Cuba

2014: My Year Told In Pictures of Sunsets

Published on 24 December, 2014

As the sun (almost) sets on 2014 I’m so happy to be sitting here writing these words: “I’ve had an amazing year of travel”. They’re the kind of words that can make people want to push your smug little face into the dirt, but I hope you’ll forgive my boasting because my amazing year of travel came directly off the… Read more →

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With over 50 countries visited, I see a lot of sunsets and yet they still manage to inspire me. Here's my 2014 travels shown in pictures of sunsets.... Read more →

One Day Hiking in Toppes de Collantes, Cuba

Published on 11 July, 2014

Hiking Toppes de Collantes, a nature reserve in the southwest of the Escambray Mountains was never in my original travel itinerary for Cuba. However, for each day that I lingered at the beach in La Boca, staring out at the ominous peaks and troughs of the distant range, I became increasingly drawn to the mountains, until I reached a point… Read more →

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Looking for something beyond the usual city tours in Cuba? Try hiking Toppes de Collantes in the Escambray mountains. Here's how to add it to your itinerary... Read more →

10 Essential Things To Know About Cuba Before You Visit

Published on 8 July, 2014

Cuba is a unlike any other country I’ve visited and it’s safe to say that this out-of-kilter Caribbean island requires a bit more research and planning than your average trip. 10 Essential Things to know about Cuba before you visit Having recently completed my second trip, here’s my list of 10 essential things to know about Cuba before you visit covering… Read more →

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From money to visas, scams, transport, accommodation, food, internet, prices & USA travel, here are 10 essential things to know about Cuba before you visit.... Read more →

La Boca: One of the Best Beaches in Cuba

Published on 3 July, 2014

Being one of only two foreign faces in the tiny beach town of La Boca in Cuba is one of those travel experiences that will likely endure right down to my dying days. I hadn’t set out on a quest to find one of the best beaches in Cuba, but leaving La Boca I’m confident I’d found one. Why finding… Read more →

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In my search for a local Cuban beach I found La Boca. It may be more shingle than sand but with sunsets this good it must be one of the best beaches in Cuba... Read more →

A Rave in A Cave: Disco Ayala in Hotel Las Cuevas, Trinidad, Cuba

Published on 25 June, 2014

As I engaged in my rapid departure from what had become an ugly experience at Varadero’s beach resorts, I was desperate to replace my memories with something novel and exciting. Fortunately, within 24 hours, my wish was to be granted when I found myself at a rave in a cave at Disco Ayala, an exceptionally unique nightclub attached to Hotel… Read more →

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If you're looking to take your Cuban music experience to another level, visit Disco Ayala, Hotel Las Cuevas, Trinidad, Cuba for an extraordinary adventure.... Read more →

Varadero Beach Resorts in Cuba: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Published on 18 June, 2014

“Varadero beach is full of tourists” seems to be the automatic response I get from any independent traveller who I speak to about Cuba. It’s a curious response given most of these self-professed “non-tourist” travellers I meet (otherwise known as backpackers) have never actually visited Varadero beach. They are simply citing a stereotype that has been cited to them by… Read more →

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I visited a Varadero beach resort in Cuba to see whether it was as touristy as people claim. Verdict: I experienced a complex mix of good, bad and ugly.... Read more →

The Hershey Train in Cuba: The Slow Way To Varadero

Published on 13 June, 2014

The Hershey Train in Cuba is the epitome of how travel should be. Lazy, unpredictable, social and slow. As someone who crammed herself into London’s commuter trains for the best part of a decade, always watching the clock, multi-tasking the entire journey (sipping coffee, sleeping, standing, emailing and reading all in one shot), travel was a chore. Modern public transport… Read more →

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Taking the Hershey Train in Cuba from Havana towards Varadero is the epitome of slow travel in an age where we've forgotten how to get around slowly.... Read more →

Mi Casa es Tu Casa: Casa Particulares in Cuba

Published on 6 June, 2014

If you could trace the origins of the phrase “Mi Casa es Tu Casa” (translation: my house is your house), I’d put money on the phrase being invented in the casa particulares in Cuba. To many people, particularly those most familiar with staying in hotels when they travel, renting a room in a casa particular in cuba is a strange… Read more →

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Sleeping in a stranger's house may seem unusual if you're used to hotels, but there's no better place to stay than the casa particulares in Cuba. Here's why... Read more →