Welcome to a new post on Cuba2Day! Today we are going to share some tips about how you can go from Old Havana to the beach.
Havana with all its audacity and grandeur is a startling attraction for the tourists and the venturesome travelers like you. The atmosphere and the aura of this stunning city serve as a magnet to Cuba. The artistic and historical significance of Havana is quite appealing as well. There is so much for you to explore at Havana and keep your adventurous side satisfied. It is a loveable ride in the city of Havana as you get to vividly experience this amazing city.
But when the hustle and bustle of the city become too much for you, you can enjoy a day inhaling and absorbing the sea breeze at the beach and get the serenity and calmness of the view for a quick refreshment.
Your desire to relish bathing in the sun and swimming in the ocean will get fulfilled at Havana. There are many such spots located near the city. One such spot is The turquoise Playas del Este beach, which is a short ride of approximately 20 minutes from Havana city.
Situated on the east side, this beautiful beach is both swimmable and alluring. But the question arises here that How to get from Old Havana to the beach?
Do not worry because this guide is going to help you through the experience and help you get to Havana beach. So, you may soothe and calm your senses on the beachy atmosphere of Playa del Este.
Well, there would be two options for you to choose between, you may opt for the best suitable one. The first one would be to take a cab for your aimed destination from Old Havana.
You can easily get a cab in front of the train station near El Guajirito restaurant. A collective for locals is the most inexpensive choice which costs only $1 per seat. But here is a tip. The drivers are restricted to transport foreigners, hence they charge extra money to people from abroad. To save yourself from the extra expenses, you just have to follow these steps:
How to get to Playa del Este from Old Havana:
1. Get to the train station, and ask someone where to get a cab from.
2. Say “un taxi a Marazul”.
3. You can either decide to get a collective cab or one just for you. If you drive with other people it will cost you around 5 Cuc.
4. Pay around 15/20 CUC on the arrival of your destination.
5. And you are done!
You can easily get to Playa del Este from Old Havana by following these steps. Or else you have an alternative option to reach your needed destination.
The other alternative is the bus ride. Taking the T3 bus ride which has a scheduled time of departing from Central Park after every 40 minutes can be your other call to get to the beach. It will cost you 5 CUC together with the return ticket for that bus ride. You need to purchase the ticket directly while embarking the bus.
If you have no money concerns and would want a rather comfy and private visit, you can book a private taxi to Playa del Este in 50 CUC. You will get a private taxi for four hours at this price. Have fun at the beach and make beautiful and sunny memories on the Playa del Este with the help of this guide. Now hit the beach and swim in the ocean!
After following the ‘How to go to Playa del Este from Old Havana’ steps, when you reach Playa del Este, there is so much you can do. Well, the bathing in the sun idea which also includes swimming in the ocean persists. But to add to the beach fun and exhilarate you on your trip, there is more. On the beach, all the ecstatic swimming and stuff may get you tired and hungry. So, to help you feed yourself up there are arrangements at the beach for your convenience.
There are people at the beach selling tropical fruits. Hotel staff is also there to serve beverages, and food, to people who have rented lounge chairs or shade umbrellas. The goods that you will purchase there will cost you a little higher than usual but it is still quite affordable. There is a food store as well, which is open in the daytime, in which you can have a satisfying meal or you can try out the food stalls around. The food kiosks do not have a scheduled timing.
As a precaution, you should keep some snacks and food in your backpack. And, Bon Appetit fellas. Moreover, your stressed muscles and weariness can vanish with a massage offered to you by professional therapists at the beach. Yes, you heard it right. This is all one could wish for to have a great time and fun at the beach.
Food, massage, the calming sea sight, and the exotic sunny ambiance at Playas del Este is totally the kind of thing you might have been wishing for.
Your plan to relax at the beach will get fulfilled at Playas del Este. If you are visiting the beach on a weekend, then be ready to meet a crowd.
And so, you must prepare yourself to handle unpleasant situations too. Cuban people are generally friendly and frank. But if you are visiting Havana beach for the first time, you must beware of the scammers to avoid any mishap.
Some scamming events have been recorded by other travelers. It is to notify you of such a scenario and provide some short tips for your safety. Even at the beach, it is preferable that you have someone to accompany you. Or if you are a solo traveler, you should carry less stuff with you around and keep an eye on your belongings. These tips will surely help you out on your exhilarating trip to Havana beach. Hope you have a great time there.
That’s it for today and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @Cuba2Day
If you are visiting `Havana you definitely have to enjoy the sunset or a drink upon a rooftop in the Old City.
Here you can find a short list of the best rooftops in Havana. All of them are hotels but, of course you can get in and jump on the rooftop to enjoy the view.
I have personally “tested” all these rooftops before introducing them to you 🙂
So here you go, enjoy these best rooftops in Old Havana!
This hotel is famous because of one of its guest. I am talking about Hemingway of course! 🙂
By the way, looks like it’s more difficult to find places in Havana where Hemingway has never been to (lol)
As soon as you’ll get inside the lobby you will notice an old elevator in iron. It’s made with busbars so you will also enjoy the way up.
On the rooftop there’s also a skybar serving drinks and food. So you will have the chance to enjoy the view and a drink (maybe a Mojito?:))
Hotel Parque Central
Parque Central Hotel is one of the most exclusive (and expensive) hotels in Havana. This 5 stars hotel has a beautiful and lighted lobby but also an incredible rooftop with pool and restaurants.
This is the best place to watch the park, El Capitolio and the National Theater. On the other side of the terrace you will also be able to see the sea, El Paseo and other iconic places.
To be honest the restaurant is not so expensive considering the level of the hotel and you can stop there for a drink and for lunch.
Only the hotel guest can use the swimming pool.
Hotel Raquel
Walking along Calle San Ignacio in Old Havana (corner with Amargura) you will find the beautiful Hotel Raquel. You will immediately fall in love with the amazing facade and the main lobby. The hotel combines baroque and art-nouveau architecture.
The rooftop is not usually busy as the others are. In fact it’s more intimate and dedicated to the hotel’s guest. You can ask to visit the terrace and spend there some times enjoying the sunset together with a drink.
Also here the ride in the elevator worth the climb! 🙂
Facing el Capitolio, just a little on the right, you will see a beautiful cornered facade. That’s the Hotel Saratoga, another historic place in Havana.
The rooftop si definitely one of the best view of the city (Capitolio and National Theater first) and the restaurant will amaze your romantic cuban nights 🙂
Best rooftops in Old Havana: conclusion
Well, that was my short list about the best terraces and rooftops of the hotels. There are several amazing rooftops and I will list them in another post.
There are so many hidden gems in Old Havana ready to be discovered! Do you have any suggestions?
In the meantime enjoy Cuba and don’t forget to signup for the latest updates.
Havana is a great city, vibrant, colorful and rich of history. Especially if you visit Old Havana, you’ll be surprised by the beauty of the streets and the vibes.
In this post we are going to see together how to get from Havana from Varadero.
Many tourists prefer to enjoy Havana for about a week and them move to other beautiful locations across the island. One of these preferred locations is Varadero. With its wide and white beach Varadero is one of the most famous places in Cuba. Full of resorts and hotels, you will have the time to relax and enjoy 100% the beach and other facilities.
Varadero is considered the place where you can relax more than explore and discover the culture and history of the island. Havana is definitely the place to be if you prefer to explore and plunge into the Cuban culture. Even better if you decide to stay to a casa particular and not a hotel.
Anyway, many tourists prefer to explore the city and then move to Varadero for a few days to end their vacations. Havana also has a great beach (Santa Maria del Mar) and it’s about 20/30 mins from the city. You can get there with a taxi or with a bus (via azul)
How to get from Havana to Varadero
>>TRAVELING TO HAVANA? DO IT LIKE A LOCAL! GET OUR MINI GUIDE FOR ONLY $7! CLICK HERE
If you are planning to get from Havana to Varadero there are mainly two ways to do that. The first one is by bus. You’ll be together with other travelers and you usually don’t make any stops or travel detours.
The other solution is to book a taxi with a driver who will drive you from Havana to Varadero. The trip is about 1 hour and half, so it’s going to be pretty light. If you travel with other people you can split the ride cost and enjoy the trip more “privately”.
Booking a private ride allows you travel at your one terms and eventually plan some stops during the trip to take some pictures or visit other areas.
>>TRAVELING TO HAVANA? DO IT LIKE A LOCAL! GET OUR MINI GUIDE FOR ONLY $7! CLICK HERE
Traveling to Varadero
I had the chance to visit Varadero a couple of times. As I said, there are several resorts and big hotels, most of them built during the 80′. I went to one of those places and, to be honest, you can’t really feel if you are in Cuba or not. I stayed there only one night.
I recommend you to book a casa particular in the area, your overall experience will be different!
Also, unless you are a “beach mode” person and you want to lay all day long on the beach, I recommend you to pass only a few days in Varadero and then move to other areas such as Havana, Vinales, Pinar del Rio etc.
How to get from Havana to Varadero: book a tour
As you might know internet connection in Cuba is not the best ever! It’s definitely improving but if you need to make reservations online and you already know your calendar it’s better if you book in advance.
On the link below, you can book your taxi from Havana to Varadero. It’s like a tour so you will also have the chance to visit the local attractions and travel with an authentic car.
Hello! In this post I want to show you how to rent a car in Havana and have a safe experience in this amazing city.
Cuba is a hot travel location right now (especially if you are American 🙂
If it’s the first time you are traveling to Cuba you probably have a million of questions and things you want to know before jumping on your airplane. That’s why you have this blog!
Are you ready? Let’s start!
Rent a car in Havana: the city
Havana is a large city divided in four main areas: Vedado, Old Havana, Miramar and Centro Havana.
Especially if you are visiting the Old part of the city (which is the most fascinating and touristic one) you will have some trouble moving with a car. Most of the area is pedestrian only and there are not many parking.
Also, there aren’t many rent a car in Cuba and the prices are definitely high. Furthermore the Old City is pretty chaotic and driving in the city might be a little tricky especially during the night time.
How to rent a car in Havana: the solution
Since I think you don’t want to make your stay in Havana a problem the best solution I personally recommend is to have a private driver driving you around the city. It’s not that expensive and you don’t need to care about traffic and other dangers.
Usually to have a private driver for the entire day in Havana is about $100 (CUC, local currency). I have different contacts so I can help you to book a driver if you need one (check the bottom of the page)
Plus, often times, the driver can give you some precious tips to help you discover amazing places. If you arrive at the Havana airport
That said, you can hire a private taxi driver with a classic car (almendron) who will drive you around the city of Havana for a tour or for the entire day if you plan to have an excursionin Vinales or Varadero
Conclusion
Despite renting a car might be the best solution if you want to have a trip across the island, it is absolutely better for you if you move with touristic buses or with a private taxi as I’ve previously stated.
If you need help to book a car just click on the link below and you’ll be able to book your car in Havana.
Your first impact with Havana and its airport will probably be a little bit shocking 🙂 In this post I am going to show you how you can do it easily (yes an old classic one!) and the options available.
As you know, because of the limitations with other countries is not that easy to plan and book a taxi ride from the airport to the city center of Havana
Book a taxi at Havana airport: the options available
Most of the times, as soon as you get outside the airport you’ll see many chauffeurs running over you and asking if you need a ride. Some are the government yellow cabs. These cabs usually cover a standard fare around 30 cuc. These taxi are usually cars of the 80′, old but generally in good condition and with AC.
On the other hand there are the famous classic cars or almendron. Most of those cars are private drivers or cuentapropista (small business owner) and, if they have a valid license, they can drive from the airport to Havana or Old Havana.
The experience with an old classic cab is of course way memorable and fun. At the end of this page you can book a taxi from Havana airport so you don’t need to wait or find a transportation.
It’s usually not that difficult to find these cabs once you get out of the airport but you need to pay them in local currency (CUC). Anyway there’s a cadeca (bank) just outside the airport and you can change your money right away.
Based on the season and day of the week the airport might be less or more chaotic. Jose Martì International is the largest airport in Cuba but the amount of airplanes landing here it’s just incredible.
Flights from all over the world are landing here and the structure and service of the airport is not really ready to host them. I know there’s a project to widen the structure, but so far it’s the only one option.
Because of the relationship with the USA, tourism is increasing dramatically. Many Americans are ready to visit one of the most desired places ever.
“From Jan. 1 to May 9, 51,458 Americans visited Cuba, compared to 37,459 over that period last year…There were 38,476 visitors who flew directly from the U.S. to Cuba, compared to 29,213 in the same period last year.”
“Another 12,982 Americans came in via third countries, a whopping 57 percent increase over the 8,246 Americans who flew to Cuba from elsewhere in the same period last year.” (Business Insider)
“Cuba also has seen a 14 percent rise in overall tourism. Arrivals from 206 counties from Jan. 1 to May 9 rose from 1,349,903 last year to 1,547,104 this year. Visitors from Germany were up 22 percent; France, 25 percent; the United Kingdom, 26 percent and Spain 16 percent.
And those numbers are growing fast in 2016. You can then imagine how fast hotels and casas particularesare sold out because of this growth. I have noticed myself. Especially in the latest months it’s getting really difficult to find free houses.
The same thing is happening with the transportation. In fact, sometimes isn’t that easy to find a free cab or to book one for an excursion or a tour of the city. The same thing might happen at the airport. Since there aren’t new cars in Cuba (cars are not imported for large consumer) and tourism is growing, there’s an increased demand and a limited offer.
Sometimes the requests are that much that isn’t easy to find a taxi available.
Book a taxi at Havana airport: how you can do it
So, how can you book a taxi at Havana airport in advance? There are a limited number of websites and online services related to transportation in Cuba. The embargo is still restricting most of the websites. If you want to book in advance your ride with a classic cab from the airport to your hotel or final destination I can help you.
During the last months thanks to this blog I have helped friends and people to find solutions to their travel to Cuba and transportation. Below you can make a reservation of your taxi or almendron (classic cab) and a driver will pick you up at the airport.
Even if you have a delay the driver will wait for you with your name (a reasonable delay! :-))
If you want to get rid of the taxi-stress book using the button below.
If you have questions send an email HERE or visit this page
Conclusion
Hope this post about how to book a taxi at Havana airport helped you to show you the options available and what you can expect if you are visiting Cuba and Havana. I invite you to visit also my previous posts so you can discover more about the amazing Cuba and read some interesting tips!
Are you looking for the cheapest flights to Cuba? You are in the right place!
Well, it’s finally time for you to visit Cuba! I hope you are finding all the information you need around the web if you are planning to visit it 🙂
And if you are not, it’s a pity! Cuba is amazing island and place to visit and now that the relationships between Washington and Havana are getting stronger, you are almost free to buy your ticked and explore one of the most fascinating place in the world!
I have a good news for you: YOU are in the right place! Here in Cuba2Day we have all the information you need to know if you are booking or planning a travel to Cuba.
But now, thanks to the new laws it’s finally possible for you to take a flight to Cuba. That’s why I want to share with you some information about the cheapest flights to Cuba
Very soon several flight companies will start promoting direct and cheap flights but now only a few companies allow you to book it.
Cheapest flights to Cuba: a short list of websites
As of today I have found the following websites particularly useful and cheap when it comes to book a flight to Cuba. I have listed them in order of relevance, then is up to you to have different researches and find the best solution for you based on the place you are traveling from.
This was one of the first website available where it was possible to book a flight to Cuba from the USA. Here, you will find several destinations you can flight from the US to Cuba. Is it very user-friendly and you can start research in minutes. I’ve already talked about this website in a previous post.
This is the national Cuban fight company.Here you can find flights from several destinations around the world but not from the US. Also, I suggest you to use this website if you are looking for national flights. For example if you need to move in Cuba from a city to another.
Here you’ll find different destinations available where to start your travel but not from the US. You can pick your location and the search engine will start looking for the best options available.
Of course you already know this website. What you probably don’t know is that you can also book a flight as an American. In order to do that you need to use the Canadian version of the website (.ca). To switch from the US version to the CA version, you just need to change the country in the website settings.
Just click on the flag you see on the top of the page and change it from US to Canada. Now, you’ll be able to display the flight to Cuba even if you are from the US.
Of course there are many other websites where you can look for the cheapest flights to Cuba, especially if you are traveling not from the US. For example you can check the traditional search engines such as SkyScanner, Opodo or Expedia
The websites I have listed above are more specific for a travel to Cuba and the first one is perfect if you are from the United States.
This is a very hot moment for the tourism in Cuba and there’s a huge increase of requests. It has been calculated that by 2016 the tourism boost will be +40% and most of the people will come from USA.
One of the major issues today is the accommodation. In order to host that huge request, many hospitality companies are building new hotels. Today, especially in the high season, isn’t easy to find a place to stay.
Here on Cuba2Day, I have listed some apartments you can rent in Havana. You can find it HERE.
Hope this post about the cheapest flight to Cuba helped you in your research!
Also, fill free to ask me whatever you need about your travel to Cuba. You can drop me a message in the comments below, or you can reach me out in “contact”.
Before April 2015 the only way to fly from USA to Cuba was buying a ticket through a non-American flight company. Fortunately the situation is changed thanks to the resumption of the relationships between USA and Cuba.
Fly from USA to Cuba today
On April 15th 2015 CheapAir became the first travel agency selling direct flights to Cuba
Departing daily from Miami International Airport and on a more abbreviated schedule from Tampa and New York’s JFK, this new option is the most convenient and most direct way to travel to Cuba. Havana is accessible via all three U.S. originating airports and Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Holguin, Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba are all destinations serviced via Miami.
The only way to get there at the moment, other than a charter flight, is to buy a ticket from another country like Mexico, Canada, Bahamas or Cayman. Then you need to buy a separate ticket from one of the places mentioned above and fly to Cuba. This is a pain since you need to look for two separated flights and look for the best options and coincidences.
So, fly from USA to Cuba wasn’t so simple and immediate until now. But with CheapAir you can directly book the entire route from one website.
Who can and cannot travel to Cuba
Traveling to Cuba for Americans it’s still different from flying anywhere else in the world. Despite the embargo is about to be ended and the diplomatic relationship restored, yet just certain categories are authorized to fly from USA to Cuba.
Here are the categories and the reasons that allow you to travel to Cuba today:
Visit your family (you are a cuban-american)
Educational purpose and activities
Religious activities
You are a journalist
You are involved in an official U.S. government or foreign business
Humanitarian purposes
You are working with exportation and importation of information and telecom materials
You are doing a research, development and education with private foundations
Support for the Cuban people
You have a special permission for a specific exportation category
Professional researches and professional meetings
Public events, speaking and workshops
Sport competitions
International exhibitions
So, before making any flight reservation be sure to be allowed to fly to Cuba. If you can, then search for your flight to Cubahere
Right now you can just book flights to Havana, but soon will be possibile to select other destinations.
If it’s your first time in Cuba you’ll be impressed by your arrival to the Havana airport (Jose Martì). In this post I want to show you how to get from Havana airport to city center (Old Havana or Centro Havana). If you have booked a group holiday or with a tour operator you’ll probably have the transportation included and a bus bringing you to the hotel.
However I recommend to visit Cuba by your own, to better live the island and the Cuban atmosphere. You’ll be able to explore less explored places and alternative paths.
Arrival to the airport
If you are arriving with an international flight, you’ll see Terminal 3 and if you’re getting a local flight (USA or Caraibi) you’re probably arriving at Terminal 2.
After you’ve picked up your luggage, you’ll get out of the airport and you will be immediately plunged in the Cuban movida. You have two options now: change your money at the airport or grab directly a cab
Where to take a cab
You’ll be approached by several drivers once you’ll be out of the airport. You can trust all the taxi drivers over there because they need a regular license to stay in the airport. You can both take a “tourist cab”, you will recognize it because it is usually a yellow and black car, or an almendron cab.
>>TRAVELING TO HAVANA? DO IT LIKE A LOCAL! GET OUR MINI GUIDE FOR ONLY $7! CLICK HERE
What is an Almendron? Well an Almendron is the car you see in the picture of this post. It is a pre-revolution car, from the 50′ and they are the symbol of cuba itself.
Some of these cars still have the original engine (pretty crazy uhm? :-)) and some others have a Toyota or more recent one. These cars are also called taxi particular that means private or independent taxi. This is because, as you know, the most of the businesses are owned by the government.
But Cuba has recently allowed the entrepreneurial activities and so most of the taxi drivers are now self-employed. So if you decide do go with a particular, it doesn’t mean that it’s illegal but simply that he’s an independent worker.
If you want to book a taxito get you from Havana airport to city center just make a reservation on our trusted website below
Based on where you will house, usually a cab will cover you a standard cost that might go from 30 to 50 CUC (pesos cubano convertible) which has pretty much the same exchange rate of the Euro now.
Usually almendrones are really big, like six seats, and the trunk is really huge. So don’t worry if your spouse or girlfriend has three luggages 🙂
If you are going to visit Havana, you are probably staying in the Old Havana which is about 30 mins from the airport. During the route you will enjoy the view and your first impact with Cuba.
The cab is of course the fastest and safest way if you are looking at how to get from Havana airport to city center. There are also some buses available, but I never tried personally.
I usually take a cab when I arrive and if you speak Spanish you can start interesting conversations with the drivers, who are often very chatty. It’s a good way to start understanding the society from an “insider” and learn many things that are not listed in a guide.
>>TRAVELING TO HAVANA? DO IT LIKE A LOCAL! GET OUR MINI GUIDE FOR ONLY $7! CLICK HERE
How to get from havana airport to city center: my tips!
If you are lucky enough to be the only flight landing, the immigration line won’t be so long. Sometimes if there’s another flight coincidence the airport gets a little messy, especially Terminal 3.
Anyway, when you get outside of the airport you can immediately change some cash. The line it’s usually pretty long and it will take you sometimes half an hour or more to change your money.
If you want to book a taxi beforehand and you don’t want to worry about catching a taxi at the airport, you can book a private transfer online
A driver will meet you with a nameplate, will help you with your luggage and will wait for one hour for free if your flight was delayed. (and it often happens)
Otherwise I suggest you to ask a taxi driver if it’s ok for him to accept the money in your local currency. It shouldn’t be a problem to pay in euros or dollars. You can change your money later on in the city in a cadeca, hotel or the bank. The best solution would be to have a taxi waiting for you with your name.
I you want to book a cab in advance waiting for you at the Havana airport use the link below..
Hope this post on how to get from Havana airport to city center was useful for you. If you have any question just drop a line in the comments below or send me an email.
As I said I can help you with the reservation of a cab from the airport waiting for you when you’ll arrive, without pain and stress 🙂
If you want to book a taxi from Havana Airport to Old Havana or other areas, you can make a reservation right now. Click on the link below and you can easily book a taxi. The driver will wait for you at the airport with your name.
Everything is included and you don’t have to think about anything. The cabs are not almendron but newer taxi.
You’ll be able to simply book your cab and taxi service from the airport to the city center of Havana or even other locations such as Varadero. You will find a person ready for you waiting at the airport with your name.
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