Anybody been, any hints/tips/advice etc ??

 

Cant wait, 4 weeks to go !!;

 

http://www.iberostar.com/EN/Varadero-hotels/Iberostar-Laguna-Azul_3_141.html

 

Alan............

yes take you own bags to the bus after you get from the air port as people out side the air port are con artists they will make out they work for the air port and carry you bags to the bus then want at least a fiver for walking 10 yards . I had a fight over this and ended up paying a fine for knocking a con artist out, the fine went straight in the police officers pocket lol.

 

Great place though, dont be scared to go out and about, just be streetwise and you will have fun. I ended up get pissed with locals most nights in real cuba with very real people. I learnt a lot lol.

My wife is Cuban, from Holguin. Cuba is a great place to visit, very different (no mcdonalds e.t.c!!). Make sure you make the effort to travel outside the usual all inclusive hotels because Cuba is quite a safe place to travel around outside the main resorts, if you speak some spanish it's useful.

There are some towns you can visit near varadero like matanzas but try to go to Havana for a couple of days if you get the chance. Loads and loads of hustlers in havana though, so be on your guard!! Not in a dangerous way, but trying to sell you dodgy cigars e.t.c.

We never go to Cuba in July/August, because it's just too hot. So you'll be in the right place by the beach!

Yep; Went there a couple of years back; make sure you only drink bottled water, at the hotel we were at people were having their bottles filled up at the bar and that water is just chilled and not filtered.

 

Other than that it's great... do visit Havana; It's a great place; you have to go on an excursion from the Hotel and don't be surprised when the guide mentions that he's arranged for a cartoonist to draw cartoons of you all... TBH it only costs a quid but it can happen fairly regularly during a single day...other than that just enjoy yourself.

 

hth

 

Paul

Don't buy cigars from people in the street who claim to have a connection with a family member in a factory - they'll be fakes. Cohiba has never sold cigars in glass-top boxes either.