Travelers have new options when thinking about visiting Cuba since the lifting of some of the travel restrictions that have been in place for decades. While you still must qualify under one of the many Visa restrictions - most frequently a People to People exchange, one can now travel to Cuba making all your own travel arrangements. In the past, to visit directly from the USA you would have to use a guided tour company which planned all your daily activities along with your housing (usually in Cubans' homes called Casa Particulars). Our other option entailed traveling first to a foreign country (Canada, Mexico, Caymans, etc.) and then flying into Cuba.
The other big game changer is daily flights into Cuba from the USA by several major airlines. Many of these flights into cities around Cuba started this fall with Havana being the last to come online sometime in December. Daily scheduled charter flights have been available out of Miami for some time but I believe you still had to be part of a guided tour to fly directly into the country.
Everything fell into place for us to book a trip with our immediate family for the week of Thanksgiving to Havana. We rented an apartment (through Boutique Homes) in Old Town Havana that sleeps five with a rooftop deck. However, we still had to use a charter flight. Small obstacles for such an amazing opportunity to travel before Cuba becomes a huge tourist destination.
Another opportunity came up to travel with a local photography group the first part of November to Cuba also. Well, this seemed like a great way to get to see a little more of the country while still enjoying our family holiday. Sign me up!
Thus, we find ourselves in final stages planning and packing for our trip that departs next week for a total of 18 days in sunny Cuba. I'll update our travels as WiFi hotspots allow, playing catch-up when needed. I hope this inspires others to make a visit to one of the newest (and most photogenic) destinations within a short flight from Florida.
Next: Hello Cuba
The other big game changer is daily flights into Cuba from the USA by several major airlines. Many of these flights into cities around Cuba started this fall with Havana being the last to come online sometime in December. Daily scheduled charter flights have been available out of Miami for some time but I believe you still had to be part of a guided tour to fly directly into the country.
Everything fell into place for us to book a trip with our immediate family for the week of Thanksgiving to Havana. We rented an apartment (through Boutique Homes) in Old Town Havana that sleeps five with a rooftop deck. However, we still had to use a charter flight. Small obstacles for such an amazing opportunity to travel before Cuba becomes a huge tourist destination.
Another opportunity came up to travel with a local photography group the first part of November to Cuba also. Well, this seemed like a great way to get to see a little more of the country while still enjoying our family holiday. Sign me up!
Thus, we find ourselves in final stages planning and packing for our trip that departs next week for a total of 18 days in sunny Cuba. I'll update our travels as WiFi hotspots allow, playing catch-up when needed. I hope this inspires others to make a visit to one of the newest (and most photogenic) destinations within a short flight from Florida.
Next: Hello Cuba
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