Hotel Ordono

Highlights? Everything! The casas for showing us how Cubans live, the guides and their information, the sunset from the Palacio at Punta Gorda (Cienfuegos), the casa at Punta Gorda, the music everywhere, the food, the cocktails, the nice and hospitable people.

EV, Enfield

Baracoa was very special.

CA, Newark

Highlight? Driving across Cuba and the fact that having a car allowed you to go off the beaten trip and experience life there at our own pace. Walking round Havana - spent hours walking round both the old town, Centro and Vedado, which was totally fascinating. Groups of horsemen riding the wrong way down the Autopista!
 

RF, Henley on Thames

The food was better than we had feared (but they routinely overcook seafood, so stick with chicken) and there was more English spoken than we had expected. Weather was great. The state of the buildings generally was better than we had been led to expect - although there is a lot of work outstanding in the southern parts of the Old Town in Havana. People are helpful. The country is clearly at an interesting stage of its development - which is why we wanted to go - and might go in many directions from here; not all of them favourable. Roads, particularly outside towns, were empty.

PR, Edinburgh

Las Terrazas - the hotel, zipwire and natural pools. Also meeting locals during the trip, including picking up hitchhikers. The caribbean sea and beach at Playa Ancon were wonderful.

PR, Brentwood

JLA did a first rate job arranging our holiday which was quite complicated over five locations in Cuba.  It all went faultlessly.

SV, Little Hamton

Amazing

The fact that Cuba is so far removed from 21st century life - Cubans seem to have an indestructible soul! Music is their Prozac.

Ck, London

Highlights?: There were so many!  We took an excursion  to the forest ; truck, walk, waterfall swimming...loved it.  But we really enjoyed everywhere.

ER, London

Hiking in Topas de Collante - swimming in a natural pool and bar hopping in Old Havana. 

RS, Twickenham

Highlight?: Rafting in Tena

RF, Dorking

Most Memorable Moment?: Horse riding to the waterfall in Trinidad

CJC,

There is no one experience that I would single out. What was memorable were the people, their friendliness and helpfulness, and the real feeling of safety everywhere we went - even when the street lighting suddenly failed in the back streets of Trinidad.

DM, Nottingham

Havana music, Vinales cigar plantation & Luis the guide in Cienfuegos

AB, Dollar

The Car Tour was brilliant, Bright pink car around the city of Havana, such a beautiful place.

TDB, Swadlincote

Many happy memories but loved the guided tour of Havana in the vintage car (huge 1953 Ford pink and cream convertible). Also enjoyed walking in the beautiful Vinales valley, it was like travelling back in the past with oxen ploughing and tobacco drying in huge thatched barns....It exceeded my expectations. Great organisation, informative guides, careful and punctual drivers and accommodation in convenient yet quiet locations, near to tourist attractions and restaurants.

JR, Cambridge

With JLA's help, got an excellent choice of locations and accommodation. Really felt that I got to see a lot of the country and a great variety in just 10 days. No way of knowing how the new trade agreement between Cuba and America will pan out (clearly going to be good for the Cuban economy), but it's interesting that everyone I spoke to said there was a tourism influx at a normally quiet period BECAUSE people wanted to see Cuba before it potentially changed, and not necessarily, tourism-wise, for the better.

PW, Norwich

We really enjoyed the historical part of our trip ie the walking tour in Havana and our excursions that we arranged from Trinidad. The luxury and relaxation in the all inclusive resort were also good.

KM, Sutton

Most memorable experience: “the vibe and architecture of Havana; driving on the roads of Cuba - empty motorways, gigantic potholes, no signs, picking up random people who flagged us down; cigar rolling and smoking on a tobacco farm in Vinales; daily daiquiris and mojitos, especially those in Hotel Nacional garden; gorgeous peaceful countryside; noisy people and music everywhere; but also extreme poverty and areas that had barely moved from early 20th century; every Cuban we spoke with said how hard living was and that no one could survive on one job. We had such an interesting and wonderful time and will definitely return.”

SB, Lewisham

Most memorable experiences: The vibrancy of the music,friendliness of the people and the sheer variety of Landscapes,cities and coastlines. Particular highlights were the 1950's cars,Trinidad and vinales...We would definitely consider travelling with journey Latin America again and the efficiency and organisation of our trip was superb from start to finish. Cuba is a fascinating country to visit and a great destination for families with teenagers. Thank you for a memorable,fun  and enriching experience!

LVK, Sevenoaks

Most memorable experiences: Visiting Las Terrazas, exploring Havana, brief stop in Santa Clara, and contact with Cubans along the way

HP, King's lynn

Loads of music. Watching sax player at sunset, Hotel Melia Buenavista, Cayo Santa Maria Buenavista, Cafe Taberna, Christmas Day.

JP, Bedford

Highlight: Wandering around the old town of Havana - great buildings everywhere in various states of repair. Just full of atmosphere. Also the 1950s American cars. I didn't realise just how many there were! Again in all states of repair, but a fantastic sight even to someone who isn't particularly a car buff.

CW, London

Trinidad was our favourite place, closely followed by Cienfuegos. Relaxing at the Hotel Melia Buenavista was wonderful at the end of a packed but well paced tour around the highlights of Cuba.

TR, Leicester

Each destination had its own character, they were all good, none more so than others” 

IM, Edinburgh

The guides made such a great difference to our underrating of the country. Beautiful and varied country and in a couple of weeks got a real sense of its diversity. The Rolling Stones concert was unforgettable.

GH, Bristol

Spending time with the guides gave us an insight into other aspects of life in Cuba.

SW, Woking

The only additional info might have been that travellers should take a box of tissues - although we always do anyway to wherever. Cuba doesn't do tissues.......

PR, Edinburgh

Highlights? The wonderful beautiful Cuban people. The stunning landscape the memorable architecture. The wild weather. Just the sense of being propelled back in time but also to a possible future of less empty consumerism, less intensive agriculture, mores social connection and less social media allowing for more actual sociality

DM, Brighton

Although I loved the history, architecture, parks, animals wandering about  and music everywhere etc, I'm afraid I fell hopelessly in love with the people most of all. I felt more at home here than anywhere else I can think of. 

PP, Sawbridgeworth

Visiting Trinidad and listening to all the music being played around the city.

RS, Southampton