Ever since President Obama was elected, there have been rumblings that America will finally be ending the decades-old embargo on Cuba travels. Back in the ’40s and ’50s, Havana was a haven for American travelers who wanted to travel to Cuba — only an hour’s flight from Miami, it was gorgeous, catered to tourists, and was in another country with an exotic culture. In the musical Guys and Dolls, where does Sky Masterson take his dame to impress her? Why, Havana, of course… just for the evening. Then came the ’60s, the Bay of Pigs — the end of a very long party. Cuba is almost frozen in time since then, and Americans have mostly forgotten about Cuba travels to the magical land once billed as “Year-Round Paradise.”
So before the borders are flung open, here are our Top 10 Reasons To Travel to Cuba:
10) The people are warm, friendly and amazing. From old ladies sucking on fat stogies in downtown Havana to street musicians playing impromptu concerts to barefoot kids running around the whole country, Cubans are smiling, happy, and very glad to see you.
9) Squint and it could be the 1940s — the cars look fabulous and they’re all antiques!
8) Havana features wonderful architecture, little surprises like a Chinatown and horse-drawn carriages.
7) Cigars! Cuba travels would not be complete without visiting a world-class Cuban cigar factory.
6) Sancti Spiritus is a whole region you should visit when you travel to Cuba. Rivers, beaches, and mountains abound, as you can see from this photo.
5) Food! From empañadas to Mojitos to the best paella ever, Cuba’s offering are rich in culture and delicious to boot!
4) Music! Ever heard of the Buena Vista Social Club? This award-winning group was put together from local Cuban musicians, and their music is truly a delight. Music is so steeped in the culture that on your Cuba travels you might find a streetside salsa festival, a local band of neighbors, or a couple guys with guitars, playing on their barstools. This is why to travel to Cuba!
3) Trinidad is not just in the Caribbean. Sancti Spiritus is home to the “city that time forgot,” unchanged for over 400 years. You’ll stroll cobblestone streets where pirates might have walked, or at least the Rat Pack.
2) Spiritual Cuba — it’s imbued in the very air, especially in Trinidad and the mountain regions. Cuba is very Catholic, a you will see on your Cuba travels, but they have a variety of religions and a deeply spiritual approach to their lives.
1) Spirit Quest Tours is taking you there! Why go on your own, when you can travel to Cuba with our humanitarian tour in January, 2012. Experience the culture and spirituality of Cuba, and bring much-needed medicine to the locals. Did we mention the farewell dinner performance at Club Havana, with the Buena Vista Social Club? Get all the info on our site and you’ll find that very soon you’ll stop dreaming and start living your best vacation ever while on our Cuba travels!