Cuba Bicycle Tour
Taxi in Varadero, Cuba
One of the favourite bicycle touring destinations for cyclists who live in northern areas is Cuba. There are numerous scheduled and charter flights to Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Holguin other Cuban cities from Canada, Europe and Mexico.
Major advantages of touring Cuba by Bicycle:
• A very inexpensive destination
• The warm climate is pleasant in the winter season; some find it very hot for cycling at times. Best time to visit is November to April
• Friendly people, very safe as crime is almost non-existent
• Largest island in the Caribbean with lots of cycling routes for 7, 14 nights or longer
• Very little traffic on the roads
Guided cycling tours of Cuba are offered by a number of tour operators: Exodus and Explore from the UK, McQueens Travel and GAP Adventures from Canada and others. Another option is to book a stay at one of the resort hotels, particularly in the Santiago area, and go day trips on your bike. A third option is to explore on your own staying at inexpensive pension type accommodation.
If not on a guided tour of Cuba which includes your bicycle then bring your own on the plane. A common practice when bicycle touring is to take an old bike, use it during your stay and leave it behind when you leave. Cuba is a poor country and the local people appreciate your old bike.
Along the way you will see historic colonial cities, lush jungle forests and Cuba has a reputation for some of the greatest beaches in the world. Cuba drivers are accustomed to cyclists as many of the local people use bicycles, although you do need to watch out for potholes. Routes are generally not demanding, there will be some hilly sections particularly in eastern Cuba.
A popular route from Havana is to cycle to the west to visit the Sierra del Rosario mountain range, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. In the center of the island you have Cuba’s most colonial city, Trinidad. Eastern Cuba is more mountainous and forested.
If planning your own tour stay in a Casa (B & B) which are run by Cuban families and are very inexpensive. The food is cheap and plentiful and many consider it better than what is found in some of the 3 star resort hotels.
If you are looking for a warm cycling destination this winter, consider Cuba.
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Filed under Bicycle Routes by on Jul 28th, 2010. 
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