Page 1 of Anyone been to Cuba or Jamaica before?

Thinking of getting married in Cuba next year (Veradero) and then honeymooning in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Have no idea what to expect on either of them. Can anyone help?

I know a reasonable amount of people who have been to both and ive heard much better things from Cuba. The beaches in Jamaica are supposed to be nice, but once you get outside there its a bit of a dump. Cuba is also, like most dictatorships, supposed to be relatively crime free and welcoming to tourists.

Like I said, ive not been there, but from the reports ive had from people, I would certainly pick Cuba.

Well I think Cuba is a definite, its just the honeymoon place really. Cuba sounds great, but I`m just a little bit apprehensive towards Jamaica, due to having heard mixed things about it.

I got married in Jamaica last October in a Beaches resort. It was the best Holiday i have ever had. We had 22 people with us and some of them stayed at Sandals (adults only) and to be honest Sandals was much better. However Beaches was fantastic for the kids and as we have a 3 year old we had to stay at Beaches.

The Jackal

Jamaica - there`s a huge contrast between the clean and tidy gated tourist resorts with their servile staff, sterilised reggae evenings etc., and the beautiful island outside which is sadly treated by the locals as a giant rubbish tip. The constant begging gets you down too. Didn`t enjoy the place at all.

Cuba - fascinating place with lots of interesting and historic towns to see, and although the people were obviously poor (this was even before the Russians pulled out) things still seemed to work (just). Possibly now too well-known and over-exploited as the Government decided to boost its limited foreign exchange by promoting tourism. Be aware that Varadero, one of the main tourist centres, is also the centre of Cuba`s oil industry and smells accordingly when the wind is in the wrong direction!

We were planning on going to Varadero, on the month of July, so hopefully the smell won`t be too bad then (as there shouldn`t be too much wind!).

When you talk about the begging etc in Jamaica.. is that only when you move away from the resorts? Or is it quite prominent in general?

The resorts are tops. Its when you leave and go into the towns. I dont think its all that bad. They just hold a hat out or something. There was one guy who was twisting himself into positions I would like to get into ;) and if anyone took a picture he was saying that they had to pay him. I think its pretty much the same wherever you go these days. The thing i really hate is when the restaurants (in Spain and Cyprus etc) try to get you to eat at there place. They just dont leave you alone. IMHO that is far worse than the beggers in Jamaica.

The Jackal

I stayed in Sandals Royal Hicacos in Varadero in December 2004 and it was great! Sandals just opened a new hotel up the road when we were there, it`s called Princesa Del Mar and it is fantastic - we managed to blag our way in when we were there. I`d love to go back and stay at that hotel as it is seriously smart.

To be honest there is not much in Varadero itself and reckon that you`d be best to get a decent all inclusive hotel like Sandals. The food, drink, etc were all top quality and the rooms were really smart.

We went to Havana and it was well worth seeing, especially the old women smoking the cigars!!

I`ve got loads of photos if you want to see them, just let me know.