Christmas in Cuba: Holiday Visitor's Guide to Havana

Cuba's rich nightlife attracts visitors from all over the world. This small Caribbean country entices travelers to trade white Christmases and eggnog for a red hot Christmas with minty mojitos. It has only been ten years since Christmas returned to Cuba, but the locals have made up for lost time. Samba drummers and salsa dancers fill the streets with revelry. In 2007, one of my favorite actors Jude Law was reported to have plans to spend Christmas gyrating his hips to salsa music in Havana. Like Jude, you can paint the town vermillion on a Cuban Christmas vacation. Here are a few travel tips to help you make the most of your hot Havana nights. Remember to enjoy the rum and cigars!

The Airport

Jose Martí International Airport is located 9 miles south of Havana. In the metric system that is 15 kilometers. Carrying a conversion table in your pocket can help you with navigating distances and quantities. Shuttle buses are on hand to help you from terminal to terminal. All the hotels are located in the city, but don't worry. Taxis are readily available to take you to Havana.

Modes of Transportation

Would you like to drive a '54 Chevy in mint condition? Chances are the car you rent from the airport will be from that era! Cubans love vintage American cars. Seeing these old cars will remind you of American malt shops and drive-in movies. They're everywhere.

Alternative transportation includes coco taxis, rickshaws, and "camel" buses. The coco taxi is a three-wheeled vehicle in the shape of a helmet. A rickshaw is a small buggy pulled by a person on a bicycle, on a scooter, or on foot. Havana's camel buses are extra-large buses (with two humps) pulled by semis. You can't see these vehicles everywhere; it may be worth taking a ride just for the experience. If you prefer to walk, it is plausible to traverse Havana on foot.

Hotels

Havana's hotels range from colonial to cosmopolitan. From the cabanas of One Star Campismo Los Cocos to the luxurious suites at Five Star Hotel NH Parque Central, you will definitely be able to find the right combination of amenities to make your stay perfect for you and your wallet. Cheaper lodgings include hostels and private rooms rented in homes.

Activities

Cuba has dreamy white beaches along clear turquoise waters. Scuba diving and snorkeling provide visitors with a firsthand look at the coral reef and creatures that live there. Other attractions in the city include the historical Garcia Lorca Theater, The Museum of the Revolution, the iron sculpture of Che Guevara on the Plaze de Revolucion, the Partagas cigar factory, and De la Real Fuerza Castle.

Christmas

Tropical weather, tropical flowers, and tropical fruit make a beautiful backdrop for celebration. Havana's vivid nightlife is especially busy during the Christmas season as friends hit the frequent parties hosted by clubs and hotels. Celebrations on the street commonly include samba drummers and dancers inviting the crowd to join in. Salsa music is a large portion of the city's soundtrack during this time along with Christmas carols from the religious sect.

On Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), the people of Havana assemble in Revolution Square for Midnight Mass. By now a pig has been roasted and the table set with black beans, rice, cider, and rum desserts. Bells ring at midnight to signal that it is Christmas Day and time to eat!

Like Spain, Cuba continues to celebrate Christmas until the Day of the Three Wise Men, January 6^th. They enter the city followed by a parade and throw candy at spectators. The children have eagerly put their shoes out in the hopes that the Three Wise Men will leave gifts in them. In Cuba, Santa Claus is not as popular as the Three Wise Men. Anti-consumerism and religion have taken Christmas back from commercial businesses and given it back to the family. In my opinion, Havana is a great place to spend Christmas if you want to feel close to your family while joining the party of your life.