Cuba -any info/recommendations??

[PW1664]

Originally Posted by ScubaSue

Guardalavaca - miles away from anywhere, and the only 'locals' we saw worked at the hotels which was a downside as we would liked to have mixed more - but then that's Castro for you.

The beaches are fantastic though

What did you do about money, Cash? Travellers Cheques? was it easy enough to exchange?

[ScubaSue]

Originally Posted by PW1664

What did you do about money, Cash? Travellers Cheques? was it easy enough to exchange?

Money is easily exchanged in the hotels. We just took cash. But as our resort was all inclusive we didn't really need much apart from paying for diving (obviously ) and when we went to Havana - buying tourist tat, rum , and drinks and food that weren't part of the 'package'.

Don't whatever you do try to use a credit card to draw cash - they charge a ridiculous fee - I think it was about 8 or ten percent. Any credit cards that are American based they won't allow either, I think MBNA and Virgin were two I saw being denied.

[PW1664]

All inclusive too, was planning on £GB cash only.

What did you pay for diving?

[ScubaSue]

Originally Posted by PW1664

All inclusive too, was planning on £GB cash only.

What did you pay for diving?

Good plan.

It was 240 Peso's, for a ten dive pack, again, book it through the rep (if you have problems, it's up to them to sort it out ). I usually don't hire kit, but decided to take more shoes and left my BCD behind I ended up not paying for the hire mind you

Speaking of currency, there are two types of Peso, the 'tourist' peso and the 'local' peso. What we get is the tourist one (obviously ).

[EdHornby]

We (the dive club) did probably the same trip as you... Do the cigar factory trip in Guardalavaca from the hotel - you can get black market cigars at the factory but you can't in the Havana factories

sterling is the best bet for curreny - US dollars (inc bills) are subjected to a 10% 'fee' to stop folk taking them

definitely go to the Club tropicana in Havana - the house band are one of the finest bunch of musicians I have ever seen, and even then it was hard to even notice them when there are so many dancers.. ahh...

I reckon there wouldn't be any problem with the political climate at the mo - the cuban are far too smart to let the tourists have anything but a good time

I really liked it, the cuban people are freindly and well educated, puts the yanks to shame

[PW1664]

Ed, Sue... thanks for that...

[ScubaSue]

If you do want to bring cigars back, check with the rep about how many, and they do have to be 'legal' ie banded. They can crack down on that and confiscate them at the airport

Oh, and go easy on the black beans - they are fine to begin with but do get verrrry booooring

[ScubaSue]

Originally Posted by EdHornby

there are so many dancers.. ahh...

You noticed them then

[PW1664]

Originally Posted by ScubaSue

You noticed them then

.Y E A H H HHH....

[Neeko]

Went there in June.

Dived off Varadero - ok but nothing much to write home about. Very little sea life.

BUT - a local chap (friend of a relative) took us to the south of Cuba - Bay of Pigs - 2 x Shore dives - awesome. We had to hire a car, dive tanks and pick up the local chap and drive ourselves to the Bay of Pigs. He led the dive and he was fantastic.

Wrecks, reefs, swim-throughs, lagoons, all accessible from the shore! Teeming in sea life. We were the only ones there. Amazing!

Do it!

~ Neeko ~