DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

Lunch: El Cocinero
Calle 26 entre Calle 11 y Calle 13, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba

Pool Lounge & Swimming: Hotel Nacional
20 CUC but used toward food and drinks

Drinks: El Floridita

Dinner: Le Moneda Cubana

As evident from my social media and content lately, I've become more of an explorer.  Le Boyfriend and I kicked off summer vacation with an unforgettable two-week trip to Cuba, where we ate and partied our way through the several cities. Prior to our departure, I called AT&T and was told to expect limited data and internet service.   This was a no-go for an Instagram and Facebook junkie like myself.  Fortunately, my favorite travel blogs advised me to purchase a WiFi card at hotels, official ETESCA stores or just at the WiFi parks from sellers - who usually jack up the prices.  Official ETESCA shops will sell you the 1 hour wifi cards for 1.50 CUC, whereas hotels and park vendors will hike up the cost of the cards to 5 - 10 CUCs.  

With WiFi being as precious as gold for tech hungry Americans, it's important to download a lot of important apps you might need while in Cuba prior to leaving.  Limited connectivity on the island also means you won't be able to access apps that typically need data to function, apps like Google and Apple Maps.   Trust me when I tell you that Cuba isn't the place to be downloading apps from the Apple Store or Google Play.  You will be become extremely frustrated.  So before you even hop on the flight to Havana, please download the following apps to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.

MAPS.ME

Download Maps.me (MapsWithMe) immediately if you plan on doing any overseas travel.  Why? Because this app allows you to download specific countries and cities and use them completely offline. This app was a lifesaver in Cuba because we were able to use the voice guided GPS - in Spanish - so that the taxi driver could take us to the right destination.  

Another feature I love on this app is the ability to drop pins on all the sites, restaurants and bars we planned on visiting in each city.  I added them to my favorites list so that I could easily access directions to each place.  Maps.me also has a cool feature in the search options that enables you to see different categories of interest - such as WiFi spots, hotels, restaurants, pharmacies (which we ended up needing in two cities), public bathrooms and even shopping sites.  A bonus feature I loved was seeing where all the Casa Particulares and AirBnB housing were in each city.  This would come in handy for backpackers and travelers who don't have booked accommodations prior to their travel.

FREE: iOs and Android plus over 40 other devices

HOTSPOT SHIELD

I downloaded the Hotspot Shield VPN app in January while traveling to Cologne, Germany, simply because I didn't want to miss an episode of Scandal while I was out of the country.  So what does Hotspot Shield do specifically?  It allows you to surf blocked websites on your mobile device from anywhere and protects your privacy and identity with encrypted browsing.  What does that mean? It means you can mask your IP address so that you can use sites that are blocked in specific countries. 

Why do you need it? We ran out of money during the second half of our trip with no means of replenishing our cash stash the easy way.  The Cuban government has a tight leash on internet sites so Paypal, Venmo, Western Union are all blocked.  Instead of panicking, I hightailed myself to the nearest hotel to access WiFi, then connected to the US Hotspot Shield so that my phone registered as being in the United States.  I then logged into Western Union and was able to send money to our AirBnB host to retrieve for us, because only Cuban nationals are able to receive and collect money from Western Union. 

I implore anyone traveling to Cuba to download this app prior to going so that you can have peace of mind if you ever run out of money and need to replenish it because none of your debit or credit cards will work.

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

I can't speak a lick of Spanish, save for two or three words and a phrase or two and though Le Boyfriend is a native French speaker, his Spanish is so-so.  We'd heard so many horror stories from friends who had returned from Cuba about feeling like they were taken advantage of because of the lack of mastery of the Spanish language.  Google Translate was just the app we needed to at least navigate social situations and courtesy conversations with our AirBnB hosts.  We both downloaded the Spanish translator onto our phones prior to our departure from New York and were able to use this at the market, restaurants and with new friends.

FREE: Available for iOS and Android

AIRBNB
We booked all of our accommodations through AirBnB - some on the desktop and others on the iOS app.  Though you cannot book any other homes on the app while in Cuba, you can still access old correspondences with the hosts of the properties, see addresses and check-in/check-out times.  This was helpful to us because our hosts sent driving, walking and bus directions to each of their houses, which we could readily access on the app.

FREE: Available for iOS and Android

MOBILE PASS

The Mobile Passport app speeds you through U.S. Customs and Border Protection at 1 cruise port and 24 airports.  I used this app after my Germany trip and it really did expedite my checkout process through customs.  Using the app is easy.  Simply scan your passport in the app or manually enter your information, then snap a picture of yourself and follow the prompts. You will be asked to input which airline you're flying on and your port of entry.  After completing everything, you will be issued a QR Code receipt, which you will need to scan when you touch down in the U.S. You can complete the process up to four hours prior to landing.  When you get to your port of entry, follow the signs for Mobile Pass, which is usually right next to Global Entry at JFK International Airport.

FREE: Available on iOS and Android
 

SIGNNOW
I have been using SignNow app since 2014 to fill out and sign PDF documents and contracts for business purposes.  I created a 22-page itinerary for our two week trip to Cuba, which I downloaded onto the app for easy access.

FREE FOR BASIC PLAN: Available on iOS

TRIPOSO TRAVEL GUIDE
We found Triposo Travel Guide very helpful and used it on Le Boyfriend's phone for helpful phrases and things to do in each town we visited.  Triposo is as helpful as the Lonely Planet Cuba Travel Guide and is available offline.  The app provides info on top attractions in each city as well as hidden gems.   It cover categories such as Food, Nightlife, Sights, Attractions, Hotels, Transport.  My favorite feature is the Phrasebook, which has countless phrases for almost every situation you might find yourself in.

FREE: Available on iOS and Android

We just got back from a glorious 2-week trip to Cuba.  It was such an exciting trip that I implore everyone with the means to go.  During our last week there, President Trump decided to tighten travel sanctions for US citizens to Cuba and it caused such a stir and lot of conversation everywhere we went.  Since President Obama lightened the sanctions against Cuba, there's been an influx of American tourists visiting the Caribbean island for the first time in decades. Back in November, JetBlue had a good deal on flights to Havana, Cuba for about $215 so Le Boyfriend and I snagged two round trip tickets with the intention of exploring the island for two weeks. 

Over the past seven months, I scoured countless online forums, Facebook groups and blogs to learn more about navigating the Cuba and how to enjoy a vacay there without knowing a lick of Spanish, the official language.  Several Facebook friends have asked me to elaborate on the trip booking process so here I go...

BOOKING THE FLIGHT TO CUBA

When you book your flight, you'll be asked for the reason for your trip. There are 12 different categories for travel. I chose journalism because I plan on blogging about my trip extensively. Most people choose the People-to-People travel, which is not only a legal way for Americans to visit Cuba. JetBlue sent us a form to fill out online and submit to them. You will need a visa to enter and exit Cuba. You can buy the tourist visa for $50 at the airport on the day of your flight.

12 REASONS TO VISIT CUBA

• family visits 
• official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations 
• journalistic activity 
• professional research and professional meetings 
• educational activities 
• religious activities 
• public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions
• support for the Cuban people 
• humanitarian projects 
• activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes 
• exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials 
• certain authorized export transactions 

If you fit into one of these categories you qualify for a general license. There is no need to apply for a specific license through the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

TRAVELING TO CUBA UNDER NEW TRUMP POLICY
Trump doesn't want American dollars going to the Cuban Military anymore, which he says is guilty of humanitarian violations to the Cuban people.  The gist of the new policy is that Americans can still travel to Cuba but can no longer select the "people-to-people" or educational travel classification for the purpose of travel.  According to the Treasury Department, which licenses Cuba travel, under the new rules, a "traveler's schedule of activities must not include free time or recreation in excess."

Trump has tasked the State Department to write the new rules and regulation for Cuba travel, which is likely to take month to go into effect.  But Trump's announced policy means Americans won't be able to stay in Cuban hotels, rent cars or take buses at all since the Cuban government owns them. Approved group people-to-people travel through tour operators will remain legal if you are booked to stay in pre-approved accommodations such as privately owned bed and breakfasts or a casa de particular (a homestay with a Cuban family) and take part in only pre-approved activities.