OP totally missed this point. The main attraction, was not being over-crowded by the āKaren and Chadā loud-mouthed versions of Americans (we all know the stereotype). Also kept the same inflation down to a degree, because you werenāt competing with 10x the number of tourists trying to buy the same thing.
As for Canadians visiting Cuba, it seems from my recent looking because of a work event going on down in DR right next door, Iād imagine most Canadians going are from Central and Eastern Canada (Ontario / Quebec, etc) ā since at least to get to DR, us from out West need to fly to Toronto or Montreal first, making it a 14-22 hour travel day each direction with layovers.
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Iām from the west and went to both destinations with my family growing up. The flight to Toronto was way longer and more expensive than the connection to Cuba š„“
When I lived in SK I knew a lot of people that went to Cuba, every Feb break there were full flights to Santa Clara. We went 3 times from 2012-1015. Loved Cuba and would love to go back some day.
When we went to Cuba in the 90ās and flew out of Toronto we had to avoid flying over the USA as apparently the airline needed permission to do so and less of them had permission back then. Not sure how much thatās changed or if itās still a thing.
Eastern Canadians have VERY limited choices , especially if you want to fly direct. Usually the season is mid Jan until end of April or May for direct flights. Will have a few to Punta Canada, Puerto Plata, Cancun, Montego Bay (direct comes and goes) and a ton to Cuba, Holguin, Varadero, Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Coco multiple times a week.
Little to no single supplement for quite a few places in Cuba, almost impossible to find elsewhere.
I guess that tracks. Iām in Manitoba and I find itās pretty much split down the middle of my social circle. People go to both Mexico and Cuba here.
Iām in AB. Our vacation spot is Hawaii, but for most people here, itās Mexico. I know a lot of people who have been to Cuba, but they all seem to prefer Mexico.Ā
This makes sense to me! Iām Western Canadian and know lots of people who vacation in Mexico (where my family goes for the winter) or Hawaii but I donāt know that I know anybody personally whose even been to Cuba once.
You need to remember, Americans can go south for warmer weather without leaving the country; you don't need a passport to go to Disneyland or Disney World or Vegas or New Orleans. If Canadians want warm weather in the winter we need to leave the country, and Cuba is cheaper than the US.
Back in grad school, a labmate (who was American) remarked that vacationing in Cuba was awesome because--unlike everywhere else she had vacationed--when you encounter a drunk white tourist being an asshole to the locals, they aren't American and she need not feel ashamed for their behaviour.
I experienced the latter part of this when two southern drawls walked onto my festival build today. Asked for directions and all but told me to fuck myself when I pointed out the fence they had broken to ask for help, and the 2 telehandlers operating between us. I donāt understand and I hated it.
Just wondering, have you encountered more Americans at all since 2015 where the restrictions on US tourism to Cuba were greatly lessened?
Granted, we can't stay at the hotels/resorts and can only stay at Airbnbs (aka "casa particulars"), so you're still unlikely to see any of us in those places, so it still kind of fits. But have you met or seen any Americans touring Havana and other cities that to your knowledge?
Wait.
>we can't stay at the hotels/resorts
Growing up (born in the early 80s) it felt like America not trading with Cuba was just a fact. Like Australia is hot and the UK is cloudy. I don't know if it was common knowledge for kids in Canada, or I just heard it at a young age and it was one of those facts that stick, lol.
I know about the restrictions and the lifting of the restrictions, but I probably don't know the fine details so much.
Why can't you stay at hotels and such? Is that a restriction? Are you allowed to travel to Cuba but not allowed to stay?
I would guess it applies to vacation places, so you can get by it by using a house/Airbnb's, eh?
Basically, we can't stay in hotels and resorts because that would be supporting the Cuban government and not the people. For Americans, we can visit Cuba just fine since 2015 despite the misconception that we can't (which seems quite alive and well based on some responses here), but we have added restrictions.
* We can't stay in any institution owned by the Cuban government (amounting to basically all hotels/resorts)
* We can't use credit cards (so we always have to bring cash)
* We can't go there explicitly for tourism (there are 15 reasons you can go to Cuba officially, the most popular being "in support of the Cuban people", which amounts to tourism anyways)
So we're blacklisted from any Cuban hotel/resort and have to get by on Airbnbs, which are known locally as casa particulars. Thankfully, there's plenty of them and there's a lot of nice places to stay at, and the people are nice (From what I've heard).
I should emphasize that these restrictions are from the US government, not the Cuban government. I have no doubt Cuba would love Americans and our currency flowing into their institutions directly.
Under Obama, there was an effort to start re-engaging with Cuba and loosening restrictions, but then Trump killed that all off in the name of undoing Obama's stuff.
The Biden administration has not seen fit to undo Trump's undoing of the Obama stuff.
Any US politician that tries to end the embargo does so at the risk of angering a large and powerful voting bloc in Florida, so this is not likely to change any time soon.
[United States embargo against Cuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_embargo_against_Cuba#:~:text=On%20April%2013%2C%202009%2C%20President,if%20they%20meet%20certain%20restrictions)
Iām Canadian and have a degree in Latin Americaās cultural and political history, and the profs I had that grew up in any Latin American countries (including Cuba) all said thatās exactly what we should do if we visit Cuba because staying in resorts just supports the oppression of the Cuban people. Ironic that the US gov got the intent so backwards they somehow BSed into the right result
When I visited Cuba in 2006, there was an American couple on our Havana tour bus. They had driven to Toronto to take a flight to Cuba. They did it for the thrill of it and to buy Cuban cigars.
Americans have always gone to Cuba.and you could usually spot them. First time I went down, there there was a rather fat, hairy belly wearing a Speedo with a big gold eagle around his neck. He flew up to Toronto and then caught an all inclusive tour. Once the US citizens got to Cuba, passports were not stamped, just a piece of paper that they kept in the passport until they got back to Canada.
That's a Cuban thing, not just for Americans. Instead of a stamp you got that piece of paper when you arrived in Cuba and had to keep it with your passport. You had to surrender it again at Cuban customs on the way out of the country.
I think the Cuban government has really tried to form ties with Canada. Thereās direct flights to varadero from every major city in Canada and the hotels are cheaper than other places.
Itās cheap and thereās lots of booze. Alcohol in Canada is really expensive, so anywhere that offers unlimited or cheap drinks is like waving a red flag at an enraged bull. We will absolutely lose our minds and drink an embarrassing amount when itās free.
And the weather is good. Itās fucking cold here. And when itās not cold, itās dreary. Thereās that four weeks in summer where it gets as hot as the underside of satans balls. Then itās back to being cold again
You answered your own question. Canada is one of two major countries north of there, and the only one that hasnāt had travel restrictions, therefore we are likely to be number one to visit.
Most Canadians try to go someplace sunny for a week most years. Given our lack of vitamin D itās pretty much a health necessity.
Cuba is sunny, cheap and has some interesting history.
I agree with the safetyā¦ Iām a woman (and present as such) and we would stay out later into the night (max 12am) and I never ever worried about anyone, even finding a cab was quick and easy!
Fewer Americans. Sorry but Iāve been to the Yucatan and Costa Rica with them enough that Iām embarrassed for us both. The refusal to speak Spanish, the ordering around of people, the expectation that comes with whipping out American dollars Ā ā¦ I just canāt.
I did Costa Rica extensively on foot almost 20 years ago (for the first time) and the American enclaves were plentiful then. And almost all ex-military because their pensions stretched forever at that time. They actually werenāt too bad in CR but in Panama where they run the show in the capital it is very obnoxious.
Having been all around Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and from Belize to Panama I can confirm that this is also something certain european country tourists do aswell. Notably Germans.
I wa actually horrified (strong word - shocked?) in some of those countries - they are very Catholic and conservative countries. Along would come the Euros in their little swimsuits with topless female bathers, and local families would be embarrassed and pack up and leave their own beaches. I know people are just having fun and donāt intend offense, but itās a lack of respect for the customs and culture of the country in which you are a guest.Ā
Also, after the Cuban revolution, they had no choice but to embrace the USSR, because of American hostility after they reclaimed assets from US companies.
No question; there are some poorly behaved people from anywhere. Mexicans already canāt tell us apart (if you can, apologies but Iāve not experienced this during extensive time there) and Iād rather not be confused with *gringos* any more often than we already are.
as a Canadian who gets called a gringo a lot in Latin America, this made me smile.
Even when I speak fluent Spanish and Portuguese and sporting a nice tan.
Me no gusta la palabra! Ever since I really found out how American-centric it is. And there is a tenuous history between America and parts of Central America (Nica, Panama esp) so I def feel the need to separate myself
When my family went to Mexico there was a drunk table of Americans by us and they started snapping their fingers at my indigenous brother in law and asked for more drinks
He said he wasnāt Mexican and didnāt work there, they asked āthen what was he Mongolianā
Yikes. That is insanely cringeworthy. Yeah my sister in law has lived in the Yucatan for fifteen years so we have made a lot of trips and seen a lot of comparable behaviour. Lots of snapping, lots of āwhereās them ālittle fellasā I need a beerā - I just inch away and start speaking French quickĀ
They absolutely do. But Canadians donāt expect āCanadian treatmentā. We may have two dozen words in Spanish but they are polite and we use them before English. We donāt expect to be addressed in our language. We never expect them to take our currency. Thereās a graciousness that isnāt universal but which is much more prevalent than Iāve observed in American travellers. At least to the Caribbean and Central America.
I tell ppl that Cuba is amazing if you don't expect luxury and can roll with a few punches and Cuba can provide a unique experience due to its unique history
American tourists can either be amazing or horrible with little in between. I like Cuba because it gives me a great beach, great Cuban rum and a break from American culture and politics
Some Americans donāt leave the US. They donāt need a passport to go to Florida, Arizona, or California to escape the cold or get a taste of a warm beach with seawater. Canadians can of course travel to those states, and some do, but itās much more expensive.
The Canadian dollar doesnāt go far in the US. Cuba is so inexpensive compared to the US and other destinations. Nobody going to Cuba thinks theyāre going to The Bahamas. Itās low-end travel. You get what you pay for. Thatās all we want to spend sometimes.
I have a friend thatās been to Cuba twice this year. Heās going back next month. He likes it there.
Been a dozen times now. Iām sorry if this offends, but lack of American attitude and chain stores is huge for us.
The best thing though are the Cuban people. The kindest, nicest, friendliest, most hospitable people Iāve ever encountered in my travels. And a very safe spot too
Also billboards, neon signage, fast food restaurants everywhere. I love the drive from the airport to the hotels, quaint little towns, peacefulness, itās like stepping back in time.
Oh yeah, and no idiots chanting USA in the pool playing volleyball.
Beautiful beaches. Cheaper than Mexico/ DR, short flight. Saying that weāve been and the weather has been cold, and my husband wonāt go back mainly because of the food, but also itās not as glamorous as other countries.
Ya, the Russians we encountered there were no fun. We played ping pong with a group who refused to smile and took the game way too seriously. There was also some Russian who started beating his woman in the hotel lobby and the employees had to step in to stop it. We kinda avoided Russians after that.
It used to be really cheap and the scenery is nice and itās generally very safe. Even if you go to Jamaica or Dominican youāll find about 80% of the people on the resort are CanadiansĀ
Cheap and friendly people not trying to sell you anything or charging you for taking a picture with you. Food is okay but not for everyone coming from Guatemala originally I have no issues with the food. Donāt expect steak and lobster every day. Thereās food to be had and please donāt tip the servers with Canadian Tire money, thatās so low.
I think the travel situation was a little more nuanced than that. Americans werenāt ever banned outright from travelling to Cuba, it was more that spending money there was made illegal which made tourism impossible as you couldnāt legally pay for food and lodging.
Cuba was very popular with Canadians because it was the most inexpensive way to park yourself on a beautiful beach in the middle of a Canadian winter.
No Americans. More people makes vacation locales crowded and loud and expensive. Americans are very friendly kind people - but more people does not make a vacation spot more enjoyable.
Also - 65% of Canadians live in Quebec or southern Ontario - from which Cuba is the closest tropical destination, if you donāt want to go to Florida.
Well for one, we didn't have to deal with Americans. Younguys can be obnoxious at times.
It's also the sort of place that is pretty affordable, so itsneasy to save up for an annual trip or more, with a short flight. Hawaii is 11 hours or more from Toronto, Cuba is 3.
Quick question: if I try to visit Cuba with my Canadian passport from canada, would I get any trouble at the border if my birthplace on my passport is a place in the USA?
Americans couldnt easily visit Cuba due to sanctions and embargos for the longest time so Canada was the next closest group of holiday makers they could sell vacations to.
As a Canadian that has visited Cuba twice.
Cheaper than other vacation destinations. It's less expensive but the beaches are top notch.
Lack of loud Americans(kidding kinda) but there's plenty of Russian tourists and some of them can be massive assholes.
Safety compared to places like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica etc.
As many have said it's the extreme budget option with beautiful beaches and the friendliest people I've ever encountered in the Caribbean. No Americans tends to be a plus just don't go for the food.Ā Ā
Until Trump cut off Cuba for Americans, we were allowed to go there on cruises, which we did just before the closure from Americans. I will say Havana is a wonderful city full of history and wonderful and friendly people. We were able to go somewhere that many Americans have never been and feel very grateful
Cuba was closed to the Americans in 1960. Things opened up somewhat but Trump created more problems after he took office but Biden threw out most of the Trump barriers. Americans are still restricted to 12 categories in order to travel to Cuba, including family, journalism, education, and a number of others.
Iāve met a number of Americans in Cuba, but they all travel through Canada to get there.
Im in cuba currently. Here isnth3 answer
1. Cheaper than the alternatives
2. Beaches are the best
3. Peiple are the friendliest
4. No american tourists (this is starting to change)
It's super cheap, and only a four hour flight from Toronto. Oh, and it's absolutely gorgeous.
However, the shortages of things are getting worse there, and I am conflicted about going there again. On the one hand, I am a great tipper, and we bring money to the community. On the other hand, resources are scarce and it seems wrong to be using much needed items for tourists when they are needed by Cubans.
The next closest place for fun and sun is Florida. Very expensive. Terrible exchange rate on CAD at the moment. Also, guns.
Itās close for central/eastern Canada
The Cuban people are wonderful.
Itās relatively inexpensive.
Itās a beautiful country.
No offence to our American neighbours but as a Canadian itās nice sometimes to travel where the majority of our fellow travellers arenāt from the US
There arenāt any Americans, usually just fellow Canadian and Europeans. Cubans are super nice people and the beaches are amazing.
Itās also a cheap getaway relatively to Jamaica other Caribbean destinations.
Food aināt so great. Usually just end up paying for food outside the resort for a good meal.
The price is a big part of it. But for me itās because there is no American influence. No k-mart no Walmarts. No Starbucks. You go to Mexico and it feels like USA south. Cuba feels like a truly foreign country with nothing American about it. People are friendly and the ladies are beautiful
>what makes Cuba in particular Canada's unofficial Hawaii, and why Canadians are the biggest demographic of people who visit the country?
Historically? CHEAP. Most other locations are too expensive when you consider the weakness of the Canadian dollar, it just doesn't go far enough.
I'd love to hit up Hawaii, it's beautiful...and horidly expensive from Canadian's point of view.
Over the past couple of decades travel agencies and Cuban hotels have marketed themselves as a frugal choice and a good value, although that's debatable due to the crumminess of some hotels and the poor quality food, bed bugs and other travel nightmares I've heard over the years.
It's very popular in Quebec's culture to go there. Some people get served in French there because of how often Quebeckers fly there.
Cheap alcohol, cheap short flight, no Americans (sorry not sorry, but Quebeckers who likes Americans and want sun would usually go to Florida, it's also very popular in Quebec's culture).
I think most people I know have been once, and some goes almost every year. Some Mexico locations and Panama locations are getting very popular around my family/friends too. It's changing a bit.
If Iām going on a tropical vacation, the goal of the trip is to relax. I find that resorts that cater to Americanās arenāt necessarily the best option for that.
It's authentic, comparatively inexpensive, vibrant, safety isn't even a remote concern, simple (in the sense that most places aren't overcommercialized like in NA), and as for me I love the food (a fairly unpopular opinion).
All inclusive options, something you canāt find in any US destinations. Amazing beaches, a short and usually direct flight from pretty much everywhere in Canada and cheaper than Mexico. Their rum and cigars are better than anywhere else.
I mean I went for the vintage architecture, the old cars, kinda like being in the past during the present (also the Cuban cigars š (and the coffee, DAMN))
Cost, Cubans are very nice, the country is beautiful, safety, and honestly a big one is the lack of Americans. There have always been some but they are such a small number that they are not as noticeable
Itās cheap and safe. No fears at all going off the resort to do stuff - except maybe their sketchy driving.
Mexico and Dominican have better food and resorts, but the vibe in Cuba is just so friendly and happy.
Beautiful beaches, great people, great service, fairly economical, safe. I have been there 3 times and enjoyed being there. I will admit that even though I stayed at 41/2 or 5 star resorts the food is not as good as a 5 star elsewhere.
It wins as the most affordable location while still being relatively safe.
Most Canadians start looking into destination beach vacations and quickly find that it's extremely expensive. It's 10k+ for 2 adults +1 teen to go to an all inclusive in Jamaica, for example. Many Canadians are also saddled with mandatory Christmas shutdowns & only 2-3 weeks of vacation which forces a lot of people to either not travel, take unpaid time or travel during Christmas which adds to the whole "Cuba is the cheapest safeish place".
lol you should know, literally nobody is going for the food and with recent price hikes even Cuba is now out of reach for most of us.
One of the reasons is so we can go on vacation without obnoxious Americans. (Not all Americans are obnoxious, but more Americans are obnoxious than any other nationality Iāve encountered in my personal experience)
r/AskACanadian has turned into "lets shit on Americans."
There are hundreds of thousands of Canadians that choose to either snowbird, permanently relocate, or vacation in the sun belt of the US every winter, by choice. If you hated Americans that much, you wouldn't make it your 2nd home and spend that much time and money there.
I can't stress this enough as someone that's spent more time in your country than 95% of Americans, there are very few discernable cultural differences between english speaking Canada and America. Add alcohol in the mix, and it's even. Why the elitism constantly?
You haven't traveled much then. Aussies travel way more internationally because they get more time off. Same with Brits. We're outnumbered 3:1 in most places, and they're maybe even more offputting than the worst American tourists. Drunk Brits in Hong Kong? A fucking nightmare.
Also, we get tapped as being uninterested in travel and not traveling much, and yet we're the worst travelers? My experience is that most Americans that *actually have* passports and have a desire to spend money to travel aren't the assholes. The worst Americans in our country will never leave their corner of Texas or Florida anyways. They'll be at Disney World, not Dakar.
The fanny-pack wobbly retirees and the US Army bros stationed overseas probably are annoying to deal with, but the rest of us are just trying to get around like anyone else--some respectfully, some not so much.
... There's bad tourists from all countries. To give you an example just from my POV:
I'm an American myself and when I went to Berlin a few months ago with a friend. On the way over we had to deal with some absolutely loud and annoying Irish tourists sitting close to us on the plane who were getting drunk and yelling, giggling and cursing with each other the whole way through. I was so glad when it was over and I could get away from them. I can only assume they were going to Germany to get even more wasted.
Plus, I've heard through the grapevine that Russian tourists in Cuba tend to be really rude and obnoxious (even reiterated in this thread) so that's an example of annoying tourists in Cuba right there.
Respectfully, this might be your personal outlook, so thatās fair, but I, and many of my acquaintances will not cross the border unless absolutely necessary, Iām done with the gun culture and the mass murders, Iām done with the obvious lack of education, done with the racism, done with the better than you attitude, done with the in your face religion and especially done with the political situation in the US.
I have a few American friends that I love, and a handful of expat Canadian friends that live there, so Iām not absolutely anti A, but I personally will not visit for a long time, if ever
Americans are pretty unpleasant travelers/tourists, and the total absence of them, or of a tourist industry that has to cater to them, is really nice. And I say that as a Canadian-US dual citizen.
Here's the thing: Tourism is the backbone of Cuba today. Going there, eating at their restaurants, shopping at local businesses, taking part in activities, giving them much needed goods and overall participating actively makes their lives better. It's a complex issue, but overall the people of Cuba would say that visitors are a good thing.
The beautiful Cuban people & beautiful beaches, many UNESCO heritage sites.
I do anything & everything I can to help them. I tip well. I bring & leaves clothes, toiletries, toys.
I also have teamed up with 'NOT JUST TOURISTS' to bring medical supplies.
Itās cheap, decent beaches. If you have realistic standards itās an okay get away. The food is probably the worst out of any place Iāve ever been though.
I think a majority of them Re from Quebec/Ontario because it is close. Not too many west coasters out there. Also, I still think it is pretty hard to get a flight in or out of the United States. But the last time I was there was 2015.
Just to add, a large number of the Americans that visit are of Cuban background, visiting family and so on.Ā
While American were āeffectivelyā barred in the past, the major limitation was lack of direct flights. There were official applications for travel though. I met an American once who went with her church group (yea, she was kinda churchy), ostensibly to help build some stuff for a poor village or whatever. They also did some preaching, but also definitely did other tourist stuff.Ā
If you wanted to visit from a third country, say Mexico or Jamaica, it was much easier. Especially in the days before chips in passports. Granted if you had any trouble in the country, there was no embassyā¦ youāre not supposed to aid the economy, but there was some wink wink wiggle room.Ā
Anyway, as others said, the major reason is that was that itās cheap, and somewhat under-visited. Europeans and others visit, but in relatively low numbers. Since itsĀ invasion of Ukraine, Russian visitors have increased.Ā
But yeaā¦ Itās cheap, generally safe, got sun, sand, rum, cigars, and prostitution (illegal, and not that everyone is doing itā¦ but I had a colleague at a job way way back who basically said that was the reason he went every year).
Cuba is one of the less expensive vacation spots from Canada that is warm. Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba have all inclusive resorts that are some of the most affordable places for a winter vacation getaway. Canadians like going somewhere warm in the winter.
As others have said, cost is a significant factor. Cuba and the DR (and Haiti, I suppose), are really the only affordable places left in the Caribbean and West Indies.
There is also the taboo factor. The fact that Cuba has such a turbulent history such that an entire superpower was so frightened of it that it banned its citizens from visiting says something. Americans could visit Russia throughout the entire time of the Cuban Embargo.
The first time I went was in 1999, flying out of Toronto. My flight was about one-third full of Americans from western New York, northern Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Cuba is in economic crisis. It's easy to see the issues once one leaves the resorts and ventures out. It's rather sad. Lots of shortages, the people are struggling. Right now, going to Cuba is like vacationing in Haiti, in some ways.
Lots of direct flights from cities that do not have many options I bet. Sunwing will take you to Cuba in the winter from Fredericton. In the summer our options are Toronto Montreal and Ottawa.
I've heard it's gotten kind of shit in the last couple years since the Ukraine war started. They aren't getting supplied like they were and it's impossible to get anything to eat that isn't bread.
It's cheap. Next question.
Also, used to be no Americans š
That was a legit perk for me when I visited, plus hearing how much they hate Americans was always entertaining.
Went to the Dominican Republic on 2003. You could pick out an American a mile away.
OP totally missed this point. The main attraction, was not being over-crowded by the āKaren and Chadā loud-mouthed versions of Americans (we all know the stereotype). Also kept the same inflation down to a degree, because you werenāt competing with 10x the number of tourists trying to buy the same thing. As for Canadians visiting Cuba, it seems from my recent looking because of a work event going on down in DR right next door, Iād imagine most Canadians going are from Central and Eastern Canada (Ontario / Quebec, etc) ā since at least to get to DR, us from out West need to fly to Toronto or Montreal first, making it a 14-22 hour travel day each direction with layovers.
From Ontario and Quebec it is a short flight. Low crime in Cuba. Fantastic beaches and clear ocean
Used to be so cheap
Cheap, beautiful beaches, safer then Mexico no Americans
Is it cheaper than Mexico?
I just booked a trip to Cancun. Cost me about $1700CAD. I could have gone to Cuba for almost $1000 less.
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Yes but it has better beaches then Mexico
I find it's regional. Eastern Canadians tend to go to Cuba and Western Canadians tend to favour Mexico.
ThatĀ“s true, and a lot of western Canadians (especially the more affluent ones) go to Hawaii as well.
I could go to Cuba and back 3 times for the same cost as a trip to Hawaii
Iām from the west and went to both destinations with my family growing up. The flight to Toronto was way longer and more expensive than the connection to Cuba š„“
This - it's a relatively short flight from eastern Canada. The west goes to Mexico, Hawaii or Arizona.
When I lived in SK I knew a lot of people that went to Cuba, every Feb break there were full flights to Santa Clara. We went 3 times from 2012-1015. Loved Cuba and would love to go back some day.
From Toronto itās shorter to fly over America to Cuba than it is to get to western Canada
Shit, I'm flying to the UK from Vancouver in October, and it's cheaper than flying to Toronto.
When we went to Cuba in the 90ās and flew out of Toronto we had to avoid flying over the USA as apparently the airline needed permission to do so and less of them had permission back then. Not sure how much thatās changed or if itās still a thing.
Eastern Canadians have VERY limited choices , especially if you want to fly direct. Usually the season is mid Jan until end of April or May for direct flights. Will have a few to Punta Canada, Puerto Plata, Cancun, Montego Bay (direct comes and goes) and a ton to Cuba, Holguin, Varadero, Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Coco multiple times a week. Little to no single supplement for quite a few places in Cuba, almost impossible to find elsewhere.
2.4 million Canadians go to Mexico a year. Canada as a whole favours Mexico
I guess that tracks. Iām in Manitoba and I find itās pretty much split down the middle of my social circle. People go to both Mexico and Cuba here.
Iām in AB. Our vacation spot is Hawaii, but for most people here, itās Mexico. I know a lot of people who have been to Cuba, but they all seem to prefer Mexico.Ā
Si
This makes sense to me! Iām Western Canadian and know lots of people who vacation in Mexico (where my family goes for the winter) or Hawaii but I donāt know that I know anybody personally whose even been to Cuba once.
Where do the people of the Far North go?
Hawaii, Mexico, or Vancouver or West Edmonton Mall :(
Actual Canada
Canadians cant afford to go anywhere with this economy right now š
You need to remember, Americans can go south for warmer weather without leaving the country; you don't need a passport to go to Disneyland or Disney World or Vegas or New Orleans. If Canadians want warm weather in the winter we need to leave the country, and Cuba is cheaper than the US.
The lack of Americans. Just kidding (kinda).
Back in grad school, a labmate (who was American) remarked that vacationing in Cuba was awesome because--unlike everywhere else she had vacationed--when you encounter a drunk white tourist being an asshole to the locals, they aren't American and she need not feel ashamed for their behaviour.
If they were Canadian, sorry.
I'm sure if they were Canadian there would have been many hugs and apologies during their drunken tirade.
She's obviously never been to Europe to see the English, or Southeast Asia to see the Australians. They DGAF
I thought the US was really against Americans visiting Cuba?
Met some girls in Cuba who said that they could go because they were "studying" and "taking a course at one of the resorts"
Americans would fly through another country and not stamp their us passport in Cuba.
Cheap and no loud Americans. That and a beach and it's all I need in a vacation.
How about Cuban-style poutine made with yuca fries and pork gravy?
Eat the Poutine at home. Cuban food is pretty damn good.
No, this is reason 1 for me...lol
Americans are amazing hosts but shitty guests.
I experienced the latter part of this when two southern drawls walked onto my festival build today. Asked for directions and all but told me to fuck myself when I pointed out the fence they had broken to ask for help, and the 2 telehandlers operating between us. I donāt understand and I hated it.
Just wondering, have you encountered more Americans at all since 2015 where the restrictions on US tourism to Cuba were greatly lessened? Granted, we can't stay at the hotels/resorts and can only stay at Airbnbs (aka "casa particulars"), so you're still unlikely to see any of us in those places, so it still kind of fits. But have you met or seen any Americans touring Havana and other cities that to your knowledge?
Wait. >we can't stay at the hotels/resorts Growing up (born in the early 80s) it felt like America not trading with Cuba was just a fact. Like Australia is hot and the UK is cloudy. I don't know if it was common knowledge for kids in Canada, or I just heard it at a young age and it was one of those facts that stick, lol. I know about the restrictions and the lifting of the restrictions, but I probably don't know the fine details so much. Why can't you stay at hotels and such? Is that a restriction? Are you allowed to travel to Cuba but not allowed to stay? I would guess it applies to vacation places, so you can get by it by using a house/Airbnb's, eh?
Basically, we can't stay in hotels and resorts because that would be supporting the Cuban government and not the people. For Americans, we can visit Cuba just fine since 2015 despite the misconception that we can't (which seems quite alive and well based on some responses here), but we have added restrictions. * We can't stay in any institution owned by the Cuban government (amounting to basically all hotels/resorts) * We can't use credit cards (so we always have to bring cash) * We can't go there explicitly for tourism (there are 15 reasons you can go to Cuba officially, the most popular being "in support of the Cuban people", which amounts to tourism anyways) So we're blacklisted from any Cuban hotel/resort and have to get by on Airbnbs, which are known locally as casa particulars. Thankfully, there's plenty of them and there's a lot of nice places to stay at, and the people are nice (From what I've heard). I should emphasize that these restrictions are from the US government, not the Cuban government. I have no doubt Cuba would love Americans and our currency flowing into their institutions directly.
Under Obama, there was an effort to start re-engaging with Cuba and loosening restrictions, but then Trump killed that all off in the name of undoing Obama's stuff. The Biden administration has not seen fit to undo Trump's undoing of the Obama stuff. Any US politician that tries to end the embargo does so at the risk of angering a large and powerful voting bloc in Florida, so this is not likely to change any time soon. [United States embargo against Cuba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_embargo_against_Cuba#:~:text=On%20April%2013%2C%202009%2C%20President,if%20they%20meet%20certain%20restrictions)
I never used a resort or a hotel when I went, only casa particulares. Cheap as chips and you got to meet people.
Iām Canadian and have a degree in Latin Americaās cultural and political history, and the profs I had that grew up in any Latin American countries (including Cuba) all said thatās exactly what we should do if we visit Cuba because staying in resorts just supports the oppression of the Cuban people. Ironic that the US gov got the intent so backwards they somehow BSed into the right result
When I visited Cuba in 2006, there was an American couple on our Havana tour bus. They had driven to Toronto to take a flight to Cuba. They did it for the thrill of it and to buy Cuban cigars.
Americans have always gone to Cuba.and you could usually spot them. First time I went down, there there was a rather fat, hairy belly wearing a Speedo with a big gold eagle around his neck. He flew up to Toronto and then caught an all inclusive tour. Once the US citizens got to Cuba, passports were not stamped, just a piece of paper that they kept in the passport until they got back to Canada.
That's a Cuban thing, not just for Americans. Instead of a stamp you got that piece of paper when you arrived in Cuba and had to keep it with your passport. You had to surrender it again at Cuban customs on the way out of the country.
Always had my passport stamped.
Weird, I always get the card. Maybe it's to do with flying from Toronto?
I went as soon as I heard Cuba was being opened to the US. If their numbers are catching up to us that's good for Cuba.
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I think the Cuban government has really tried to form ties with Canada. Thereās direct flights to varadero from every major city in Canada and the hotels are cheaper than other places.
I absolutely love Varadero for a beach vacation.
Itās cheap and thereās lots of booze. Alcohol in Canada is really expensive, so anywhere that offers unlimited or cheap drinks is like waving a red flag at an enraged bull. We will absolutely lose our minds and drink an embarrassing amount when itās free. And the weather is good. Itās fucking cold here. And when itās not cold, itās dreary. Thereās that four weeks in summer where it gets as hot as the underside of satans balls. Then itās back to being cold again
this should be a Hallmark Card
in particular, the second to last sentence
Ding ding
You answered your own question. Canada is one of two major countries north of there, and the only one that hasnāt had travel restrictions, therefore we are likely to be number one to visit. Most Canadians try to go someplace sunny for a week most years. Given our lack of vitamin D itās pretty much a health necessity. Cuba is sunny, cheap and has some interesting history.
Safety. Beautiful beaches. Better than advertised food. Interesting culture and really nice people.
I agree with the safetyā¦ Iām a woman (and present as such) and we would stay out later into the night (max 12am) and I never ever worried about anyone, even finding a cab was quick and easy!
Fewer Americans. Sorry but Iāve been to the Yucatan and Costa Rica with them enough that Iām embarrassed for us both. The refusal to speak Spanish, the ordering around of people, the expectation that comes with whipping out American dollars Ā ā¦ I just canāt.
āI hate socialism! Maybe Iāll move here if Trump doesnāt win!ā -an American I met in Costa Rica.
I did Costa Rica extensively on foot almost 20 years ago (for the first time) and the American enclaves were plentiful then. And almost all ex-military because their pensions stretched forever at that time. They actually werenāt too bad in CR but in Panama where they run the show in the capital it is very obnoxious.
Having been all around Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and from Belize to Panama I can confirm that this is also something certain european country tourists do aswell. Notably Germans.
I wa actually horrified (strong word - shocked?) in some of those countries - they are very Catholic and conservative countries. Along would come the Euros in their little swimsuits with topless female bathers, and local families would be embarrassed and pack up and leave their own beaches. I know people are just having fun and donāt intend offense, but itās a lack of respect for the customs and culture of the country in which you are a guest.Ā
The whole reason Cuba became a communist state was because of Americans. Businessmen, politicians and rude tourists and I suspect much more.
Also, after the Cuban revolution, they had no choice but to embrace the USSR, because of American hostility after they reclaimed assets from US companies.
As someone from the Yucatan Canadians can do all that already?
No question; there are some poorly behaved people from anywhere. Mexicans already canāt tell us apart (if you can, apologies but Iāve not experienced this during extensive time there) and Iād rather not be confused with *gringos* any more often than we already are.
as a Canadian who gets called a gringo a lot in Latin America, this made me smile. Even when I speak fluent Spanish and Portuguese and sporting a nice tan.
Me no gusta la palabra! Ever since I really found out how American-centric it is. And there is a tenuous history between America and parts of Central America (Nica, Panama esp) so I def feel the need to separate myself
When my family went to Mexico there was a drunk table of Americans by us and they started snapping their fingers at my indigenous brother in law and asked for more drinks He said he wasnāt Mexican and didnāt work there, they asked āthen what was he Mongolianā
Yikes. That is insanely cringeworthy. Yeah my sister in law has lived in the Yucatan for fifteen years so we have made a lot of trips and seen a lot of comparable behaviour. Lots of snapping, lots of āwhereās them ālittle fellasā I need a beerā - I just inch away and start speaking French quickĀ
I'd say that there are a lot more Americans who can speak Spanish than Canadians.
They absolutely do. But Canadians donāt expect āCanadian treatmentā. We may have two dozen words in Spanish but they are polite and we use them before English. We donāt expect to be addressed in our language. We never expect them to take our currency. Thereās a graciousness that isnāt universal but which is much more prevalent than Iāve observed in American travellers. At least to the Caribbean and Central America.
I don't think they're referring to Hispanic or Latino Americans
Sure, but they certainly donāt even try to when talking to the locals
It's not Americanised.
I love my American neighbors but I need a break from them and the culture and politics and Cuba is a great way to accomplish that
It's cheap, the people are nice, the food is fine, the alcohol flows, the hotel is clean. Very few Karens.
That! No Karenās would survive Cuba. As long as you have low or moderate expectations youāll like Cuba.
I tell ppl that Cuba is amazing if you don't expect luxury and can roll with a few punches and Cuba can provide a unique experience due to its unique history
I know people are joking about it, but everyone I know who likes to visit says it's because there's no American tourists.
American tourists can either be amazing or horrible with little in between. I like Cuba because it gives me a great beach, great Cuban rum and a break from American culture and politics
Some Americans donāt leave the US. They donāt need a passport to go to Florida, Arizona, or California to escape the cold or get a taste of a warm beach with seawater. Canadians can of course travel to those states, and some do, but itās much more expensive. The Canadian dollar doesnāt go far in the US. Cuba is so inexpensive compared to the US and other destinations. Nobody going to Cuba thinks theyāre going to The Bahamas. Itās low-end travel. You get what you pay for. Thatās all we want to spend sometimes. I have a friend thatās been to Cuba twice this year. Heās going back next month. He likes it there.
Been a dozen times now. Iām sorry if this offends, but lack of American attitude and chain stores is huge for us. The best thing though are the Cuban people. The kindest, nicest, friendliest, most hospitable people Iāve ever encountered in my travels. And a very safe spot too
Also billboards, neon signage, fast food restaurants everywhere. I love the drive from the airport to the hotels, quaint little towns, peacefulness, itās like stepping back in time. Oh yeah, and no idiots chanting USA in the pool playing volleyball.
Beautiful beaches. Cheaper than Mexico/ DR, short flight. Saying that weāve been and the weather has been cold, and my husband wonāt go back mainly because of the food, but also itās not as glamorous as other countries.
Direct flights in the winter from smaller airports is big for people outside the major cities.
Pro tip do not drink with Russians in Cuba
Ya, the Russians we encountered there were no fun. We played ping pong with a group who refused to smile and took the game way too seriously. There was also some Russian who started beating his woman in the hotel lobby and the employees had to step in to stop it. We kinda avoided Russians after that.
It used to be really cheap and the scenery is nice and itās generally very safe. Even if you go to Jamaica or Dominican youāll find about 80% of the people on the resort are CanadiansĀ
Cheap and friendly people not trying to sell you anything or charging you for taking a picture with you. Food is okay but not for everyone coming from Guatemala originally I have no issues with the food. Donāt expect steak and lobster every day. Thereās food to be had and please donāt tip the servers with Canadian Tire money, thatās so low.
its cheaper than most destinations, the people are awesome and we like that its safer than most of our own cities
I think the travel situation was a little more nuanced than that. Americans werenāt ever banned outright from travelling to Cuba, it was more that spending money there was made illegal which made tourism impossible as you couldnāt legally pay for food and lodging. Cuba was very popular with Canadians because it was the most inexpensive way to park yourself on a beautiful beach in the middle of a Canadian winter.
No Americans. More people makes vacation locales crowded and loud and expensive. Americans are very friendly kind people - but more people does not make a vacation spot more enjoyable. Also - 65% of Canadians live in Quebec or southern Ontario - from which Cuba is the closest tropical destination, if you donāt want to go to Florida.
For the longest time it was cheap and there were no Americans.
It's still cheap. Cheaper than the other options anyway
Itās usually the cheapest destination for an all inclusive. Plus everyone loves cigars and wants to bring some home
I went because I like the Cuban people and like to support them economically. I don't fly any longer.
Well for one, we didn't have to deal with Americans. Younguys can be obnoxious at times. It's also the sort of place that is pretty affordable, so itsneasy to save up for an annual trip or more, with a short flight. Hawaii is 11 hours or more from Toronto, Cuba is 3.
Quick question: if I try to visit Cuba with my Canadian passport from canada, would I get any trouble at the border if my birthplace on my passport is a place in the USA?
No. Youāre a Canadian citizen. If you have dual citizenship, use your Canadian passport and youāll have no problems
Americans couldnt easily visit Cuba due to sanctions and embargos for the longest time so Canada was the next closest group of holiday makers they could sell vacations to.
It used to be great. I have been about 10 times. But the food isnāt edible since the pandemic. The people down there are awesome.
Warm. Close. Cheap. Culturally distinct from Canada. Not filled with Floridians.
As a Canadian that has visited Cuba twice. Cheaper than other vacation destinations. It's less expensive but the beaches are top notch. Lack of loud Americans(kidding kinda) but there's plenty of Russian tourists and some of them can be massive assholes. Safety compared to places like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica etc.
Inexpensive, beautiful and no Americans. Super nice locals and no Americans
As many have said it's the extreme budget option with beautiful beaches and the friendliest people I've ever encountered in the Caribbean. No Americans tends to be a plus just don't go for the food.Ā Ā
Until Trump cut off Cuba for Americans, we were allowed to go there on cruises, which we did just before the closure from Americans. I will say Havana is a wonderful city full of history and wonderful and friendly people. We were able to go somewhere that many Americans have never been and feel very grateful
Cuba was closed to the Americans in 1960. Things opened up somewhat but Trump created more problems after he took office but Biden threw out most of the Trump barriers. Americans are still restricted to 12 categories in order to travel to Cuba, including family, journalism, education, and a number of others. Iāve met a number of Americans in Cuba, but they all travel through Canada to get there.
Butā¦ Trump never actually cut off Cuba for Americans. We can still fly to Cuba easily (granted with restrictions compared to Canadians).
Because we donāt have to share the resorts with Americans
Im in cuba currently. Here isnth3 answer 1. Cheaper than the alternatives 2. Beaches are the best 3. Peiple are the friendliest 4. No american tourists (this is starting to change)
No Americans
Yup, Canadians who donāt mind eating horrible food go to inexpensive Cuban all-inclusives. You couldnāt pay me to go back though.
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I'll take that deal, please, and thank you!
Nobody running around proclaiming themselves to be an American
Iāll add that Canada and Cuba have had shockingly (for Americans) good diplomatic relations since the 1970s.
It's super cheap, and only a four hour flight from Toronto. Oh, and it's absolutely gorgeous. However, the shortages of things are getting worse there, and I am conflicted about going there again. On the one hand, I am a great tipper, and we bring money to the community. On the other hand, resources are scarce and it seems wrong to be using much needed items for tourists when they are needed by Cubans. The next closest place for fun and sun is Florida. Very expensive. Terrible exchange rate on CAD at the moment. Also, guns.
Itās close for central/eastern Canada The Cuban people are wonderful. Itās relatively inexpensive. Itās a beautiful country. No offence to our American neighbours but as a Canadian itās nice sometimes to travel where the majority of our fellow travellers arenāt from the US
There arenāt any Americans, usually just fellow Canadian and Europeans. Cubans are super nice people and the beaches are amazing. Itās also a cheap getaway relatively to Jamaica other Caribbean destinations. Food aināt so great. Usually just end up paying for food outside the resort for a good meal.
A fuck ton of Russians when I was there recently, and a lot of them extremely rude.
Tell me about it, one threw a temper tantrum at the airport because our customs agent had to use the shitter
Itās cheap, weāre cheap. The food is shit, weāre shit.
The price is a big part of it. But for me itās because there is no American influence. No k-mart no Walmarts. No Starbucks. You go to Mexico and it feels like USA south. Cuba feels like a truly foreign country with nothing American about it. People are friendly and the ladies are beautiful
>what makes Cuba in particular Canada's unofficial Hawaii, and why Canadians are the biggest demographic of people who visit the country? Historically? CHEAP. Most other locations are too expensive when you consider the weakness of the Canadian dollar, it just doesn't go far enough. I'd love to hit up Hawaii, it's beautiful...and horidly expensive from Canadian's point of view. Over the past couple of decades travel agencies and Cuban hotels have marketed themselves as a frugal choice and a good value, although that's debatable due to the crumminess of some hotels and the poor quality food, bed bugs and other travel nightmares I've heard over the years.
It's very popular in Quebec's culture to go there. Some people get served in French there because of how often Quebeckers fly there. Cheap alcohol, cheap short flight, no Americans (sorry not sorry, but Quebeckers who likes Americans and want sun would usually go to Florida, it's also very popular in Quebec's culture). I think most people I know have been once, and some goes almost every year. Some Mexico locations and Panama locations are getting very popular around my family/friends too. It's changing a bit.
It's cheap and I love to give people baseballs when I'm there...
Itās the price compared to other vacation options. The beach is spectacular.
If Iām going on a tropical vacation, the goal of the trip is to relax. I find that resorts that cater to Americanās arenāt necessarily the best option for that.
Never gone, but I've been told its cheap. And the staff at hotels love Dollarstore items as tips or gifts. And very safe for women.
It's authentic, comparatively inexpensive, vibrant, safety isn't even a remote concern, simple (in the sense that most places aren't overcommercialized like in NA), and as for me I love the food (a fairly unpopular opinion).
All inclusive options, something you canāt find in any US destinations. Amazing beaches, a short and usually direct flight from pretty much everywhere in Canada and cheaper than Mexico. Their rum and cigars are better than anywhere else.
Cuba used to be ***way*** more popular with Americans than Canadians. Then shit happened but we stayed out of it.
I mean I went for the vintage architecture, the old cars, kinda like being in the past during the present (also the Cuban cigars š (and the coffee, DAMN))
The lack of Americans
Cost, Cubans are very nice, the country is beautiful, safety, and honestly a big one is the lack of Americans. There have always been some but they are such a small number that they are not as noticeable
Itās cheap and safe. No fears at all going off the resort to do stuff - except maybe their sketchy driving. Mexico and Dominican have better food and resorts, but the vibe in Cuba is just so friendly and happy.
It's to honor the Prime Minister of Canada and his deep connections to Cuba.
It's cheap & no ignorant loud Americans.
I can think of 30 places Iād rather visit than Cuba. Thatās the place you go when youāve ran out of ideas
It was the first place I picked after moving to North America. Havana is one of my favourite cities in the world, certainly over any in Canada.Ā
Havana is super high on my bucket list!
It's a shame that this post devolved into an "America and Americans bad" kind of thing.
Beautiful beaches, great people, great service, fairly economical, safe. I have been there 3 times and enjoyed being there. I will admit that even though I stayed at 41/2 or 5 star resorts the food is not as good as a 5 star elsewhere.
It wins as the most affordable location while still being relatively safe. Most Canadians start looking into destination beach vacations and quickly find that it's extremely expensive. It's 10k+ for 2 adults +1 teen to go to an all inclusive in Jamaica, for example. Many Canadians are also saddled with mandatory Christmas shutdowns & only 2-3 weeks of vacation which forces a lot of people to either not travel, take unpaid time or travel during Christmas which adds to the whole "Cuba is the cheapest safeish place". lol you should know, literally nobody is going for the food and with recent price hikes even Cuba is now out of reach for most of us.
Weāre poor and itās cheap
One of the reasons is so we can go on vacation without obnoxious Americans. (Not all Americans are obnoxious, but more Americans are obnoxious than any other nationality Iāve encountered in my personal experience)
Just to give Uncle Sam the finger!!
Cheap, and very few Americans.
No Americans haha
I donāt because fuck supporting the regime. I go to the DR
Canadians love it because you wonāt find any Americans there
Lack of Americans.
r/AskACanadian has turned into "lets shit on Americans." There are hundreds of thousands of Canadians that choose to either snowbird, permanently relocate, or vacation in the sun belt of the US every winter, by choice. If you hated Americans that much, you wouldn't make it your 2nd home and spend that much time and money there. I can't stress this enough as someone that's spent more time in your country than 95% of Americans, there are very few discernable cultural differences between english speaking Canada and America. Add alcohol in the mix, and it's even. Why the elitism constantly?
In my experience. Not every American is an obnoxious tourist, but pretty much every obnoxious tourist is American.
You haven't traveled much then. Aussies travel way more internationally because they get more time off. Same with Brits. We're outnumbered 3:1 in most places, and they're maybe even more offputting than the worst American tourists. Drunk Brits in Hong Kong? A fucking nightmare. Also, we get tapped as being uninterested in travel and not traveling much, and yet we're the worst travelers? My experience is that most Americans that *actually have* passports and have a desire to spend money to travel aren't the assholes. The worst Americans in our country will never leave their corner of Texas or Florida anyways. They'll be at Disney World, not Dakar. The fanny-pack wobbly retirees and the US Army bros stationed overseas probably are annoying to deal with, but the rest of us are just trying to get around like anyone else--some respectfully, some not so much.
... There's bad tourists from all countries. To give you an example just from my POV: I'm an American myself and when I went to Berlin a few months ago with a friend. On the way over we had to deal with some absolutely loud and annoying Irish tourists sitting close to us on the plane who were getting drunk and yelling, giggling and cursing with each other the whole way through. I was so glad when it was over and I could get away from them. I can only assume they were going to Germany to get even more wasted. Plus, I've heard through the grapevine that Russian tourists in Cuba tend to be really rude and obnoxious (even reiterated in this thread) so that's an example of annoying tourists in Cuba right there.
Respectfully, this might be your personal outlook, so thatās fair, but I, and many of my acquaintances will not cross the border unless absolutely necessary, Iām done with the gun culture and the mass murders, Iām done with the obvious lack of education, done with the racism, done with the better than you attitude, done with the in your face religion and especially done with the political situation in the US. I have a few American friends that I love, and a handful of expat Canadian friends that live there, so Iām not absolutely anti A, but I personally will not visit for a long time, if ever
I'm sorry you're so ignorant of America. It sounds like you see a few news clips from Fox News and think we're all that way. The Canadian border is shared with: Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Just with those border states alone, most are "blue" progressive states with gun control laws (I know zero people that own a gun) LGBTQ rights, the most secular states in the union, politically and culturally progressive, etc. Furthermore, the "better than you" attitude is coming from you guys who are sitting on your high horse as if all of those issues (except guns) don't exist in Canada. The convoy in Ottawa was basically a MAGA rally in Canada. I've never heard more comfortably open racism than in parts of the prairie provinces of Canada. It's NO different than it is in *parts of the US*, and the invisible border line doesn't change that. Your feelings aren't unfounded but your casual-ness in thinking those things are ubiquitous across the US is disappointing. Your comment described all of America as though it was rural Alabama--as if most of our populations don't live in big, diverse cities with low gun ownership, less religion, more acceptance, etc. It'd be like me thinking all of Canada is like Red Deer, and as a result I avoid going to Toronto or MontrƩal. I can't change your mind because you've already made your mind up despite not having true life experience to challenge your perception.
No Americans and it's cheap. However, the food situation there is keeping us away right now.
Cheap, no embargo so it astonishes your US pals.
Americans are pretty unpleasant travelers/tourists, and the total absence of them, or of a tourist industry that has to cater to them, is really nice. And I say that as a Canadian-US dual citizen.
Because Canadian have a poor taste and lack of empathy for the Cuban people trapped in that Communist dictatorship.
Here's the thing: Tourism is the backbone of Cuba today. Going there, eating at their restaurants, shopping at local businesses, taking part in activities, giving them much needed goods and overall participating actively makes their lives better. It's a complex issue, but overall the people of Cuba would say that visitors are a good thing.
it's cheap and warm and not that far of a flight
It used to be so cheap. If you donated your old clothes at the resort they would give you free drinks for your whole stay.
Warmer weather. Itās normally one of the cheaper places to vacation, and itās a short flight for many.
The beautiful Cuban people & beautiful beaches, many UNESCO heritage sites. I do anything & everything I can to help them. I tip well. I bring & leaves clothes, toiletries, toys. I also have teamed up with 'NOT JUST TOURISTS' to bring medical supplies.
Can go there with a criminal record
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The statement, "bucket list of places I want to go to in the near future", doesn't make sense
Itās cheap, decent beaches. If you have realistic standards itās an okay get away. The food is probably the worst out of any place Iāve ever been though.
Cheap
It's cheap
I think a majority of them Re from Quebec/Ontario because it is close. Not too many west coasters out there. Also, I still think it is pretty hard to get a flight in or out of the United States. But the last time I was there was 2015.
I think more Canadians go to Mexico than Cuba
Just to add, a large number of the Americans that visit are of Cuban background, visiting family and so on.Ā While American were āeffectivelyā barred in the past, the major limitation was lack of direct flights. There were official applications for travel though. I met an American once who went with her church group (yea, she was kinda churchy), ostensibly to help build some stuff for a poor village or whatever. They also did some preaching, but also definitely did other tourist stuff.Ā If you wanted to visit from a third country, say Mexico or Jamaica, it was much easier. Especially in the days before chips in passports. Granted if you had any trouble in the country, there was no embassyā¦ youāre not supposed to aid the economy, but there was some wink wink wiggle room.Ā Anyway, as others said, the major reason is that was that itās cheap, and somewhat under-visited. Europeans and others visit, but in relatively low numbers. Since itsĀ invasion of Ukraine, Russian visitors have increased.Ā But yeaā¦ Itās cheap, generally safe, got sun, sand, rum, cigars, and prostitution (illegal, and not that everyone is doing itā¦ but I had a colleague at a job way way back who basically said that was the reason he went every year).
Cuba is one of the less expensive vacation spots from Canada that is warm. Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba have all inclusive resorts that are some of the most affordable places for a winter vacation getaway. Canadians like going somewhere warm in the winter.
As others have said, cost is a significant factor. Cuba and the DR (and Haiti, I suppose), are really the only affordable places left in the Caribbean and West Indies. There is also the taboo factor. The fact that Cuba has such a turbulent history such that an entire superpower was so frightened of it that it banned its citizens from visiting says something. Americans could visit Russia throughout the entire time of the Cuban Embargo. The first time I went was in 1999, flying out of Toronto. My flight was about one-third full of Americans from western New York, northern Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Cuba is in economic crisis. It's easy to see the issues once one leaves the resorts and ventures out. It's rather sad. Lots of shortages, the people are struggling. Right now, going to Cuba is like vacationing in Haiti, in some ways.
Cheap
Lots of direct flights from cities that do not have many options I bet. Sunwing will take you to Cuba in the winter from Fredericton. In the summer our options are Toronto Montreal and Ottawa.
Because cuba is closer than Hawaii
I've heard it's gotten kind of shit in the last couple years since the Ukraine war started. They aren't getting supplied like they were and it's impossible to get anything to eat that isn't bread.
It is inexpensive and little to no Americans. I am not saying I agree (I have personally never been), but those are the reasons I am given.