Overview
A country we visited with a 9-night tour, with the intention of experiencing May Day firsthand. As luck would have it, this year's May Day celebrations were postponed to May 4th due to fuel shortages, so we missed them in Havana but caught a more local celebration in a smaller city. While the festivities were spirited and fun, the deprivation you witness while exploring the country bothers you so deeply that you realize it's all just government propaganda. A year earlier, we visited Nepal, a country far poorer in terms of both GDP and quality of life, and we didn't see a single beggar. Here, especially in tourist areas, beggars are everywhere. They're constantly asking for money or other things. Havana is terrible in this regard. For reference: Cuba's GDP per capita is $9,500, Nepal's is $1,208, and Turkey's is $9,661. A country that should have roughly the same average income as Turkey has its entire population struggling in poverty. An absolute disgrace.
Old cars are used everywhere in the country, creating an overwhelming exhaust fume situation. You feel it acutely in Havana. Anyone with sensitive lungs should carry a mask.
What to See
Havana: The ficus trees in the Miramar district are superb, a must-walk area (Parque Miramar). Morro Castle is a nice place to explore; the souvenir sellers there are in a really rough state, so do try to buy a few small things. La Cocina de Esteban restaurant has amazing seafood, you can eat lobster every day. The bar at Hotel Nacional de Cuba is a definite must-sit. Bosque de la Habana park is another must-see. Legendarios del Guajirito Buena Vista Social Club was phenomenally entertaining, 35 USD entry includes 3 drinks, 60 USD includes food. An incredible tribute to Buena Vista Social Club. An absolute must-go.
Havana as a city is beautifully planned with excellent greenery, credit where it's due. But the new tall buildings are awful and have visually ruined the city. The old mansions repurposed as embassies was a smart move. The country was clearly very wealthy in the past, you can feel it in certain structures. The street sculptures are impressive, and modern art is top-notch. Lots of street animals, the ground is filthy everywhere, but the animals are docile, a sign that people don't mistreat them. Most workers look miserable. Government employees especially have had enough; duty-free workers at the airport were doing everything possible to avoid working.
Cienfuegos: A much more presentable port city. Worth a quick day-visit when passing through. Teatro Tomas Terry is a must-visit.
Trinidad: My favorite place in Cuba. Old but not dilapidated. The atmosphere is wonderful, with colorful houses. If I had gone independently without a tour, I'd have spent just one day in Havana and at least 3-4 days here. The road from Trinidad to Santa Clara is terrible, renting a car for the journey is tough. In the current fuel-less environment, it's probably impossible anyway. Many people we helped in this city gave us gifts or local fruits in return. The last person whose child we gave candy to left us a bag of mangoes despite our protests. Many people trade their own produce instead of begging, truly moving.
Restaurante La Nueva Era had great live music and decent food and cocktails. Cave Disco is an absolutely one-of-a-kind place, a must for nighttime. Taberna La Canchanera, try the namesake drink. The bar in the main square makes phenomenal pina coladas. If you head to Playa Ancon: the sea is great, portions are big and tasty, the coconuts are delicious (drink first, then have it cleaned and eat the flesh), but the toilets are beyond terrible and the showers are bucket-style.
Santa Clara: A small city. Popular for its train station and Che's tomb, otherwise nothing much. Che's mausoleum was genuinely beautiful though.
Varadero: Hotel zone area; the beach is really beautiful but the water is a bit rough. Our all-inclusive hotel was awful. If staying here, go for top-quality hotels only. They were rewashing paper cups at our 4-star hotel, absolutely incredible. Our hotel was Brisas del Caribe, do not, under any circumstances, stay there.
Matanzas: A cute little coastal town. Worth a quick stop between Varadero and Havana. Supposedly Cuba's Venice.
Vinales: Gorgeous natural scenery, a definite must-see. The valley was magnificent. Restaurant Mural de la Prehistoria, the pina colada here was genuinely phenomenal. At least four people from our group had a minimum of four drinks each. Don't skip it. If you enjoy horseback riding, don't miss the chance to ride in this setting. Benito's Tobacco Farm has a great atmosphere, a local tobacco producer. The aroma was truly wonderful. Their unprocessed coffee beans were edible like snacks. We also tried pepinillo (small cucumber) here, probably the most unique-tasting thing I've ever eaten.
Food & Drink
Cocktail notes: Mojito, Pina Colada, Chanchanera, Daiquiri (the one at Floridita Bar is apparently outstanding). All superb cocktails. On a trip where we intended to go easy on alcohol, I'd say we averaged at least 3-4 glasses of these daily. Incredibly delicious.
Natural beauty: The Flamboyant trees are magnificent, like something straight out of a Game of Thrones set. Take lots of photos.
Budget
Due to the energy crisis, air conditioning wasn't working outside Havana. At a government office where we went to buy a WiFi card, we evaporated in 10 minutes at 40 degrees Celsius. People have to work in these conditions all day, an absolute travesty.
The cigar factory working conditions were brutal. Workers earn $20-30 per month and produce 100 cigars a day. Individual cigars sell for $10-100. No wonder people steal them — what kind of justice is this.
Tips & Advice
Regardless of where you're staying, you can bring your own bedsheets and towels. We didn't, and it was a struggle. Even when washed, limited access to detergent means they can be quite stained. Bring plenty of candy to hand out to children, lots of people ask. Food is generally very salty, so ask for less salt than default. There are extreme numbers of black flies throughout the country. If you're coming for May Day celebrations, wearing white-red-blue will help you blend in with the locals. Absolutely do not bring euros, most places exchange EUR and USD at the same rate, so you'd lose money. Smoking happens everywhere in the country; even the airport restroom on departure reeked of cigarettes. If you don't smoke, be prepared.
Some of the houses we stayed in had water supply issues, apparently water is delivered by tanker trucks to homes. In this heat, the fact that there haven't been outbreaks of infectious diseases is honestly pure luck given the hygiene situation.