TRAVELLING TO Cuba & the Caribbean Islands

Why visit? Cuba is one of the very few countries in the world that has managed to stay completely loyal to its identity. Vintage cars continue to cruise the city streets, countryside towns still use their most traditional farming practices and the Latin spirit can be felt everywhere you go.

Travellers from the US usually start their Cuba tour in Havana, the island’s capital. Once the most heavily fortified city in the Americas, Havana is a highlight for many travellers visiting Cuba, due to its interesting history and colonial charm.

From Havana, travellers can continue their tour to Trinidad, a perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement that was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 and combines everything a culture lover’s heart desires from its brightly coloured buildings, colonial-style mansions and picturesque cobblestone streets to a thriving live music scene at night.

Cuba’s finest beaches can be found around the paradise surrounding Cayo Blanco in the north of Mexico, where days can be spent swimming with dolphins, relaxing on what is known to be the crème de la crème of Caribbean beaches, or cruising the coast by seafari catamaran.

To get the most of their trip, many travellers decide to extend their Caribbean tour and discover some of the many postcard perfect surrounding Islands – favourites include Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas.

How to get there? For the Caribbean, flights are available from most major international hubs, Miami in particular is a popular gateway to most ports in the Caribbean. For travellers to Cuba, please check with authorities whether you have authorisation to travel prior to booking flights. Flights are now available to different cities throughout Cuba from the mainland USA, and travelling via Cancun or Mexico is also a popular option.

More information: Below we have shown you just a fraction of the options available for Cuba &the Caribbean and multi-country travel. Browse to get an idea of where you want to travel.

Still wondering? Contact us: You are definitely better off giving us a call or dropping us a line and letting us do the hard work for you.

#Livefortoday and book your Cuba & the Caribbean tour with us today. Chimu Adventures can put together an itinerary to suit you.

Why visit? Cuba is one of the very few countries in the world that has managed to stay completely loyal to its identity. Vintage cars continue to cruise the city streets, countryside towns still use their most traditional farming practices and the Latin spirit can be felt everywhere you go.

Travellers from the US usually start their Cuba tour in Havana, the island’s capital. Once the most heavily fortified city in the Americas, Havana is a highlight for many travellers visiting Cuba, due to its interesting history and colonial charm.

From Havana, travellers can continue their tour to Trinidad, a perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement that was declared UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988 and combines everything a culture lover’s heart desires from its brightly coloured buildings, colonial-style mansions and picturesque cobblestone streets to a thriving live music scene at night.

Cuba’s finest beaches can be found around the paradise surrounding Cayo Blanco in the north of Mexico, where days can be spent swimming with dolphins, relaxing on what is known to be the crème de la crème of Caribbean beaches, or cruising the coast by seafari catamaran.

To get the most of their trip, many travellers decide to extend their Caribbean tour and discover some of the many postcard perfect surrounding Islands – favourites include Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas.

How to get there? For the Caribbean, flights are available from most major international hubs, Miami in particular is a popular gateway to most ports in the Caribbean. For travellers to Cuba, please check with authorities whether you have authorisation to travel prior to booking flights. Flights are now available to different cities throughout Cuba from the mainland USA, and travelling via Cancun or Mexico is also a popular option.

More information: Below we have shown you just a fraction of the options available for Cuba &the Caribbean and multi-country travel. Browse to get an idea of where you want to travel.

Still wondering? Contact us: You are definitely better off giving us a call or dropping us a line and letting us do the hard work for you.

#Livefortoday and book your Cuba & the Caribbean tour with us today. Chimu Adventures can put together an itinerary to suit you.

WHY TRAVEL WITH CHIMU ADVENTURES

We offer you flexible travel options in Latin America at an affordable price.
You can choose from over 400 suggested itineraries or pick and choose elements to build your own unique experience; cover the areas you want to explore at a pace to suit you.
We know each Latin American country by heart and will work with you to determine which activities and accommodations are best suited to your needs.
From your initial enquiry until your trip ends, you will be assigned a personal Destination Specialist who will offer a full service for your travel needs: we can book flights, insurance and any ancillary travel required to complete your journey.
We have offices across South America so you can be assured that ground staff are close at hand to assist whilst you are travelling.

FEATURED Cuba & the Caribbean Islands TRIPS & DEALS

9 Days

Essential Cuba

Cuba

Whispers of change have surrounded Cuba for the past few years, elevating i...

USD 2,125

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14 Days

Cuba Highlights, 14 Days

Cuba

A two week itinerary is a great amount of time to become acquainted with th...

USD 4,030

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11 Days

Mexico & Havana Experience

Mexico, Cuba

Explore Mayan ruins set in dense rainforests & the Spanish colonial arc...

USD 2,270

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Cuba & the Caribbean Islands TOURS

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BLOGS ON Cuba & the Caribbean Islands

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Cuba & the Caribbean Islands REVIEWS

All Chimu Adventures' clients are given the opportunity to review their trip once they return home. These reviews are administered by a third party and as such are unfiltered by Chimu Adventures.

Cuba & the Caribbean Islands

Rated 5 out of 5 by ciantar65 from Super Amazing Trip The tour was A class organized from the time we arrived to the end. we always found our tour guy waiting to greet us in all places we were going.

Date published: 2020-01-26

Rated 5 out of 5 by Angie from Great Tour This was the first bus tour that we have done in over 40 years. We loved Cuba and were very pleased to be on tour. Sharell and Ray were wonderful. Great knowledge and very accommodating.

Date published: 2018-07-23

Rated 5 out of 5 by bobl from Tough roads but great fun Cycling was tough in the heat and the roads but staff were great as was accommodation organization and meals. An excellent trip fun exercise great food and a knowledgeable and helpful CEO.

Date published: 2018-07-11

Rated 5 out of 5 by Dran from Patagonia - Chile and Argentina An exceptionally planned holiday made so memorable by our local Sunshine Coast Chimu Agent, her passion and South American knowledge ensured our group of 6 experienced a holiday of a life time. We were all totally impressed with the smooth running of everything... flights, transfers, accommodation, guides,excursions ... Chimu has established excellent local people in South America who provide so much more support than ever experienced before by our group. For example, the contact at Ushuaia went on line to get our boarding passes for our ongoing flight.Most of our local contacts ensured we were supported at the airport,they all enhanced our holiday with the warmth of their welcome, their pride in their country ,and the fun way they shared their story with us. We were contacted at every destination by the local Chimu Agent to ensure all was organized for us. Thank you so much . The experiences, the scenery, the people we met, the food, the wine ..... everything .........will live on in us forever.

Date published: 2018-04-20

Cuba Reviews - page 2

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1 . What money do they use in Cuba and the Caribbean?

There are a number of currencies in use in the Caribbean, the most widespread being the East Caribbean Dollar, the US dollar and the Euro.

Here are a few examples of units of currency:

Bahamas - Bahamian Dollar (BSD)
Barbados - Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
Dominican Republic - Dominican Peso
Haiti - Haitian Gourde
Jamaica - Jamaican Dollar
Puerto Rico - US Dollar (USD)
Cuba - Cuban Peso (CUP)

Please check websites such as www.oanda.com or www.xe.com for up to date exchange rates prior to your departure.

The Cuban Peso (CUP) is one of two official currencies used in Cuba. The CUP does not have any value outside of Cuba and is used almost exclusively within the country. For many years, the United States dollar (USD) has been used by tourists. However, use of the USD is now being replaced by the CUC, or the Cuban Convertible Peso. Thus, Cuba has two parallel currencies - the CUP and CUC. Generally tourists are required to only use CUC.

2 . What language do they speak in Cuba and the Caribbean?

Spanish, English and French are the 3 main languages of the Caribbean. Spanish is the official language of Cuba and most Cubans speak it, although the Spanish spoken in Cuba is known as Cuban Spanish, a form of Caribbean Spanish. Haitian Creole is the second largest language in Cuba, spoken by Haitian immigrants and their descendants. Lucumi, a dialect of the West African language can also be heard.

3 . What wildlife will I see in Cuba and the Caribbean?

The wildlife that you may encounter on your Caribbean travels is diverse due the varied terrains and extensive coral reefs with many endemic species. Cuba’s coral reef, Jardines de la Reina (Queen’s Garden) is often referred to as the “Galapagos of the Caribbean” due to its huge biodiversity.

4 . When is the best time to travel to Cuba and the Caribbean?

December to April is considered to be the best time to travel to Cuba and the Caribbean as it tends to be drier, cooler and less humid at this time of year.

5 . Is it safe to travel to Cuba and the Caribbean?

Read all about how safe it is to travel to Cuba here:

http://www.chimuadventures.com/blog/2016/04/cuba-safe-to-travel/

6 . Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba and the Caribbean?

Virtually all visitors need a Cuban visa or tourist card, which allows a stay of 30 days (90 days for Canadian citizens). Visas are required by citizens of Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, EU countries and USA. Tourist Visa Cards (tarjeta de turista) cost US$25 and are valid for stays of up to 30 days (90 days for Canadian citizens). Visas must be used within 180 days of the date of issue. Extensions of 30 days are available in Cuba. Visitors need a return ticket and proof that they have booked a hotel room for at least three nights. You are not permitted entry to Cuba without an onward ticket.

7 . How much should I budget for daily in Cuba and the Caribbean?

Our Cuba tours and Caribbean tours include breakfast daily and many other meals may also be included in your itinerary. As a rough guide for additional spending money based on having moderately-priced lunches and dinners and buying a few souvenirs at local markets, we suggest a budget of 30-40 USD per day per person in Cuba.

8 . Do I need to get vaccinations for Cuba and the Caribbean?

Although no specific vaccinations are required for Caribbean travel and no proof of any vaccination is required to enter Cuba and the Caribbean, we recommend that you visit your doctor or a traveller’s medical centre for current information specific to those places that you will be travelling through.

As a general guide we recommend the following:

Hepatitis - Both A and B (twinrix)
Tetanus
Typhoid
Diphtheria
Cholera
Rabies
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

9 . What kind of power adaptor plug do I need in Cuba and the Caribbean?

In Cuba the standard voltage is 110/220V and standard frequency is 60Hz. Power sockets are of types A, B and C.

In Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic the standard voltage is 110V and standard frequency 60/50/60Hz respectively. Power sockets are of types A and B (Haiti and Jamaica).

In the Bahamas the standard voltage is 120V and standard frequency is 60Hz. Power sockets are of types A and B.

Please visit the below link for more information: http://electricaloutlet.org/