almost any taxi driver is willing to drive you across the island... Havana - Trinidad is 120CUC if you go alone or just share the taxi with other people. Went there and back for 60 CUC total (same as the cheapest bus connection) and saved compared to buses 2h of travel time each way
>CUP and CUC
many places have prices only in the local money CUP, you're not supposed to have as a tourist but they will almost always accept CUC. The going rate is 1 CUC = 25 CUP, expect to get change in CUP but you can use it almost anywhere to the fixed rate.
>Drugs
Don't do drugs on cuba. 50% of the drug offers are scams the other 50% are undercover cops. There might be a small error margin but oh well...
>Cigars, Rum, Coffee
Only buy them if they have the green "Garantia Cuba" sticker on them (even the cheapest shit tier rum from a legit vendor has it) and never from street vendors. People that offer you those products on the street are trying to scam you. You get a shit tier product for a far to high price (pack a shit tier cigar into a Cohiba tube and sell it for 5x the money)

>>1114802
It's very safe.
Don't walk around like a dollar piniata and you can even walk trough the most fucked up parts 24/7 without worry. Just keep your common sense up and don't get shitfaced, if you do just get a taxi back home.

>>1114831
good to know, cheers pal. Any recommendations on bars?

>>1114832
Not really, they come and go so fast and it really depends on where you stay.

But around Centro Habana you will always find good things, at the Malecon there're a few good places and around the University and the 23th street as well. As soon as you go towards the Paseo it will get more less dancing and more lounge stuff.

>>1114824
Thanks again. I plan on staying almost exclusively in casas particulares. I've heard about the internet thing, but I don't regret it. Plan on doing a lot of reading.

Are there english bookstores or should I bring a fuckton from home?

What about the food? I've heard it's rather shitty. Any way to get the least shitty food?

>>1114729
>DONT FUCK AROUND WITH THE POLICE
this really goes for any place

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>>1114968
>Are there english bookstores or should I bring a fuckton from home?
Better bring your own stuff bro

>What about the food? I've heard it's rather shitty. Any way to get the least shitty food?
Since they opened the market for Paladars (private restaurants) the food ranges from junk to absolute top class food from around the world.
If you want it cheap there's always Pizza and Sandwiches for under 3CUC.
One of my favorit places is a Iranian restaurant in havana.
>topoly.fr
great food, good service, and still pretty cheap. A beer and a Nan wrap including a nice salad will be about 6CUC

is Airbnb a good site for finding accommodation for Cuba?

are foreigners allowed to buy goods such as fruits and vegetables from fresh markets?

>>1115508
>is Airbnb a good site for finding accommodation for Cuba?
Not really, as a foreigner you're not allowed to say in private places that are not officially registered Casa Particular or Hotels/Hostels. You can try your luck but the risk/reward is not worth it as you can get yourself and your host into a shitload of legal trouble.

>are foreigners allowed to buy goods such as fruits and vegetables from fresh markets?
Sure, just ask them if they accept CUC (some will, some won't) or go to a small paladar (snackbar), buy a beer/coke with a 10CUC bill and ask them if they could give you the change in CUP.

>>1114968
If you're in a Havana try the restaurants Paladar Vistamar and 304 O'Reilly. Two of the best meals I've ever eaten anywhere.

>>1115646
thanks for the reply mate

what's the best way of booking casas? what's the cheapest route/airline for getting to habana ?

cheers!

>>1115701
A lot of them can be found by a easy google search or buy the latest Lonely Planet Cuba book.
Just call them or send them a mail (basic spanish is enough and most of the hosts are +/. fluent in english).
Also the Viazul hotels/hostels are cheap and almost all over cuba, as a plus you can book them online.

What's the cheapest way to get there depends on where you're from.

is this website for booking Cuban hostels?

hostelsclub.com

cheers

Homestay in Cuba: https://myplacecuba.com/
Relatively cheap - for up to $40 per room and night.

>>1114715
Me too! I'll be there for 12 days in August

>>1117992
where u staying?/what sites did u use to book accommodation ?

>>1118134
https://www.homestay.com/cuba/havana/4989-homestay-in-centro-habana-havana
Only booked 3 nights there for the purpose of the tourist card. The rest is an open book

>>1118560

cheers mate, I'll be in cuba in september