Museums of Guatemala City
Sep 27, 2016
Guatemala
Despite its rich Mayan history, Guatemala is surprisingly short when it comes to stand-out museums although the capital, Guatemala City, does have a couple of options.
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Windowless Rooms – A Very Cuban Problem?
Sep 22, 2016
Cuba
This is not a euphemism for jail, rather an issue that surprises and irks a number of visitors to Cuba, the number of hotels with windowless rooms.
Hemingway & Havana
Sep 21, 2016
Cuba
Ernest Hemingway was born in Chicago in 1899 but spent much of his life travelling the world, including Cuba where he lived on-and-off from 1939 to 1960.
Crossing Rivers in San Ignacio
Sep 20, 2016
Belize
Located in Cayo district in western Belize, and close to the border crossing with Guatemala, the town of San Ignacio is a popular base for visiting a variety of attractions, including Caracol and Actun Tunichil Muknal.
Melia Cuba
Sep 19, 2016
Cuba
Melia Cuba is a division of the giant Spanish hotel management company that operates some 26 hotels across Cuba and over a thousand worldwide. Melia was the first foreign hotel management company to do business in Cuba and remains the largest such company on the island.
Convento de las Capuchinas – Antigua
Sep 17, 2016
Guatemala
Antigua is often referred to as being a town of ruins and, of the many that lie scattered around the town, few are more attractive than the Convento de las Capuchinas.
Airline API – What & Why?
Sep 15, 2016
General
API stands for Advanced Passenger Information and, depending on where you are flying to, and the airline you are flying with, is often required before tickets can be issued.
By Ferry To Isla Mujeres
Sep 13, 2016
Mexico
Who would have thought taking a simple ferry ride could be so much fun?
Cerro de la Cruz – Antigua
Sep 11, 2016
Guatemala
If it’s views you like, then the Cerro de la Cruz will be right up your street and well worth the gentle, uphill walk. Or you can just take a taxi.
Tipping in Cuba
Sep 09, 2016
Cuba
Perhaps few things embarrass us more than knowing where, when and how much to tip. In this respect, tipping in Cuba is no exception.
Becan Mayan Ruins
Sep 08, 2016
Mexico
Located in the sparsely populated south of the Yucatan Peninsula, very few visitors make it to the small Mayan site of Becan; fewer still would visit were it not for its relative proximity to the far larger and better knows ruins at Calakmul.
Has Cuba Been Spoiled?
Sep 07, 2016
Cuba
For many of those contemplating a holiday to Cuba, there is often that nagging thought, have I left it too late – has Cuba been spoiled?
Parque La Guira
Sep 06, 2016
Cuba
Parque La Guira is one of those places that very few visitors to Cuba seem to know about, let alone visit.
Punta Rock
Sep 04, 2016
General
Little known in the UK, Punta Rock originated in Belize in the 1970s and is popular throughout Central America.
Haciendas of the Yucatan
Sep 01, 2016
Mexico
Undoubtedly one of the highlights of any holiday to Mexico is the opportunity to visit or stay in one of the haciendas of the Yucatan.
Habaguanex – The Business of Heritage
Aug 31, 2016
Cuba
Habaguanex was formed in January 1994 and is essentially the commercial arm of Havana’s City Historian’s Office; think of it in terms of the UK’s National Trust having their own tourism business and you will get the gist of things.
Guatemalan Coffee
Aug 31, 2016
Guatemala
Let’s face it, go to any coffee growing country in the world and you will receive an impassioned eulogy explaining exactly why their coffee is the best in the world. Guatemalan coffee is no different.
Teatro Tomas Terry
Aug 30, 2016
Cuba
Located on the northern side of Parque Jose Marti, the Teatro Tomas Terry is probably the single most impressive building in the city of Cienfuegos on Cuba's south coast.
Is The Yucatan Safe?
Aug 30, 2016
Mexico
If truth be told, Mexico does not have a great reputation for law and order and with good reason. So why are we so relaxed about travel to the Yucatan?
The Garifuna of Livingston
Aug 29, 2016
Guatemala
While the vast majority of Guatemala’s population can be described as indigenous Mayan, Spanish descent or mixed, the Garifuna population of Livingston on the country’s Caribbean coast is entirely different.
Morro Castle – Santiago
Aug 26, 2016
Cuba
Although often referred to as the Morro Castle, the correct name of Santiago de Cuba's iconic castle is San Pedro de la Roca.
Villa Ranguana – Placencia
Aug 26, 2016
Belize
Of the limited selection of hotels in Placencia Village (and please note, we are talking purely about the Village here and not Maya Beach) our favourite is Villa Ranguana.
Cuba Travel Insurance – Need To Know
Aug 25, 2016
Cuba
There can be no over-stating the importance of travel insurance – no matter where in the world you are visiting – although with Cuba there are additional factors that need to be taken into account.
Che Guevara
Aug 25, 2016
Cuba
No matter whether you have any interest in Cuba history, you cannot visit the island and escape the presence, almost 50 years after his death, of Che Guevara.
Driving in Cuba
Aug 24, 2016
Cuba
Driving in Cuba - are you mad? Well no actually, although that is probably the response you’ll get if you suggest the possibility of Cuba Fly Drive holiday to the not-so-adventurous travel community.
Cenotes of the Yucatan
Aug 23, 2016
Mexico
Taken from the Mayan word, dzonot, meaning a well, cenotes are natural sinkholes, the result of collapsed limestone bedrock exposing the subterranean groundwater. They are found both inland and by the coast and can be either freshwater or saltwater.
The Guatemala Chicken Bus
Aug 22, 2016
Guatemala
What comes into your mind when you think of Guatemala? Spewing volcanoes, lush jungles, towering Mayan temples, a multitude of different ethnic groups……or a Chicken Bus?
Cuba FAQ
Aug 22, 2016
Cuba
Although holidays to Cuba are now very much in the mainstream, there is still a fair degree of confusion regards many aspects of travel to the island, hence my own summary of Cuba FAQ.
Virgin Atlantic Varadero Flights
Aug 19, 2016
Cuba
Commencing Sunday 2nd April 2017, Virgin Atlantic will commence weekly flights from London Gatwick to the Cuban beach resort of Varadero.
What Is An ATOL – And Why Is It Important
Aug 19, 2016
General
An ATOL is an Air Transport Organisers Licence which allows a tour operator to put together and sell a package holiday, either via a travel agent or direct to the public. It is administered by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) in the UK.
The Belize Chocolate Company
Aug 18, 2016
Belize
The Belize Chocolate Company is based in San Pedro on the beautiful Belizean island of Caye Ambergris.
The Cuban Casa Particular
Aug 18, 2016
Cuba
A casa particular (normally abbreviated to just ‘casa’) is a cross between a traditional homestay and a UK style Bed & Breakfast
A Short Hop In Belize – Corozal to Caye Ambergris
Aug 17, 2016
Belize
As a small country, one of the many joys of taking a holiday to Belize are the short travel distances involved as well as the sheer ease of travel. On my most recent visit to the country, my first internal journey, from Corozal to Caye Ambergris, took under an hour.
La Cabana Havana
Aug 16, 2016
Cuba
Referred to as either the largest, second largest or even third largest fort in the Americas, La Cabana Havana is a vast 18th century fort that overlooks Havana from the eastern side of the bay.
Flying Via Houston with United – One Stop
Aug 12, 2016
General
While there are direct, scheduled flights between the UK and Mexico (both Cancun & Mexico City), the same can’t be said for Guatemala; nor is that likely to change any time soon. So, indirect flight it is.
Museum of the Struggle Against Bandits
Aug 11, 2016
Cuba
Museum of the Struggle Against Bandits - it’s doesn’t really roll off the tongue, and the (eventual) website name will be a challenge, but this quirky museum in Trinidad is well worth a visit.
Holbox – A Journey Back In Time
Aug 09, 2016
Mexico
In a previous article we talked about Playa del Carmen which, over the space of some 40 years, has morphed from a charming little fishing village with a lovely beach into a thriving, mini-city that just so happens to have a lovely beach.
Saving Oscar The Grouch
Aug 08, 2016
Belize
Atop a steep hill above San Ignacio is the smartest hotel in town (smart enough for the Queen to have been a guest on her visit to Belize in February 1994), the San Ignacio Resort Hotel; and very nice it is too.
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales
Aug 05, 2016
Cuba
Havana is a city full of museums so, for anyone whose time is limited, deciding which ones to visit is an important consideration. Amongst the best, at least in our opinion, is the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales.
Gran Teatro De La Habana
Aug 04, 2016
Cuba
After a major renovation program, the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso (to give it its catchy, full title) is once again open to the public and showcasing the very best in Cuban cultural performances.
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Whichever of our featured countries you wish to visit, we've been there several times. So, if you're after something beyond the ordinary to Cuba, Guatemala or the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, we'd love to hear from you.
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