TRANSPORT

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As previously mentioned I travelled around with Locally Sourced Cuba, which took the hassle out of finding my own transport, however if you are choosing to travel independently there are 3 options you can look into. Firstly, trains. Cuba is the only country in the Caribbean that has a functioning train system, and while I didn't have the opportunity to experience it, I've read that they are slow and subject to long delays and cancellations. You will have to prebook your tickets at the station anywhere from 5 days - 1 hour before you want to depart (making sure you have your passport with you). This seems like the more efficient option compared to the second choice, buses.

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Cuban buses seem to be in a world of their own, looking like they are about to fall apart, hot and filled to the brim with locals. This doesn't look like the ideal option, however it is the cheapest and would probably provide you with the best adventure. The long haul buses between towns run a few times a day and I would recommend trying to prebook a ticket if possible.

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The final option is the most expensive however would relieve a lot of stress, taxis. There is no shortages of taxis in Cuba, whether it's the classic old cars or the (slightly) more modern yellow cabs. Getting a tourist taxi throughout the city of Havana for an hour will cost you around £40, a ride from A to B will cost you around £5-£10, depending on the distance and private transfers may cost you up to £150, however if you are splitting it between 3-4 people it can work out to be worth it. 

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FOOD

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As a vegan I found it to be one of the most difficult countries to travel to in regards to eating. The Cuban diet is very plain and due to the embargo, a lot of food items can't be imported or they have to be severely regulated by the government. If you can find a supermarket (they are few and far between), the shelfs were near empty, meaning there wasn't much point even trying to cook for myself.

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Cuban food consisted of a lot of rice, black beans, plantain, salad, fruit, paella, pasta and pizza (which are obviously Italian, but most restaurants offered it), and if you ate meat you would be in luck, because they put it in nearly every food they can. I would say every 1-2 days I would have to send food back because there was either meat or dairy in it, after explicitly telling them I couldn't eat either. Thankfully our tour guide spoke Spanish, which lent a helping hand, however even then they didn't really grasp the concept of veganism, and it was especially hard if I was eating out alone. 

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I would recommend bringing snacks around with you, as service is unbelievably slow and it would take even longer once I had to send the food back. It was hard to find snacks that I could eat, so bringing some from home would be a good idea. 

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SAFETY

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I think it's hard to judge the safety of a country if the culture is vastly different than what you are used to. I found a lot of the men would stare, gawk, comment or try and talk to me as I walked, and while it seemed harmless, It got progressively more annoying and uncomfortable. I couldn't walk down the street alone without getting some kind of reaction, and I think as someone who clearly wasn't a local, more people seemed inclined to vocalise their thoughts.

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Most of the time I would just ignore whatever was said and nothing more would happen after I walked passed, and I think the explicit staring and commenting was more of a cultural norm than anything else. I got told from numerous locals that I was more than safe to walk around alone, even at night time, and I truly think that. Most nights I would walk around with my headphones in and was left alone, however if you're not comfortable with that, try finding someone to accompany you through the streets.

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TIPPING

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Tipping is expected when you're in Cuba and usually 10% - 15% is a nice amount to leave for the waiter, casa or taxi!

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