World famous retro cars, Cuba Libre, portraits of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, fiery rhythms - bright and eccentric Cuba leaves no one indifferent. Do you want to have a 100% relaxation in the new 2021 fun? Fly to Cuba!
What could be more wonderful than lying on the beach and admiring the turquoise water while sipping a mojito? Especially when you consider that winter is raging in Russia at this time, all the streets are covered with snow, or, even worse, a nasty cold rain is drizzling. Cuba is a land of sun, hot dances and fun drinks, and spending the New Year here is a true Caribbean adventure.
In addition, recently Russia opened flights with Cuba, and we had the opportunity to relax in this exotic country. Perhaps, from the small list of countries available to Russians this winter, Cuba is the most interesting destination for celebrating the New Year.
Take a look: How to go to Cuba now - there you will find the latest tourist reviews, conditions of entry in case of a pandemic, a list of available resorts and prices for tours. See also the list of open countries. Below we talk about holidays in Cuba before the start of the pandemic.
How New Years are celebrated in Cuba
The New Year on the Island of Freedom is loved no less than ours. True, in Cuba, instead of a Christmas tree, they dress up a decorative araucaria tree, and instead of champagne they drink cocktails with rum or liqueur, leaving the traditional New Year's drink to tourists.
The festive table for the average Cuban is roast suckling pig, sweet potatoes and fruit. Elite sea reptiles like lobsters and lobsters can only be afforded by tourists. An interesting program will be organized for them in a hotel or restaurant.
Massive festivities are taking place in the major cities of Cuba, and the new year 2021 will be no exception. Many tourists and street musicians gather at Cathedral Square in Havana, but the most magnificent celebrations can be seen at Revolution Square. On the first day of January, Cubans also celebrate the Liberation Day of the country after the expulsion of the dictator Batista, and New Year's paraphernalia is fancifully combined with portraits of the folk idols Che Guevara and Castro.
Tourists have a hard time on the last day of the outgoing year. In Cuba hotels, New Year is celebrated three times: Moscow time, together with European countries and local time. Celebrations are fun - with fiery cocktails, incendiary dances and perky contests. In the cafe you can celebrate nicely with the locals: it will be tasty, fun and inexpensive.
Cubans celebrate Christmas more modestly, because because of the communist course, the holiday was taboo for a long time. Those who celebrate are usually limited to church attendance and a modest family meal at home.
Winter weather
The weather in Cuba for the New Year is usually good and nothing darkens the rest of tourists: in January there are no high temperatures, in the northern part of the country it is slightly colder, in the south it is warmer. On average, + 26 ° С during the day, + 17 ° С at night. Sea + 25 ° С, the warmest water in Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba. It can be a little chilly in the evenings.
The official rainy season in Cuba is autumn, but in winter there can also be rainy days with wind and rains, especially the Atlantic coast.
Prices for tours to Cuba in the New Year - 2021
The cost of tours to Cuba, and even for the new year 2021, let's face it, is high. It is not worth counting on last-minute tours before the very holidays, so we advise you to plan your vacation in advance. Now the cheapest tickets from Moscow on New Year's dates cost from 180 thousand rubles for two for 7 nights. However, there are few such options, there are many more offers already from 220 thousand. In general, this is a normal price for holidays in Cuba for the New Year holidays, there is no price increase due to the pandemic. So you can safely take such vouchers.
Tours are available to many popular resorts: Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Santa Maria, Varadero, Trinidad and others.
If you want to save money, then fly to Cuba after the New Year, just to spend your holidays there. From January 5, prices for tours have dropped significantly: you can buy a ticket for 10 days for two from 140 thousand rubles.
We advise you to look for tours to Cuba on online services: Travelata, Online Tours and Level.Travel. It is better to compare prices in all at once - this way you have more chances to find the most profitable tour. If you do not know how to use them, then read our article with useful tips on how to buy tours profitably.
Accommodation booking
Things are complicated with hotels in Cuba. The problem is that, due to US sanctions, international services like Booking and Rumguru cannot operate normally there. The choice of accommodation on Booking is very scarce (10-15 hotels in Varadero and Havana each) and there are no reviews, which complicates the choice of a good hotel. Fortunately, there is an alternative! By some miracle, despite the state blockade, Airbnb operates in Cuba, and there you can rent casa particular - housing from local residents: a room in a guest house, an apartment, or even a whole house. A very good selection of accommodation in Trinidad, Havana, Varadero and many other cities. Check out our tips for booking accommodation on Airbnb.
Prices in Cuba
The prices for food in tourist restaurants in Cuba are comparable to those in Europe. The average check for lunch in a cafe is $ 8-10, in a restaurant - $ 20-30, a festive dinner in an elite establishment with a show program is $ 120-190.
Excursions in Cuba are very expensive: for example, a trip from Varadero to Havana for 1-4 people costs from $ 250. Renting a car with a driver-guide will cost about $ 100 per day. Entrance fees to the Cathedral, Havana club rum museum, Orchid Garden, caves cost about $ 3-10 per person.
Find out more about the cost of holidays in Cuba. See also what are the prices for food in Cuba.
What to do on vacation
It is warm in Cuba in January, although this month is considered cool, so vacationers usually have fun by the sea. They are given an excellent opportunity to master yachting, snorkeling or diving, trekking or fishing. There are several large diving centers in Varadero and Havana, and there are golf courses. Boat trips on a yacht or boat are available to both amateurs and professionals, the latter can take part in competitions that are regularly held in Cuba.
What else can you do while on holiday in Cuba? After meeting the new year 2021, sightseeing lovers will be able to see the 18-meter statue of Christ on the La Cabana hill, visit the Museum of Colonial Art and the Art Gallery in Havana, walk around the places of Hemingway and Al Pacino, watch the festive show program in the capital's cabaret. Not far from Havana - in Remedios - the New Year's carnival is taking place.
From Varadero, you can visit the Indian village of Guam with crocodiles, or go by plane to the island of Cayo Largo. The island is famous for its impeccable beaches and the fact that huge iguanas live here, which are allowed to be fed. Fly to heaven for 40 minutes.
You should definitely try the local cuisine, real Cuban rum and cocktails, including the world famous daiquiris, mojitos and cuba libre. The cuisine in Cuba is simple and hearty: they eat pork, chicken, potatoes, rice and beans, they like spicy tomato sauces with onions, peppers and garlic. Shopping in Cuba is a very conventional concept, but Cuban cigars, rum, leather goods are always in great demand among tourists.
Pros and cons of New Year's holiday in Cuba
Interested in celebrating New Year 2021 in Cuba? It is worth listening to the reviews: judging by them, the Island of Freedom produces completely opposite impressions on tourists. It is interesting for those nostalgic for the USSR to plunge into the atmosphere of the 80s of the last century, and people indifferent to this era are horrified by the half-empty shelves in stores and the look of shabby mansions.
Some noted the shortcomings of hotel service: lack of towels in hotels, malfunctioning plumbing and other trifles, but appreciated the friendliness of the staff and willingness to serve. Both categories agreed that Cuba has wonderful nature and the most cheerful and friendly people in the world.
It is difficult to learn anything about the country from the hotel room. You can take an excursion, or even better, rent a car with a chauffeur. Locals will gladly take to earn extra money, the population does not live well, so everyone strives to earn as much as they can.
Be careful during New Year's holidays with alcohol: you can drink in Cuba, but only carefully - no one is safe from pickpockets. It is better to leave valuables and large amounts of cash in the safe at all.
And, of course, while vacationing in Cuba, you should definitely take a ride in a retro car, dance salsa with the locals at least once and don't forget to buy original souvenirs for all your household members.
