off the beaten track ■ cuba
off the beaten track ■ cuba
Viva the new
revolution Cuba is embracing the post-Fidel era with investment in the tourist sector continuing apace, yet it remains largely steadfast to its revolutionary principles. Martin Ferguson finds out why this unique land of paradoxes continues to entice
cuba tips ● Native Cubans use the Cuban peso, but tourists must use the convertible peso (CUC or CUC$) which is valued against the dollar. Do not try and exchange money outside of your hotel or the airport. Dollars are sometimes accepted, but it is not considered official currency. ● Cuba has extremely low crime levels. Police constantly monitor locals in tourist areas. However, there are a number of beggars, especially in Havana. Keep valuables in your hotel room safe. ● Toiletries and many medicines are in short supply, so you are advised to take adequate supplies. ● There are many quality arts and crafts markets across the country, but beware of buying rum and cigars from anywhere other than official vendors, as you may be getting dangerously-poor products.
pushed open the heavy, wooden door and immediately recognised the cracked marble staircase, the crumbling ornate pillars, and the fading homage to Fidel painted on the wall. In 1994, this tenement building in central Havana was turned into a film set for Tomás Gutiérrez
I
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Alea’s internationally-acclaimed, Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate), a picture I studied almost a decade later at university. Three flights up a dark staircase hides La Guarida – the den or hideaway – where much of the movie was filmed. It was home to a gay man called Diego, one of the main characters. His apartment was an Aladdin’s Cave of illicit art, literature and trinkets, all prohibited by the regime. The film was so successful that tourists arrived in
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their droves searching for this clandestine paradise. The real owner, Enrique Nuñez del Valle, saw an opportunity. Using the original props as decor, he opened a paladar – a dining experience unique to Cuba, where families open private restaurants in their own front rooms – named after the movie (www.laguarida.com). I’d spent so much time analysing the iconography and symbolism of La Guarida, it was truly surreal to be sitting in the very same apartment gorging on the best food Cuba had to offer. But then again, walking through the streets of Havana you could be forgiven for thinking you were on the world’s largest film set. That said, the notion that Cuba is locked in a time warp is becoming somewhat outdated. Since El Comandante, Fidel Castro, transferred power to his brother Raul in 2006, there has been modest socio-economic progress. Cubans, for example, can now own computers and mobile phones. Access is restricted, but there has been enough online liberty to fuel a cultural upheaval. Cubans can now also stay in hotels that were once the private enclaves of foreign guests.
old cadillacs But thankfully for tourists, there are more than enough superficial oddities. One can still marvel at the clapped-out Pontiacs, Buicks, Fords and Cadillacs that chug their way noisily through the pot-hole ridden streets (you
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can usually book a classic car journey at your hotel reception). It’s a similar story in relation to housing. While much is invested in constructing and restoring hotels, most of the grandiose baroque and neo-colonial buildings are dilapidated and, often, literally falling down. I was treated to a fairly standard itinerary during a recent visit: Revolution Square, the Havana Club rum museum, La Habana Vieja (Old Havana) and Ernest Hemingway’s favourite watering hole, El Floridita. These should be on every visitor’s “to do” list. You don’t have to look too hard, however, to find something off the beaten track. For starters, forego the lure of the luxury hotels, and bunk up with a Cuban family for a few days. The casa particular is a similar concept to that of the paladar. It provides the tourist with an authentic Cuban experience, and allows some natives to live above the breadline. Expect to pay between £5 and £80 per night. Cigar smoking is as synonymous with Cuban culture as salsa, and tobacco plantations and factories are littered across the country. But the guided tour at the Partagas factory in central Havana should not be missed, unless you suffer from a respiratory illness. You’ll need to clear your lungs with a blast of fresh air, so walk directly to
“Walking through the streets of Havana you could be forgiven for thinking you were on the world’s largest film set” ■ Catedral de la Habana in Havana old town Cuba Tourist Board
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off the beaten track ■ cuba
Cubans walk as if they are dancing. Around every corner you’ll see musicians in the street and hear the pulsating beat of salsa or son coming from every window. Unsurprisingly, the capital is awash with quality music and dance venues: ● La Zorra y el Cuervo: On La Rampa, close to the Havana Libre hotel, it is considered one of the best jazz nightclubs in Havana. The entrance is a red British telephone box. Doors open at 9pm, music is played from 1130pm until 3am. The pay-at-the-door cover charge is usually 10 CUC. ● Casa de la Musica de Centro Habana: On Galiano Street, it is one of the largest dance venues in the city. There is usually a live afternoon show from 4pm till 11pm before it becomes an all-night disco after 1am. The cover charge depends on the quality of the act, but is generally 5-10 CUC. ● La Madriguera: On the corner of Salvador Allende and Luaces, the home to the Cuban union of writers and artists is a hotbed of musical and artistic innovation. Entry costs 5 CUC. Opening times are 9am-7pm daily except Thursday, when it is open until midnight.
■ Havana is awash with music and dance venues
up for in history, culture and lively nightlife. It was also the site of one of the most significant moments in Cuban history – the battle of Santa Clara. In late 1958, Che Guevara and his guerilla army used a bulldozer to derail a train carrying supplies and reinforcements for Batista’s army. They went on to capture the city, and less than 12 hours later Batista fled the country. A short walk from the main square is the site where the attack took place, and the bulldozer and fallen train carriages remain preserved in the same spot. A mile out of town is the Che Guevara museum and mausoleum. A two-hour drive south is the colonial outpost, Trinidad de Cuba. Its museums and beaches are a huge draw for tourists. In 1988, UNESCO made this architectural jewel a World Heritage Site. The highlight for most is a visit to the Manaca-Iznaga tower, which commands stunning views over the coastline and the Valley of the Mills.
the Malecón, the concrete promenade that stretches some eight miles along the sea front. In the morning, you’ll see no more than a few amateur fishermen with homemade rods, but from late afternoon it becomes a hive of activity and a haven for people watching.
world heritage site To escape the humid bustle of Havana, go to the central station and catch the Hershey train – built in 1917 by the famous American chocolate manufacturer to transport workers from the capital to Matanzas. Then switch lines and move on to Santa Clara, 270km east of the capital. What this city lacks in architectural beauty it makes ■ The colonial outpost of Trinidad de Cuba
resorts
Cuba Tourist Board
■ Rum and pineapple
Cuba Tourist Board
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Cuba’s modern resorts tend to receive most government investment. The Cayos, especially Cayo Coco, are ideal for those looking for heat, good food and some peace and quiet. My father-in-law visits once a year, and insists it’s the best part of the island. Further west along the northern coast is Varadero, the largest and busiest of the resorts. It’s big, bustling, and not to everyone’s taste. But it is best placed for those
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Cuba Tourist Board
music in havana
off the beaten track ■ cuba
■ Varadero is Cuba’s biggest resort
cuba facts Cuba enjoys 330 days of sunshine a year. The rainy season – which often brings violent storms and occasionally hurricanes – runs from May to October. The dry season, therefore, is from November to April.
■ Busy Havana Captivating Cuba
when to go
wanting to combine beach-time with day trips to the cities and countryside. Pinar del Rio, on the west side of the island, is only a few hours drive away. Known as the garden of Cuba, it boasts some of the island’s most impressive landscapes and wildlife, including the country’s red, white and blue national bird, the Tocororo. And, like much of rural and coastal Cuba, there are scores of outdoor activities in which to indulge, including trekking, snorkelling and scuba diving. Just to the north lies the Viñales Valley and its impressive El Indio limestone caves. Rumours that the US’s softening stance on Cuba will soon lead to an invasion of tourists seem somewhat premature. As recently as July, President Obama was under Congressional pressure to uphold existing laws. However, the paralysing ■ Cigar factories embargo is sure to are on the tourist circuit come to an end sooner rather than later, opening Cuba up to American tourists. I recommend you get there before it does.
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■ Book a classic car at your hotel
getting around Hire cars are available at airports. Drivers must be at least 21. Public transport is safe, but often extremely busy and unreliable. Taxis are a cheap and safe way to get around.
accommodation The pick of Havana’s hotels include the imposing, twin-towered Hotel Nacional (www.hotelnacionaldecuba.com) and the Hotel Saratoga (www.hotel-saratoga.com). While Hotel Playa Pesquero (www.hotelplayapesquerocuba.com) is the stand-out resort in Holguin, the Blau Hotel (www.blauhotels.com) in Varadero and Tryp Cayo Coco should also be considered. For casas particulars, visit The Casa Particular organisation (www.casaparticularcuba.org).
Cuba Tourist Board
Specialists include Captivating Cuba (www.captivatingcuba.com), Cuba Direct (www.cubadirect.co.uk), Havanatur (www.havanatur.com), Headwater (www.headwater.com) and Journey Latin America (www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk). ■ Havana’s Mainstream operators include Thomas Cook Revolution Square (www.thomascook.com), Thomson Holidays (www.thomson.co.uk) and Virgin Holidays ■ Horse riding (www.virginholidays.com). at Viñales
Cuba Tourist Board
tour operators
Manuel Riveiro
At only 31, journalist Martin Ferguson has already experienced some of the world’s most fascinating destinations. But he regularly tells family and friends that Havana is the one city they must see before they die.
There are scheduled flights from London Gatwick to Holguin and Havana with Cubana Airlines (www.cubana.cu) and Virgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com). Air Europa (www.aireuropa.com) flies from Gatwick to Havana via Madrid. Charter flights with Thomas Cook Airlines (www.thomascookairlines.com) and Thomson Airways (www.thomsonfly.com) go to Varadero, Cayo Coco, Santa Clara and Holguin.
Headwater Holidays
Cuba Tourist Board
getting there
tourist information Cuba Tourist Board: www.travel2Cuba.co.uk
■ Background picture: Cayo Coco Cuba Tourist Board
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