#1. First and foremost… Cuba is a mindfuck. Like raw. No lube-level mindfuck.
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#8. Oh, and speaking of Fidel. Dude is alive and well throughout Cuba. Fidel propaganda still reigns supreme throughout the country. Everywhere. Around every corner.
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#9. Speaking of the economy and money in Cuba… I believe the average salary in Cuba hovers around $25 CUC - which equates to like $25 USD and/or $700 Cuban Pesos. And the money situation is confusing.
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I was told a doctor makes less than $100 USD a month in Cuba. But a military officer makes twice that. A whooping $200 USD!
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#10. As such, the whole non-state sponsored economy is basically run on tourist dollars in Havana. Tourism is everywhere. And everyone wants a piece of the action.
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And you can’t blame them. Making a couple deals with a tourist each month can easily double or triple what they would normally make.
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#11. While nobody seems to make much money, there’s legitimately no crime in Cuba. Part of the mindfuck... You can walk around any backstreet and no one will rob you. Well, at least not locals.
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Many Cubans told me that the country has tons of economic problems, but it’s the safest place in the Caribbean. I have to say that they’re correct.
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Investing all your money into your shitty military and severely reprimanding anyone who gets caught in a crime is probably the best part of communism. Because it actually worked.
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#12. While the safety is ideal for tourist, every other aspect of the country is not. Well… That’s only half true. Cuba is part amazing and part awful. Often at the same time.
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#13. If you take asinine amounts of Instagram photos to ensure people think you’re far cooler than you actually are… You’ll love Cuba.pic.twitter.com/WuYpZNV8hR
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#14. If you want to sit in bed watching Netflix while nursing a massive hangover after too much Caribbean rum… Well, that’s not going to happen. Nor is much else.
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#15. Because nothing in Cuba works. First, let’s look at the Internet. Don’t get me wrong... Not having Internet for a few days isn’t a huge deal, but not having Internet for damn near a week is annoying.
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In Cuba… You pay $1.50-5.00 USD for an hour of the Internet - depending on the location and speed of the Internet. You have to buy a card:pic.twitter.com/YqJWxE9DeO
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The Internet is so slow that you cannot even get a speed test to run. Yet, it does work and it is available. It’s just a huge pain in the arse to access. Oh, and it goes in and out every 15 minutes.
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#16. For this reason, Cuba might be one of the only countries in the world where it is far preferable to stay in a hotel. In a hotel, you’ll often get a few amenities and some WiFi in the lobby. This is far preferable to lugging your laptop to a park and sitting on concrete.
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For budget hotels, I couldn’t recommend Hotel Deauville enough. This was next to my Airbnb and I went every day to get WiFi. The pool is trash, but the location is ideal and the WiFi works well enough.https://www.booking.com/hotel/cu/deauville.en.html?aid=1485478&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1 …
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If you want to do Cuba right, I’d recommend Hotel Parque Central. This place is located right next to the best tourism in Havana. The rooftop pool could be described as baller & the WiFi in the lobby was the fastest I found in the city.https://www.booking.com/hotel/cu/iberostar-parque-central.en.html?aid=1485478&no_rooms=1&group_adults=1 …
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#17. Personally, I stayed in a casa particular I found on Airbnb. I highly recommend booking a casa particular on Airbnb - if hotels don’t suit your needs. This way you don’t have to carry more cash in Cuba than you need to.
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P.S: If you're new to
@airbnb Get $40 off your first stay here…https://www.nomadichustle.com/airbnb-discountShow this thread -
Casa particulares are basically apartments or a room in an apartment that’s rented out by someone living nearby or in the same building. The host generally helps guest get acclimated with Cuba, offers tours, and can cook breakfast for you.
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#18. If you can afford a hotel over a casa particular while in Cuba, go that route. If not, casa particulares on Airbnb are just fine. You can also have a guest over to a casa much easier than at a hotel - if that’s up your alley.
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#19. You’re going to get tourist prices in Cuba one way or another. That’s just the reality of how the country works. But learning some Spanish before you go would be exceptionally useful.
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Why? Because Cuban Spanish is straight Caribbean slang and hard as hell to understand. You’ll want to have some type of grasp on the language before going.
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Speaking a little Spanish also helps with negotiating and not getting scammed too hard. If you’re looking to learn, this is the absolute best way I’ve found:https://www.nomadichustle.com/baselang-review/ …
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#20. Oh, and English levels in Cuba aren’t great. You’ll find a number of people who speak broken, “I sell shit to tourists” English. But actual comprehension and conversational skills… The levels are low in Cuba.
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#21. Now, it may seem that I’ve been a little harsh on Cuba overall. And trust me… That’s for good reason. But the country still has a ton to offer from a pure tourism perspective.
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#22. Havana, Cuba is one stunning city. With wonderful ocean views, a long Malecon, and old-world architecture - it’s like you’re stepping back in time. Then the classic cars on top of it all are simply icing on the cake.pic.twitter.com/ckuqQvUw79
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Exploring the city is well worth a couple of days. And I highly recommend taking the citywide bus tour for a couple hours to get a feel for the place.
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#23. Once the rundown buildings start to wear on you, it’s time to get out of Havana and explore other parts of Cuba. I stayed close to the capital, but did manage to check out: -> Vinales -> Playas del Este
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#24. Both places are truly stunning and well worth a visit. Just check out this picture of Vinales…pic.twitter.com/SbZYVzji5c
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The small mountain town is a little over two hours from Havana and filled with stunning views and tobacco farms.
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