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​Inside Cuba's Secret Commune 🇨🇺 Eco Paradise You Must Marry Into​
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​There's Never a Better Time to Visit Cuba

I visited Havana in 2017 and was so taken with it I went back in 2018 and rented a place for 2 years.

I wasn't making YouTube videos then but I wrote a lot about what Cuba is really like. I only left because of Covid.

It never gets better. It just changes.

Since 2018 it has been a rollercoaster: the false hope of the Obama years, soaring inflation from the currency consolidation during COVID, tourists returning to "Support the Cuban People," then shortages and dengue scaring them away again.

Cuba is highly political and it's hard to know what's really happening. One side wants you to believe everything is in ruins. The other says it's paradise. The truth is somewhere in between.

Realizing the fuel shortages were never going away I decided to return in December, to work with my friend and tour guide Osmany and make videos showing the side of the island I loved.

The goal was to make videos and to work out how to run a tour there, to show the side of the island I loved. The somewhere in between.

It's still in the books. If you're interested in someday visiting to see the local side you can join this email list.

No commitment, just a separate list for people who might be interested to go next year so when I have information you'll be the first to know.

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Should You Visit Cuba Right Now?

It depends on what kind of holiday you want.

If you want luxury and relaxation, now is not the time. But if you crave old school travel where you go without expectations and have patience, you can absolutely go now.

Cubans welcome visitors and show a generosity you won't see elsewhere.

Casa particulares are still open. People will cook for you. Taxi drivers will find gas.

You aren't taking from them. You're helping them feed their families by putting money directly in their hands.

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​Things Have Changed What You Need to Know

MONEY

Cuba now has an unofficial two currency system of Cuban pesos and USD/Euro.

Foreign currency is so valued that Cuba can be a very inexpensive trip if you bring it. I spent under $500 over 10 days traveling all over the island.

​Read more about how I changed money and paid for things in Cuba.​

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​TRANSPORTATION

Most people think of transportation as either an expensive classic car convertible or the government Viazul bus.

The bus is fine but I prefer hiring taxi drivers directly. Shared taxis cost about the same as the bus, the money goes straight to Cubans and you get door to door service with local stops along the way.

My casa particulares hosts organized shared taxis for most of this trip at $20-40 depending on the route. For Las Terrazas I hired a private taxi and bought all 4 seats for $100 since I needed to stop and stay a while.
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ACCOMMODATION

Casa particulares are basically Cuban Airbnbs. You can rent a room in a home with Cuban hosts or an entire place to yourself.

I prefer staying with hosts. They offer great breakfasts, help organize things and know when you want time to yourself.

Book the first one through Airbnb if needed, then let your hosts recommend casas in the next towns and pay cash. It cuts out the middleman and puts more money in the right hands.

Whichever route you go you may want my list of traditional Cuban food, and also my picks for the best restaurants in Havana.

INTERNET

Internet has genuinely improved since Covid. It went from everyone crowding the park for wifi to data on phones and wifi in private businesses.

Americans cannot roam but other countries can depending on your provider.

In December I tried Cuba's tourist eSIM and found it easy to get and much cheaper than international options. Major cities have good wifi but rural areas and roads between cities can be unreliable.

​Read my Cuba internet guide with essential apps.​

SAFETY

Cuba is safe to travel. That said, it has changed.

When I lived there I walked across Old Havana late at night without hesitation. Now it's more like Barcelona or Rome.

Be wary of phone snatchers, watch your bag and don't walk alone at night.

Listen to your taxi drivers, casa hosts and guides. They want you to have a good experience and tell others to visit.

I'm still in the middle of my Cuba series, sadly my memory cards failed and I lost videos for Cienfuegos and Trinidad where casa owners had generators and rooftop solar panels.
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But I still have some beautiful places to share and I will return.

If you have any questions, as always feel free to hit reply and you're straight into my inbox. And in the next few weeks I'll have dates for the Vietnam tour so make sure you're on this email list.

Keep Life Delicious

Ayngelina