Cuba Calling! For All Canadians and Americans!
You may have heard that the US government placed new Cuba travel restrictions in June 2019. But Americans and Canadians can still travel legally to Cuba. And it is so worth it! As a mom of two, I wanted to take my kids to a close island, where we could practice our Spanish, immerse ourselves in variety of cultural traditions, enjoy learning the history and horsebackriding and of course, take in amazing vegetarian food. Hence, I took a path less traveled and booked tickets for my kids, my mom and I in August 2019. I did a fair bit of research and would love to share with you my tips.
First, Canadians have a carta blanca to check out Cuba, as Canadian citizens can enter Cuba without a visa if the trip is for tourism. An immigration officer will check for proof of medical insurance when you arrive. For Americans, there are 11 categories of approved travel to Cuba, all of which allow you to travel to Cuba legally. The most popular travel category is Support for the Cuban People where you simply need to declare that category when booking flights, lodging and during re-entry into the US. Under this category, you must adhere to a full-time schedule of activities that support the Cuban people and keep records for 5 years. Activities that "support the Cuban people" can range from eating in privately-owned restaurants, to visiting local artists, to spending money in locally-owned businesses, to staying at casas particulares. Under Support for the Cuban People, you also need to avoid staying at hotels banned by the US State Department and spending money at military-owned businesses.
This mandate was not at all hard to fulfill! While I am a big Lonely Planet travel mom, I decided book a travel expert with “ViaHero” who could tailor my itinerary to include homestays, children activities and vegetarian eats. As an American to save me the hassle, I also ordered my visa ahead of time through Cuba Visa Services. I went to the local library and checked out my trusty Lonely Planet for Cuba. I packed the bug spray, hand sanitizer, wipes and sunblock- we were told that it would be slim pickings in Cuba…but boy were we in store for something!
We started off in Havana, took a wonderful historical tour of the city with Ernesto Noriega of Columbus to Castro. We also stayed through his homestay where vegetarian breakfasts were amazing! We then headed off to the pristine and picturesque Vinales mountains to do horseback-riding and learn the art of authentic tobacco and coffee growing. Our homestay with Casa Ana Belkis was hospitable and refreshing. The children loved being outdoors, taking salsa classes and playing with Cuban children. After a quick swim in the Bay of Pigs, we landed in the modern Cienfuegos, where there is a French flare to the cuisine and history. Our final days led us to Trindad. This colorful town is central to understanding the history and the politics of Cuba. Do not miss the tour of the Valley of the Sugar Mills, as it is central to understanding how slavery solidified the identity of Cuba. We squeezed a beach day in Santa Maria.
All in all, children enjoyed playing outdoors, I loved meeting the Cuban people and Mom loved the eclectic vegetarian food. There is something for everyone in Cuba. It is safe and beautiful- a place not to be missed!
