THE TRIP

Getting there

The author’s flights were provided by Cuba Holidays (020 7644 1770, cubaholidays.co.uk), who offer tailor-made holidays to Cuba including flights, accommodation and transfers from just £1,099pp. Other airlines operate from European hubs). Virgin Atlantic (0344 520 0012; virginatlantic.com) flies direct from LGW to Havana (From £489 return; 8.5-10 hrs). Other airlines fly from European hubs.

Getting around

Coach service Víazul (viazul.com) travels from Havana to Baracoa. Tickets can be booked online seven days before travel. Local taxis are found everywhere.

Railway travel in Cuba is notoriously unreliable but if you have enough research/resources to have back-up plans and be able to improvise, then you’ll have a wonderful adventure. There’s no up-to-date train information available online.

Cost of travel

A meal and a drink in a private restaurant costs from CUC$10; street eats are cheaper. B&B nights average Cuc$20/night; up to CUC$200 in luxury apartments, or double that in top hotels.

Train tickets are meant to be sold in CUC but local stations appear oblivious to that. The non-stop journey from Havana to Santiago de Cuba costs CUC$30 [£22]; the Hershey train to Matanzas, CUC$2.80 [£2]; Jovellanos to Zaza del Medio, CUC$8/CUP 8; Guayos to Alto Cedro, CUC15 [£11]; Ciego de Avila to Alto Cedro, CUC12 {£9]; Alto Cedro to Santiago de Cuba, CUC2.50 [£2]. Hitchhiking can be free but as a foreigner it’s worth holding up a bill to show you are willing to pay.

Tips: Bellboys CUC$1; musicians CUC$1. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped. Restaurants should get 10%.

Accommodation

I used Cuba Junky offline app (cuba-junky.com) to book accommodation and Cubacasa (cubacasa.co.uk), which offers an in-country telephone service for further reservations once you’ve made your initial booking. [Note: It’s not possible to make online bookings once you’re in Cuba with cubacasa.co.uk or Airbnb].

Casa Malecón Colonial, (Havana; casamaleconcolonial.com), a smart casa-cum-mini hotel with views over the Malecón. CUC$65 [£47] incl breakfast.

La Casa Grande (Matanzas; +53 45 280 842; lacasagrandecuba.com) is a smart colonial-style pad with excellent rooms, food, and cocktails. CUC$30 [£22] excl breakfast.

Finca Luna; (Jovellanos; fincaluna. com) CUC$30 [£22] excl. breakfast.

Finca del Medio (Sancti Spíritus; +53 52 40 8610/+53 52 22 9013; leidy7580@gmail.com); CUC$20 [£15] per person per day, including all food.

Villa Jabón Candado, (Ciego de Avila, +53 33 22 5854). Centrally located and comfortable with a helpful family. From CUC$15 [£12] excl breakfast.

Villa Yoya 1901 (Mayarí, +53 54 42 7619; brainwebdesigns.com/ villayoya1901/index.html). Super-smart, luxury comfort, and super friendly. CUC$20 [£15] excl breakfast.

Casa Terraza Pavo Real (Santiago de Cuba; juanmarti13@yahoo.es). Colonial glory and fine breakfasts. CUC$25 [£18].

Food & drink

Don’t miss ropa vieja (pulled beef in sauce), Cuba’s succulent mango, and mamey milkshakes.

What to pack

Loo roll, hand gel, a sarong for a pillow or covering, and snacks.

How to do this trip

Buy a Cuban sim card with your passport and CUC$40 [£20] (includes CUC$10 of credit) at an ETECSA (national phone company) office. Cubacel top-up cards can be bought throughout Cuba. Get online top-ups through ding.com.

Trains out of Havana are currently departing from El Coubre station (+53 78 64 6047), next to the under-refurbishment Central Station. Go in person (and with a translator guide from your B&B if you don’t speak Spanish) to get timetable information.

Train 7, ‘ El Espirituano’, leaves Havana every two days at 21:21 stopping at Jovellanos and Zaza del Medio with its final destination, Sanctí Spíritus (11 hrs);

Train 11 to Santiago de Cuba leaves Havana every 4 days at 18:03 (16 hrs). Train 15 to Guantánamo every 4 days at 18:53 (one day after Train 11); both 11 and 15 stop at Matanzas, Guayos, and Alto Cedro (18 hrs). Train 13 to Bayamo every four days (one day before Train 11) at 19:20 and stops at Matanzas, Jovellanos, Guayos, and Ciego de Avila (15 hrs). Tickets are for standard class, there’s no air-con, sleepers or express services. Timetables are often on blackboards and whiteboards.

The Havana ferry to Casablanca (1CUP) leaves you at the Hershey Train Terminal where the train to Matanzas Hershey Terminal (+53 45 24 4805) costs CUC$2.80; 4 hrs. At time of press, this was still out of order.