Havana Do’s
- DO appreciate that Havana operates on ‚Cuba time‚, a kick back, laissez-faire attitude which means it can take 10 minutes before a waiter shows up to your table let alone takes your order.
- DO stroll along the Malcon, the city‚s ocean front esplanade where Havana Bay and the Gulf of Mexico meet.
- DO try the Coco Glas.
- DO check out Plaza de Armes‚Havana‚s oldest square‚for a market filled with thousands of second-hand books, revolutionary knick-knacks (pins, hats, paraphernalia) as well as old watches and posters.
- DO try the finger-length bananas you‚ll find at small markets around the city.
- DO bring candy, pens, aspirin packets, travel toothpaste or other small everyday items that you can give to people when you‚re out and about.
- DO wander down the Paseo de Marti that runs in front of the capital building.
- DO keep your small change with you.
- DO give yourself plenty of time at the airport when leaving the country
Havana Don’ts
- DON‚T worry about exploring Old Havana on your own, it‚s very safe, even at night.
- DON‚T get frustrated when things change unexpectedly, don‚t go as planned or doesn‚t live up to U.S. standards.
- DON‚T drink the water.
- DON‚T sleep in every day.
- DON‚T bring your credit cards, they aren‚t accepted and the few ATMs that exist aren‚t connected to banks in the U.S. For Americans it‚s all about cash.
- DON‚T forget to try new things if you enjoy photography, Cuba‚s brilliant colors and vibrant personalities are perfect muses for experimentation.
- DON‚T forget to negotiate your fare up front if you plan to take a bici-cab (a Cuban pedi-cab), coco cab (a tiny round vehicle that looks like a wheeled Pac-Man) or a traditional taxi.
- DON‚T be surprised if you spend most of your trip off the grid.
- DON‚T forget to look down, the old streets can be treacherous.
- DON‚T get caught in what I like to call ‚The Bubble‚.