|
There is a one week package from Victoria (via Vancouver and Montreal) to Holguin for just a tad under $1000 to either Brisas Guardalavaca or Blau Costa Verde.That’s a very good price from here. I don’t know much about the AI’s in that area. I don’t require much – most of my Cuba trips have been as an independent traveller. I just need some sun and sunshine right now. Could a few of you who know these resorts give me your opinion about them.Many thanks
Patty
|
|
|
|
You didn’t miss much of anything. It was only the Silenas or Sirenas (sorry – don’t remember the name exactly) in Varadero and the prices were no better than I have seen on other selloff sites —except maybe good for that hotel. Before taxes, about $899 from Vancouver, $499 from Toronto.
|
|
|
|
|
That’s the only way to Holguin from Victoria – the redeye to TO and then some considerable wait for the flight to Holguin. Coming back, add a transfer in Vancouver for 3 flights and many, many hours Just thinking about that, Cabo San Lucas and Hawaii are looking very nice….
|
|
|
|
|
|
I feel like a dinosaur on this thread (I also seldom use my cell phone). But I am speaking as a retired librarian, so that might explain the love of the sight of the printed word and the feel of the bound book.I’ll check in again next year at this time and see if over the course of 12 months, I too may have succumbed to the prospect of many books in one small place…. Maybe…. |
|
|
|
I really like reading a book. I have no plans to buy an ereader. It’s just not the same. I remember the glorious feeling of walking into a bookstore in Sevilla Spain, one that had English books, after I had been out of reading material for almost a week (which I know would not happen with an ereader — but then neither would that wonderful "eureka" moment and the ability to caress the written word).
I ain’t switchin’ until they stop printing books. Space be darned. Convenience be darned. I love my books.
|
|
|
|
Those are some of the best snorkelling pics I have ever seen. I am a very amateur snorkeler but this is inspiring me to do more. Thanks for posting them.
|
|
|
|
I’m a pretty respectable looking "older" woman. I have been to Cuba 4 times, and twice have been asked to show my return ticket. Maybe they think I’m a sex tourist, lol!
|
|
|
|
We rented a car on one trip to Cuba and will never do so again. Instead I would take the Viazul bus between major destinations, and while in that town or city, hire a car and driver to take me to wherever I want to go.Why?Because whenever you park your car, you have to pay someone to watch it – and even while they are watching it, surprise! surprise! – you have a flat tire but luckily one of them has a friend who can fix it for 10 or 20 cuc.The roads are the pits. The road is about 3 or 4 inches below the railway track crossings, which you run across frequently and you had better be going very slow!!! When we drove the so-called highway between Pilon and Santiago, sometimes the road just ended – it had fallen into the sea, and in one case we crossed a buckled bridge and the only reason I would let my friend drive it was because the car in front of us did. Anyway, hard to enjoy one very beautiful view under these circumstances.The cost of the car plus insurance plus gas is at least $60 (?) a day. You can pad the pocket of a Cuban very nicely instead of paying the car rental company/government.In case of an accident — well I don’t have to repeat what has been posted on this and other Cuba forums in the past few weeks.
I see no advantage to having your own rental car in Cuba. For me, it was more trouble than it was worth.
|
|
|
|
I just made a donation to the Spanky Project. That’s from Victoria. I challenge all you Easterners – anyone east of Vancouver Island, which means a heck of a lot of country and people – to do the same.It can be tax-deductible. Radar will provide you with the details. |
|
|
|
The bats were very interesting to watch at sunset, and except for the fact they would probably be ruining the building, I hope they are still there.
HOWEVER, when I was trying to demonstrate to my daughter about their radar and how they wouldn’t fly into us, I held up a book and wouldn’t you know that one of them flew straight into the book. So either bats only detect living things with their radar, or he had been having too good a time at the all-inclusive
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you want to deal with an established Canadian travel agency, google Nash Travel or Netssa.
Another reputable site is vacacionartravel.com. But I kind of like dealing with a company by phone when doing something like this — talking to a real person.
|
|
|
|
Perhaps my words were too harsh, but… I become completely irrational when it comes to animal species that suffer because of us, the so called, more intelligent mammals. Be it dolphins caged up, or oil-covered birds, or fish that can’t get oxygen.I was down on the Dallas Road waterfront in Victoria the other evening, watching the birds skim the ocean surface whether just to land and rest, or look for food, and I imagined them landing in inches of oil and dying as a result. This is such a disaster – and while I feel for the fishermen who have lost their livelihood, THEY will be compensated. You can’t compensate a bird or a fish since when it’s dead, it’s dead.
I once saw a dead raccoon on the street, hit by a car, and wondered if its mate and babies knew, or could understand at all why it never came home….
|
|
|
|
Sorry but… you are just realizing this NOW? 7 weeks after the spill. After scientists have said that trillions of sea creatures have died or are dying? And half of hundreds of bird species are threatened?I know this is a Cuba forum, but this is a much bigger issue than it affecting the Caribbean Sea and Cuba. |
|
|
|
|
When we drove in Cuba, every route took at least 1.5 times longer than we estimated — that was just road conditions, not unexpected stops we ended up making. So you may want to consider that when planning your trip. Allow way more time than you think you need….
|
|
|
|
As a general rule when travelling, (for Cuba the one exception may be Americans travelling with US dollars) —ANYTIME you change your currency more than once, you lose money….
|
|
|
|
While paid in Cuban pesos, the monthly wage is the equivalent of about 30 CUC’s — not the other way around.Cubans (and tourists) can legally change cup for cuc or vice versa. If you want to get cup’s, probably any Cuban will change from one currency to the other for you, or you can do it at a bank or cadeca.
If you are at a resort, you will probably have no need for cup’s at all. Independent tourists use them mainly to buy street food or ice cream, fruit in an agro-mercado, etc.
|
|
|
|
Also, very important, learn some Spanish if you don’t already know some. You will get more out of your stay, you will not be cheated (so much) and the Cubans will appreciate your efforts to learn their language.
|
|
|
|
Spunky. Before going for 6 months, go for 2 months and you might decide that that is enough. I didn’t even make it 2 months, but came home after 6 weeks.Your $15 for a casa is a bit low for a nice place, imo, and $8 for food would only work if you live on fruits and veggies bought at the local market. For a long term stay, I’d say a minimum of $50 a day (and that might even be low) unless all you want to do is walk between your casa room and the beach and then back to the casa for your own beer that’s in the fridge.Casa owners will negotiate for a long stay, but it won’t be a rock-bottom price. It will be ‘fair."
How do you do it? Just go… and do it!
|
|
|
|
Don’t know about limits, but it won’t be cash. It will be credit against another flight.
|
|
|