Advices for Cuba

Traveling to Cuba can be difficult especially if you want to travel with a low budget. Some advice:

- do not bring US dollars. There are ATMs not charging any fees. But more importantly if you change them: you pay a fee of 10%. Therefore the best thing to do is bring Euros

- 4 quarters is in a place you pay in CUP (the national money) not the same as 1 cup. Therefore do not let them give you back small coins and if you have them, use them at places you pay in CUC (tourist money)

- from the airport you can take a shuttle to terminal 2 and then the bus (p12 or p16) to the city. Both cost only 1 peso national money or 5ct tourist money

- try to negotiate prices and let them recommend you places to go to. I managed to pay less than 10 CUC per night all the time. Location then is a bit out of the tourist ghetto but I actually liked that. Sharing a room will be even cheaper. Most rooms you will easily get for 15 CUC so 7,5 CUC pp

- even though they tell you, the people who sell tours or collectivo rides to other places on the street, are doing this illegally, it is the exact same thing only cheaper but you even do the tours together with them. So don’t pay the overpriced amount they tell you in the casa

- even though the bus is slower, it is sometimes a smart idea as it is cheaper and much more comfortable. As a big guy you will most likely not have a nice trip

-most Casas offer breakfast. This is overpriced but finding a proper breakfast on the street is difficult. Mostly you’ll end up eating hamburgers, pizza or pan with something (absolutely not my favorite) so your call if it’s worth it. Mostly the breakfast is good though

- going away from the touristic places you can easily find food for less than 60 CUP (national money) so less than 3 CUC

- go to the house of music at the places you are. Entrance 1 CUC and nice shows as well as many dancing salsa...

- internet is limited by time so when you connect, receive messages and turn it off again. Answer everyone and reconnect

- it is very difficult to find snacks or something. It might be a good idea to bring some but I am not sure what the regulations are so check that before having problems in Cuba

- do not buy cigars on the street. Apparently some mix them with banana leaves and it’s hard to tell the difference. You can take back home 50 cigars with official label and 50 without 

-AirBnB works over the browser. The application does not work

-Pabellón Cuba is not a touristic place but worth a visit. Musicians playing and artists selling their work. Music may not be typical Cuban but for sure it is a 100% Cuban

- at parque de los Martines Universitarios is a bike rental. I am not sure but I think they do every Thursday a night hike tour. For 5 CUC you can rent a bike and the tour is for free. It ends in a bar, that is stuffed with young Cuban students

Cuba

Hello everyone,

Finally I do have internet again.

I was looking forward to my stay in Cuba. I always wanted to go there and even though I know that it is already way different than 15 years ago, I still think it is smart to go as quick as possible as Cuba is changing. 

I have heard many different opinions about Cuba, bad and good. I therefore have been very interested, how it was going to be for me. 

First of all, I can understand every opinion as I have been going through 3 phases myself. At the beginning I have been very disappointed by Cuba as I needed to find out, that Cuba is not yet a country for Backpackers. Besides in Havana there are no Hostels and transport is very expensive once you leave the city. Therefore traveling with a low budget gets difficult and especially if you are traveling on your own it can be lonely as well. It is very difficult to connect to the Cuban people, as most of them only try to sell you something way overpriced. Once they figure out you will not buy anything, they loose the interest in you. Some of them also get mad at you but this is only a minority. They furthermore all assume, that the tourists have lots of money. My first night out with the son of the family I stayed with ended for example in me paying everything. I did not have a problem inviting him but the way they force you (in this case he just left without money meaning he wouldn’t even have come in the house of music if I didn’t pay the entrance) is in my opinion unfriendly.

Once I came to Trinidad I figured that trying to look for cheap stuff all the time will be exhausting so I decided this will be a 2 week vacation of my travel and therefore I may spend a bit more as well. Furthermore I started to connect with other tourists and found quickly 5 English people I spend the next days with. It have been a great time and I started enjoying Cuba a bit with the bitter taste that everyone is just screwing you all the time but I tried to eliminate this thought. By sharing a room with a Dutch girl it even got better as it has been cheaper and less lonely.

The best part yet has been thanks to a German girl, who studies in Cuba, and her friends from Peru and Cuba. We met her in Viñales and once we came back to Havana, she and her friends showed us the town and where the Cubans spend their time. Therefore I have been lucky again and got to see bits of the Cuban life. 

Summarizing, Cuba is a great place to do a 2 week vacation with someone but during this time you will not get out of the tourist ghetto. For getting to know the Cuban life, you need to spend their more time but this might not be an easy journey. Best is if you are as lucky as I have been. 

So finally pictures:

Phrases of Che and Fidel are everywhere 

Sometimes even feels as dictatorship for example:

“Socialism or die” which does not allow other opinions 

Surprising as well that you can find many US flags or apple stickers 

The capitol 

To see everywhere, people playing dominos or chess. Children mostly play baseball or football

Acun beach in Trinidad

Tabaco and Coffee tour - cowboy like

Viñales - beautiful nature 

Cayo Jusitcia close to Viñales

Found sea stars (no worries we obviously only took them out of the water for seconds)

Of course there needs to be a picture of one of the Cuban cars

Cuban Christo

And most important - my travel mates and tour guides

Again a big thank you to you guys!!! 

Hear you soon

Hannes

Palenque & Bacalar

Helio everyone,

This will be muy Last Post from Mexico and there is a high Chance that I won’t have internet in Cuba (my next destination). Therefore it can be that this is my last post until end of April. 

After my good friend Pablo left back to Mexico City, it was only me and Guido but as always you meet lots of people quickly. We meet 2 people who are traveling since 3 and 4 Years already. Very impressive. 

Even though I have seen lots of ruins already I still wanted to see Palenque. This has been the right decision as it is in my opinion the most impressive especially because you can walk inside the buildings. 

Besides the ruins Palenque has lots of waterfalls to offer. Even though I really wanted to see Mishol Ha and Agua Azul, I followed the advice to go to Roberto Barios and once again it was been a great choice as it is very beautiful and there are barely any people. Sure that this will change in the future.

With the night bus we first went to Chetumal and then to Bacalar to have a few relaxed days at a beautiful lake:

Because of some misunderstandings and misinformation from the lady selling the bus tickets we nearly missed our flight back to D.F. We arrived about an hour before. Lucky us we still made it 😅

Keep safe everyone

Hannes 

Zipolite, Mazunte & San Cristobal de las Casas

Hello everyone,

I was told that in Germany we had a great wheather this weekend so I hope everyone had a chance to go outside and enjoy it.

I spend most of the last week at the beach and doing some historic research. My dad recommended me to go to Zipolite as it was one of his favorite destinations 40 years ago when he was traveling in Mexico. So I had to go there and send some fotos how it changed:

Zipolite 40(?) Years ago

Zipolite today:





My research found out that it is a nude beach. Dad did you like it because of that? 😂

As you can see, it got a bit more touristic. Still less tourism than Mazunte. Luckily they didn’t build any of the big all-inclusive Hotels. Furthermore the vibes on the streets are relaxed/Hippie so it doesn’t feel like being at a tourist place. Definitely was worth visiting for a few relaxing days. 

On Wednesday we left over night to San Cristóbal de las Casas, my first stop en Chiapas. It is a very beautiful city especially as right now is the spring festival:

The city center is very small which is why you are able to walk everywhere ones you are in the center. We stay at the apartment of Pablo’s Cousin which is a bit outside the center. Therefore we do have a BBQ and used it yesterday to do a little party. Below a picture (on the right my two travel mates - unfortunately Pablo is going home today - see him on the 13th again).



Guido and I will go to Palenque today. 

Best wishes 

Hannes

Oaxaca & Puerto Escondido

Moin,

So after my week in Mexico City I moved on to Oaxaca and am now currently in Puerto Escondido, both of the state Oaxaca, which is besides Chiapas the poorest state in Mexico. Nevertheless there is lots to see:

Hieve El Agua 

Hieve El Agua 2

Hieve El Agua 3

Monte Alban (this is the picture you can see on the 20 pesos bill)

One of the world biggest trees: between 1.200-3.000 years old: Arbol Del Tule

From there I went with one Mexican, 1 Chilean and another German together to Puerto Escondido, a destination where Mexicans go for vacation. As it is currently the “Semana Santa”, most Mexicans have 1-2 weeks off and therefore it is very full in Puerto Escondido. Still it is a nice place to chill at the beach and tomorrow I will try the surf. 

Puerto Escondido 

Hope everyone can enjoy a nice eastern! 

🐰 Hannes