Casa El Madero
Casa El Madero is the latest casa particular to open in Old Havana and, as well as adding much needed capacity, also provides a dash of style to the city's accommodation stock.
Casa El Madero is the latest casa particular to open in Old Havana and, as well as adding much needed capacity, also provides a dash of style to the city's accommodation stock.
Punta Gorda is a picturesque, residential neighbourhood of Cienfuegos that directly overlooks the Bay of Cienfuegos on Cuba's south coast
Antigua wasn’t Guatemala’s first colonial capital – that honour goes to nearby Iximche – but, from 1543 to 1773, it was both capital of the nation and the most important city in Central America
It might not be the national anthem, but few would argue that 'Guantanamera' is the song of Cuba. No matter where you are on the island, you're going to hear it.
At over 1000kms long, and by far the largest island in the Caribbean, driving times in Cuba are often far greater than many people anticipate. To that end, I have put together this very broad guide to non-stop, driving times between some of the key tourist destinations.
Anyone looking to holiday in the Yucatan and flying in from Europe will arrive at Cancun airport from the late afternoon onwards, too late to begin the journey into the region’s hinterland.
The Soroa Botanical Gardens are located just over an hour’s drive west of Havana, nestled in a lush, green valley within the Sierra del Rosario Mountains.
Located in the city of Santa Clara, the Tren Blindado (Spanish for ‘armoured train’) is part monument, part museum and relates to one of the most famous events of the Cuban Revolution.
Atop a steep hill with stunning views over the surrounding countryside, the House on the Hill is located an easy 10-minute taxi-ride from the popular tourist town of San Ignacio and offers a stylish alternative to the more traditional hotels in the Cayo district.
There are numerous transport options when it comes to exploring Cuba but, for those looking to travel independently and also keep costs down, bus travel is highly recommended.
Aguateca is an important Mayan site located in the Peten region of northern Guatemala and was one of a number of important settlements in the area including Dos Pillas and Ceibal.
La Boca is a small coastal village some 15 minutes’ drive from the UNESCO World Heritage town of Trinidad on Cuba’s south coast.
Iberostar Cuba is a division of the Spanish hotel management company, Iberostar. Currently, they manage 12 hotels across Cuba, 10 at the beach, 1 in Havana and 1 in Trinidad.
At around 1000kms in length, Cuba is a larger island than many visitors realise and exploring it can be both complicated and expensive. This brief guide covers the key options for getting around Cuba.
Deciding where to stay is part and parcel of going travelling. With accommodation in Cuba, your first decision may be whether you opt for hotels or casa particulares.
Aviation geeks aside, the majority of travellers look forward to internal flights with the same enthusiasm as a dental trip. The cure? Go flying in Belize.
On 24th January 2017, Gatwick airport will undergo a huge shuffle with 3 major airlines switching between its two terminals.
Everyone keeps asking me the same question, how long does one need in Havana? Clearly there is no right or wrong answer but my advice is always to spend at least four days.
Most people view ABTA and ATOL as being a ‘good thing’ but I wonder how many of them can tell you what the difference is?
Missed out on many holidays to Guatemala, largely because of the difficulty in getting there, Livingston is well worth a visit. In fact, in our opinion, the journey there is one of the key reasons for visiting.
Although flying from the US to Cuba is moving towards normalisation, there is still quite some way to go before just anyone can hop on a plane.
Along with the Vinales Valley, the small town of Trinidad on Cuba’s south coast is the most popular travel destination outside of Havana and, accordingly, is home to a huge number of casa particulares.
As first reported by Simon Calder, Travel Editor of The Independent, British Airways have confirmed that their Gatwick fleet of 777s are going 10 abreast.
The southern-most of Belize’s established holiday destinations, but still just a 30-minute flight from Belize City, Placencia is essentially a 16-mile peninsula with the Caribbean on one side and a large lagoon on the other.
Is travel in Cuba safe? This is a question that I have been asked many times and understandably so.The answer, quite emphatically, is Yes.
Together with Havana & Trinidad, Vinales forms a triumvirate of Cuba’s most popular traveller destinations and yet only has 3, somewhat basic hotels to choose from.
It’s not often that visitors to a relatively small country deliberately avoid the nation’s capital but, with Guatemala City, that is very much the case. Is it that bad?
Until pretty recently, mention to anyone that you planned to go shopping in Havana and you would have been met with either ridicule or bemusement……and rightly so.
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos in Spanish) is a uniquely Mexican holiday that is celebrated across the country.
For a country with such a fascinating history and a wealth of cultural attractions, it comes as something of a surprise that Guatemala only boasts 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Most visitors to Havana probably spend 2 or 3 days in the city and, with the vast majority of its attractions located in the historic Old Havana district, much of that time will be spent exploring on foot. Where city transport is required, Havana has plenty of options.
If you’re planning on a holiday to the Yucatan Peninsula anytime soon, the choice of direct, scheduled flights is a straight shoot-out, British Airways vs Virgin Atlantic. Who’s it going to be?
La Aurora International Airport is not only the sole airport in Guatemala City, it is also the only airport of any note in the entire country.
What do you think of when it comes to Cuba? Beautiful beaches, Fidel, Che & The Revolution, crumbling colonial architecture, fat cigars or, perhaps, those fabulous classic cars?
Put simply, a split holiday booking is where the various arrangements are booked through more than one provider
Guatemala is known as the land of volcanos – there are almost 30 of them – and top of the list of things to do for many visitors is a trek up at least one of them
The Paradisus Rio de Oro in Guardalavaca. As voted for by me. Not very scientific, I know, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one.
Rocky the what? You’ll have to excuse my ignorance but, until we finally met, I had absolutely no idea what a Coatimundi was. In fact, the word Coatimundi is just one of many names given to the same animal and better known as a member of the raccoon family.
As someone who contracted malaria many years ago, all and any methods of avoiding mosquitoes has always been a subject of strong personal interest.
The following is a 2006 report recounting a holiday centred on the birdlife of Cuba - the birds are the same but Cuba itself is changing fast.
When making your travel arrangements, we understand just how important peace-of-mind is. Beyond The Ordinary hold both ATOL & ABTOT bonds so whether you book your flights through us, or independently, any money you pay us is 100% protected. More detailed information on Financial Protection can be found by clicking here.
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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