Reviews for Cuba tours

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Jill Cooper review 28 Mar 2020 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Experiencing Cuba was what we were looking for and what we got. Cubans generally were lovely people; friendly and helpful. Many guides were quite open about the political and economic situation so we learnt a lot. It is a country that is trying to move to having more private enterprise but is struggling at the moment with shortages of most goods and some food stuffs. We visited Havana (3 nights), Trinidad (4 nights), Playa Larga (2 nights), Vinales (3 night) and Soroa (1 night). Havana (old Havana) is a wonderful mix of classic cars/ people/ noise/music/history combined with very dilapidated building/housing; the later can be quite shocking. Trinidad and Vinales were our favourites; Trinidad for the music and colourful buildings, Vinales for the countryside. We drove ourselves with hire car. This worked well and gave us freedom to make our own tours for example in Sugar Cane valley out of Trinidad. The roads, even the autopistas, are very potholed which did make driving tiring and we were glad 4.5hrs was our longest drive. Navigating was easy enough with Marcel's directions and a navigation app (maps.me gives great detail). We loved staying in Casas rather than hotels. We met some lovely hosts and also lots of lovely fellow tourists. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Expect things to not always go to plan. This was inevitable as we were travelling by ourselve and it was no different to many other countries. One advantage of booking through Marcel is that you have an agent in Cuba who can help if/when things don't go to plan. Our hire car got a fault, 3 hours later a new car was delivered. Standards in one or two Casas were not as expected, other Casas were much better than expected. Things were never 'bad' - always solvable /bearable and always there were cubans who wanted to help sort things out. Marcel will give you lots of information about current situation such as ATMs, internet access - both of which are changing rapidly. Marcel will offer many different guided walks, side trips - he seemed to offer more interesting ones than other tour operators I contacted. Choose what you are interested in and leave time for just hanging out and absorbing the place. It's a big country don't try to see too much too quickly. If you don't speak much Spanish load your phone with a translation app that works off line (we used Google Translate) for when basic Spanish/English and sign language are not enough. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Staying in Casas and using a locally based agent all help get your tourist money down to local level. Cubas economy is very dependant on tourism. Also engaging with local guides, casa owners, restaurant owners all helps. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Very glad we went, very glad we used Marcel. Plenty of surprises (good and some not so good). It was an adventure. A good adventure. See full holiday details

Janet Sayers review 13 Mar 2020 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The friendliness of the people, music everywhere. The country is poor but there is no begging or evident destitution. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Allow plenty of time in Havana, there is a lot to see there. You can use internet in public squares, large hotels, etc - it is worth bringing a phone or tablet. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? It clearly benefited some local people. Long taxi rides not good for the environment. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Marcel was very knowledgeable and helpful, an excellent tour organiser. See full holiday details

Chris Garcia review 4 Mar 2020 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The guided tours were exceptionally interesting. Learning about the history of the nation and how people live today. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Bring an extra suitcase full of basics (which we take for granted) that local people arent able to access. Everything from toothpaste, toilet rolls to books for children. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes but still feel guilty that we had a personal taxi whilst locals have to fall back on horse and cart - if lucky 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We enjoyed our holiday and would recommend a guided tour to all visitors to Cuba. See full holiday details

Sarah Pajwani review 3 Mar 2020 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Living in a country where the culture is so very different. Travelling around Cuba is rather like going back in time. The lack of industrialisation makes it a peaceful and relaxing place to be where the pace is gentle and people have time for each other. Lack of wifi means you have to talk to people and this is usually a very positive experience. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Take a Spanish phrase book and learn a bit. Most people in tourist locations speak English but not everywhere and it's fun 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Tourism is critical to the Cuban economy and everything we spent was highly taxed for redistributing across their society. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Absolutely fantastic. It's an interesting culture but we also had a fantastic holiday, with time trekking in mountains, lazing on beaches, dining at great restaurants and bars and visiting historical sights. There is a wide variety of things to do and it's extremely easy to travel around with quiet good roads. See full holiday details

Maggie Mellor review 14 Feb 2020 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Cuba is different to any country we have visited before. We LOVED the homestays, allowing us to interact with the owners. Rooms comfortable and clean. Some quite grand! Locals were all extremely caring and helpful. Havana is so surprising with its shabby colonial glory. Art on many walls, music in lots of places and the food scene was fantastic. You can eat for very little or splurge on fine dining. Plenty of choices. We loved roof top dining. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Get small change when you exchange for local money. It is great to have small coins to share and pay for little items. Tipping street musicians is also easier with small change in your pocket. Customs on entry were very bureaucratic. We had a hand-held microphone in a carry on bag, which was confiscated. This process took 90 minutes of hand written forms and a slew of repeated questioning. Again as we retrieved the item on the way out of Cuba. Pack simply! Trust the locals, most people are so helpful and delighted to interact with you. Avoid staying in big hotels if you want to benefit the people. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Very much so. Eating and sleeping in the private sector directly sent the money into the families. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Absolutely wonderful! Havana as well as the many Unesco World heritage sites were just great. Natural Parks and beaches gorgeous. This vacation was not luxurious, but very comfortable. Food great too. See full holiday details

Patricia Boost review 8 Jan 2020 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? meeting my children every day 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? do NOT stay in Hotel Raquel. It is not a 4 star hotel but a 2 star hotel. Do NOT stay in Soroa , not much to do. The stay with Mildred and Alexander was very good by far the best. Do stay at a beach place for 1 or 2 days , something more luxurious. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? I think it probably mostly benefitted Responsible Travel and the Cuban agent and Cuban Government from a money perspective. The Home stay people benefitted and rightly so, but the poor people are the people outside the travel world. It is hard to do right for them. From an environmental impact perspective, cleaner cars would help. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? That is NOT a question about Responsible Travel. It is influenced by Responsible Travel. Read the operator's response here: Thank you for your review. We have usually experienced positive feedback regarding hotel Raquel since 2005 from our travelers. In this case one of the rooms had a leakage issue which could and should have been directly solved by calling our Cuban team and/or the reception and ask for replacement of the room, and imediately a new room would have been arranged. Unfortunately they did not undertake this action and the Cuba team was only informed at the end of the travel. Soroa is a marvellous place for hiking, birdwatching and botany in the Sierra Rosaria. We have been hiking here with groups many times and they always fell in love with the ambiance and nature. The homestays at Soroa are simple but when your focus is on being in and enjoying nature what more lovely is to be in a simple house now and then and be also be very thankful for all these humble experiences. It might be our presence and that of our local guides that makes the difference along a journey. In all cases for those interested we still offer guided travels with daywalks integrated in a 21 day program traveling from West to East Cuba. A tailormade travel involves many different parties involved with making a travel a success. It starts from travel design to a local Cuba team in Havana implenting the trip design, local guides, local drivers and homestay families supporting all logistics with the team in Havana. Who is benefitting of tailormade ravels is a large chain of teams & families of which a traveler should be proud of supporting all these people involved. We have to admit unfortunately and painfully that our travelers were not able to understand where Cuba comes from and that they should have been proud of coming to Cuba and that they supported Cuba and its people with their travel. We as travel designers support Cuban families where ever we can. We also support a womens cooperation in the Andes. People can be proud to travel with us as we really support local communities in Latin America. See full holiday details

Stuart Gilfillan review 1 Sep 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? A very good question - as there are so many! Looking back I think that are favourite place was staying with local artists family in Soroa as the landscape was stunning, the garden beautiful and hosts were very welcoming. I'd also say that the days driving between the different areas were enjoyable, as we were able to stop and venture off the beaten track, though self-driving won't be for everyone. Also the day at the island Cayo Blanco was pretty memorable. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Marcel has a vast list of different possibilities in terms of suggested itineraries - so take your time and make sure you let him know what you are interested in seeing and then you will get a truly unique experience suited to your interests. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? It certainly benefitted the casa owners, and all were very welcoming. We also were happy to support some of the tour guides, who have had a tough year due to the situation with the US recently and we supported the local towns by visiting the museums and local landmark buildings. In terms of environmental impacts, we tried to keep our to a minimum. This is an area that Cuba could definitely improve on, with education to Cubians and tourists to look after the beautiful countryside better, mainly by taking their litter back with them. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Overall, it was a fantastic experience and we were very glad that we chose this company for our trip as the amount of choice and information provided by Marcel was excellent. Cuba is a unique experience in terms of travel, and it is best to be prepared as like anywhere in the world there are people who will try to make the most of tourists and it helps to know the typical tricks. We also found the accommodation that Marcel had organised to be of very high standard with welcoming hosts. See full holiday details

Alison Pay review 27 Aug 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The variety: Vibrant Havana; Swimming in amazing rives, caves and waterfalls in Soroa, Playa Larga and Trinidad; Fabulous beaches from the rocky south to the sandy north. People - so friendly and kind wherever we were 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Get out into the countryside - but in most places you will need a guide as routes are not clear and there are no maps and take a good mozzie spray 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Absolutely - wonderful to stay with local people and know that you are having a direct impact on their families. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? A fabulously varied and excited trip - perfect for active teens See full holiday details

Catherine review 13 Mar 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We visited 3 cities--Havana, Cienfeugos, and Trinidad--and spent some time in the mountains. The entire trip was memorable. We enjoyed the restaurants, the art museum in Havana, hiking in the mountains and swimming at a waterfall outside Cienfuegos, visiting Sugar Valley outside of Trinidad. Great hosts at the homestays with wonderful breakfasts. We had some excellent food both in restaurants and in private homes. Marcel arranged our homestays, all transportation, and some events. He was great and it was nice to be in control of the itinerary.. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Definitely go to the cannon ceremony in Havana which occurs at 9 p.m. every night. Go early to shop and get a good place to watch the ceremony. The views of Havana from the fortress are amazing. I also recommend having transportation arranged for you as opposed to renting a car. Driving can be difficult, especially in the mountains. There are a lot of horses and wagons and other modes of transportation that you need to share the roads with. We had an 8 day trip; I would recommend longer stays. I recommend having guides for at least a couple of hours in each city. They are informative about the history and politics of the country. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Many people we encountered are pleased that US citizens can now visit Cuba. Many people rely on tourism to support themselves and the influx of US tourists has helped the tourism industry. Staying in homes instead of hotels helps support the people directly. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? This was a trip of a lifetime. My group are seasoned travelers and everyone enjoyed all aspects of the holiday. Read the operator's response here: We are very happy that our travelers enjoyed all aspects of their journey and we are looking forward working with Catharine and her travelparty again for new Latin American holiday destinations. One small comment. When people prefer to selfdrive we can also recommend this mode of transport and are very happy to explain how renting a car on Cuba works with all pros and contras for selfdrive versus traveling by private taxi. See full holiday details

Lesley Murphy review 7 Mar 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We saw Alicia Alonso perform Swan Lake in Havana. The stunning views of mountains and seas form Sierra Escambry, El Yunque and La Farola road to Baracoa to name but a few. Swimming in the pools at El Nichos waterfalls. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Have a good idea of where you want to go and then take the time to read through all the mountains of info that Marcel sends you. Well worth it. A knowledge of Spanish is helpful but not essential. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? It definitely benefited local people as we stayed in Casa Particulares for all 26 nights. We also ate at most of them. We also bought local goods where possible and brought items form home to give as gifts, Certain things are difficult to get on Cuba or are expensive. We supported conservation by visiting and walking in the National Parks and Conservation areas. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? It was an amazing experience for the whole trip. Cuba is a beautiful Island and has far more to offer than just Havana and beach resorts. Stay as long as you are able. See full holiday details

Doug Frisbie review 7 Mar 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The Cuban people. Extremely friendly, very willing to engage in conversation and to hear about America 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? We found that private guides gave us the best service and the most insightful information about life in Cuba. Casa partiulars were all very good. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes. Casa Particulars 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? See full holiday details

Jennine Herd review 14 Jan 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We loved the boat trip to Iguano Island off Trinidad. We also loved staying in Old Havana and exploring the small streets and listening to the music. we loved swimming in the waterfalls. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? For Canadian travellers to take cash and not rely on the banks or ATMs to work as ours didn't and this caused a lot of stress in the middle part of our holiday. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes, we felt it was an excellent way to support locals and hopefully give some of our travel money direct to the Cubans rather than a large tour company or hotel. We travelled mainly on buses and ate local food. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent, Marcel and his team were fantastic and would completely recommend them down to the pre-holiday planning and support given while we were there. 10/10 See full holiday details

Vanessa Delaney review 8 Jan 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We loved Cuba for its quirky colourful ways and how it is stuck in a fifties time warp with some 1980s kitch thrown in. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Do your research and book the good restaurants in advance. If staying in Havana, stay in old Havana. Make sure that you check with your bank before you leave that your debit cards will work in the ATMs in Cuba. Any bank with a remote association with a USA bank won't work in Cuba, even for some ancient reason, Bank of Ireland cards. Nowhere that we were takes credit cards and getting cash out at the bank other than by ATM is a pain. Bring more than one card as you can only get 150 Cucs out per day per card from an ATM. (This is normally more than enough per person or even per couple but we are a family of 6). Stay in the Homestays. They may sometimes be dated and basic but if you choose ones with aircon you'll mostly be fine and you'll have the pleasure of interacting with the spirited friendly Cubans. Bring toilet paper, it can be in limited supply and what is there is rough. Don't expect great food except in expensive restaurants. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? We stayed with local people so they definitely benefited. Also given the socialist political system and current embargoes, all foreign expenditure contributes to the people. I would like to say that we reduced environmental impacts but in truth we didn't. Tourism is increasingly becoming key to the Cuban economy to make essential imports such as medicine possible and as Cuba drives to increase tourism there is notable activity in conserving more of its beautiful old buildings. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We loved Cuba. It is unique in its spirit and joie de vivre. The colour, the music, the people, the magnificent buildings. We were delighted with all the help and guidance we got from the tour company in making the most out of our trip. Also it was great to have Liliana's support (from the team on the ground in Havana). Read the operator's response here: We are very happy to read that this family loved Cuba so much and that our team in Havana has been of great support for them. We appreciate it very much that our travellers provide all possible details about their experiences, about which bank passes work and so on, so that we can integrate this in our updated manuals and share this with new travellers. We also arranged all dinner reservations along their whole itinerary as a special service during all the days from before Christmas until after New Years Eve and also this gastronomical feedback on the restaurants and casas particulares has been very important for us. See full holiday details

Stephen Jameson review 15 Mar 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We enjoyed every bit of the trip but, especially, we loved the colour and vibrancy of Trinidad. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? We went on a guided walking tour of each town we stayed in which helped to give us our bearings as well as helping us to learn something about the history, architecture etc. The guides were brilliant. If using homestays, a little Spanish would be really useful. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? In a poor country, the arrival of tourists and their money always helps. By using homestays and independent guides, we felt that our money was going directly to people who needed it. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We had a great time. Lots of variety thanks to the highly personalised itinerary. All our accommodation and ground arrangements worked well. We loved the country and, especially, the people. See full holiday details

Margaret Abels review 12 Mar 2019 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The Cuban music scene was excellent 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Bring a water filter to filter the tap water - using plastic water bottles is bad for the environment. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Definitely the lodging in the Casa Particulars directly benefited local people. Also using local guides for hiking & city tour excursions employed these guides who had a high level of expertise in the flora, fauna & history - we received a more local perspective. Going out to listen to music supported the musicians - giving tips or buying the CD's to listen to back home. To reduce environmental impacts, we took the Viazul bus whenever possible - it was safe & comfortable. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? GREAT! See full holiday details

Helen Jones review 15 Dec 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The town/city & country walks with local guides. This not only gave us time to listen & see about the history, geography, flora & fauna but also to discuss the culture and traditions & challenges facing the local population. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? We found having local taxi drivers v good. While roads are not busy, the state of roads can be unexpectedly poor, as is signage. Local taxi drivers are very good & saved a lot of hassle. So, would advise this as opposed to self drive. We do not feel that it decreased our flexibility. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? I hope it benefitted local people because we stayed in Casa Particulares, rather than internationally owned hotels. Also, we ate in local restaurants & used local guides. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent. Cuba has a wealth of ecosystems. While not great on animal diversity (large mammals) has beautiful bird life. Most importantly, the chance to learn more directly from Cuban people about their history & politics and how they have shaped a very different culture to our own and the challenges to the people both past, present & future. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travellers had an excellent holiday. We would just like to clarify an item about the taxi transfers. On the longer distances we offer private taxi transfers from door to door, these are taxis that fall under the Cuban Government and have a breakdown insurance and replacement included. On location we make use of local so called homestay taxi arrangements and add these to the travel organisation. These taxis are more economic and times of the driver are usually more flexible. For travellers who like for instance to go birdwatching and afterwards visit swimming and snorkelling sites, or for those who like to visit a waterfall on their own and afterwards go to the beach, this is all ideal. It can be a modern car with private ownership and with no breakdown insurance, it can be a modern car owned by the Cuban Government with all insurances included and with a freelance driver, and they can be any local taxi as an American Vintage car or other local Cuban cars as Lada, Moskovich or similar Soviet time cars. See full holiday details

Diederik Kohnhorst review 16 Jul 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? There were bits for all the family, my wife loved the countryside and the views as we travelled through the different parts of the country, my teenage son was captivated by Havana and my daughter liked playing on the beach and for me it was diving in the Bay of Pigs. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Take your time and travel to as many parts of the country you can in the time you have available. You can completely tailor this holiday to what suits you. Also, if you are driving then make sure you download a offline mapping application on your phone and know how to use it. The street signs are haphazard. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? We stayed in Casa Particulars for the whole holiday so I hope that this did benefit local people. It would be good to help the environment as well by using less plastics but not sure how to achieve that. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? The whole family had a fantastic adventure from the very first day till the last! It was an extremely enjoyable holiday. Can we go again? Read the operator's response here: We are very happy that the whole family had a great holiday and fantastic adventures. And yes you can go again, would be our pleasure to be at your service, just Skype or hangout with us and we make a new great travel plan for the family. The interesting part of making tailor made travel plans is that we are constantly visualizing what is the best for our clients given the possibilities and how to arrange all in detail. In this way we are traveling ourselves all over Latin America daily while being in office. By staying in Casa Particulares the local economy benefits directly, all income goes to the local family and people working in the household and usually homestay families on Cuba share the extra food that remains with older people in their street block that dont have any young family members left looking after them. We also motivate our travelers to bring donations to Cuba of clothes, shoes, books, glasses etc and ask our homestay coordinators to distribute that over their street or quarter as they know best who needs what exactly. In Cuba you see little plastics in nature or on the street, mainly because many bottles are re-used for putting in oil, roasted coffee beans and for usage in the garden to put in plants etc. The streets are also really cleaned well. On the Cuban beaches not visited by tourists you will therefore also find much less plastic as elsewhere in the world. The plastics you see are thrown away elsewhere on sea. See full holiday details

Claire Childs review 9 Jun 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We really enjoyed our holiday to Cuba. It was fantastic. Marcel designed a brilliant itinerary with a mix of places to visit and tours. The comprehensive information and telephone support/briefings he provided were invaluable as was the support of the local team. Particularly memorable were the stays in Casa Particulares all of which we enjoyed. As city dwellers we enjoyed our stay in Vinales and the hospitality of Mildren and Alexander. We also enjoyed the warmth and friendliness of the Cuban people and the hospitality shown by the hosts in all the homestays. The cabriolet excursion in Havana was special as was the walking tour through the tobacco field in Vinales. Our stays in Vinales, Havana and Trinidad were especially memorable. The walking guides and walking tours in Havana, Trinidad and Cienfuegos were excellent and particularly memorable. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? The freedom afforded by the hire car provided the opportunity to explore Cuba at our own pace. It's important to follow the advice given in advance and locally. We took sufficient cash in sterling to cover all expenses in Cuba. Converting the currency in banks was straightforward. Only on arrival did we need to use a credit card at a cashpoint and we encountered no problems with this. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? We feel we benefited local people by touring Cuba, staying in Casas, dining locally with our hosts and tipping generously. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? The holiday was excellent and would highly recommend Cuba as a holiday destination. The 10 day trip was a wonderful adventure from start to finish. Our thanks to Responsible Travel for recommending Marcel. See full holiday details

Stirling Tyler review 8 Jun 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Amazing scenery: El Nicho waterfalls and Viñales valley were the highlights 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Don't overdo Havana, spend more time in the beautiful countryside 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes, especially because we stayed in local people's homes 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Wonderful experiences. Recommended See full holiday details

David Nevill review 15 May 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We enjoyed meeting the enthusiastic and friendly people in the cities as well as the expertly led tours in the countryside. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Stay in casas particulares and learn some spanish 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Most enjoyable. We were well supported but also had lots of freedom. See full holiday details

Jo Pumfrey review 20 Apr 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The Cuban people! Everyone we met was so welcoming, helpful and friendly. We stayed in Casas and the owners went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed and to organise trips and transport. Even though we didnt speak Spanish we managed to make ourselves understood and all our plans went smoothly. The private guides were incredibly interesting, and keen to tell us about life in Cuba. They were all so well educated and knowledgeable, especially our Havana guide, Josie, who gave as an unforgettable introduction to Cuba and helped us find our feet on the first day. Although many Cubans have very little, they enjoy life to the full and there is music, dancing and laughter everywhere. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Stay in casas. Take guided tours in Havana and Cienfuegos. Visit Vinales and go horse riding. Take enough time to enjoy the beautiful beaches and if you dont like big resorts there are plenty of smaller local seaside villages. We stayed in Playa Larga and loved the local feel and small family restaurants. Take advice from Marcel before you go. He patiently helped us put together an itinerary and was an invaluable source of information. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? It particularly benefited the Casa owners, guides and also our private drivers. When we gave tips they were genuinely appreciative. Taxis were essential for some transfers but we found the bus journeys very comfortable and would advise using them where possible. Many of the National Parks do not allow vehicles so we walked long distances some days, and it was the best way to really see the countryside and to get off the beaten track. Tourism is incredibly important to Cuba providing employment for so many people, so we tried to spend money in lots of different ways, eating both in Casas and local restaurants, and buying food and crafts from local markets and farmers. We did however buy a lot of bottled water, and threw a lot of cans and plastic bottles away. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent. From the initial enquiry and planning our itinerary from home with Marcel, to our arrival and welcome at the airport, and the support of Marcels team in Havana throughout our stay. Everything went to plan and since it was nearly all pre arranged we really made the most of our time in one of the friendliest and most fascinating countries we have ever visited. See full holiday details

Hilary Dent review 6 Dec 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The most striking thing about Cuba was the lack of commercialisation, and consumerism and the absence of shops and familiar brands found in most other countries. Good memories include the live music, an excellent guided tour of Havana and the view from our Casa particulares in Vinales. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Dont try to go to too many places. Take a close look at the Casa particulares you are booked in, as there is a lot of choice and variability. If you speak Spanish your will be able to organise more aspects of your holiday yourself after arrival. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? The holiday benefitted CP owners, guides and taxi drivers, and also restaurants. In fact increased tourism has brought money into otherwise poor communities, though that has perhaps increased inequality in the area. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We had a good holiday in a fascinating country. The tour operator provide an efficient itinerary and booking service at a premium price. You pay for all the accommodation and meals on top of the holiday. However the involvement of the tour operator reduces hassle and enables more experiences to be had on a short break which is more relaxing. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travellers loved Cuba and found Cuba as fascinating as we do and that all worked out very well. We would like to add some notes. Of course travellers can always organize some aspects of their holiday on location itself, and we can also leave a few days open in a tailormade holiday when requested and give advice what to do on the remaining open days or whom to contact locally. All is tailormade according to tastes and style of travelling and the days are filled in as our travellers decide to do so from our sample itineraries. It must be said though that the best private guides are always booked long ahead upfront and that with booking on location you will usually only find the standard tours that everybody is being pushed into when you come for the first time to Cuba. When you have little time and don't wish to be faced with closed offices, fully booked excursions or a wasteful day searching what to do, we really suggest investing in working with a Cuba specialist to have an excellent holiday. We have invested many years exploring Cuba by travelling and guiding clients. With this knowledge we always try to offer and develop authentic tours, designed by us together with local guides. Further we do include all homestays and meals for larger travel parties when requested as this is much easier for a tour guide or coordinator to deal with. For couples and small travel parties this depends on travel preferences, the budget and has pros and contras we are eager to explain when requested. We also like to mention that we empower a women's coffee cooperation and NGO in Venezuela since this year (2018). Their vision is to provide solidarity to the entire coffee community in the area, striving to improve the quality of the life of children and families of the coffee communities. With this trip and all our tailor made travels in Cuba and in Latin America, travellers support families and children in the Andes of Venezuela as a part of our income goes to this cooperation and NGO. Through their different programs the cooperative aspire to offer training techniques in administration, management, accounting, among others and offer scholarships to students and subsidies to primary schools in rural coffee communities, as well as inspire new forms of community economic organization. Where many aid organisations, also in the UK, look away from the enormous humanitarian crises in Venezuela, we do not and have decided to give support even if it is small. Our travellers know that each trip booked with us will give some direct help to families who really need it. See full holiday details

Jane Stowell review 2 Sep 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The American cabriolet tour in Havana was a fun way of getting an overview of the city and its many contrasts. The two excursions with Marcels guide in Baracoa were fascinating. He has such a detailed knowledge of the flora and fauna, and seems to know everyone and everything in Baracoa. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Go with the flow... You may not get exactly the excursion you booked, but it'll be enjoyable anyway. Follow the advice in the trip notes provided by Marcel. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? It certainly benefited local people, as everyone is eager for CUCs so everything you spend in the community helps. The Cubans, and even other tourists, didnt seem too aware of the environmental impacts of litter. As everywhere, plenty of plastic is washed up on the beach.That said, my daughter bought a bag made of recycled ring pulls... 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Its a beautiful island with fantastic people - Cuba never disappoints. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travelers loved the journey, the island and its people. For Jane it was a second travel to Cuba after many years. Excursions of course should be exactly as they are described in our programs but indeed in some cases local guides and local organizations have to improvise. We are happy that our travelers could enjoy the moment and go with the flow. To go with the flow in the Caribbean is usually the best direction. About the litter on the beach, there are many beaches completely clean on Cuba, also on the wild beaches. It depends on how the sea currents and prevailing winds are. When you study the litter it is almost all coming from cargo ships and other countries and not from the Cubans itself. Cuba is a very clean country, on the streets, in nature, everywhere. Improvements are always welcome of course. See full holiday details

Jacqueline Rousseau review 4 Apr 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Too many to choose from. Havana was fascinating, visited lots of museums and places of interest and culture. Vinales was beautiful. Our guide showed us so much. Loved meeting 82 year old Antonio on his tobacco farm! Trinidad was incredible, full of music and dance. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Go with an open mind and be prepared to be amazed by the people and the culture. Use casas if possible, and try to have some meals in the casas as well. Try to get plenty of small change for tips. Do your research beforehand. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? We stayed in casas, so feel that contributed towards supporting the tourist industry which has suffered over the past year. We travelled on buses and taxis. Taxis, old & new, unfortunately are not environmentally friendly. We had our guides organised for us before we went and they were very knowledgeable and so proud of their culture. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Incredible trip. Exceeded our expectations. See full holiday details

Jean Lowe review 27 Feb 2018 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Totally different experience of Cuba. Enjoyed the dive in American car. Havana completely different from Baraco and Trinidad. Also by chance and good luck saw turtles hatching out on beach at Cayo Blanco. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Think long and hard about driving in Cuba especially the farther away you get from Havana. The drive from Santiago to Baracoa is very twisty, very steep and there are many potholes and bits of trees on this road. The GPS system is excellent and you need to download maps before you go, but the time estimates between towns is unrealistic 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? We stayed in casa particulars and ate there, I think that probably helped the families. Casa Particulars overall better than the hotels we stayed in. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Overall very good but we had too much driving. We saw a lot of different places however but the driving became exhausting. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that you loved Cuba and also the remote Baracoa in the East of Cuba with its mountains, beaches, waterfalls and rivers. For people who don't have many days to travel and still wish to do Cuba from West to East we can take out 'Vinales valley' and do it in 14-15 days. People can also fly from Havana to Santiago and do a short East Cuba tour of 8 days, for instance combined with Havana or directly fly in at Holguin. Baracoa is a real gem and really worth the efforts to visit for those who love to explore the far east and to experience an authentic Cuba with pure nature, salsa and artisanal chocolate. We recommend to stay here as long as possible for at least 3 days. The journey from the south to Baracoa via Guantanamo Bay, is the most beautiful road of Cuba with beautiful winding curves, views of the farola mountain, roads connecting the south to the north with some amazing panorama views. It is a remote drive and after a tropical intensive rain shower there can be some debris on the road from the trees. This is part of life. You will have to travel through this remote area to get to Baracoa and we feel that this road is very safe and has a real good asfalt deck compared to other routes in Cuba. It is also used by the regular bus Viazul for the connection with Santiago. For sure the general speed over Cubans small country roads is less as what people expect or Google maps indicates. We estimate that people dont cover more than 50-60 km in one hour as average speed including some photo stops and including some short coffee stops as well during the day. In self drive programs we always split the route from Trinidad to Santiago in 2 parts with an overnight stay in Camaguey and include a private guided tour with bike/taxi in Camaguey. For Cuba on a self drive program, going all the way to Baracoa (East Cuba), you need to be fond of self driving and exploring, as it is a real long way. Otherwise it is better to drop off the car at Trinidad and take the Viazul bus to Santiago or continue by minivan/taxi in case of a travel party. At Santiago de Cuba we then try to have our travellers stay 2 to 3 nights, have a cultural tour and visit the Gran Piedra with the oldest coffee hacienda of Cuba. And for when they continue further eastwards, stay longer in Baracoa to enjoy the area or to join one or more of the outdoor programs we offer. You can have a full free beach day. People can go hiking for 2 days, have day walks, with or without horse back riding, biking, swimming at waterfalls and so on. We always give advice to stay as long as possible as the extra costs are very little for renting a casa particular - bed and breakfast per day. In the end we leave it open to our travellers how ambitious they wish to be with their travel plans given the time window they have. See full holiday details

Tola Otudeko review 21 Dec 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Too many to mention. The spontaneous outburst of music and dancing, the exceptional views of sea, mountains, countryside, colourful and outstanding buildings and cars, the history and the pride of the people. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Go with an open mind and travel round Cuba rather than stay in a holiday resort. Be prepared for periods of separation from wifi but always have a scratch card with you as you never know when you will come across a hotspot. Stay at Casa's. That way you get to stay in a variety of buildings and experience the Cuban style of living. Be guided by your Responsible Travel their Correspondent who is very experienced and will design a memorable trip for you. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Definitely. From the case's homestay to taxis to purchasing local art and crafts. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Overall, the holiday was fantastic. A couple of negatives like the Flamingo park being shut but that was not the fault of Responsible Travel. See full holiday details

Sarah Gray review 21 Aug 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Topes De Collantes walk - we had a full day hike visiting coffee farm, then walked and stopped at a pool to swim, climbing up several small waterfalls from one pool to the next. Then a great lunch followed by a trip back to the start in a Russian truck by which time it had started to rain - a real life fun fair ride. In general enjoyed staying in Casas. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Our tour operator arranged things perfectly - every transfer, tour and casa worked well. And all at a reasonable price compared to some of the other quotes and completely tailor made to us. We took a large amount of cash to exchange (which was easy to do) but had no problem getting money out of the ATM machines with debit and credit cards.. It is a cash based economy. Internet buy cards for 1hr at the etsca shops - there can be a queue and you need passport to buy - 1.50 CUC for one hour card. Then the hotspots are in town squares - you will notice where because lots of people are sat on their phones. Using coach transfers was easy - but need to know which company travelling on. The ones we were booked on had a list with names on which they crossed checked against tickets. Comfortable and zircon, always stopped for coffee/ toilet break. Toilets - get some small coins to give to the lady sat outside the toilet and then she gives you toilet paper in return! Lots of old cars around - so some of the taxis we took happened to be the old vintage cars - so not necessary to book a tour to ride in one unless thats something that you want to do. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes staying in the casa particulars benefited the locals as we paid them directly. Not much waste in Cuba anyway, and travelled on buses. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Really enjoyed it - a good mix of sight seeing, outdoors and lazing around. See full holiday details

Gary Lum review 13 Jun 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? A hard question because there were so many exciting and memorable parts. The Cuban people were very welcoming, helpful, and friendly, taking in all the beautiful scenery, whether it be the Vinales valley, the beautiful beaches or the historic streets of Trinidad and Havana 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Second the comment about having lots of small denominations, be open to adventure, bring clothing to give away, and don't stop when someone tries to wave you down on the freeways. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? yes, we routinely gave rides to women, children and the elderly. We also were generous and routinely gave away extra clothes and gifts to our hosts 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Highly recommend!! It was a real adventure. We were able to explore Cuba and it's rich history and want to do it again Read the operator's response here: This holiday was a honeymoon roundtrip so we are very happy to read that our travellers loved Cuba and its people, enjoyed all of it and would like to come back. We brief all our travellers before they go to Cuba, besides the briefing they receive in Havana from our team on the ground and the Cuba manual they receive from us. Am happy to read that some advices were very well implemented and that they could enjoy the trip more in this way. We already suggested to go to East Cuba with Santiago de Cuba & explore the mountains, beaches & rivers of Baracoa. From the USA you have already direct flights going to Holguin and Santiago de Cuba. See full holiday details

Melsa Houston review 6 Jun 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The walk over the side flank of El Junque in Baracoa. In fact everything about Baracoa was lovely. The local guide of this operator was simply the best. He was very knowledgeable, but also thoughtful and kind. It rained heavily during the climb, it was lovely to just enjoy everything the weather could throw at you , and not have to bother crossing the rivers as we were already wet. A lovely Caribbean experience 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Try to get lots of money in small denominations. A little tip means a lot and is always gratefully received. The homestays were in general quite adequate and comfortable and it was nice to mix with local people away from busy tourist centres. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes especially in that we used homestays and local guides, and used small enterprises. The tour included visits to small farmers and local people who offered coffee and little treats. That was a good way of supporting local people who would otherwise not share the tourist dollar. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? A very enjoyable and educational tour. It was very good to experience the friendliness and enterprise of the people in Cuba. See full holiday details

Beatrice Mosello review 29 May 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We really enjoyed the Badada Codina hike - in Sierra Escambray. The hike was 3-4 hours - not too short, not too long, and above all not too difficult despite the fact that it was raining. Our guide was great - telling us stories about the nature we were seeing, but also about herself and the people living in the mountains. Very knowledgeable and funny! She took us to the caves, and then to the state-run restaurant where we (surprisingly) had an amazing lunch with roasted pig, rice, Cristal and coffee & fruits at the end. Getting there on the army jeep was also quite an experience. Overall, a great day, highly recommended to other travelers. And we loved Havana. We spent there 4 days in total, enough to get a good sense of the city, walking around, talking to people, sucking up its life music culture and history. Recommend trying as many new restaurants as possible (paladars, NOT state restaurants), enjoying night life, and walking around in Vedado (my absolute favorite!) 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Definitely stay in casas particulares, and rely on the travel agency (Marcel was great!) for suggestions on where to stay. The host families we encountered were all great, and they are your best resource in Cuba to get anything done: horse riding, bike rental, good restaurants, nights out, taxis, tips, etc. Avoid state-run restaurants as much as possible: although some of them look amazing from the outside (often they are in historical buildings), food is awful, service is awful... Paladars are a much better choice but stick to the ones recommended by your agency, guide book (we had Rough Guide and it had some great recommendations too) and, above all, your Cuban hosts! Go to Santa Clara! People think it is only for the Mausoleum of the Che. But we found the city lovely - so much more real and chilled than its touristy cousins Trinidad and Cienfuegos. 2-3 hours walking around the city centre would do though, no need to stay at night. If you have an extra day in havana and feel like going to the beach (and, like us, have refused to spend precious days of your holiday in Varadero), go to Playas del Este. Playa Santa Maria is quite nice. The sea is amazing, the beach is white and clean. And you are surrounded by Cubans partying with reggaeton and drinking rum. An experience for sure. You can get lunch on the beach, a bit on the expensive side, but all the fish is fished and grilled in front of you, can't get more fresh than that. Learn some Spanish before heading to Cuba it will help you talk to the locals and, overall, you will enjoy your experience much more. We were very happy to have had Marcel (and the local operator) organizing our itinerary and doing all the bookings of casas and transport in advance for us. It saved us a lot of time and, we suspect, hassle. Good to have an updated travel guide with you all the time - we had Rough guide and loved it! And the manual that Marcel gave us was a life saver when it came to plan additional days, find restaurants, things to do. Also, make sure you talk to other travelers during your trip - everyone does a similar itinerary, and they have good tips to share. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Difficult to say especially for reduced environmental impact but supported conservation. We always stayed at casas particulares and ate at paladars, run by local people. We'd like to consider ourselves responsible travelers in general, and we hope we have behaved at such in Cuba as well :) 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Amazing holiday! Everyone should visit to Cuba once in a lifetime, it is an incredible place, changing fast and yet so stuck in time; people are friendly and fun, and walking around is safe; music is everywhere; food could do with some more spices and creativity, but you have good coffee and good rum to make up for it. You get beach, mountains, countryside, city life... 2 weeks minimum, stay in casas, eat in paladars, get someone to suggest you a good itinerary to make the most out of this magic place. See full holiday details

Herbin Chia review 29 May 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Experiencing the transition that Cuba and its people are undergoing - from Communism to Socialism / Capitalism. And the contrast between various neighbourhoods in Havana and between Havana and places like Trinidad, Cienfuegos and Vinales. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Have a open mind and go with the flow - focus on living the experience and don't obsess about getting wifi connection. Having the app "maps.me" (http://maps.me/en/home) is a must! 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Absolutely. Read up on what kind of gifts will be appreciated by your local hosts, children, guide, drivers, chambermaids, etc. Pack extra stuff so that you can use and then leave behind for those who will use them. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? 5 of 5 - I am an avid traveller and it was still an eye opening experience for me. See full holiday details

Ashleigh Phillips review 15 Jun 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Baracoa. Remote and beautiful 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Immerse yourself in the culture and all will be good. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Wonderful Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our clients loved Cuba and also the remote Baracoa in the East of Cuba with its mountains, beaches, waterfalls and rivers. For people who don't have 19 -21 days holiday to do whole Cuba from West to East and still wish to experience the East of Cuba we can take out the Vinales valley and do it in 14-15 days and/or people can fly from Havana to Santiago and do a short East Cuba tour of 8 days for instance combined with Havana. It is really worth it for those who love an authentic Cuba with salsa, culture and nature. See full holiday details

Cyril Mundy review 15 May 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Meeting people and talking about life 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Make sure that when you book Casa Particulare that it is a home with the family living there, not just a small hotel with only rooms and a cleaner 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? As payment for the accommodation was to the owner there was a benefit. Environmental Impacts were not minimised. The Guides for the Bird and consevation areas were locals so they could understand the gain from conservation. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent is what I would like to say for all, but the failure of the organiser and his local rep to book homes with families as well as difficult to access and problematic rooms, took a lot of the shine off the tour Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travellers had a wonderful trip with good memories and liked the Cuban people & country. About the actual homestay - casa particular situation for future Cuba travellers we place a some information below. All homestays on Cuba carry the name casas particulares, they have a licence and a logo on the door and as a client you are registered in their administration. In the past all casas were families living on location and offering 1 or 2 rooms. As the tourism has increased tremendously since last year on Cuba due to the new incoming US tourism, the low season has become high season and the high season top high season with the result that there is a shortage of accommodation on Cuba which there has been always but now more significant. Many Cuban families who had a good homestay and location have therefore decided especially on the Cuban hot spots as Old Havana and Trinidad to move out of their homestay, buy a house in the suburbs of the village or city and rent all the rooms they have of their former house. A homestay can be now a boutique hostel with several rooms with excellent staff service or the owner passing by now and then, it can be a boutique homestay with only 1 or 2 rooms with staff service only without a family, it can be a traditional homestay with family still living at location and it can be a full free apartment for your own with staff service. It is all called casas particulares. What you like and prefer depends very much of each travellers tastes and style. We also like mention that staying with a family should not be romantised as a special experience, that all depends of the travellers own input as well and also with a staff at a homestay you can have great chats for many hours as well on many topics. But you do need to speak good to fluent Spanish. The families in traditional homestays usually only speak little or no English, so the idea of cultural exchange only works when you speak at least enough Spanish. We have had many happy clients in a particular homestay in Old Havana with a free balcony and great street views on Avenida del Prado, which is reviewed as a top homestay on various websites. This homestay our travellers did not like as their was only staff present and they missed a Cuban family which we understand. Our team in Havana tried to change this homestay for their return dates as was requested but it is not at all that easy in high season as they comment and they could not manage. Our travellers are birdwatchers and they stayed in a remote ecological mountain lodge in the Vinales area to give them the best location possible at a casa particular to watch birds, however there is no family here and we also informed them about this.This birdwatching location is requested a lot and we were very pleased that we could reserve this ecolodge especially for them. They stayed at a lovely top homestay at the coast of Trinidad with family and located directly at the sea with direct access to the coral reefs from the garden. This homestay they also reviewed very positively so we are happy about this. The sharing with our travellers after their trip made us clear that we need to improve our question lists for the homestay whether they prefer to stay with or without family (or that it does not matter) and what the exact priorities are together with other important decision factors. So that at the moment of booking our team in Havana knows exactly what to do and what the preferences are, depending on the moment of booking, what the availabilities of the homestays are and what the possibilities are with the given budget of course. After all also a very learning experience for us that we are now implementing with our team in Havana. See full holiday details

James Fredenburg review 2 May 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The people and country of Cuba were great. Highly recommend this destination. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? I suggest that travelers find a different travel agency. Ours was very weak in the areas of accommodations, coordination and value for your dollar. We have travel in many third world countries and this was the weakest travel agency we have used over the years. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Besides the money we spent, no. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We had a very good vacation but our tour operator did not contribute much to our enjoyment. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travelers loved Cuba and its people and that Cuba is highly recommended. We work in a great team with staff in Havana from trip design to implementation of all the travel details. In this case our travelers made use of a tourguide on a roundtravel by private minivan taxi. The tourguides are briefed about all trip details in Havana and they brief the clients every day to finetune about the program on daily basis. Cuba is a great destination when you go with the Cuban flow, passion and style of life. What some travellers do forget that Cuba is a very different destination then other holiday destinations in third world countries. Cuba can not provide the high level of services that USA travellers do expect on basis of previous travel experiences and we always inform our travellers about this before traveling to Cuba. Take it easy and see in the moment how you can bend a certain situation in which some things are missing or lacking into a positive experience for all people involved, that is responsible tourism. It is good to give positive feedback to the Cubans how they can improve their services and help them to grow. From homestays to tourguides and staff in Havana. From a perspective where they come from and where they are. Not from the perspective what the level of services are in the USA or in Asia. A travel on Cuba should be based on giving and receiving and see also how you can help a community to improve and make progress if you feel that this is the case. A first traveller to Cuba does not understand Cuba and especially when used to a high level of services elsewhere might experience that Cuba is not doing well. Cuba comes however from a very different organised society, from a very different economy and people just start learning to be entrepreneurs, they are just at the beginning and this also needs to be understood. We also are continuously involved how the services on Cuba can be improved, how homestay families, tourguides and local guides can improve their skills, based on all feedback we receive from our travellers and our own guiding experience. Our clients stayed in top boutique colonial homestay in Old Havana and at a top boutique homestay directly at the coast near Trinidad at an unique location from where you can jump directly from a garden terrace in the sea to snorkel at the coral reefs, all with nice rooms with beautiful terraces and views, nice staff or family and good home cooking. We were very glad to hear that you enjoyed these homestays so much. Cuba is not easy to understand and even Cubans say that they dont, so is better to smile, be humorous, enjoy life and improvise wherever needed. It takes several trips to understand the Cuban situation and develop ideas what should be done in the future for Cuba. And this is what Cuba needs, our positive support as the people deserve it. Finally having a great holiday with marvellous memories is a contribution of the whole team from staff in Havana, the office people to guides and homestays, it is all teamwork. See full holiday details

Susan Porter review 28 Apr 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? All of it, it fantastic from start to finish 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Have no worries everything run so smoothly and everyone was so nice. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Hopefully it helped the owners of the casa's 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent See full holiday details

Erika Fayers review 14 Apr 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We really enjoyed the whole experience. Cuba still appears to be in a time warp and we enjoyed seeing all the variety of transport from the old cars to horses and carts. Loved the variety from spending time wandering around the cities, to walking in Vinales & Baracoa to relaxing on the beach. Food better than expected and people very friendly and welcoming. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Learn as much Spanish as possible We were apprehensive about the voucher system and pre-arranged bookings but it worked well. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes because we stayed in Casa particulares and when possible ate our meals in the casas. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent trip - thoroughly enjoyed it See full holiday details

Michael Howarth review 4 Apr 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Difficult to pick from snorkelling off cayo iguanas or the reverence in which the Cuban people have for Castro. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Make sure you have a car suitable for their roads (our Geely was not up to the job!) 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? It benefited the local population. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We would describe it as an adventure/experience rather than a holiday Read the operator's response here: We are happy that this journey from West to East Cuba (from Havana as far as to Baracoa) has given some wonderful memories to our travellers and that it has been a real journey. What matters is the journey and what it brings you along the way. That Cuba is an adventurous holiday destination outside the all-inclusive beach resorts may be clear, a travel on Cuba requires an open mind, flexibility, a good sense of humour as the Cubans have and knowing how to enjoy the moment. The rewarding of a journey like this can be immense as Cuba, the culture and its people can be an eye and heart opener and a big inspiration afterwards at home. When we make a tailor made selfdrive program we quote all the car classes in one time of the various car agencies. The client decides which car class fits best in their budget. The most basic car on Cuba is the Geely CK at this moment. It is not the best car they have on Cuba , it is a basic Chinese car. If you experience any problems along the way it is best to go to a garage of their corresponding car rental agency. We have had many travellers who went from Havana to Vinales and then from there all the way to Baracoa with a Geely CK and they managed well we are sorry that in this occasion the car was not the right choice. See full holiday details

Margaret Middleton review 2 Apr 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Lots of fantastic memories, hard to chose one particular one. But the whole experience of discovering old Havana stands out and also our first experience of staying in a Casa Particular in Havana. Such a welcome extended to us by the hosts. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Be aware that you need to take everything with you for your stay as there is very little to buy in the shops. If you can't find a bank to change currency you can always go to a large hotel. Don't expect to be able to access internet easily, very hit and miss. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? By staying at casas we felt we were supporting the local economy. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent, great to experience the real Cuba by staying in casas rather than a large resort. Read the operator's response here: We are very happy that the holiday has been a real journey for our travelers. We just wish to add a comment to help new travelers to Cuba about locating Wi-Fi hot spots. With a rental car or a tour with driver you can drive to a public hot spots and connect in the shade of some trees and then continue on with the trip. We recommend buying directly a bigger amount of internet cards on the first Etecsa shop - when possible - as the cards are not always available. And to be very sure that you have logged out correctly otherwise you lose the rest time of your card. One card gives you 1 hr access. Wi-Fi is now available at most boutique hotels along classical itineraries through Cuba (Havana, Viñales, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Trinidad, Camaguey, Santiago, Baracoa) and in most of the important squares in all the Cuban cities. You can recognize Wi-Fi hot spots by the concentrations of people chatting and mailing at public squares. When the wifi signal can still be received outside a hotel, you see people around the hotel using their smart phones or sitting against the wall with their laptops. It does not mean that Wi-Fi is always functioning or that it is a quick connection but it is a first step to a broader use of Wi-Fi and Internet in Cuba. You buy Internet cards at the hotel with WI-FI connection, at the telecom offices of ETECSA and homestay owners can also help you with obtaining internet cards for you. At Etecsa offices you have to present your passport as identification. We hope this advice helps See full holiday details

Richard Hazelton review 25 Mar 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? While age and history of the cities were fascinating, the countryside was beautiful. The full day hike in the Sierra Escambray with our private guide was wonderful. Seeing the national bird, learning the history of the coffee plants and surrounding flora was a day well spent. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? If you don't know Spanish, learn some. Even simple phrases will help a lot. Bring extra cash. Everything costs more than you think. Casa Particulares stays were much more fun and educational than staying in a hotel. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Obviously our visit benefited the Casa Particulares, guides, and private restaurants financially. By staying in Casa Particulares we had some good conversations about life in Cuba. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Excellent. Any small problems were easily worked out. The planning by Marcel and his agent on the ground was very good. Guides in Havana, Vinales, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and especially Sierra Escambray were informative, spoke English. Renting a car was terrific, roads and signage weren't as bad as expected, but renting the car would have been difficult without the local agents help. See full holiday details

Chrissie Amey review 3 Mar 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Our holiday was well planned and the connections were mostly very efficient and the time keeping was far better than we expected. We stayed in some lovely casa particulars, the two we enjoyed the most were the artist's house in Soroa where the garden was packed with lovely plants and the evening menu and breakfast were imaginative and the owners were charming. The other casa was the simple but perfectly positioned casa in Playa Larga; right on the sea front with no unwelcome night noises (so common in other villages ie dogs, cockerels and vehicles), breakfast was served on a small wooden jetty with sea mists burning off as we ate. Lovely owners and a pleasant bedroom with a good shower. The best part of our holiday overall were all the guided walks that were arranged for us; all our guides were young, educated, bi-lingual and delightful. We learnt so much from what they told us and their enthusiasm for their country and culture was infectious. We would not have felt so immersed in Cuba without their input and as a result I found myself leaving Cuba with a huge respect for the Cubans and their culture. It's a remarkably safe country, not only are there no dangerous animals or insects (although there are vicious mosquitoes if you are prone to being bitten), we experienced no begging or pickpockets and felt perfectly safe even in the poorest parts of old Havana. Go snorkelling in the Bay of Pigs if you can; the water is so clean and the fish were abundant; it was one of the best experiences of the holiday. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Always check the price of any taxi vehicle before you get in; we were stung for 20 CUCs in Havana for a 15 minute bike-taxi ride. Buy drinking water in the largest bottles you can find as it gets cheaper the larger the bottle - just decant it into smaller bottles for carrying around. Visit the main modern art gallery in Havana; it's on a par with the Tate Modern. Visit the large Botanical Gardens to the east of Cienfuegos; they are free but the guides expect a tip and the one we had was worth every CUC we gave her; a fascinating place. Incidentally, we couldn't understand why Cienfuegos is considered so special; we spoke to other travellers who agreed. It's a large port with an interesting history, but not much that makes it any more special than other large towns. We were glad to leave there. Be prepared to tip wherever and whatever you do; it helps to keep lots of small change handy so you don't find the CUCs draining away too fast. If you have concerns about issues around noise or claustrophobic rooms make sure this is known to the people booking your casa particular as some were better than others and generally the Cubans seem to tolerate conditions that we might find difficult at home. We hired a car for the holiday and then wondered why other holiday makers we met went everywhere by bus or taxi until we got on the roads; they are mostly awful by English standards and are best avoided at night as potholes and poor surfaces are everywhere including the 'auto-route'. Having a puncture was a constant worry; although when we appeared to have one (a faulty valve) we only encountered kindness and genuine support; but it did consume half a day of our holiday sorting it out.. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? I guess our visit benefited local people in that we stayed in their casas and spent money on local facilities rather than large foreign-owned resort hotels. But it's very evident that tourism is the main form of income for many Cubans nowadays and consequently prices are going up. While we are contributing to the local small scale economy it is also evident that our contribution reaches only a small part of Cuban society and those not engaged in tourism are left untouched. We were very interested in Cubans' respect and concern for their environment but I am not sure how we contributed to that other than by taking an interest in what they were doing. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We loved Cuba and the people and our holiday was mostly well organised. Once or twice small things didn't happen as they had been planned and there was no apology or explanation as to why. The route that was arranged for us from Havana to Vignales, Soroa, Trinidad and back to Havana is a classic tourist route and only our brief diversion to Playa Larga was untypical of this route. Another time we would ask to visit less touristy places as the towns on the tourist circuit are beginning to loose their appeal due to increased tourism, ie Trinidad, which is charming but largely populated by tourists in the old centre nowadays. Havana is interesting for certain features but we found it much too noisy and polluted, mostly by old vehicles that belch out black fumes and the obvious increase in building and renovation around the old city. The countryside is amazing and we were so impressed by its richness and diversity. Although some of the walks we did were about 8 miles they never felt hurried or difficult, it was definitely the best way to learn about Cuba and enjoy what it has to offer. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our clients have had a great holiday and enjoyed so much the private guided tours in the cities and walks in the countryside we arranged for them. Few remarks: we recommend our travellers to stay in Cienfuegos as we receive many positive reviews of travellers who would have loved to stay there longer as there is relative little tourism among others. Among the larger Cuban cities, Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos are the most interesting to visit. At Cienfuegos you can enjoy a cultural tour with a private guide, a boat ride over the bay, go to one of the beaches, go diving, visit the botanical garden, go to a lake to see flamingos and other Cuban birdlife and last but not least from Cienfuegos you can visit El Nicho waterfall in the Sierra Escambray as half or full day excursion. From here you can explore the mountain trails around the waterfalls or after a 2-3 hrs visit continue to Trinidad. From Cienfuegos you can also make a half day trip to the NP Zapata in the Bay of Pigs for diving, snorkelling, fishing or bird watching. Further all visits and day walks or trekking's in the Cuban National parks and reserves contribute economically to the maintenance of these natural habitats and their flora and fauna. Our travellers visited four of them and so contributed in this way to support nature conservation. Further all the income out of tourism goes to the Cuban Government and supports the free healthcare and education system on Cuba. Children of poor parents in Latin America will be never be able to study on a University even if they are very talented, in Cuba they luckily can, thanks to the Cuban Government and thanks to all the income generated out of tourism. Also foreign students are allowed to study on Cuba, even professionals as doctors are allowed to specialize further in their profession on Cuba where they are unable in their own country due to lack of funds. So it should not be underestimated in our opinion therefore which benefits tourism brings to all the Cubans, whether poor or rich, although this is not always that visible for a tourist on a short holiday visit. At last but not at least, we recommend self drive programs above traveling by regular bus or private taxi transfers when people prefer and like to drive. It gives much more freedom, you can have a break whenever you like, take pictures, chat with locals, go swimming whenever you want, it is much more fun despite the challenge of watching out for some potholes here and there. Driving at night we always advise to avoid as much as possible or drive very carefully, not only for some potholes but mainly as there can be traffic users as bikers and horse carriages on the road that are not using any lights. See full holiday details

Kathy Brown review 12 Feb 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Havana: Hostel Angel, Classic Car Tour, Walking Tour, wandering & taking pictures, particularly on the last day when the ban was lifted and people were dancing. Loved the old cars (throughout Cuba) and the mix of crumbling buildings. Meal at Paladar los mercaderes - Expensive but great food. Vinales: Walking tour of the valley & cigar plantations. Beach at Cayo Levisa. Casa in Vinales - Best Casa food and lovely older couple looked after us. Bahia Cochinas: Casa had a great location with breakfast on the edge of the bay although the food was not great. Cenote Trail, once we found the guide. Snorkelling off Punta Perdiz. Tour of Zapata park was very easy to organise from Bahia Cochinas although we needed to be there for 8:30am. Saw lots of Flamingos & a crocodile. Cienfuegos: Great Casa - Lovely old ladies who looked after us. Famous cocktail bar in the town centre which we desperate for by then!! Walking tour was great - The guide taught us most about the Cuban way of life. Trinidad: Loved the city, cobbled streets & buildings. Also loved the number of bars and restaurants. Meal at paladar la Redaccion. Tour to Topes Coliantes - Great views, greenery and saw a Cuban Trogon etc. Varadero: Beach was nice. Casa host (lady) was great and we had some good chance to practice Spanish conversation as she spoke v little English 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? This itinerary gave us a great experience and the chance to see lots of Cuba. Definitely spend time in Trinidad, Vinales, Bahia Cochinas. Cienfuegos has less to offer. Research restaurants before you go if you wish to eat decent food. Learn a little Spanish - You cannot relay on English everywhere. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes - we stayed with local people and ate at least one night in the Casa. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? The holiday was great - Saw lots, spent some good times with the local people, and had some downtime on stunning beaches. The only negative was the timing - The alcohol and music ban following Castro's death is not what you want when visiting Cuba. See full holiday details

Laura Giffin review 10 Feb 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Our casa particulars stay in Vinales was awesome! Although she didn't speak much English and we didn't speak much Spanish, Loly was delightful. The food was great and her family made us feel very welcome in their home. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? This is not the USA. Don't expect hot showers consistently. Be prepared to put the toilet tissue in the trash bin, not in the toilet. Overlook these small inconveniences and focus on the fantastic people, great restaurants and bars, and the amazing scenery. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes, we enjoyed leaving small gifts at each house, as well as fostering good will by being conscious of water usage, electric usage and generally treating their country with respect. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? We had a fantastic trip and would recommend time in Cuba to anyone willing to take an adventure. See full holiday details

Veronica Vigano review 23 Jan 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? The best part of the trip was to drive around with a classic car, having the same driver for 4 days allowed us to build a friendship, learn more about the country and have some fun together. We had a fantastic time, feeling safe and looked after!! 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Be flexible and trust the organizer 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? Great holiday tailored to my needs Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travellers loved traveling across Cuba in a classic Vintage car with a driver for several days. This trip with a driver is the most flexible private driver option in Cuba. Feel free to ask for more information on this tour. Please note that the drivers only speak Spanish - for sure, it is the most authentic Cuban experience! See full holiday details

Debra and Eric Goldberg review 8 Jan 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Interacting with the people of Cuba and see the results of what every Cuban we met referred to as the "failed revolution". We met many highly educated, resourceful and creative Cubans and found everyone to be warm, friendly, fun and engaging, but lacking in opportunities. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Arranging great guides is the most important reason for using an agent. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Locals benefits by our stays and meals in Casas Particulares, use of private taxis, private lessons, private guides, money spent in restaurants and tips. Anyone not directly involved in tourism can barely survive. Unfortunately, we increased the environmental impact because we were compelled to take taxis everywhere - buses were full. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? For US citizens it is important to go to Cuba, to let the Cuban people know that they have friends in the US and that there is hope for improved relations and opportunities in the future. The Cubans we met all believe that the US is there only viable partner for the future. We would not call this a "holiday" in that it wasn't easy or relaxing and the food wasn't very good. But we had good times and found the overall experience highly worthwhile. We needed a vacation from this vacation. We used an agent because of some of the logistic difficulties planning an independent trip and the agent was quite helpful, though some of the provided information was confusing. Read the operator's response here: We are very happy to read that it was an interactive and inspiring trip for our travellers. Funny to read that they need a vacation from this vacation. It shows how Cuba is, intense, warm, passionate and a mirror for our own living at home. Our travellers told us that they celebrated and danced New Year on the roof with their homestay family of 4 generations in Havana, a great experience of mixing cultures and customs. We always offer to give a briefing to our customers before they depart and they receive a briefing as well in Havana. This review makes us clear that we really need to remember clients of this extra briefing service so we can take away any un-clarities about Cuba and the logistics of their travel. Cuba is a very complex holiday destination, when even many Cubans do not understand their own country it is more hard for a tourist on their first trip to grasp the Cuban reality. As our travellers were met at the airport and also directly travelled to Vinales this briefing probably was also shorter than usual. We are always happy to receive feedback so our whole team can improve their services. This year we started with a new cultural service based on the feedback of some US travellers. We now will install a local cultural guide explaining on what is going on in Havana and purchasing tickets or making reservations on location when this service is reserved on time. See full holiday details

Sue Webb-Rees review 1 Apr 2017 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? Buena Vista Social Club. Fabulous performance. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Avoid Via Azul bus service. Everyone was coughing and sneezing on one trip. 4 people ending up getting sick. Our bus broke down twice on another journey. We arrived 3 hours late to our destination. Also many of the seats were broken.Take a mini van. Worth the extra expenditure. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes, we loved the homestays and our local guides. Loved the locally owned restaurants.Felt happy about supporting the coffee and cacao production. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? It was a little too fast paced. Some group members were not happy about the unpredictable events. Half the group got sick so that impacted the trip. None of these things have to do with the holiday planning though. Read the operator's response here: We are happy to read that our travellers loved the homestays (casas particulares) so much and that they could support to the local economy of the families, coffee and cacao. This trip probably would have been a top holiday if it werent for the flu. Unfortunately flu can be picked up anywhere due to the air conditioning. We always try to inform our travellers the best possible way with a briefing before the trip as well as the briefing they have in Havana and we provide a Cuba manual for what they may expect to come across. In the hope to avoid picking up flu we will implement tips in our briefings for bus travellers. Being vegetarian and/or eating only fish, avoiding pork and poorly cooked chicken can also help avoid stomach problems, we mention this also in our manual. The Viazul buses can be new or old, it seems that our travellers only happened to come across older ones and at the moment that is the best Cuba can offer. We are sorry that the bus broke down, unfortunately this can happen from time to time. We always discuss with clients all the possible transfer options during a trip design from rental car, bus, taxi transfers to a Cuban Adventure Tour with a Vintage car. The pace and length of the trip is tailored by the wishes of each client and what we think is a good itinerary. I am glad that you were happy with the overall planning of the trip as the challenge when a trip does not go completely as planned is to enjoy the moment as the Cubans do and make the journey in itself what matters most and I am glad this is what you did. See full holiday details

Weaver Gretchen review 29 Aug 2016 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? It is difficult to pick just one - we loved being in the county in Vinales, loved hiking and snorkeling in Playa Larga, loved our guides, enjoyed learning about the history of the different cities and enjoyed being in nature and experiencing the beauty of the gorgeous country. We loved talking with all of the people that we met and learning about the different ways in which people lived. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? Make sure you give yourself enough time to do tours and then time to relax. If you can, bring gifts/essentials for the people outside the homestays, they would really appreciate it. Soap was requested a lot. Kids love American candy. Be prepared to eat a lot at the home stays. The food is amazing - simple, and you'll get a lot of the same things, but we always had wonderful meals that were fresh and delicious. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? By staying in the homestays, going with local guides and eating at the paladars, we were able to benefit local people in every city that we visited. Additionally, we brought art supplies, ballet shoes, sports equipment and musical reeds to give to various people along our travels. Because we did ecotours, our children (and us adults) were provided with good information about how Cuba treats and respect the environment, how their farming practices support organic product, how much love the people have for the land. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? It was an amazing holiday that I will never forgot. Everything about it was a growing experience. We enjoyed the places, the people and the land. See full holiday details

Camilla Booth review 30 May 2016 1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday? We had a great self-drive holiday to Cuba, organised by the holiday provider. Marcel provided us with outstanding support and advice leading up to the trip, and this ensured that everything that was pre-arranged was as smooth as it could be for Cuba. We enjoyed driving around western Cuba, and having our own vehicle gave us flexibility. We loved our homestays, and our hosts and each felt perfectly matched to the town we were visiting. We stayed with Marina in Havana, and the views over Havana Vieja from the terrace were stunning, Vinales was rustic  with a pig on the property next door to Mildrens. Fidels house was right on the beach at the Bay of Pigs, our colonial stay in Cienfuegos with Myriam and Gladys was our favourite (and shortest, we were sad that it was one night only) and we found Ana Marys house in Trinidad comfortable. We ate most meals at the homestays, as recommended by the holiday provider, and these were always good quality. We dined out in Havana at San Cristobel, and the food was delicious, in Vinales we had a meal at El Olivio, which was fine but not spectacular. The best food was definitely at Davidmart in Trinidad  the flavours and presentation were excellent. We also ate at Paladar Sol y Ananda in Trinidad, and the colonial house environment was charming. We would recommend the horse ride into the Vinales valley and smoking a cigar at the despallilo. The diving at Bay of Pigs and Playa Ancon were definitely top experiences on the trip! We enjoyed experiencing the towns - cycling in Havana, and having a walking tour in Trinidad and in Cienfuegos, these gave us useful information about the towns and their history. 2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday? If we did the trip again, we would hire taxis as we found some of the roads with the potholes, and also giant crabs in the road around the Bay of Pigs a little harrowing. On balance, it may have also been a little cheaper to take taxis. Having the navigation app, recommended by the holiday provider(MapFactor+Navigator), kept our relationship intact, because the signs are not as helpful as they could be. Driving ourselves definitely added to the experience, and we now have great stories to tell our friends so if you are up for a driving adventure, Cuba definitely gives you that! If we had more time, 4 nights in Havana would have been better as we did not get to see everything we wanted to. If we did the trip again, we would stay 2 nights in Vinales instead of 3, as there was less to do. This slowed the pace down and it was a relaxing stay. We specifically went to the Bay of Pigs to dive, and the coral was beautiful, and the diving easy. We also dived at Playa Ancon, near Trinidad, where the coral was slightly more colourful, so travellers could do either dive location and still have an excellent experience. The equipment was a little tired, but still in good working order. Bringing your own dive computer may be helpful as there were no depth gauges on the dive in Trinidad. 3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation? Yes - through the opportunity to stay in Homestays and the provision of local guides. 4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall? This was one of the best holidays we have had, and having the support from Marcel, and Liliana when in Cuba ensured that this was a holiday and we could focus on enjoying ourselves. The manual was helpful, but do take a guidebook along. Read the operator's response here: We are very happy to read that our travelers had one of their best holidays ever! For this we work and we therefore prefer to dedicate our time to clients committed to work with us. We and our team in Cuba work on all the details every day to make this happen although we also have to say that Cuba is far from a