r/travel • u/AutoModerator • Aug 31 '17
Advice r/travel City Destination of the Week: Havana
Weekly topic thread, this week featuring the city of Havana. Please contribute all and any questions / thoughts / suggestions / ideas / stories about this travel destination.
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Unhelpful: Read my blog here!!!
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4
u/ThundaFukka Canada Aug 31 '17
If you're into music and don't know where to start, La Zora y El Cuervo is seriously worth it. Went on a random night and it was mind blowing. Makes a good night out since it is in a nightlife district as well.
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u/Kananaskis_Country Sep 04 '17
This can be kinda difficult for first timers or even people who've visited Cuba a lot but aren't into the music scene beyond the "usual" venues to comprehend, but some of the absolute best music in Havana is (almost) unannounced and held in all sorts of different venues. Some of these off-the-beaten-path gigs are absolutely the best bands and artists playing anywhere on the island.
You find out about these events via word-of-mouth and hanging around people in the know so it's difficult so give you specifics, but one place with a finger on the pulse is Cuba Libro, a great bookstore and coffee shop in Vedado. Bring a few decent books to donate. Spend some money and support the joint then feel free to ask around. Conner (the owner) and her crew are very well connected to the Havana scene.
Here's a decent resource too. Their Havana guide is updated monthly.
As for the usual spots for jazz, here's a few of the better known bars to hang out....
1.) La Zorra y el Cuervo: Calle 23, between N & O. You can't miss the entrance, it's a red UK telephone booth. Dark and cramped. There is some very serious talent here on a regular basis. Several years ago I was blessed to be present when a very unassuming Wynton Marsalis quietly stepped unannounced onto the stage for a set. Mind blowing.
2.) The Jazz Cafe: Top floor of the shopping centre opposite the Melia Cohiba hotel. It's everything the La Zorra y el Cuervo isn't... big, open, lots of windows and freezing air conditioning. Decent food, reasonable drinks, it's a very comfortable place. I've seen the roof get blown off many times, the bands can be excellent.
3.) Cafe Jazz Miramar: Next to Cine Teatro Miramar on Calle 5ta in Miramar. Totally modern and one of the few non smoking establishments. It's fairly new, only been open a few years, but the times I've been there the jams have been outstanding. The stage is in the middle of the room which is cool. The patrons are not always the best as is common in that neighbourhood. (And by that I mean richer snobs who won't shut the hell up.)
Have fun.
3
u/leontrotskitty Australia Sep 01 '17
How is Havana for solo backpackers? I don't mind doing things on my own but I've noticed recently that a lot of why I like I had a good time somewhere is based on my hostel experience/the people I met - I guess I just want to know how big or small or social the backpacker scene there is and if there's a lot of solo travellers
1
Sep 02 '17
tons of young foreigners all over the place downtown, even if your hostel/accomedation itself doesn't have young people, you'll have no trouble meeting people
2
u/lodged_in_thepipe United Kingdom Sep 01 '17
I was in Cuba a couple of years ago and Havana made it to the top of my favourite cities list. Really pretty, great atmosphere and amazing cheap rum everywhere.
2
u/Kananaskis_Country Sep 04 '17
Don't be so fast to jump onto the "exchange into a third currency" bandwagon, especially since you're going for such a short visit with not much dough.
The best way to convert US Dollars into Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC) can appear confusing at first, but it's really just simple Grade 5 arithmetic. Here's the deal...
1.) US Dollar value: This NEVER changes. $1 USD = 1 CUC minus the 10% surcharge and minus the buy/sell commission that is charged at any financial institution anywhere. In Cuba it's about 3%.
Bottom line: $100 USD = 87 CUC. Period. This does not vary.
2.) Exchange Rates: All the usual internet currency exchange sites (like coinmill.com, xe.com, oanda.com, x-rates.com, etc.) are useless for real budgeting because they only give mid-market rates, ignoring the buy/sell costs that you'll be charged at the Bank or Cadeca in Cuba.
3.) So, the ONLY calculation you have to do in order to decide whether it's worthwhile exchanging your US Dollars into a foreign currency like Canadian Dollars, Euros, Mexican Pesos, etc. is to call up your bank or exchange house and ask them how many CAD, EUR, MXN, etc. you can buy with $100 USD, then using the link at #2 see how many CUCs that will put in your pocket.
If you can get a great exchange rate on the foreign currency then perhaps it makes sense to face the hassle of the double conversion.... If exchanging to the foreign currency only gives you back a slight advantage over the written-in-stone 87 CUC then obviously it's not worth the trouble....
It's that simple.
Have a gas in Cuba.
(PS The absolute best exchange rate can be found on the street, but that option should (obviously) only be considered by experienced travellers so that's another discussion...)
1
u/aresef United States - 5 countries visited Sep 01 '17
I wanted to go buuuuut now I can't unless I come up with a real good reason to be there.
1
Sep 02 '17
just fly through Canada or Mexico Bruh,
nobody will hassle you and you can ask them not to stamp your passport or a separate piece of paper if you really want.
1
u/Kananaskis_Country Sep 04 '17
you can ask them not to stamp your passport or a separate piece of paper if you really want.
That is incorrect. All passports have been stamped since late May, 2014. You can request your passport not be stamped, but the Aduana officer is under no obligation to comply.
1
1
u/myhouseisabanana Sep 06 '17
Went to Cuba in January 2015. Was not stamped.
1
u/Kananaskis_Country Sep 06 '17
Are you sure? It's a small bank stamp, it's easy to miss.
Also, it's Cuba so nothing is written in stone. They could have been out of ink that day, who knows.
Aduana policy is to stamp ALL passports though, starting in May, 2014.
1
u/myhouseisabanana Sep 07 '17
Pretty sure. They stamped my friend's but not mine. Not that it matters. I straight up told US customs I went there. They kinda shrugged and said welcome back home.
0
Sep 04 '17
ive met tons of americans who've been able to get away with it plus its been like over a decade since any american has gotten in trouble for cuba travel as a tourist
1
u/Kananaskis_Country Sep 04 '17
ive met tons of americans who've been able to get away with it plus its been like over a decade since any american has gotten in trouble for cuba travel as a tourist
That has nothing whatsoever to do with my simple correction of your inaccurate statement about passports not being stamped.
They are stamped. That was my only point.
-1
Sep 05 '17
dunno, most people are able to get away without stamping.. You're the boss of cuba though, so i hope people listen to you instead
1
u/wwdit Sep 04 '17
I second the above post on Fabrica de Arte for a good night out!
For tips on what to do during the day time, my recommendation is to stroll down Bishop Street (Calle Obispo). It is a narrow street full of restaurants and live salsa bars and places to shop. Floridita restaurant (said to be Ernest Hemingway's favourite bar and the "cradle of the daiquiri") is at the top of this street.
A fun bar to hang out in for lunch, good vibes and salsa music is La Reliquia. This was a local recommendation and we had so much fun learning salsa there. We had a a great time exploring old Havana so I made a travel guide setting out our favourite things to do in La Habana Vieja in one day.
A unique place to have dinner is La Guarida. It is a famous restaurant set in a gorgeous old mansion. The rooftop bar had live salsa the night we went and although we didn't go during the day, I understand that the view of old Havana is spectacular during the day!
1
u/PorkyAttorney Sep 06 '17
I'm looking to go to Cuba this Fall. I'd fly out of another country, but I have a Southwest Airlines buddy pass and I'd like to go to Cuba if I can. Does anyone know how strict the requirements for travel permission are? Could I just say I'm going on business or another reason and be ok? If allowed, does anyone know how long it takes to get a visa?
12
u/PHDinSPORTS United States Aug 31 '17 edited Sep 01 '17
Spent some time there in April. One of the most uniquely beautiful cities I’ve been to. Some recommendations: Check out Fabrica de Arte on a Saturday night. Its a big old warehouse renovated into a contemporary art gallery / concert venue / bar. Go early though because the lines get extremely long. Also beware that they pour their drinks STRONG. Nearly blacked out there. El Dandy for a place to grab breakfast (Cuban coffee and their bacon were really good) or an afternoon snack (pork tacos) and drink. It’s a prime people watching spot as well as it’s located in Parque Cristo. Right near there is a restaurant called El Chanchullero that I also highly recommend for a dinner spot. Another fun bar we went to was Submarino Amarillo in the Vedado neighborhood. It's a Beatles themed bar and a local hangout. They were playing old rock music videos and mainstream music like Bruno Mars on a projector with everyone singing along, drinking, dancing. It was a ridiculously fun night and I believe they have cover bands that perform there too on certain nights.
I made a short video of my trip that shows all these places if you’re interested.
Most of the highlights of my trip though were just walking around the different neighborhoods (Central Havana was my favorite, followed by Vedado, then Habana Vieja or Old Havana) taking in the atmosphere, crumbling but beautiful architecture, old cars, sounds and interacting with the locals. My girlfriend and I grabbed beers, peso pizza (the best street food in Havana imo) and were invited to watch Real Madrid-Barcelona on a small tv with a ton of local fans. Never felt unsafe the entire trip and the local people were very friendly and social (no one is glued to their cellphone there). Also take a cab and spend an afternoon at Santa Maria beach one day (30 min outside of Havana). Overall, It’s a fascinating and inviting city if you avoid the tourist traps.