330 days of sunshine
With some 330 days of sunshine a year, Cuba is a land of light and warmth. Ideal for cutting the greyness of the
European winters. Don’t worry during the wet season, the violent but brief thunderstorms quickly give way to sunshine.
A welcoming people
In spite of the material difficulties, the Cuban people remain dignified and will give you a warm welcome. Joie de vivre, vitality and humour remain the key words. From hitchhikers met on the side of the road, to the guajiro who will teach you the secrets of tobacco or to the simple passer-by met in the street, the conversation always starts quickly with a very Latino spirit. The existence of a vast network of rooms in private homes also provides the opportunity to immerse oneself as closely as possible in the realities and daily life of the population, beyond simplistic and easy clichés.
Guaranteed security
Cuba is unquestionably the safest country in all of Latin America, if not in America itself, where it is good to travel. Like everywhere else, precautions must be taken, but the streets of Cuba know little or no violence. Children and women can move around anywhere and at any time of day without encountering any particular problem.
An original and mixed culture
The security probably comes from that, by the way. Extremely mixed, Cuba mixes genres and colours brilliantly. Ahead of its time, compared to the cultural walls erected everywhere else in the world, the island proves that colour cannot be the only factor of cohesion. A country of immigration, whether desired or forced, the influences mix and the references intertwine. Spaniards, Italians, French, Africans and Chinese have now given way to Cubans, a young nation in its own right. The cultural bubble, almost palpable on the spot, says rather well the specificity of this island, generator of talented artists in all fields (music, literature, painting). At the crossroads between Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas, Cuba has invented this surrealist universe, where authoritarian communist regimes rub shoulders with island nonchalance and the indolence of the tropics. A world where sound, rhythm and body almost take the place of metaphysics. Colorful, festive and mysterious, the Cuban trajectory continues to exert its irresistible attraction, multiplying contradictions with a smirk and an astonishing mischievousness.
Sandy beaches with crystal-clear waters
With nearly 4,000 km of coastline, Cuba offers an impressive amount of beautiful beaches with crystal-clear waters.
Without being exhaustive, we can mention Varadero, Playa Pilar, Guardalavaca and a whole series of islets (cayos), each one more beautiful than the next and which would almost make your eyes turn with their expanses of mealy white sand.
The beaches are generally more beautiful on the north coast. Farniente or sport, the combinations are multiple. You can simply laze around on your towel or indulge in the joys of water sports (windsurfing, snorkelling, kayaking…).
Diving friends, for your bottles the island offers indeed superb sites which are excellent spots such as Maria la Gorda, Isla de la Juventud and the Bay of Pigs (Playa Larga, Playa Girón).
A nature full of resources
With three mountainous areas (the Sierra de Guaniguanico in the west, the Escambray massif in the centre and the Sierra Maestra in the east) and unique karstic rock formations in the Viñales valley (the mogotes), prepare yourself for a few walks in the heart of a generous and still perfectly preserved nature. For caving enthusiasts, numerous caves, some of which are among the largest in Latin America (Santo Tomás), provide an exciting glimpse of the country’s underground world. On the surface, you will also appreciate the variety of flora and fauna, where the rate of endemism remains extremely high.
Wonderful Havana
Impossible not to mention the mythical Cuban capital. Its magnificent colonial district (Habana Vieja), which has been given a new look since the launch of the vast restoration policy, its Malecón, a waterfront opening onto the Strait of Florida and the true backbone of the city, and of course all its districts (Centro Habana, Vedado, Miramar) which have always had a lasting impact on the imagination. Fascinating and endearing, the capital continues to distil its magic and charms. Once the sun is eclipsed, it is up to you to spend endless evenings in the heart of this nocturnal cauldron.
