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Cuba is well-known to Canadians for sunshine, beaches and the retro charm of Old Havana, but for visitors seeking something a little different, it’s a great adventure destination too. And despite any rumours to the contrary, Cuba is open for business, with plenty to offer Canadian tourists looking for a fall or winter getaway.
There are all kinds of intriguing ways to explore the beauty of Cuba — exploring the sea, trekking in the mountains, or even seeing the countryside by motorcycle, Che Guevara-style. It’s a safe and surprisingly large country, 1,250 kilometres from its eastern tip to Cape San Antonio in the far west (nearly the same distance as from Winnipeg to Calgary).
Here are seven ways to visit Cuba that will take you off the beaten path:
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1. Cycling — Travelling through Cuba at bicycle speed is a great way to see the country. Several companies offer tours for cyclists at all levels, from leisure riders who want to travel less than 50 kilometres a day across relatively flat terrain to more active tours that cover 100-plus kilometres a day through sugar cane fields and lush, heaving mountains. Some excursions go through areas that conventional tourists might not see, like botanical gardens, waterfalls and tobacco farms. One such site is the prehistoric-looking Valley of Viñales, with its giant rock formations, caves and underground streams that can be crossed in small boats.
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2. Motorcycling with Che’s son — Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s image is everywhere in Cuba. The revolutionary leader is also well-known internationally, partly due to his bestselling book The Motorcycle Diaries, which recounted his early adventures in two-wheeled travel. Less known is that visitors to Cuba can travel by motorcycle with Che’s son, also named Ernesto. La Poderosa Tours is a Cuban travel agency that offers tours by Harley Davidson, and Ernesto can be your guide. He inherited his love of motorcycles from his father: “They become a part of you,” he says. The company offers seven-day, 10-day and longer tours.
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3. Climbing Pico Turqino — Cuba’s highest mountain is 1,974 metres (6,476 feet) tall, in the Sierra Maestra range in the country’s southeast. Hiking to the peak is a 13-kilometre journey within a national park of the same name as the mountain. Trekkers will pass by orchids and rare plants, travel by remote rural communities and into the upper reaches where there are cloud forests. Some may be lucky to see the world’s smallest toad (just one centimetre long) and the insect-sized bee hummingbird. History buffs can also take a guided hike to Fidel Castro’s rebel headquarters, called La Comandancia de la Plata. The site includes the house where Castro lived and a hut that Che Guevara – who was also a doctor – used as a hospital.
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4. Birdwatching — Cuba is literally a tropical paradise for birds, which is a boon for birdwatchers too. The archipelago that makes up Cuba and its nearby islands boasts more than 350 species of birds, with more than 25 that are found nowhere else. Pygmy-owls, hawks, songbirds and rare flickers can be seen there, along with Cuba’s national bird, the trogon. Cuba is also along some of the migratory paths for birds travelling between North and South America. There are national parks and nature reserves all over the archipelago where great sightings can happen, but you do need to hire a local guide to enter these sites. The best time to see the biggest variety of birds is between October and April.
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5. Surfing and sailing – Visitors to Cuba can enjoy spectacular watersports at most of the country’s popular resorts, but there are also extra-special sites for those who are deeply into particular activities. Serious surfers will want to check out places like Yumuri in the south and La Setenta near Havana, while Playas del Estes is a growing mecca for kitesurfers. Tour operators offer sailing excursions by catamaran or sailboat, sometimes including seafood and cocktails at sunset.
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6. Scuba diving and snorkelling – Cuba’s coral reefs and mangroves benefit from limited coastal development and strict controls on commercial fishing. This means that many diving spots teem with sea turtles, hundreds of fish species, manatees and, in some cases, sharks. Playa Giron in the Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) is a particularly attractive scuba spot and there’s also cave diving at Viñales.
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7. Exploring Trinidad — Adventure in Cuba doesn’t always have to mean communing with nature. This city of roughly 73,500 people on the southern coast is where elegant 1850s architecture meets snazzy 1950s cars. It’s an eye-popping experience when you combine the brightly painted buildings with the brassy colours of vintage Oldsmobiles, Buicks and Packards. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinidad is one of the best preserved towns in North America, with cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and an exquisite beach that can be reached by hiring a 1950s taxi.
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