Cuba - Lonely Planet [388]
Center for Cuban Studies ( 212-242-0559; www.cubaupdate.org) Arranges trips through universities.
Global Exchange ( 415-255-7296, 800-497-1994; www.globalexchange.org)
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GETTING AROUND
AIR
Cubana de Aviación (www.cubana.cu) and its regional carrier Aerocaribbean have flights to Havana, Baracoa, Bayamo, Camagüey, Cayo Largo del Sur, Ciego de Ávila, Guantánamo, Holguín, Isla de la Juventud, Manzanillo, Moa and Santiago de Cuba. One-way flights are half the price of round-trip flights and weight restrictions are strict (especially on Aerocaribbean’s smaller planes). You can purchase tickets at most hotel tour desks and travel agencies for the same price as at the airline offices, which are often chaotic. Sol y Son is Cubana’s own travel agency and is known for its customer service and efficiency.
Aerogaviota ( 7-203-0686; Av 47 No 2814 btwn Calles 28 & 34, Playa, Havana) runs more expensive charter flights to La Coloma (Pinar del Río province), Nueva Gerona, Cayo Largo del Sur, Varadero, Cayo Las Brujas, Cayo Coco, Playa Santa Lucía and Santiago de Cuba.
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BICYCLE
Cuba is a cyclist’s paradise, with bike lanes, bike workshops and drivers accustomed to sharing the road countrywide. Spare parts are difficult to find – you should bring important spares with you. Still, Cubans are grand masters at improvised repair and though specific parts may not be available, something can surely be jury-rigged. Poncheros fix flat tires and provide air; every small town has one.
Helmets are unheard of in Cuba except at upscale resorts, so you should bring your own. A lock is imperative as bicycle theft is rampant. Parqueos are bicycle parking lots located wherever crowds congregate (eg markets, bus terminals, downtown etc); they cost one peso.
Throughout the country, the 1m-wide strip of road to the extreme right is reserved for bicycles, even on highways. It’s illegal to ride on sidewalks and against traffic on one-way streets and you’ll be ticketed if caught. Road lighting is deplorable and it’s not recommended you ride after dark (over one-third of vehicular accidents in Cuba involve bicycles); carry lights with you just in case.
Trains with coches de equipaje or bagones (baggage carriages) should take bikes for around CUC$10 per trip. These compartments are guarded, but take your panniers with you and check over the bike when you arrive at your destination. Víazul buses also take bikes.
Purchase
Limited selection and high prices make buying a bike in Cuba through official channels unattractive. Better to ask around and strike a deal with an individual to buy their chivo (Cuban slang for bike) and trade it or resell it when you leave. With some earnest bargaining, you can get one for around CUC$30 – although the more you pay, the less your bones are likely to shake. Despite the obvious cost savings, bringing your own bike is still the best bet by far.
Rental
At the time of writing, official bike-rental agencies existed only at El Orbe in Havana (for rates Click here), at the major beach resorts (CUC$3 per hour or CUC$15 per day) and in Viñales and Trinidad (CUC$6 to CUC$8 per day). Bikes are usually included as a perk in all-inclusive resort packages.
Don’t worry if there are no official bike-rental outlets; no matter where you are, you’ll always find someone willing to arrange a private rental. The going rate is CUC$3 to CUC$7 per day.
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BUS
Bus travel is a dependable way of getting around Cuba, at least in the more popular areas. Víazul ( 7-881-1413, 7-881-5652, 7-881-1108; www.viazul.com) is the only long-distance bus company available to non-Cubans, with punctual, (over)air-conditioned coaches going to destinations of interest to travelers. Víazul charges for tickets in Convertibles and you can be confident you’ll get where you’re going on these buses – and on time. They have daily departures and they’re a good place to meet other foreigners.
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