Planning a Trip to Cancun and Cuba

[anonymouscuban]

This is quite a bit of advance planning but my wife and I are planning next year's vacation. This time we are headed to Cancun with a week in Cuba. We will be going in September. We already have the Cancun portion of the trip booked. We vacation every year in September because that is the only month that we can both take off without becoming completely swamped with work.

We don't plan to spend much time on the beaches of Cancun. We have been to many "lay on the beach vegging" type vacations. We are more interested in seeing the Ruins and some of the other sites.

As for Cuba, it will be my first time visiting. My parents fled Cuba shortly after the Revolution. I was the first born in the United States. I have many uncles , aunts and cousins from my mother's side still there. I am very excited to see them and to also know my parent's homeland.

I am looking for any advice that anyone that has visited either place can give from a photographic perspective. I plan on taking my D300, my laptop to DL, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 WA, Sigma 30mm f/1.4, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5. I don't currently own a long lens but hope to have one by then. I am still conflicted on which one to buy. Oh... can't forget the trusty tripod.

Is there anything I am missing? Are there any specific places I should visit? Anything else I should know?

So excited... it's going to be a long 10 months until then! :barb

[roentarre]

I wish you all the best with the trip

[aj986s]

I'm not a travel expert, but have heard that many Mayan ruin sites offer nite-time shows that are supposed to be very interesting & fun.

I know nothing of Cuba, other than they make good cigars, and I very much enjoy a proper Mojito! :D

For a long lens, I would lean towards a 70-200 zoom variant. Good range for many options, and still not horribly bulky. Of course the better quality lens (faster, better optics) will be costlier and bulkier. The choice is yours.

[Prezwoodz]

I don't know what you are into as far as sports go but Cuba is turning into a rock climbers paradise. ;) I am sure you could find a place to rent shoes and harness there and get some great climbing in too.

http://www.cubaclimbing.com/

After all, who could forget Casto's quote?
"The Revolution was the work of climbers and cavers."
Fidel Castro, living icon and tireless voice of the Cuban Revolution

[bob swanson]

It must be great going to Cuba with relatives living there. I almost went many years ago (Bay of PIgs).
Just a reminder that I've been chased out of the Yucatan twice because of hurricanes in August and September and you've probably seen what happened to Cuba this summer.
I have been all over the Yucatan and not only for beach's. Cozamel is a favorite of mine but I used to be an ardent scuba diver. I've also visited most of the Mayan ruins except the biggest one. There is also a natural preserve south of Playa del Carmen and of course many cenotes (there aren't any surface rivers in the Yucatan, they are all under ground.
Good luck, bsvirginian:thumb

[anonymouscuban]

I wish you all the best with the trip

Thanks. We are very excited.

[anonymouscuban]

I'm not a travel expert, but have heard that many Mayan ruin sites offer nite-time shows that are supposed to be very interesting & fun.

I know nothing of Cuba, other than they make good cigars, and I very much enjoy a proper Mojito! :D

For a long lens, I would lean towards a 70-200 zoom variant. Good range for many options, and still not horribly bulky. Of course the better quality lens (faster, better optics) will be costlier and bulkier. The choice is yours.

Yeah... I've heard the same about the ruins. Looking forward to seeing and photographing them.

If that's all you know of Cuba, you are missing a whole lot. You should try some of our cuisine or music. And never pass up Cuban rum.

As for the long lens, the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 is what I am leaning towards. I rented a copy and took some shots at the zoo. Was very happy with it.

[anonymouscuban]

I don't know what you are into as far as sports go but Cuba is turning into a rock climbers paradise. ;) I am sure you could find a place to rent shoes and harness there and get some great climbing in too.

http://www.cubaclimbing.com/

After all, who could forget Casto's quote?

"The Revolution was the work of climbers and cavers."
Fidel Castro, living icon and tireless voice of the Cuban Revolution



Good suggestion. I have climbed in the past, just for fun with a buddy that climbs. I love all sports so I may look into this while I am there. Not sure if my wife will want to though. Not sure about the Castro quote though... we Cuban exhiles are too fond of the bastard. :wink

[anonymouscuban]

It must be great going to Cuba with relatives living there. I almost went many years ago (Bay of PIgs).
Just a reminder that I've been chased out of the Yucatan twice because of hurricanes in August and September and you've probably seen what happened to Cuba this summer.
I have been all over the Yucatan and not only for beach's. Cozamel is a favorite of mine but I used to be an ardent scuba diver. I've also visited most of the Mayan ruins except the biggest one. There is also a natural preserve south of Playa del Carmen and of course many cenotes (there aren't any surface rivers in the Yucatan, they are all under ground.
Good luck, bsvirginian:thumb

Yeah... I am very excited about seeing my family. I have never met them. It's my mother's entire family sans her parents who passed quite some time ago.

As for the hurricanes, we have travelled the Carribean a lot during the month of September and know all to well the threat of hurricanes. This is the one thing that will keep us from gonig if they get hit again. Let's keep our fingers crossed, for us, but more for the poor people of Cuba.

Alex

[dadwtwins]

I would love to go to Cuba. Enjoy your trip and please post when you get back.:clap

[anonymouscuban]

Guys... you don't know how excited I am right now. My wife just booked our flights to Cancun and Havana. We have to wait until April to book our Hotel in Cuba because they don't have rates for September yet.

Here are a few pics of the hotel we will be staying at in Havana:

http://cubatravelusa.com/Ofarrill_near%20Cathedr.JPG

http://cubatravelusa.com/Ofarrill_Second%20Floor.JPG

I am the first born American son of Cuban immigrants so this trip is very special to me. I will be meeting family members that I only know from pictures. I am also looking forward to seeing the homes and places where my parents grew up. Places I heard so many stories about while growing up.

I am sure it will also be very emotional for me. It will be very difficult for me to see the conditions that my family live in knowing that I will be returning to my comfortable life with all the liberties and freedom our wonderful country affords us. I've already warned my wife that I will probably cry more than once or twice... nothing new anyways... I cry during some commercials! :cry

I am really looking forward taking as many pictures as possible. I really want to document my trip as well as take this opportunity to capture really good pictures of my family members to bring home to share with my mother and father and siblings; aside from my mother going back over 15 years ago, none of them have ever returned to Cuba. My father refuses to return until Communism ends there.

I can't wait to share the pictures and my travel experiences with all of you. This is still not until September but I cannot contain my excitement right now. This is really going to happen. We talked about going for the past 10 years but something has always came up that prevented us from going.

:barb:barb:barb:barb:barb:barb