# Is Cuba cheap to visit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770 "2014-12-20T21:17:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/21 "2014-12-21T04:40:35Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > If you do tourist things–within the encapsulated tourist economy–Cuba won’t be particularly cheap. Is it difficult to escape the encapsulated tourist economy? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/22 "2014-12-21T14:18:22Z")
I was just thinking it’s probably much simpler to just go to Miami for lots of Cuban culture. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/23 "2014-12-21T14:42:07Z")
Cubanismo!!! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/24 "2014-12-21T15:05:32Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I was just thinking it’s probably much simpler to just go to Miami for lots of Cuban culture. That’s the Cuban-American culture, not quite the same. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/25 "2014-12-21T15:37:56Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > Speaking as a Canadian, Cuba is one of the hot (as in warmth) destinations that the package vacations feature, along with Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, et al. > > Cuba is typically the cheapest option, but conventional wisdom is you need to “buy up” in Cuba e.g. a 4 star resort in Cuba compares to a 3 star elsewhere. This holds for Varadero and other beach destinations, I don’t know about Havana. From what I’ve seen, Cuba and Dominican Republic are definitely in the bottom price tier. > [@Poysyn](#): > > We are considering going this year - one thing that always perplexes me is most people I know that have been report back that the food is bland? I’ve heard a lot of people complain about the resorts they went to (e.g. poor food, non-modern facilities). Everyone said the beaches were nice, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/26 "2014-12-21T15:51:12Z")
You mean people go to Cuba expecting modern facilities? Have they been living under a rock for 50 years? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/27 "2014-12-21T17:34:40Z")
What’s the point of going anywhere? Every country has its unique history, culture, music, food, etc. And people are worth getting to know wherever you are. If you are just looking for a generic resort vacation, I guess it makes sense to go anywhere nice that is cheap. But there are a million other ways to travel. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/28 "2014-12-21T20:10:34Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > You mean people go to Cuba expecting modern facilities? Have they been living under a rock for 50 years? This may shock you, but lots of major hotel chains have modern resorts in Cuba. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/29 "2014-12-21T21:12:12Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > This may shock you, but lots of major hotel chains have modern resorts in Cuba. The 4 star place I stayed in had trouble keeping toilet paper in my bathroom. Took an hour to clean up a smashed glass in the lobby. The “a la carte” restaurants were pretty obviously using food from the buffet restaurant - which kept using a completely broken steam table for 4-5 days. Spanish company. There’s a reason every Canadian ( who make up a big chunk of Cuban tourism) always say to knock off a star or two when choosing a Cuban resort. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/30 "2014-12-21T22:57:37Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > You mean people go to Cuba expecting modern facilities? Have they been living under a rock for 50 years? As has been said, there are major hotel chains in Cuba that have perfectly modern resorts. Cuban food, like in other Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands, is not particularly spicy so some may consider it bland. In hotel chains or hotels run by the government it can be rather generic and not top quality. However, excellent meals can be found in the _paladares_, the privately run restaurants in Havana. [QUOTE=Bijou Drains] I was just thinking it’s probably much simpler to just go to Miami for lots of Cuban culture. [/QUOTE] Yeah, and you could just go to Chinatown in New York instead of visiting the Great Wall, or go to Little Italy instead of going to Rome. It seems like you’re looking for reasons _not_ to go to Cuba, the more ridiculous the better. I’d ask again, what _does_ appeal to you? Are you asking about this seriously, or are you just interested in dismissing the interest others might have in going there? ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/31 "2014-12-21T23:11:10Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > You mean people go to Cuba expecting modern facilities? Have they been living under a rock for 50 years? [This](http://www.vacancestmr.com/en/hotels-south/CCCPES/) is what an all-inclusive resort looks like in Cuba. (Last time I went was 2004.) Most of the personnel is from Cuba, but the directors and some employees are often from Europe. The “all-inclusive” part typically includes all food and drinks and most activities. There’s Internet access and a gift shop. You can also purchase excursions, such as a guided bus tour to Havana. Food quality is a complaint I hear often, though I didn’t notice it myself. Much of the food is from Cuba, as far as I know, so it’s not as diverse as what you’d find in a Mexican resort. ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/32 "2014-12-21T23:18:04Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > You mean people go to Cuba expecting modern facilities? Have they been living under a rock for 50 years? You seem to imagine some kind of North Korea with better weather, but Cuba is a very popular tourist destination for everyone who isn’t American and the tourist industry makes good money. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/33 "2014-12-22T02:51:29Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Can’t think of anything there worth seeing but maybe someone can tell me about stuff to see. > > But I am curious about the water. It was one of the most important Spanish colonial cities, so for a history buff there’s lots to see. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/34 "2014-12-22T05:03:59Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > We are considering going this year - one thing that always perplexes me is most people I know that have been report back that the food is bland? Yeah, as Colibri points out, that’s true for probably most of the Caribbean—it’s not particular to Cuba. The food on the Caribbean coast of Colombia (where I spend a good portion of the year) is pretty similar. It’s the least thing I miss when I get back to California. In his book _A Way in the World_, V.S. Naipaul actually expounded on this character of Caribbean food–being comprised so heavily of “ground provisions.” > [@Xema](#): > > Is it difficult to escape the encapsulated tourist economy? Not really, but if you don’t appear to be Cuban, most people, on first contact, will see you as part of the tourist economy, and interact with you on those terms. They just assume that you have no interest in doing anything else so you kind of have to make an effort to convince them otherwise. But there’s nothing stopping you from getting some regular pesos (moneda nacional) and getting in line at, say, the Copellia ice cream place in Havana, for example. I think it helps if you stay in a casa particular (private house that rents out a room) instead of a hotel, too, because you’re more likely to run into people who aren’t solely engaged with the tourist industry. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/35 "2014-12-22T11:51:44Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > We are considering going this year - one thing that always perplexes me is most people I know that have been report back that the food is bland? The food in Cuba is the single worst thing about the country. Outside of the all inclusive resorts, pickings are very thin (‘do you want chicken or fish?’), and yes, very bland. They clearly struggle to get spices. The diet consists in large part of plain fried pork, chicken or fish (including lobster) with plain rice and refried beans. That’s it. I’m not exaggerating. The great things about Cuba are the beautiful, unspoilt beaches and the amazing musical culture - you can’t walk into a bar, hotel, airport lounge, public square, etc etc without seeing a live band. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/36 "2014-12-22T14:36:23Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Cuba has a famously good public health system and a longer life expectancy than the United States, so yes, I’m sure they chlorinate their water. [Water is not reliably chlorinated, partly due to the unavailability of chlorine.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_and_sanitation_in_Cuba) [Tap water in Cuba is not considered as safe to drink. Most Cuban households will boil water before drinking and foreigners should follow this procedure unless you have good quality purification filters.](http://www.cubaabsolutely.com/Travel/Useful-information-&-FAQs-Cuba.php?id=Health-and-medical-issues) [It is advisable to drink only bottled water. Tap water in Cuba is generally safe for hygiene in hotels.](http://insightcuba.com/can-i-drink-the-water-in-cuba) Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/37 "2014-12-22T21:13:43Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > [Water is not reliably chlorinated, partly due to the unavailability of chlorine.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_and_sanitation_in_Cuba) > > [Tap water in Cuba is not considered as safe to drink. Most Cuban households will boil water before drinking and foreigners should follow this procedure unless you have good quality purification filters.](http://www.cubaabsolutely.com/Travel/Useful-information-&-FAQs-Cuba.php?id=Health-and-medical-issues) > > [It is advisable to drink only bottled water. Tap water in Cuba is generally safe for hygiene in hotels.](http://insightcuba.com/can-i-drink-the-water-in-cuba) > > Regards, > Shodan **Shodan** , the World Health Organization estimated around 5 years ago that 91% of Cubans had access to clean drinking water. > **[Access to clean water](https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2009/mar/03/access-water)** > > Sub-Saharan Africa may collectively have terrible access to clean water, but the lowest rates in the world are Afghanistan ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/38 "2014-12-23T02:39:09Z")
[These](http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/cuba-cultural-tour/detail) [trips](http://www.travcoa.com/tours/americas/cuba) cost between $5-8k, and only the latter includes airfare. Of course, these are both high end/luxury travel companies, and they seem to have done whatever is necessary to secure Uncle Sam’s blessing. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/39 "2014-12-28T20:11:42Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > The food in Cuba is the single worst thing about the country. Outside of the all inclusive resorts, pickings are very thin (‘do you want chicken or fish?’), and yes, very bland. They clearly struggle to get spices. The diet consists in large part of plain fried pork, chicken or fish (including lobster) with plain rice and refried beans. That’s it. I’m not exaggerating. > > The great things about Cuba are the beautiful, unspoilt beaches and the amazing musical culture - you can’t walk into a bar, hotel, airport lounge, public square, etc etc without seeing a live band. “Spices” are as close as a backyard garden of pepper plants etc. Why in the world would obtaining food spices be any kind of challenge in a tropical environment? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770/40 "2014-12-28T20:45:00Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > **Shodan** , the World Health Organization estimated around 5 years ago that 91% of Cubans had access to clean drinking water. > [Access to clean water | Environment | theguardian.com](http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2009/mar/03/access-water) And one of his cites if from the Canadian International Development Research Center in a 2014 report which states: “Over the past ten years, Cuba’s economic decline has led to a slow but steady deterioration of water supplies and sanitation services — and a resulting increase in water-borne disease.” The WHO could well have been right half a decade ago, but that doesn’t disprove what this NGO reports. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cuba-cheap-to-visit/707770.md?page=3)