Cuba is a fascinating country and perfect for cycling. Traffic is moderate, and by bicycle you get close to people. I traveled with a tour organizer in 2009 and cycled a good part of Cuba from east to west.
Mountain biking is preferable, but hybrid also goes well. You can go on your own, or with a tour organizer that I chose to do. I brought a bike from home, but it is just as easy to hire the organizer so you can avoid taking the bike on the plane. The rental bikes were Gant bikes which were all in good condition. Using an organizer offers many other benefits, you do not have to look for accommodations, travel companions, and you get a companion car or minibus to carry the luggage, or you can sit on if you are having a bad day. The organizer provided two guides, one Englishman and one Cuban.
The tour was very varied. Mostly on the road and dirt roads, but with some detours on trails out in the countryside. These detours were interesting because they brought us to villages where there were hardly many tourists before us. The pace was perfectly fine, no need to worry. Though, the longest day leg was about 10 km so you have to be in reasonably good shape. There is very little car traffic so cycling on the road was no problem. As is well known, the economy in Cuba is not the best and the road quality varied widely.
Accommodation took place partly in hotels, including an all-inclusive, and partly in Casa Particulares. This is Cuba’s variant of bed and breakfast, and you also get dinner. Casas can be recommended. You meet Cubans and get home-cooked food. But you have to speak a bit Spanish to make good contact.
The trip
In total we were 11 participants on the trip, ages 25 – 65, from Australia, Canada, UK and Norway. We quickly became good friends, both on the road and in the evenings. There were museum and restaurant visits all the way, including salsa courses for those who wanted.
The trip started with a flight from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, after which we cycled eastbound along the coast towards Niquero. Here roads and bridges were taken by a hurricane 10 years ago and still not repaired, so over long distances half the roadway was gone. But with a bike this was no problem. Great stretch with many bathing opportunities. Unfortunately, I managed to overturn in a hill one of the first days. The encounter with the tarmac in shorts and T-shirt resulted in some solid scrubs that I regularly cleaned at the local hospitals. Apart from the slight dampening of the trip, it was interesting to meet the health care system in Cuba. All treatment was free, but they had very little medication and equipment. But the health staff were very friendly.
Between Niquero and Santo Domingo we partly cycled, some of the distances far out in the countryside along the carriageway, and partly we drove the boring parts with the accompanying bus. This was a very nice arrangement. Then you can cover as much as possible, without long, tedious transport routes. From Camaguey we took a detour to Trinidad, before continuing by bus all the way west to Viñales.
A little about the places we visited
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba Has a very vibrant atmosphere with lots of music and culture, and it is the most Caribbean of Cuba’s cities.
Trinidad
Trinidad is on UNESCO’s list because of the very well-preserved old town from the 16 century. It is distinctive with its narrow streets and colonial style, and it has a lot of music and nightlife. If you have the opportunity, put this high on the list.
Santa Clara
Santa Clara is the hometown of the Cuban Revolution, where the spirit of Che Guevara is still hiding in the shadows. In addition to the revolutionary monuments, it also has a nice colonial old town and plenty of nightlife.
Viñales
Valle de Viñales has a fantastic nature and is especially known for tobacco growing. And if you are looking for hiking or cycling in great scenery this is the place.
The company I traveled with: www.globaladventureguide.com
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