Cuba: an island country that consists of numerous archipelagos

11.12.2018 13:56

Located in the Caribbean Sea, it is an island country that consists of numerous archipelagos. Cuba’s population is 11.1 million people. Havana, which is Cuba’s capital has a population of 2.1 million citizens. The total area of Cuba is 109,884 square kilometers making it the 105th largest country in the world. The official language as in the most countries in the region is Spanish.

Cuba seems to defy Benjamin Disraeli’s famous maxim that “Change is constant”. Some things never change in Cuba, including the government, architecture, and the fleet of old American cars. Other things, including the hotel and restaurant scene, change at a dizzying pace. The most important changes and new developments in the tourism field are listed here. For greater detail, see the individual destination chapters.

As communistic country they don’t have an official religion, but Roman Catholicism is widely practiced.
The Cuban peso or the Cuban convertible peso are the two official currencies in Cuba. The salaries are paid in both currencies, the Cuban peso could be used for most of the expenses, while the Cuban convertible peso is to be used for luxury purchases.

Cuba is probably the most intensely diverse island destination in the Caribbean, offering everything from standard fun-in-the-sun beach resort getaways to colonial city circuits, myriad land and sea adventure opportunities, tobacco and classic-car theme tours, and a wide array of cultural and artistic opportunities. Most travelers will have to carefully pick and choose as there’s a lot to see and do.

The high season starts from December through March, coinciding with the winter months in most northern countries and with Cuba’s dry season. The beaches and resorts are relatively full during the Christmas and Easter holidays, prices are somewhat higher, and it may be harder to find an available rental car or room. Moreover, overbooking, a widespread problem in the Cuban tourism industry, is certainly much more of a problem during the high season. During the low season, you should be able to find discounts on rooms, car rentals, and tour options. Moreover, resorts and attractions are much less crowded. However, temperatures are somewhat higher throughout low season, and periods of extended rainfall are not uncommon. The rainy season in Cuba starts from May until October, especially during September and October is the largest amount of hurricanes.

That charming country is unlike any other place on earth. What draws people to this fascinating Caribbean island is much more than beaches, sun and cheap drinks, though there are plenty of all three for those who want them. It doesn’t suffer from the drab and desultory demeanor of its disappeared peers, although it is one of the last Communist-bloc nations left. Unique political history, its rich culture and continued survival through ongoing economic hardship make it one of the most eye-opening countries that experienced travelers can still discover. Seeing the best of Cuba means grooving to its intoxicating music, marveling at how Cubans improvise on a daily basis to make ends meet and visiting a land in which the past fifty years seem to have passed by in some odd sort of state of frozen animation.

 

The Genuine Cuba