10 reasons to make Cuba your next vacation destination

(iStock.com/Jacques van Dinteren)

There’s been more effort to foster positive relations between Cuba and the U.S. in the past few years than we’ve seen in several decades. In fact, President Obama became the first Commander in Chief to visit the island in nearly a century.

Once subject to embargoes and restrictions, Cuba is becoming a desirable vacation destination for Americans — a snapshot in time of culture, art and history. However, although Obama recently lightened several trade and travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba, Americans can only visit Cuba under certain circumstances. According to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Americans who qualify under one of the following 12 categories are now free to visit Cuba:

• Family visits
• Government business (U.S. or foreign)
• Journalistic activity
• Professional research
• Educational activities
• Religious excursions
• Public performances, clinics, workshops and athletic competitions.
• Cuban support endeavors
• Humanitarian efforts
• Participation in private or educational foundations
• Export and import of information
• Certain authorized export transactions

As of March 2016, President Obama also allows what he calls “people to people” educational trips to Cuba, provided that they include a full-time schedule of museum visits, cultural sightseeing, journaling and conversations with Cubans about their society, according to the New York Times. Visitors will also need to keep a record of their activities on the island for five years.

Assuming you qualify for a visit, here are some great reasons to make Cuba your next vacation spot.

1. The beaches are pristine.

If you want to take a beach vacation, Cuba has more than 300 beaches. Varadero Beach is one of the country’s most famous destinations, while Playa Pilar, Cayo Santa María and Guardalavaca all offer high-quality swimming and snorkeling. Additionally, the coral reefs are said to rival those found in the Caribbean.

2. The American dollar goes just as far.

There are two forms of currency in Cuba: the Cuban peso (CUP) and the Cuban convertible peso (CUC). The CUC, which can be converted to other currencies, carries a 1:1 average exchange rate with the dollar, so you won’t lose value on your money. For best results, change out your cash for Cuban currency before you travel, as there’s a 10 percent exchange rate for U.S. dollars once you’re on Cuban soil.

3. The cost of flying to Cuba is likely to drop.

Currently, a round-trip ticket from the U.S. to Cuba costs about $717, according to a Huffington Post article. However, if you fly out of Miami, you will pay closer to a third of that price. If Obama manages to remove all the travel restrictions to Cuba, that round-trip price tag could be slashed to about $364, saving you even more money.

4. Cheap lodging is abundant.

Saving money on a hotel in Cuba is easy. Hotels average just $25 per night, which is comparable to the cost of staying in a Casa Particular with a local family. You can expect to spend nearly twice that amount for other all-inclusive lodging — still not a bad deal when food and drink are part of the package.

5. You can enjoy authentic food and drink.

In Cuba, you can wake up to a Café Cubano, enjoy some lobster and bocaditos for lunch and finish the day with an icy mojito made with oak-aged rum. Yes, Cuban cuisine satisfies the palate in every way imaginable.

Travel experts suggest that the best Cuban food is homemade, so if you’re lodging in a Casa Particular, you’re in luck. Still, you might want to pay a visit to La Guarida, an historic restaurant frequented by Fidel Castro in his infamous heyday.

Additionally, cigar lovers can sample the classic Montecristo during their visits.

6. Cuba’s architecture is a beautiful blast from the past.

Visiting Cuba is also an opportunity to feel as though you’ve traveled back in time. In cities like Havana and Trinidad, the Spanish architecture dates back to the 1500s and 1600s and offers all the historic pedigree that you’d find trekking around Europe.

One of the best ways to sightsee is from the back of a classic 1950s American car. Book a driver and cruise around town while enjoying the Art Deco buildings and sculptures.

7. A visit to Cuba doubles as a history lesson.

A trip to Cuba wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Bay of Pigs, where the failed U.S. invasion of Cuba took place in 1961. Additionally, history lovers should check out Fidel Castro’s famous headquarters, Comandancia de la Plata.

A tumultuous time in modern-day Cuba, the 1960s also saw the death of the famous revolutionary Che Guevara. His mausoleum in Santa Clara contains a museum and eternal flame lit by Castro himself.

8. Cuba’s music, art and culture are second to none.

Salsa clubs and jazz bars aren’t mere stereotypes of Cuban culture. Music is in the country’s DNA, and visitors can hear the diversity of sound wherever they go, whether they are strolling along a cobblestone street or dancing in one of Cuba’s many nightclubs.

Brightly colored murals and tiled walls on buildings also reflect Cuba’s love of artistic expression, despite the country’s oppressive past.

9. The people are friendly.

Despite Cuba’s tumultuous history, many who have visited the country say its people are friendly, warm, hospitable and generous. Because conversing with the natives is highly encouraged on Obama-approved trips, visitors should make an effort to widen their horizons by meeting people from this diverse and fascinating culture.

10. Tourist traffic is still light.

Though travel restrictions are the lightest they’ve been in six decades, once the embargo goes away completely, tourists from the U.S. will likely flock to Cuba. Not only will an increase in tourist traffic drive up travel costs, but it will likely affect the country’s authenticity.

“The time to get to Cuba is now, before the crowds and before the country is forced into losing some of [its] culture in order to please the tourists,” said Lindsay MacNevin of EscapeHere.com. “Part of Cuba’s charm is the lack of giant ritzy hotels, overcrowded beaches and unauthentic restaurants.”

See Cuba now and experience this land’s charm and history for yourself.

From GoBankingRates.com: 10 reasons Cuba should be your next vacation destination