Anyone been to Cuba?

zepp76

As an avid cigar smoker I’ve longed to go to Cuba and visit one of the cigar making factories to see these wonderful little sticks being made. Has anyone been to Cuba and done a factory tour, do they even allow tours? Is there much else of interest there other than lazing on a beach smoking one of the worlds finest? I’m seriously considering parting ways with my No1 Les Paul to fund a trip, something I never thought I’d do but I’m getting to that point in my life where I’d rather have fantastic memories and adventures rather than material objects. Those that have been please seduce me with your experiences.

robgilmo

Are Cuban cigars really that good?

zepp76

robgilmo said:

Are Cuban cigars really that good?

Some would say some new world cigars are just as good if not better but I’d like to visit where it all started and use it as an excuse for a nice holiday.

robgilmo

Dont blame you, Id love to go to Cuba. Looks like a fascinating place to visit.

rustneversleeps

I loved Cuba,although it was years ago.Ive heard its changed a bit.I done the cigar factory tour .
also rum factory tour ,don’t remember too much about that one.Most of the population play some sort of instrument which is nice.

Emp_Fab

I've been a few times.  Got propositioned by a bloke in a Salsa club in old Havana too 

Lovely place but the poverty is not pleasant to see.  Most of the population have almost nothing at all.  Looking at the locals in Santiago through the windows of my air-conditioned coach, I felt like a millionaire in a limo driving through a slum.

The flight is a bastard too - 10h+

mrkb

rustneversleeps said:

I loved Cuba,although it was years ago.Ive heard its changed a bit.I done the cigar factory tour .
also rum factory tour ,don’t remember too much about that one.Most of the population play some sort of instrument which is nice.

We did a rum ‘factory’ tour in Havana, but it was really just a bottle labelling plant. They were taking bottles out of cardboard boxes putting them into the conveyor machine, getting labels stuck on, then reboxing them! All the employees seemed happy, they had an easy job, and I think they had sampled the produce a lot!

skunkwerx

Went with work one time back in '61, didnt like the bay much, and everyone had a gun.  

fields5069

Are people really that poor? I’ve no direct experience but do have some local info on the Dominican Republic. Hotel workers get about $300 per month, and a couple eats out on local food for $3. A Big Mac is something stupid like $20, and of course everyone wants one instead  of super fresh seafood and the best fruit. 

ac30man

Havana was fantastic. Really enjoyed that part of the trip. Hotel was Iberostar Varadero. Nice hotel but flies all over the food, bitten to death on the beach by sand flies. The only place I have ever been where they want a tip BEFORE they want to serve you. I know they have very little but I tipped really well and still got shit service on the whole. Never again. Keep your Les Paul. 

HAL9000

Viñales is a tobacco growing region. Many farmers manufacture their own on site and transport them to market, so as well as visiting a factory it could well be worth a visit to a farm and see things from plant to finished product.

I went a couple of years back...

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/144544/

zepp76

HAL9000 said:

Viñales is a tobacco growing region. Many farmers manufacture their own on site and transport them to market, so as well as visiting a factory it could well be worth a visit to a farm and see things from plant to finished product.

I went a couple of years back...

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/144544/

@HAL9000 thanks for the link and recommendation I had Vinales on my radar and the Vuelta Abajo region as that’s where the best tobacco comes from. I’d love to do a tour from farm to cigar, that would be fantastic. Just as an aside, as I’ve never been out of Europe how many cigars could I legally bring back please?

HAL9000

You can currently bring in 50 cigars from outside the EU.

zepp76

HAL9000 said:

You can currently bring in 50 cigars from outside the EU.

Really, is that all? That’s one box of good cigars and my quota is met, that’s a bit poo!

scrumhalf

I went on a two week tour with Exodus. I cannot think of a single thing in the entire trip that wasn't great. We visited several places, really enjoyed it. I also booked an extra day pre and post tour in Havana.

Highly recommended. 

CloudNine

Been a few times and it's great, quite a unique place. Stayed in Cayo Coco, and Varadero and also spent a few days in Havana on each trip. Didn't do any cigar tours, so can't help there. Food is mostly crap from my experience, beaches are amazing, there is some poverty but it doesn't define the place imo. Havana is totally awesome though, absolute must see place. Checking out all Hemingways old haunts was fun, some cool bars etc. 

Avoid internal flights, absolutely terrifying....  

jonnyburgo

I was in Havana 20 yrs ago, was not a safe place at night back then, loads of street guys asking for money and hustling 24/7 went on a cigar factory tour and felt ashamed, they were dirt poor workers being looked at as if in a zoo. saw the dog wardens at work literally swinging dogs into the death wagon by their tails, the sound of the dogs screaming still haunts me. My missus saw red and starting shouting at the guy, the locals thought it was hilarious. Things might be different now.

mrkb

CloudNine said:

Been a few times and it's great, quite a unique place. Stayed in Cayo Coco, and Varadero and also spent a few days in Havana on each trip. Didn't do any cigar tours, so can't help there. Food is mostly crap from my experience, beaches are amazing, there is some poverty but it doesn't define the place imo. Havana is totally awesome though, absolute must see place. Checking out all Hemingways old haunts was fun, some cool bars etc. 

Avoid internal flights, absolutely terrifying....  

We did an internal flight back to Havana - that arrived at the local airport (rather than the international one) where taxis don't bother to go (as the locals don't use them) - hence we were stranded at midnight. The airport security ended up calling his mate to get us to our hotel as he wanted to close up for the night. The departures area was a port a cabin and a small palm tree next to the runway!

We also did a hotel "city to beach resort" transfer (60 miles via taxi), so saw the real Cuba (at the side of the massively potholed roads - about 1m across) as we drove along (and shared the taxi with the driver, his wife and baby who fancied the trip out) dodging donkey carts, massive government busses and lorries, and popped into collect an engine from the drivers brother in law as we were passing by his house - interesting trip!

CloudNine

@mrkb  Lol, yeah that sounds about right. The plane I was on was really shoddy, I distinctly remember my seat, it was brown leather with massive rips in it, and was only very loosely attached to the floor. This was quite a long time ago, things may have improved..

zepp76

A mixed bag of reviews it seems! I’m sure it must be safer at night now as they must heavily rely on the tourism trade surely?