By T. Paajanen  

Before you plan a Cuba voyage, you should do a little research into this unique country and do some planning so that your travel goes off without a hitch.

Understand the Country

There is a lot of misunderstanding about Cuba, and you should get to know some details about how the country operates before you plan a Cuba voyage.

First of all, Cuba is not some isolated country that has no contact with the rest of the world. Americans often think this is the case because they are (were) banned from travel to the island. The entire rest of the planet has been visiting Cuba for years, and there is plenty of communication, trade and contact with every other nation.

Cuba is a Communist nation which means that a lot of private enterprise is discouraged, and it's not a good idea to talk politics at all while you are out in public. Even so, you will not have problems finding services, restaurants or accommodations.

Lastly, one unique thing about Cuba is that there are two currencies. Basically one for tourists and one for locals. It's a little too complicated to explain in great detail here, but you need to be aware of it. Residents use national pesos (CUP) and tourists use convertible pesos (CUC). The CUC have a much higher value and you need to be very aware of what you are paying for this so you don't use CUC when you really only need to be paying in CUP.

Arrange Your Transport

You have two options for getting to Cuba, you can either fly or travel by boat. Flights are easy enough to manage, and there are regular routes from many major airports around the world (just not from the USA). Or you can book a trip on a Caribbean cruise that stops in Cuba. It's a very popular cruise destination, so you can expect lots of options, especially if you want to see some of the other local islands too.

Decide What to See

Cuba may not have huge tourist attractions, but there is plenty to see on your trip. The main draws for a voyage to Cuba are the beaches. The entire coast is lined with classic sandy beaches and warm blue water. You can relax on the beach, or hire a car to take you inland and see the traditional landscapes and culture of Cuba. There are some fine nature parks, historical forts, cultural museums and other similar sites around the island to see.

Find Accommodations

Once you know what you want to see, then you can figure out where you want to stay. International resorts and hotels are common around the island and are great places to stay when you want easy beach access.

For cheaper and more authentically Cuban accommodations, you can choose from all sorts of hotels and guest houses. Whether you stay in the capital of Havana, or decide to stop in some of the smaller towns, there is always going to be somewhere you can rent a room. Known as "casa particulares", there are small guest houses where people offer rooms for rent in their own homes. It's a common feature in Cuba and a way to same some money because the costs are usually quite low.

These are basically all the details you need before you plan your Cuba voyage. Once you have a travel plan worked out, all that's left is getting things booked and head out.

Terri has traveled the world and is always looking forward to her next adventure. She prefers to visit new and exciting places instead of the usual destinations. You can share her adventure travel suggestions at Daring Destinations to find your next holiday. Her next planned holiday is travel to Cuba.

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