The Best Time to Visit Cuba? Right Now
Change is afoot in Cuba. The Americans are normalising relations with the socialist Caribbean country (technically a Marxist–Leninist one-party state), giving it the chance to move into the 21st century – a feat only really possible with the lifting of the US trade embargo which was instituted in 1961.
That hasn't quite happened yet. And so far, Americans cannot travel to Cuba unless they meet certain criteria (chiefly that their visit must be for educational purposes). But the rhetoric is friendly, with the US taking solid steps to re-connect the two countries through a number of tentative economic measures which will benefit all. These include giving US firms licences for setting up ferry services between the US and Cuba, as well as investing in a plant to make small tractors for sale to Cuban farmers.
All this could be good news for the people of Cuba, who on average earn $15-25 per month – which even considering benefits such as free healthcare, ultra-low cost housing and cheap food, is not a lot.
Further US investment and future legions of US tourists will provide a huge boost to the economy.
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On the Brink of Change
But it does beg the question: Will a new relationship with the US erase what people love about places like Havana, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba? Will the peeling paint be glossed over? Will the delightful rumble of 1950s cars be replaced by shiny new US-built Chevrolets and Toyotas? Will the genuine syncopated drum rhythms and jazz notes floating down the dilapidated back alleys of the capital be somewhat more false in the coming years? Will the bands be playing for visitors' tips rather than themselves? Will it become a Disneyland Cuba?
Of course, tourism has already changed Cuba, sharply focussing thousands of maids, bar workers and waiting staff on the benefits visitors bring – visitors who in turn think Cubans are much poorer than they actually are (after all, their basic needs are met by the government).
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Spellbinding Cuba
However, the magic of Cuba can still be found. But how long this contradictory country will go on exuding its unique energy is up for debate.
For those who want to guarantee themselves a real taste of Cuba's swashbuckling past, to see Hemmingway's haunts more or less as they were in the 1960s, to let their senses absorb Havana's sumptuously neglected architecture, or to meet the vibrantly warm citizens, one thing is for certain:
Visit Cuba now.
Travel Insurance for Cuba
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office states that in Cuba “crime levels are low and mainly in the form of opportunistic theft.” It describes driving standards as “variable”.
The FCO reminds travellers to Cuba hat they should take out “comprehensive travel and medical insurance” before they travel.
Here at starttravel.co.uk we offer comprehensive travel cover for those wishing to visit Cuba. Five cover levels are available, whether you need annual or single trip travel insurance.
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