After two weeks travelling around Cuba I have to say, it was amazing! Havana, Santa Clara, Cienfuegos, Trinidad. I covered only about a quarter of the country by geography, but it just doesn’t seem enough. You could easily spend a month in the place. The people are fantastic, the country is safer than most places in even Europe, the food is good (especially the fruit :d).
There are a few well publicized scams that do the rounds (fake cigars sold by pretty much anyone who approaches you on the street, money exchanged for national peso instead of convertibles, getting taken to bars/restaurants/casas for commission), and there’s a bit of hassle which turns to a kind of background buzz after a while (annoying, but easily ignored), but anyone who does their homework should be able to handle it quite well. Staying in a casa particular is also much better value, more atmospheric and generally nicer than staying in a hotel (avoid the all-inclusives – the food, alcohol and service are pretty poor). A girl I met who was travelling solo also said that she was hassled far more often, so I’d probably suggest for girls to travel with someone else – otherwise tourist bars/hotels provide a welcome refuge, and you’re likely to meet other travelers there anyway who you’ll probably hang out with.
The landscape is amazing (especially in the mountains), the cities are beautiful, the weather’s great, the water’s warm – what more could you ask for? And if you’re up for some cohiba, mohito and salsa action there’s no better place in the world. I met some great people during my trip – both travelers and locals alike – who made this the best holiday I’ve ever had. I’ll be back.