Family holidays with children in Cuba - attractions and entertainment

Cuba is a tropical country in the north-east of the Caribbean Sea. The country is proud of its beautiful capital, the city of Havana established in the 16th century. This city has much to offer to tourists with children. Cuba is situated on two big islands surrounded by 1,600 small islands. The weather is always warm here, and the temperature of the water is rarely below 24°C. Most tourists, who visit Cuba at least once, fall in love with this amazing country and cherish a dream of visiting it again. Varadero, a resort town on the Hicacos Peninsula, is home to some of the best beaches in the world. A barrier reef protects the coastal waters from the rest of the Atlantic Ocean. There are many hotels suitable for tourists with children here.

Local hotels target different categories of guests and organize their services depending on their preferences. Not every hotel is suitable for families with kids. For example, hotels for young travelers such as students often organize loud parties in the evening, at the time when small children already go to bed. A vacation with a kid at such a hotel can easily turn into a nightmare. Some hotels, like Melia Cayo Coco on the island of Cayo Coco, do not even accept tourists with children. This hotel is for people aged 18 and older. Tourists should always read the policy of the hotel that they plan to book a room in. This way they can protect themselves from unpleasant surprises.

All-inclusive hotels are the most suitable for vacationers with children. There are many hotels of this type in Cuba. Certain hotels, such as Iberostar Varadero 5*, specifically target visitors with children. This hotel has a large beach with white sand. Children will not feel bored here because the hotel has a strong team of animators, as well as a children’s club, a playground, and a special children’s swimming pool with slides. Parents are always welcome to hire a babysitter and relax. Some of the region’s attractions are within the walking distance of the hotel. For example, there is a 500-year-old giant cactus. Tourists also enjoy visiting the dolphinarium and swim with dolphins. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Ocean Varadero El Patriarca is another popular resort hotel suitable for family travelers. This hotel is also located in Varadero. Delicious food, entertaining animators, clean beach, and various sea-based activities are among the advantages of this upscale hotel. Sol Palmeras 4* organizes a disco for children every evening. This is an all-inclusive hotel with nutritious food and five restaurants with different cuisines of the world: Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Latin American, and the Mediterranean. Guests can visit each restaurant for free once a week. Sol Palmeras 4* has rooms in the main hotel building and comfortable bungalows near the beach.

Families often wonder what places they can visit with children and what attractions are suitable for them. In Havana, consider visiting Jardín Botánico Nacional. This is a large botanical garden that has an area of 600 hectares. The garden is separated into several segments, each of which is an independent ecosystem created by scientists and enthusiasts. For example, the Japanese landscape architect Yoshikuni Araki. Close to the city of Santiago de Cuba, in a green valley, tourists can visit a beautiful park - Valle de la Prehistoria. This park is dedicated to prehistoric animals such as dinosaurs. The models of extinct animals are made in a 1:1 scale. A stroll in this park looks like you have become a character in the Jurassic Park film. It is so easy to take many memorable photographs here. Both children and adults enjoy their visit to Valle de la Prehistoria.

The Hicacos Peninsula has more amusements to offer to its guests. There is a crocodile farm where visitors are allowed to feed the animals. Not any food is accepted – visitors need to buy special food from the farm staff. The dolphinarium in Varadero was mentioned above. Besides it, there are dolphinariums in Cardenas and Cienfuegos. In Cayo Largo, tourists can visit another interesting farm that breeds turtles. Children are always fond of such excursions. Older kids will find it interesting to visit the Topes de Collantes National Park where they can watch birds and animals in their natural habitat, see how the coffee is cultivated, visit a giant fern tree, and walk on a path in the tropical jungles.

Car is the most comfortable vehicle to move around in Cuba. If the distance is not big, it is better to call a taxi. If you plan to make long rides, renting a car might be a better option. The public transport is not suitable for tourists with children. Local public transport is always overcrowded and doesn’t have a fixed schedule. Even if you manage to find a bus stop, it is hard to understand bus routes because there are no route numbers and no maps of different routes. By the way, it is possible to hire a taxi for one day. The price will be similar to the price of car rental for 24 hours. The price of a taxi or rented car depends on the vehicle. New cars and retro branded cars are the most expensive. A ride in the city in a simpler car can cost 4-6 dollars or CUCs, which is almost the same because 1 CUC is equal to 1 U.S. dollar.

Beach recreation in Cuba is available all year round. Children love this but do not expect to find such water-based amusement as aqua parks in this country. There are none in Cuba. A long flight across the Atlantic is one of the drawbacks of vacation in Cuba. Not all adults and children can easily endure physical and emotional discomfort that inevitably appears when you spend many hours on an airplane. However, the beauty of local nature and hospitality of local people deserve the effort. Just like in any tropical country, the sun is very active in Cuba. Sensitive children’s skin gets sunburnt faster than adult skin. That is why it is important to stock up on sunscreens, hats, and sunglasses for the whole family. Anti-mosquito repellents will also be handy. The word “stock up on” means you need to buy them in your home country and bring to Cuba in the luggage because buying them after arrival can be very problematic.