Tours, Trips and Places to Visit
I will organize a trip customized to what you want to see and do during your visit. Here are some of the top attractions in Cuba:
Places that are nearer to Havana and the most important to see:
Viñales Valley: (Pinar del Rio)
Viñales is one of the most picturesque towns of Cuba were Cuban tobacco plantations are located, where you can visit the caves and caverns (one of the biggest caverns in America, SANTO TOMAS is more than 45 km long), go horseback riding through the Valley where you can enjoy the beauty of nature and learn about the process of Cuban tobacco from the plant to the making of the cigars; aside from this you will also have the pleasure of enjoying natural fruit juices such as natural sugar cane juice called Guarapo, cocktails of your choice and have the experience of staying overnight with a Cuban family enjoying a delicious meal in a house very close to a “mogote” (rare limestone formation). Hiking is also very much enjoyed in the mogotes and the valley.
Cienfuegos:
The pearl of the South, is a very clean and peaceful town where you can enjoy a nice trip in a fisherman’s boat around the bay, swim in the very clear water, see the starfish and have a delicious meal in a fisherman’s place with fresh sea food, beside Rancho Luna beach, a small beach on the Caribbean Sea, walk around on the Boulevard up to the Marti park and discover the history of the city and how friendly the people are.
Trinidad
One of the oldest towns in Cuba founded by the Spaniard Diego Velázquez in 1514, Trinidad is a colonial town with a big history to tell from the architecture, the sugar plantations and sugar mills dating back to when Cuba was a colony of Spain. Walk in Plaza Mayor and see the museums and colourful old houses there, in the afternoons you can escape from town to the Ancon beach, 15 km away and enjoy the lovely view of the mountains and the Caribbean Sea.
Bay of Pigs:
A very nice spot were history and nature have a perfect harmony, Guama is an Indian village where you can have an idea of what Native Indians did in daily life, see a crocodile farm and on the way to Playa Giron in April, you can see the native crabs in the middle of the road. Cueva de los Peces is a perfect place for Scuba diving and snorkeling. In Playa Giron the museum speaks about the invasion of the Bay of Pigs in 1961 by the Americans; 8 km from this beach is another clear water place for snorkeling, Caleta Buena where you can see a great variety of tropical fish.
Varadero:
The Cancun of Cuba, more than 15 km of a beautiful sand beach in the Peninsula de Hicacos. Usually I drive the clients to a private place, not a tourist area. In Varadero town, tourists and locals can mix everywhere. Casas particulares are now legal in Varadero offering an alternative to the big all-inclusive hotels.
I also take people to the Eastern section of Cuba. I can organize your trip to accommodate any itinerary that best suits you.
Casas Particulares
Everywhere in Cuba you can stay in private homes and enjoy the experience of meeting and living with locals, in your own independent room with your own bathroom, hot water, air conditioner, meals and breakfast available. They are very safe and most importantly, extremely clean and the prices are very inexpensive, between 25 – 30 Cuc per room per day outside Havana. In Havana, the price is usually 30 Cuc plus 5 Cuc for breakfast but can be more than that. If you share a room with another person, the price remains the same. In every town, I know many of the owners of ‘Casas particulares’ and can make the reservations for you.
Prices
If we go out from Havana the price depends on where we go and how many days we travel. My prices, using my car, are much less than a regular taxi or a rented car. Contact me for pricing info at alain.alvarez72@yahoo.com.