Havana

[QUOTE=FlagRunner77;2871050]Hi all.

I'm close to booking a trip to Havana (via Varadero due to flight prices). I've held off for years due to fear of using visa waiver privileges to the US but, frankly, I'm now resenting missing out on a return trip to a country that I love.

I would only be travelling for a week between December 23 and January 1. I would be booking salsa / son classes for the duration but I'd also love to meet up with a contact on the ground to show me the other sights and be a wingman of sorts for chicas. I had a contact previously but he is unresponsive.

Can anyone recommend a local guide to help me out, for appropriate remuneration, in terms of sights, nightlife and ladies?

Thank you.[/QUOTE]I have a great connect for you, shoot me a message, and I will get his info to you.

[QUOTE=JinaWrangler;2871060]Great report, but I'm going to have to push back a little on this. Havana looks like a shithole from the street, but there are countless cool bars and restaurants that are cool inside (Travel Advisor is a good resource to look for highly rated restaurants and bars) and some of the hotels are really *much* better than 20 years ago. The Parque Central is lovely (no hint that you are in the Third World in the lobby, bar, or the epic cigar lounge) and the Grand Packard is just gorgeous even by First World standards. Same with the Manzana Kempinsky. All have great rooftop bars that are safe. They aren't great for pickup since mostly tourists there (although typically staffed by hotties so don't rule it out), but great to take an adventurous Cubana for a drink and cool vibe (and always taxis out front so you don't stumble out into the night and get bushwhacked looking for a way home). Obviously I am not talking about staying in the hotels since you can't bring guests, but they are a great resource for fun safe rooftop bars, restaurants, and cigar lounges. Lots of Spanish dollars invested in those hotels.

I will reiterate from a previous post, consider the Parque Central Hotel for a great place to chill and eat some safe food. The Spanish have invested a fortune in these hotels and any reports of food poisoning in their hotels on Trip Advisor would have Iberostar investors apoplectic. Parque Central Hotel is a great place to grab breakfast to start your day. Also the best cigar lounge if that matters to you and you can bring your own cigars. And it is indeed central, as in the middle of Old Havana and within eyeshot of el Capitolo (If you can see the ocean or the Capital you are never lost in Havana). I will definitely utilize the hotels more for eating and evening bar frequenting going forward.

OK, you got me on the noise and smog, but in terms of chicas, Havana wins just on population numbers and places to go and do things the 22 hours a day I have my pants on jajajaja.

I'm going back in January, frens, and hopefully the cooler weather will allow me to explore more during the daytime and see how the pickup action is (although frankly I have more chicas in the bullpen than I have days in Havana jajaja). Bottom line, anyone who says Cuba is dead isn't doing it right. And frankly, I am fine with that, as I prefer it all to myself jajaja. I just wish I lived in Florida so I could get there quicker and easier. Os deseo a todos muchos tremendos mangos.[/QUOTE]Another Great report! And I agree, the less mongers that come to Havana and think it is so bad, the better!

I'm flying in to Varadero on December 24. I want to get to Havana that day, and I'm not sure how to handle or organize a bus trip.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a taxi / driver for that trip that is, hopefully, relatively inexpensive? I'd also need a return trip early on the morning of January 1, which I appreciate may be a little more difficult to swing!

[QUOTE=FlagRunner77;2871642]I'm flying in to Varadero on December 24. I want to get to Havana that day, and I'm not sure how to handle or organize a bus trip.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a taxi / driver for that trip that is, hopefully, relatively inexpensive? I'd also need a return trip early on the morning of January 1, which I appreciate may be a little more difficult to swing![/QUOTE]Hi FR,

I recnelty landed in VRA and arranged a taxi guy prior to our arrival waiting for us.

We paid $120 from VRA to Havana with stops in Santros cave for an hour and varadero beach for two hours stops before heading to havana.

We have used the same guy for Vinales from havana and paid around $125 and the next day to pickup us from havana airbnb around 6 am and drop us at varadero by 9 am as our flight is 11:30.

I have been to Cuba 5 times over the past 10 years but lately I was focusing on other south and central american countries.

As I was sick during my October trip to Brazil, Argentina (TR is still pending) and did not mongered much, hence ended up going to Cuba over the long weekend (Nov10 to NOv 13) for 2. 5 days with two other wingmen who are coming for the first time.

Day 1, landed in VRA around 11 am and got the taxi guy (prior arrangement via Whatsapp) pick from airport and drop in havana with two stop overs in between. Also made agreement with the taxi guy to pay all the expenses in CUP until we reach havana and pay him back in USD at 250/$1 USD.

Stopped at (2 kms from VRA) cuvera santros cave and had refreshing swim in fresh water, had some drinks in open bar. Entrance is 300 CUP, 500 CUP for Mojithos.

Stopped at santa marta (chica house) village and picked up some organic chicken (prior arrangements) and had lunch and had drinks and quick fuck with chica whom I was in contact via whatsapp (please don't PM me for the contact as it was private). Handovered the gifts for her family (cloths, toiletries, school bags for kids, usb memory drive and other small electornics that they needed).

Stopped at varadero public beach (near beer factory) and swamp and did some photo shoot and strolled around strip. Returned back to Havana around 6 pm and reached around 9 pm with quick coffiee stop near the bridge exit.

The airbnb (3 bedroom at $75/ night) host was waiting for us, check in was breeze and brought some beers, water before settled the bill for taxi and let him go.

Around 10 pm 3 chicas were (pre arragned) arrived. Two were already in contact via Whatsapp prior to the trip and asked to bring 3rd one of their choice.

By the time I got freshed up and unpacked, the 3 chicas sitting in the hall and finished all the beers we picked up on the way (20 crystals). My inexperienced wingmen could not handle them and ended up going out again to bring more beers.

I quickly took control of them and have us pick up one chica each and went to our rooms for the sessions. I had a great session with some good massage (trained her how to do it) for an hour.

When I came out side, the other two chics are in balcony and drinking beers and told that my wingmens kicked them out. Upon checking with my wingmens. One got tired and after the session he slept and the other one kicked her out as she is in periods. As I myself tired from the whole day trip, I ended up letting them go by giving one girl $50 and another $30 (periods one) and back to my room with my girl and did another session before calling for the night.

Day 2: woke up late and my wingmen alredy got ready and went to hotel presidente (across the street) and took havana city tour bus. I had another session with my chica from last night and took shower and sent her away with $50 and some gifts.

Had some english speaking guy (prior arrangement via whatsapp) came on his bike and went out to local market and bought some vegitables and water and beers (stocked up for another night).

Enjoyed cooking and drinking and conversing with local guy about the situation until afternoon. Had lunch and made some whatapp conversation for other chicas but ended up reconfirming with the same chica for the evening and slept.

My amigos returned back and wanted to go out for clubbing, but I stayed back as my chica came dressed up well and we had good time of dinining in our balcony overseeing the hotel presidente and some good romantic GFE session. Around 9 pm one of the wingmen came back as he could not score any one on the street and I ended up offering my chica to go with him and I called it a night early as I have plans for going to vinales next morning. Third wingmen scored another female tourist (from spain).

Day 3: Woke up early and got ready by 6 am for a trip to vinales with the same taxi guy for $125. We three amigos and one spanish female tourist that my wingman met last night. We had good time throught the trip and returned back to havana by 6 pm.

Freshed up and went to Art factory club (our taxi guy dropped) around 9 pm but some how we did not liked the vibe much and ended up returned back to a bar next to hotel president and parties there. No customers and we three and staff (2 beautiful staff) had good time by singing, dancing and drinking until midnight. The wholte bill was around $20 after covering the drinks for the staff as well).

As we don't have time, we did not bothered to pursue further on the staff as its getting late as our taxi guy comes around 6 am in the morning to drop us back in varadero as we have flight around 11 am.

There is viazul bus for 8 USD but we did not bothered as we are 3 people and waned to have convenince of picking and dropping at our place than taxiing to bus statation and wait and go by their schedule.

Conclusion, lot of chicas are available and with little spanish you can score them by offering jsut food and drinks and some gifts (toiletries the last), mid range will take around $30 USd and overnight GFE range around $50.

Taxies to and from HAVANA and VINALES and VARADERO an average of $100 USD.

P.S.: I got the contacts of the chicas from my other friends who recently went and I did not have time to really explore and experiment due to our short span of the time, but given the opportunity I would love to roam around on bike or walk in old havana and pick up some gems for fraction of amount that I paid in this trip.

[QUOTE=MadMax9336;2871688]Hi FR,

I recnelty landed in VRA and arranged a taxi guy prior to our arrival waiting for us.

We paid $120 from VRA to Havana with stops in Santros cave for an hour and varadero beach for two hours stops before heading to havana.

We have used the same guy for Vinales from havana and paid around $125 and the next day to pickup us from havana airbnb around 6 am and drop us at varadero by 9 am as our flight is 11:30.[/QUOTE]Thanks MadMax.

Do you have contact details for the taxi guy? I've found Viazul so think getting a bus from VRA straight to Havana may work (with 3 hours between scheduled landing and scheduled bus departure), but I also have an early morning flight home from VRA so would rather pay for a morning taxi rather than having to travel to Varadero the day before.

[QUOTE=MadMax9336;2871695]I have been to Cuba 5 times over the past 10 years but lately I was focusing on other south and central american countries.

As I was sick during my October trip to Brazil, Argentina (TR is still pending) and did not mongered much, hence ended up going to Cuba over the long weekend (Nov10 to NOv 13) for 2. 5 days with two other wingmen who are coming for the first time.

Day 1, landed in VRA around 11 am and got the taxi guy (prior arrangement via Whatsapp) pick from airport and drop in havana with two stop overs in between. Also made agreement with the taxi guy to pay all the expenses in CUP until we reach havana and pay him back in USD at 250/$1 USD.

Stopped at (2 kms from VRA) cuvera santros cave and had refreshing swim in fresh water, had some drinks in open bar. Entrance is 300 CUP, 500 CUP for Mojithos.

Stopped at santa marta (chica house) village and picked up some organic chicken (prior arrangements) and had lunch and had drinks and quick fuck with chica whom I was in contact via whatsapp (please don't PM me for the contact as it was private). Handovered the gifts for her family (cloths, toiletries, school bags for kids, usb memory drive and other small electornics that they needed).

Stopped at varadero public beach (near beer factory) and swamp and did some photo shoot and strolled around strip. Returned back to Havana around 6 pm and reached around 9 pm with quick coffiee stop near the bridge exit.

The airbnb (3 bedroom at $75/ night) host was waiting for us, check in was breeze and brought some beers, water before settled the bill for taxi and let him go.

Around 10 pm 3 chicas were (pre arragned) arrived. Two were already in contact via Whatsapp prior to the trip and asked to bring 3rd one of their choice.

By the time I got freshed up and unpacked, the 3 chicas sitting in the hall and finished all the beers we picked up on the way (20 crystals). My inexperienced wingmen could not handle them and ended up going out again to bring more beers.

I quickly took control of them and have us pick up one chica each and went to our rooms for the sessions. I had a great session with some good massage (trained her how to do it) for an hour.

When I came out side, the other two chics are in balcony and drinking beers and told that my wingmens kicked them out. Upon checking with my wingmens. One got tired and after the session he slept and the other one kicked her out as she is in periods. As I myself tired from the whole day trip, I ended up letting them go by giving one girl $50 and another $30 (periods one) and back to my room with my girl and did another session before calling for the night.

Day 2: woke up late and my wingmen alredy got ready and went to hotel presidente (across the street) and took havana city tour bus. I had another session with my chica from last night and took shower and sent her away with $50 and some gifts.

Had some english speaking guy (prior arrangement via whatsapp) came on his bike and went out to local market and bought some vegitables and water and beers (stocked up for another night).

Enjoyed cooking and drinking and conversing with local guy about the situation until afternoon. Had lunch and made some whatapp conversation for other chicas but ended up reconfirming with the same chica for the evening and slept.

My amigos returned back and wanted to go out for clubbing, but I stayed back as my chica came dressed up well and we had good time of dinining in our balcony overseeing the hotel presidente and some good romantic GFE session. Around 9 pm one of the wingmen came back as he could not score any one on the street and I ended up offering my chica to go with him and I called it a night early as I have plans for going to vinales next morning. Third wingmen scored another female tourist (from spain).

Day 3: Woke up early and got ready by 6 am for a trip to vinales with the same taxi guy for $125. We three amigos and one spanish female tourist that my wingman met last night. We had good time throught the trip and returned back to havana by 6 pm.

Freshed up and went to Art factory club (our taxi guy dropped) around 9 pm but some how we did not liked the vibe much and ended up returned back to a bar next to hotel president and parties there. No customers and we three and staff (2 beautiful staff) had good time by singing, dancing and drinking until midnight. The wholte bill was around $20 after covering the drinks for the staff as well).

As we don't have time, we did not bothered to pursue further on the staff as its getting late as our taxi guy comes around 6 am in the morning to drop us back in varadero as we have flight around 11 am.

There is viazul bus for 8 USD but we did not bothered as we are 3 people and waned to have convenince of picking and dropping at our place than taxiing to bus statation and wait and go by their schedule.

Conclusion, lot of chicas are available and with little spanish you can score them by offering jsut food and drinks and some gifts (toiletries the last), mid range will take around $30 USd and overnight GFE range around $50.

Taxies to and from HAVANA and VINALES and VARADERO an average of $100 USD.

P.S.: I got the contacts of the chicas from my other friends who recently went and I did not have time to really explore and experiment due to our short span of the time, but given the opportunity I would love to roam around on bike or walk in old havana and pick up some gems for fraction of amount that I paid in this trip.[/QUOTE]This is a very nice, timely, update. Thank you MadMax! I'm visiting in a few weeks. Over the last few years of posts (which don't go back very many pages on the forum) there is a lot of scare-mongering regarding chicas, police, etc. But more recent reports are starting to show that chicas are available and in plenty supply.

Thank you.

Hi.

Is anyone willing to share any airbnb listings that are definitely chica friendly? I've contacted many over the last 12 hours, and most respond saying guests are welcome, but when pushed further, they confirm that they need to register.

Am I pushing too much!?

[QUOTE=FlagRunner77;2871935]Hi.

Is anyone willing to share any airbnb listings that are definitely chica friendly? I've contacted many over the last 12 hours, and most respond saying guests are welcome, but when pushed further, they confirm that they need to register.

Am I pushing too much!?[/QUOTE]Registering is a legal requirement so yes, if you expect otherwise you may be asking for trouble.

[QUOTE=Zeos1;2872019]Registering is a legal requirement so yes, if you expect otherwise you may be asking for trouble.[/QUOTE]Forgive my ignorance, but if registration is a requirement across the board (I'm aware that it is), and from reading various posts here saying that chicas don't want to register because too many registrations may get them in trouble, then what are people doing for a venue when meeting a chica? Just sneaking them into your accommodation? Or searching until you find a chica wiling to register?

[QUOTE=MadMax9336;2871695]I.
When I came out side, the other two chics are in balcony and drinking beers and told that my wingmens kicked them out. Upon checking with my wingmens. One got tired and after the session he slept and the other one kicked her out as she is in periods. As I myself tired from the whole day trip, I ended up letting them go by giving one girl $50 and another $30 (periods one) and back to my room with my girl and did another session before calling for the night .[/QUOTE]Why paying for a girl on periods? Obviously your friend didn't fuck her so why giving her money for free?

[QUOTE=FlagRunner77;2871935]Hi.

Is anyone willing to share any airbnb listings that are definitely chica friendly? I've contacted many over the last 12 hours, and most respond saying guests are welcome, but when pushed further, they confirm that they need to register.

Am I pushing too much!?[/QUOTE]Yes you are pushing too much and IMO we should not even be discussing this here because it draws attention to this issue. (This is a public message board). This is why we can't have nice things.

Bottom line it is better to ask forgiveness than permission. Check if the host lives in the same building HINT HINT.

[QUOTE=Muzungufotsy;2872070]Why paying for a girl on periods? Obviously your friend didn't fuck her so why giving her money for free?[/QUOTE]She stayed for the night with my friend did some BJ.

I don't wanted to make a scene as my chic is also supporting her that it was unexpected and show her some generacity. Being poor.

I let it go as I don't wanted to argue or make her upset because of my friend's badluck.

[QUOTE=FlagRunner77;2871935]Hi.

Is anyone willing to share any airbnb listings that are definitely chica friendly? I've contacted many over the last 12 hours, and most respond saying guests are welcome, but when pushed further, they confirm that they need to register.

Am I pushing too much!?[/QUOTE]Generally members don't post the contacts publicly but its easy to find them after contacting them.

Well ping me incase if you still cannot find them so that I can give the contact via PM.

[QUOTE=JinaWrangler;2872097]Yes you are pushing too much and IMO we should not even be discussing this here because it draws attention to this issue. (This is a public message board). This is why we can't have nice things.

Bottom line it is better to ask forgiveness than permission. Check if the host lives in the same building HINT HINT.[/QUOTE]Pretty much every casa allows the guest with restriction of registering the chicas.

But I never faced any issue as long as you don't create any trouble.

I lived in private apartments as well as in the house where the owner lives too.

The key is being polite and inform them you want to have fun with discrete. They will still ask for the carne to show but don't register them if you request.

I felt its safe to have the chica ID to be shown or taken picture by the owner for your own saftey.

I had 3 contacts casas. Two of them were given by the chicas themselves but ended up going with unknown apartment via airbnb due to the need of 3 bedrooms private high floor unit with balcony.

I gave hint before confirming the unit via airbnb chat and she did accepted that for showing the ID but won't be registering.

I never had any problem but the owner is bit nervous though when we got 3 chicas and we all are partying in the balcony where neighbours were watching.

Next day onwards I have limited to only one and she felt comfortable as I repeated the same chica.