How about a trip to Cuba

A larger than expected island (to some) in the northern Caribbean Sea, just south of Florida and the Bahamas, Cuba is well known for a few things. Cigars; Havana and its oldie-worldie type living; communism and beaches. But outside of this, most people couldn’t tell you much more. Cuba has chosen, through previous regimes, to isolate itself from it’s nearest superpower neighbour, the US, for several decades, resulting in trade embargoes that have seen the country all-but grind to a developmental halt during this time. Communications and transport are two obvious signs of this when you visit the country, both being basic and rudimentary. But the towns and cities there, Havana being the largest and its capital, have a real charm and authenticity about them, making this a much more honest trip back in time. The beaches and consequently hotels near to places like Varadero and the northern string of “Cayos”, are glorious and well known, but less so is the rugged, lush, sometimes mountainous interior, with forests, waterfalls and hundreds of dirt tracks and roads that are just begging to be explored.