Another travel vlog to Cuba

[Cigar_Addict]

I’ve yet to find a decent whole bean coffee apart from Jamaican Blue Mountain

That's not a cheap way to enjoy coffee. Have you tried Kenya AA/Peaberry? Could do with being a little stronger, but very nice (imo)

[Gazza21]

soo.. other than cigars, is it still worth the 10-12 hours travel from UK if you wanted to go as a couple?

[Ryan]

soo.. other than cigars, is it still worth the 10-12 hours travel from UK if you wanted to go as a couple?

It's a risk. You'll love it or hate it. No in between really.
It depends on the kind of traveler you are. There are easier places to go for winter sun.
There are better countries for food. 90% of the restaurants are awful. But in Havana there are 20-30 good ones and 5-10 excellent.
There are power cuts, mosquitos, poverty. On the other hand, there is a big cultural scene, live music and art.
The people are generally very nice, it's quite safe with the usual precautions in a poor country.
Some of your interactions with the locals will be maddening if you're not familiar. There is a cultural difference and there are tourist scams. Small scale ones, eg. taxi drivers at the end of a trip saying "Oh no, it is $10 per person, not for the trip. That's a common one and easy to remedy with adding "En total?!" to the end of negotiations before the trip starts.
It's all cash, except for some hotels and tourist/cigar shops.
Currency exchange can be difficult to navigate.
But there is no other country like it in the world, and every time I go I see something new. I'm amazed, in new ways every time, to see how those people do so much with so little.
Some very good beaches, 28C sea water year round.
And then if you like Cuban cigars. There is nowhere better.

[Gazza21]

It's a risk. You'll love it or hate it. No in between really.
It depends on the kind of traveler you are. There are easier places to go for winter sun.
There are better countries for food. 90% of the restaurants are awful. But in Havana there are 20-30 good ones and 5-10 excellent.
There are power cuts, mosquitos, poverty. On the other hand, there is a big cultural scene, live music and art.
The people are generally very nice, it's quite safe with the usual precautions in a poor country.
Some of your interactions with the locals will be maddening if you're not familiar. There is a cultural difference and there are tourist scams. Small scale ones, eg. taxi drivers at the end of a trip saying "Oh no, it is $10 per person, not for the trip. That's a common one and easy to remedy with adding "En total?!" to the end of negotiations before the trip starts.
It's all cash, except for some hotels and tourist/cigar shops.
Currency exchange can be difficult to navigate.
But there is no other country like it in the world, and every time I go I see something new. I'm amazed, in new ways every time, to see how those people do so much with so little.
Some very good beaches, 28C sea water year round.
And then if you like Cuban cigars. There is nowhere better.

For a restock, would you recommend over short trip to Geneva/ Germany/ spain? Pricing wise, is it vastly different in stick prices?

[Ryan]

For a restock, would you recommend over short trip to Geneva/ Germany/ spain? Pricing wise, is it vastly different in stick prices?

Purely for a restock of Habanos cigars, absolutely stay within Europe. Pricing is very similar now for most cigars. Germany can be cheaper for many. Stock levels can be as bad in Cuba as much of Europe.
My last trip in June, I didn't buy many Habanos. 2 boxes of Quai d'Orsay No. 52 at $200 per box and 1 box of Trinidad Fundadores for about $1,500. I had to buy that as I hadn't seen one on a shelf in a while.
Prices in Cuba are generally within 10% of prices in Europe now. Before May 2022, it maybe made sense to go to Cuba to stock up, not anymore. Almost all prices will be cheaper in Andorra, Gibraltar and Hungary for example.
What Cuba is good for is Custom/shop rolls and farm rolls. Very good cigars to be had, no bands, for $4 - $8. But only 50 allowed back in to UK/Europe from Cuba. It's also nice being able to comfortably smoke in a wide selection of bars, hotels and restaurants without complaints. I smoke 3-5 cigars a week at home. In Cuba, 3-5 per day. People accept it, it's a normal part of life. The only people who ever might give out are other tourists, and in Cuba they can be ignored. Restaurant staff are more likely to offer them a cigar than act on their complaint.