10 Days in Cuba

What You Should Know Before Going On A Cuba Tour

Cuba tours are increasing in popularity these days, especially as the restrictions on American travelers have been relaxed. It is important to note that US citizens must still visit Cuba on a tour, but it is a lot easier than it used to be.

Cuba Photo Tours

Going on a photography tour in Cuba could mean a couple of things. It could simply mean that there are is time to take photos woven into the trip itinerary, or could go so far as mean that your trip is guided by a Pulitzer prize winning photojournalist, and you will be having photography workshops over the course of your trip.

Either way, a Cuba photography tour is sure to stop at all the most picturesque spots in Cuba. Expect to be taken through the colorful roads of Havana for a chance to do some street photography and find potential subjects, as well to the pristine shorelines to do some landscape photography as well.

How to Get a Cuban Tourist Card

A Cuban Tourist Card is different from a Cuban Visa, and travelers from any foreign country need them to enter Cuba. If you from a country that is not in North or South America, or Europe, you will also need a Cuban Visa.

If you are from the US, the only thing you have to do to a tourist card is pay a monetary fee. The card always costs $50, but some airlines may charge an additional processing fee. This is the first step in registering for a cuba tour package.

What to Expect From a Small Group Tour in Cuba

Tours in Cuba focus on highlighting the country’s history, food, and culture. Cuba’s infrastructure is still fragile - and somewhat rudimentary when it comes to tourism. For this reason visiting on a tour is the best way to ensure reputable and comfortable accommodation, and avoid scams, which are common.

Almost all Cuba tours visit Old Havana, a fascinating glimpse into Cuba’s past. Cuba tours for US citizens commonly visit schools, coffee plantations, meet local artists and musicians to fulfill the “Educational Activities” requirement allowing US citizens to travel more freeling to Cuba.

You could also stay with a local family on your Cuba tour, which is a great way to learn about Cuban culture, and especially the food!

Cuba Wildlife Tours, Birding, and Diving

Although Cuba is well known as an incredible cultural and food destination, it is subtropical island in splitting the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. As a result, Cuba has a wide variety of wildlife on land, and in the water.

For this reason, there are many famed bird spotting tours that wind their way through Cuba. With its variety of habitats (Cuba ranges from mountain ranges, to scrubland, to coastal mangroves, to extensive wetlands, to rainforest), there are dozens of unique, endemic bird species. 

These are mainly located on the Western half of the island, but a trip out to this part of the island will be highly rewarding. Bird watching in Cuba might result in your chance to see the bee hummingbird (the smallest bird in the world), the incredibly rare Fernandina’s Flicker, the Cuban Parakeet and Parrot, and the island’s national bird, the Cuban Trogon

The best scuba diving in Cuba is done between the Atlantic to the north of the island, and the Caribbean to the south. In particular, the marine park and archipelago Jardines de la Reina is worth visiting. Shark lovers will be pleased, while this park may not be known for its coral, it is noted to have very large fish and is virtually undisturbed, as it is a harder-to-reach dive spot. Regardless of where you are, though, snorkeling or diving in Cuba’s warm waters is a treat!

What to Wear & Cuban Weather

Cuba benefits from a year-round tropical climate. In the winter, it may get a little chilly at night, so pack a sweater. In the summer, temperatures are only moderately higher, although this is Cuba’s off season, and there is less tourism.

Overall, a vacation to Cuba is one of the easiest to pack for. Bring a bathing suit, some athletic shoes if you plan on doing anything active, and a pair of sunglasses. You can even forget your rain jacket, Cuba experiences the lowest number of hurricanes and tropical storms of the entire Caribbean.

Is Cuba Safe?

Travelers in Cuba still have trouble with pickpockets and scams, especially when it comes to exchanging money, which is notoriously complicated in Cuba. This is a good reason to visit Cuba on tour. Besides the safety of having other travel companions and a knowledgeable tour guide, they can help you avoid common scams.

Driving in Cuba is an adventure in itself, and travelers are advised to pay very close attention on the roads. Be prepared for very uneven surfaces and little to no light. Because of this, rail lines, animals, and pedestrians can, and do, come out of nowhere. And if you are in an accident, you will be heavily fined, regardless of who is at fault. This is yet another reason it’s better to have someone else drive you, get a Cuba package deal, and go on a tour!

Cuba’s History: Why is there a US-Cuba Conflict?

The reason for all of the increasing travel to Cuba is that the US and Cuba restored relations in 2015 after a 54 year hiatus.

This hiatus was a result of tensions generated before, and during the Cold War. In 1989, the US acquired Cuba as a territory after winning the Spanish American War. The Cubans then revolted in 1959, led by Fidel Castro, and the U.S. recognized this new government, although it was uncertain about Castro’s communist tendencies.

Tensions became more severe when Castro seized all U.S. private land. From this moment forward, the United States began to pass economic and diplomatic sanctions to isolate Cuba. In 2014, all of this changed when President Obama and Raul Castro (Fidel’s younger brother and successor) announced they would fully restore diplomatic ties.