Cuba Vacations
Cuba Vacations: Why And How You Will Absolutely Love Them
Cuba: General Information
Cuba is known as ‘The Sugar Bowl of the World’ by virtue of it being the world’s largest producer of sugar. It is one of the longest run Communist countries of the world, headed by General Raul Castro, the younger brother of the legendary Gen. Fidel Castro.
Cuba is geographically located at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico in the Caribbean Sea. It is a 766 mile long island. The Cuban archipelago comprises of the Cuba Island, the Youth Island and around 4200 small islands known as ‘islets’. There are many coral formations and beaches.
Cuba has a sub-tropical climate, caused by the warm water being cooled by the Trade Winds. The day temperature varies between 24 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.
On average Cuba has 330 sunny days a year.
With a population of 11.2 million, the Cuban island Nation is a tourist’s haven. Cuba is the principal island, which is surrounded by five main groups of islands. These are the Colorados, the Sabana-Camagüey, the Jardines de la Reina and the Canarreos. The main island of Cuba constitutes most of the Nation's land area or 105,006 sq. km and is the seventeenth-largest island in the world measured by land area
It is the world’s 105th largest country. A island country with a large number of beaches for you to laze around - with its scenic beauty, it's a place to relax and enjoy nature.
You will enjoy pristine white powdery sand beaches in many areas of Cuba.
Major language spoken in Cuba is Spanish.
The Weather And When To Plan Cuba Vacations
Cuba, in addition to its sugar, coffee and the world famous Havana Cigars, is an island nation which has festivals round the year. Cuba weather is hot and sunny all year round. In fact, Cuba gets gusty and strong cool Trade Winds and hence the day temperature varies from 24 degrees Celsius to 29 degrees Celsius. Usually the Carribean countries have low and high seasons, but Cuba is the only exception in the Carribean area. In Cuba, any time of the year is perfect for tourist on Cuba Vacations.
The Rainy season in Cuba is from May to October while the Dry season is from November to April. During the dry season the temperature varies between 24 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius. However, there is possibility of Hurricanes during June to October with September being the most Hurricane prone month. During the dry season there is a possibility of chill during the day when cold winds blow in from the US east coast.
The average annual temperature is about 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 25 degrees Celsius. During summer it is very hot and the average high temperature may go upto 81 degrees Fahrenheit or 27.2 degrees Celsius and with a relative humidity average of around 80percent.
This may be a bit uncomfortable outdoors at a stretch if you are not used to it. Around 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees Celsius is the average temperature in winter. During August, September and October there are regular hurricanes and hence a bit difficult for tourists. However, these hurricanes do not cause any harm to life and property and are not dangerous. May to October the rainy season and the dry season is from November to April. The best time to take a family vacation is the dry season and this is also the high season. April and May are also reasonably comfortable to visit this island.
In the lean season, as expected, the rates of hotels, flights and entries to Tourist attraction places are cheaper. So it is up to you to compare the overall expenditure and the associated inconveniences, if any, to decide your Vacation Cuba plan depending upon the analysis made by you. There are many who prefer a low Budget vacation.
Walking is uncomfortable in summer but most offices, hotels, restaurants and cinema halls are air-conditioned. It is strongly recommended, particularly if you are travelling from May to October, that if you are going to stay in a particular place you should be sure that the place has an air conditioner.
What To Ckeck Out On Cuba Vacations
Cuban beaches are a magical and great attraction for visitors. There are around 200 beaches almost in a line as if one sees an uninterrupted length of white sandy beach. This long strip of fine white sand is an ideal vacation spot for sun lovers. The sun and beach option is a very fine combination in Cuba’s leisure industry, a key element in the largest Antillean island’s offer for tourism which is catered to by a large number of vacationers.
Among these beaches the world-famous Varadero, in the western Cuban province of Matanzas, is the best beach .This beach has been consistently rated as the most beautiful beach in the world
Varadero Beach is a beautiful sunny place. Varadero combines Natural beauty with adventure; It's the longest sandy beach in Cuba, and stretches far out into the calm azure blue waters of the Atlantic.
There are several other important beaches. Santa Lucia, in the central-eastern province of Camaguey and Coco Beach in Santa Lucia, Cuba, are two of the popular beaches. Coco Beach is about 25 minutes from the resort area. The beach is nice and there are many good relatively inexpensive restaurants near it which serve authentic and tasty food and snacks.
Maria Aguilar in the Ancon peninsula, in the city of Trinidad, is another popular destination in addition to its beautiful natural surroundings and colonial appearance. Trinidad is located by the sea, and has two excellent beaches: Ancon and Maria Aguilar. Ancon Beach is just a little over 7 miles from the city. It is two and a half miles long, and has both white sand and green-blue water. Its sea-bed is ideal for scuba diving.
One of the excellent beaches in Cuba is Ancho Luna. It is located 14 Km from Cienfuegon City. Ensenda de Barreras and Las Playitas are two places suitable for diving and seeing Corals. Among the Coral formations is Notre Dame which is the highest coral formation in the Americas with a height of 5 meters.
Faro Luna and Guajimicoy are places which have structured diving courses for beginners.
Playa Bibijagua is located 6 km from Nueva Gerona and is known for its captivating black sand. It is located in Isla De La Juventud.
Playa El Frances, Playa Larga, Playa Paraiso, Playa Blanca beaches are beautiful beaches of Isla de la Juventud.
Guardalavaca in the Cuban north-western part, the province of Holguin; and other exotic locales such as Las Tumbas, in the western part, very near of the Lighthouse of the Cabo de San Antonio are other places worth visiting.
Other Activities To Enjoy During Cuba Vacations
There are a number of activities that you can enjoy while in Cuba. You can rest and relax by lounging on the beach or go for a refreshing dip in the water. There is also some excellent shopping to be done on Cuba Vacations for all the shopaholics. When the sun sets, the fun gets going as there are a number of cultural and musical performances that are free and you should catch some live music while you are there. The town really comes to life in the evening with all the music and festivities.
Bellamar Cave is one of the most iconic sites in Cuba. Filled with crystalline structures, currants of water and rivers that run underground, it is truly a very attractive place to visit.
The best place in Cuba for wall diving is Guardalavaca . It's not the liveliest place in the world if you're after a wild time, but if you like old- fashioned it is great.
The 3 best dive sites for you during Cuba Vacations, if are interested in Scuba diving are -. Canales 2 - This is a long swim and follows the top of a wall at 30m above a sandy bottom at 50, it rounds off to a point at 35m and on the other side drops away abruptly and steeply. The clear water and colorful marine life at Cargo Largo and Cayo Coco make them excellent diving spots.
There are also several options for fishing enthusiasts, whether its fly fishing, deep sea fishing or good old fashioned fishing with a rod.
Besides hotels on Cuba Vacations, there are private houses, which, under licence, can rent rooms or apartments.
Some Practical points On Cuba vacations
Cuba is not a difficult place to visit. But in order to do so legally, you must be a member of an educational or humanitarian group. For those of us who are not joining a group, a number of Canadian airlines including Canada 3000, Air Canada and Air Transat have regular daily and charter flights. Since there are no direct flights from the USA available for non-Cuban nationals, all Americans must enter Cuba from a destination like Canada, Jamaica, the Bahamas or Mexico. Other airlines serving Cuba include Bahamas Air, Air Jamaica and Cuban Air.
Travelling Inside Cuba:
Cuba has a good and inexpensive domestic air network. It also has excellent roads, so a rental car is probably the best bet. Renting a car is the most practical way to discover the countryside and gives you all the liberty you need to fully appreciate Cuba. Gas can easily be found in major cities. Overall, roads are in good condition.
Currency
The currencies currently accepted on Cuba Vacations are:
--Cuban Convertible Peso
--Cuban Peso
--Euro (only accepted in Varadero)
