How to get to Cuba from the States

Cuba is GORGEOUS!!! You can get to Cuba from the U.S. by booking airplane tickets to the Bahamas. Once in the airport in the Bahamas, you can purchase tickets to Cuba. I believe there is a flight that leaves in the afternoon (if there isn't a flight, you might have to stay in the Bahamas for one night... worse things could happen :) ), so I would recommend getting to the Bahamas in the morning.

Crossing customs in the Bahamas they asked us where we were staying in the Bahamas. We were caught a bit off guard by this question and didn't know what to say, but they are fully aware that people use that airport to go to Cuba, I would just be honest. After going through customs, you can purchase tickets from the Cuban airlines ticket counter (there might be a long line), this should not be a problem. They will give you a piece of paper that they will stamp, so that they do not put a stamp in your passport. : )

Boarding the plane, you will notice that that the writing is all in Russian… these are old soviet planes. Fear not, they work just fine. During take off, you will notice that there is a lot of smoke rising from under all of the seats making it look like something is on fire… again, fear not, this is apparently normal. Since I fly about once a year and I am used to quite modern airplanes (like the ones used by British Air, or Lufthansa) I was slightly uncomfortable in these Cuban ones, but again, they were fine.

Once in Cuba, enjoy! We had not previously booked accommodations and luckily we met a very nice woman who worked at the airport and directed us to her friend who owned a bed & breakfast type place. Many people have rooms in their houses that they rent out to tourists. I would highly recommend this type of accommodation because this way you can get to know the people more, get a real taste for the culture, and usually your hosts will cook for you. It was a very enjoyable experience for me… the food was delicious!! I would just make sure to ALWAYS bring your valuables with you, even if your room is locked and you have the key.

Havana is a heartbreakingly beautiful city. The architecture of the city was so beautiful, but a lot of the buildings were in such disrepair. I just wanted to patch everything up, so that it could last longer for others to see.

Cuban people are incredibly friendly, and willing to help. We had quite a good number of conversations with some locals! They might not love the leadership, but they love their country and will excitedly tell you about it. Also, if you are a fan of Latin music and dance, Cuba has the best salsa, and the best dancers!

I hope this information is helpful, and if anyone has any other questions about Cuba, please feel free to ask me… I could talk/write about it forever. Due to time restrains, I was only able to see a bit of Havana and Viñales (gorgeous mountain scenery).