Cuba

Located between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the country of Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean. Its neighbors include Jamaica, Mexico, Haiti, Bahamas and Cayman Islands. Historically, Cuba used to be a hot travel destination especially for citizens of the United States thanks to the beauty of Havana that is European like, numerous casinos, events and shows that cater to tourists as well as high living standards.

During the era, there were so many US nationals living in Cuba and the wealthy Americans owned beach homes where they hibernated in during summer. However, this was to change in 1952 after the former present Fulgencio Batista rigged the elections that led to political turmoil and great public discontent. With this crisis and communists led by Fidel Castro rising to power, things were never the same in Cuba, and Cuba never regained its past glory even to date.

With the dictatorship of Fidel Castro, the theme of the country changed to oppression and mass exodus with the US not wanting anything to do with Cuba at all. By 1959, tourism in Cuba was completely diminished and crippled and it is just of late that some of the facilities are being renewed. Nowadays, Cuba has been receiving American, Canadian, and European visitors arbitrary in few numbers. Major tourist destinations in Cuba like Holguin and Varadero have seen the construction of 3 star and five-star modern hotels. Tourists can also rent good sleeping rooms in regions that are less popular with tourists. Unfortunately, the present infrastructure doesn’t support tourism as it is in a state of complete desperation. Notable tourist destinations continue to experience power outages that don’t make the situation any better either.

Western Cuba is the nation’s capital and an exciting destination for scuba diving. The highly cosmopolitan city of Havana has a swinging and lovely nightlife and Baracoa used to be the first capital even though it has lost most of its glory over the years. The cigar industry is quite famous in the country and mostly based in Pinar del Rio. The coastal city of Santiago de Cuba is largely influenced by the Caribbean culture. The charming Trinidad city has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its vast colonial-era buildings. Most of the best Cuban beaches are found in Varadero where you will find many foreign tourists.

Cayo Largo is a small Cuban Island with numerous nudist facilities and Maria la Gorda offers a great destination for diving and snorkeling. Modern beach resorts are found in Jardines del Rey and Varadero Beach is well reputed for its fine white waters and beaches. There are many UNESCO recognized national parks in Cuba like Vinales, Parque Nacional La Guiro, and Topes de Collantes National Park among others. Cuba is of late reviving its reputation as a top destination for Medical Tourism. Many patients travel from far countries to take advantage of the high quality and affordable medical care offered in Cuba. This is further facilitated by the proximity of the country to North America and Latin America as well as its rather relaxing environment.