Cuba a Quick Guide for the Newbies

Let’s get started!

Packing for an exotic trip can be daunting, and I would consider Cuba to be exotic. No matter what time of year you travel Cuba is warm and you want to make sure that you pack light and smart.

Is it hot in here?

Regarding what to wear for the temperature. It will inevitably be warm. In the summer it can be humid with a high in the 90s (F) and the winter can get to the lowest 60s(F). During both of our trips we were there in the summer. In fact our first trip our guides were all saying it was the hottest they could remember. With that said in Havana we always found a nice breeze or moments to get out of the heat.

Clothing:

When planning your clothing layers are best suggested.  I wore a full brim hat (Tilley Endurables), sunglasses, lightweight long sleeve shirt, with light shorts. My husband wore a long sleeved lightweight columbia shirt (with a collar) and lightweight pants. My son wore the same type of shirt but with shorts. When traveling around Havana and Cuba in general you will find very few people in t-shirts. If you do be prepared to stand out. In particular the night life will definitely require a business casual look. At night gentleman should not wear shorts. On both of our visits those getting off the boat in short and t-shirts stood out like a sore thumb. One of the things our drivers noted is that even for the low income and difficulty acquiring goods the Cuban people appreciate a more upscale dress.

Bugs?

For your time in Cuba  I highly recommend bug spray, the bugs are not rampant but depending on where you decide to go in the city or out it can be to your advantage to have some. Personally I am a mosquito magnet.  Buying any when you get there, is definitely expensive and VERY hard to find. If you are Boy Scout (Eagle Scout actually!)like my husband, you can buy bug spray called pyrethrin bug spray that you can pre spray your clothes prior to wearing them. As long as they dry fully before you pack them it will not rub off on your skin or other clothes.  We have found this to be a great first layer of protection.

In Conclusion:

Most most American travelers visiting Cuba are via cruise ship so the duration in each port in   Havana is 1-2 days. But there is a lot to do in a short period of time with easy to access transportation. I will expand on excursions in my next blog.