Cuba - Popular tourist attractions (Caribbean)
It is a beautiful island located between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean. Cuba is located north of Jamaica and 150 km south of Florida
(USA). Cuba tourism is very popular due to its location, beaches, colonial
architecture and climate. Cuba tourism attracts about 2 million visitors every
year. It is the largest Caribbean island with an area od about 110,860 square
km. Cuba Tourism generates significantly a high revenue for the country. The
biggest exports for tourists are rum, Cuban cigars, and coffee. You will find an
unusually large number of old 1950s U.S.made cars on the street.
VISITING CUBA: Restrictions faced by USA citizens -
Most of the airlines do not fly directly from United states to Cuba due to
political differences, therefore many visitors take a plane from a third country
to the capital Havana. Although the Cuba government permits citizens of USA to
visit, the U.S. government itself restricts its citizens from visiting Cuba,
except those with a license issued by the State Department ot Treasury
Department's Office, but many U.S. citizens go to Cuba via anyway without the
permit from Bahamas, Jamaica, Canada and Mexico to escape detection. Please
check travel.state.gov for current restrictions and recommendations for Cuba
travel if you are a USA citizen.It is estimated that about 20000 to 30000
Americans illegally travel to Cuba every year, many for cheap medical treatment.
WHERE DO MOST TOURISTS GO:
Visitors come primarily from Canada and Europe and tourist areas are highly
concentrated around Varadero Beach, Cayo Coco, the beach areas north of Holguin
and Havana. Popular cities of Cuba are Havana (Capital and good nightlife),
Baracoa ( a beach-side town), Pinar del Rio ( huge cigar industry), Santa Clara
(home of the famous mausoleum - Che Guevara ), Santiago and Trinidad
(colonial-era buildings).
Places to visit:
Havana
It is the most important destination for tourists in Cuba and one of the most important in Latin America with one of the last remaining bastions of communalism. There are plenty of colonial churches and Spanish castles in Havana. The industries in Havana are an important part of the economy of the country. Popular things to do in Havana tourism includes a visit to the Museum of the Revolution is a very popular attraction. Completed in 1920, it use to be the presidential palace until the revolution, and is the most impressive building in whole Cuba. Havana boasts an old town which features on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Other popular attractions include Playas del Este is a popular place to spend a day at the beach. Old Havana Square (Plaza Vieja & Vedado - here many of the post-colonial mansions have been converted into public works and government offices or museums). Additional places to see include Capitolio Nacional, Catedral, Museum of the Revolution ,National Museum of Beautiful Arts of Cuba (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes), Cigar Factories, Fort San Salvador, The Malecon and more. Music and dancing play a large part in Cuban culture and therefore has a good nightlife for tourists. You will also find plenty of bars.
Cayo Coco:
It has 27 km of sandy beaches and forms an important part of Cuba Tourism industry. Cayo Coco offers a range of water sports including kayak, skiing, windsurfing, and diving. It also has wonderful coral reefs, an ideal spot for those who love underwater exploration. You will also find a wide range of fish species including big barracudas, turtle species, devilfish and shark .
Trinidad:
It is the best preserved colonial town here, and has been declared by the UNESCO 1988 a World Heritage Site. It has some of the best museums of in the country including the Museo Municipal de Trinidad.
Cuba's most western province, Pinar del Rio and the center of the Cuban cigar industry
Santa Clara:
It is the Capital City of the Villa Clara province. The biggest attraction in town is the Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara which features a huge sculpture of the revolutionary hero, overlooking a vast plaza . Another attraction is Church of San Juan Bautista.
Varadero, a sheltered peninsula on the north coast, is the island’s best-known beach resort and abundant with private hotels, beach and the Cuba's only full golf course.
The tiny island of Cayo Largo the most beautiful islet in the Los Canarreos Archipelago is situated in the southern coast and is also known for its nude beaches.
Cayo Largo: A small island with nudist facilities.
Other places include Baracoa, Jardines del Rey , Holguin and Vinales.
MEDICAL TOURISM IN CUBA:
Cuba Tourism is also quite popular for cheap medical treatments. Patients from all over the world seeking good quality medical care at low costs including the Americans. Medical treatments that are provided include orthopedics, joint replacement, eye surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurological disorders and many more.
CURRENCY:
Cuba's currency is Peso. ATMs are rare in Cuba, with only a handful found in Havana. Have enough currency or travellers cheques as credit cards are not so commonly used. U.S.-issued cards will not be accepted at all.
CUBA TOURISM BOARD IN THE UK:
154 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8JT, UK
Website: www.cubatravel.cu
CUBAN INTERESTS SECTION IN THE USA:
2639 16th Street, NW, Washington DC 20009, USA
Website: http://embacu.cubaminex.cu/sicw
Time: GMT - 5
Language: Spanish.
Electricity: 110/230 volts AC, 60Hz.
