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Cuba vs Israel / Israel or Cuba - Travel Forums - TravBuddy
No, it's not a xenophobic rant so please don't go there!
Anyhoo, I've tremendous interest in both but looks like I'll only have about 10 days or so to play with annual leave wise this year because of other commitments...
And I can't make my mind up, either to go with Cuba or Israel...
I think they'd be roughly similar budget wise and are obviously very diverse, can anyone sway me with a persuasive argument for either...
Obviously, the more experience you've had travelling in either will give your opinion greater merit...
I can take time off pretty much whenever but I suppose ideally, I'd be looking for a break around about late June / July or even perhaps September...
Anyone know whether these are good times for either...
Basically, what I'm saying here is I don't like reading guide books and deciding on the basis of them...
Thks for any advice in advance and if it's particularly good I'll stand you a pint in Dublin one day.
Last edited by searchin4sabatini (12-28-2007 7:46 AM)
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Hi! I'm glad to see that you are considering to travel to Israel.
If you have any specific questions I'll be happy to help you.
As for your question about traveling around late june to september- here in Israel it is the middle of the summer (July and Augost) and it might be too hot to do alot of travelling..
Along the med coastline temp might be around 35 deg c, with upto 90% moist, which means you will sweat alot during the daytime.
But you can always escape to the beach to enjoy the breese
Jerusalem is higher and therefore cooler, and shoudn't be a problem..
The Dead sea erea (which is incredible if you ask me) will be very hot as well.
In Eilat, the souther city on the north shore of the red sea, temp might be around 40 deg, but the air is very dry (desert area) and therefore it is nit too bad, and the cold sea water will cool you down.
I have no idea about cuba at this time of year, but i dont think it is ideal for israel.
I think it is much better to travel october (after the jewish holidays) to november, or april (after "passover") to june...
Hope thats helps
Feel free to ask whatever on your mind...
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Spent a month travelling in Cuba in August of 2006 - the weather was great!
If you have any specific questions I could probably answer them?
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Hi Cerulean,
I read something about hurricane season starting in Cuba from June onwards!
Didn't see any of those did you?
I take it you saw the most part of the island, what were your particular highlights and what did you do for accommodation generally?
Hi bvom,
Sounds mighty hot, I'm thinking September might be a tad bit more hospitable for myself from that point of view...
What is it like from the point of view of just arriving in Israel and doing your own thing?
Can you move easily from city to city by bus or train, or do you have to rent cars?
Where's the best place to stay for the dead sea?
Thanks both of you!
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Hi,
Well - there was a tropical storm while we were there.
Our parents were worried but honestly, if they hadn't told us it was a tropical storm, we just would have thought it was a rainy night.
Didn't seem like anything crazy at all!
The best part of Cuba, for me, was probably Trinidad - beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town, cobbled streets etc, surrounded by amazing mountains with great trekking, beautiful waterfalls etc and a great nightlife.
I loved the music in Cuba - almost everywhere you went a live band would strike up and people would start to dance.
Also the mojitos and the dacquiris - mmmm!
Really refreshing.
Baracoa was also a lovely seaside town, beautiful place, a bit off the tourist trail too so something a little different.
Everywhere was cool though - it's like another world.
One very interesting thing about Cuba was that you get to stay with Cuban families who will cook all your meals for you as well as letting you stay in their spare room - much cheaper than restaurants and gives you a chance to get to know real Cubans - they really go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable.
Unless you have loads and loads of cash this is how you'll be travelling - posh hotels are very expensive.
I'd be delighted to help if you have more questions
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Some more info about staying in the houses - on average you'll pay 15-20 dollars per night - can be as low as 10 or as high as 25 (in Havana) though.
For this you generally get double room, private bathroom, sometimes a private entrance, and air conditioning and hot water.
Pretty good, cheaper if you can find a travel buddy!
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September is better, though still quite hot.
But if you set your mind about coming here, i don't think it should get in the way..
I cheked the hebrew calendar for 2008, and the holidays are starting on 29.9.08, so it shouldn't be a problem (on holidays and saturdays there is no public transportation).
The airport, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and few other cities are connected with trains, and i think combined with buses you can get anywhere you want (remember that friday eve to saturday eve it's "shabat", and only taxis available..).
Personally I don't use all this much, and it might be better to ask someone who traveld to israel as tourist.
As for the dead sea, In israel threre is a large complex where most hotel are located.
It is in the southern part which is used for dehydration, and therefore is shallow and much more salty.
I think you can find a nice place to stay there, and later perhaps travel in the area.
I can't recomand a cpecific place because i don't know what you are looking for, you buget, and it has been a while since i were there
If you're going to Eilat, you might consider passing the borded to Jordan and visit Petra (the red rock)...
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Sounds coool guys...
I'll contemplate...
Im not sure I fancy that house boarding option though cerulean...
B'n'Bs in Ireland have left their mark!!!
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I managed to travel to Cuba, with my parents, before the US really started to enforce the embargo (not that you will have any trouble with that).
Anyways, my point is I would probably go with Cuba since you never know when the US will end the embargo and when it does Cuba will change.
This is coming from someone, who was born and raised in Miami, FL and have been listening to the Cuban-Americans talk about moving back there, when Castro is gone.
I hope that did not sound too politically, my point is it is best to go now if you have the opportunity since it will change, when the US ends the embargo.
This way if you do go back in the future it might be like visiting a completely different country.
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Yeah, that makes sense but as far as I'm aware it's a bit difficult to get into the true flavour of Cuba anyway as a tourist and I'm worried it might be a bit disillusioning in any case!!!
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I've never been to Cuba before, i'm going this month.
Olhado_ makes a good point (and also one of the reasons i have chosen to go to Cuba rather than Egypt or Mexico).
There's a general feeling that as soon as Castro steps down that Cuba will change and probably become some kind of McDonalds restaurant resort like many other places around the World.
So if i needed my mind swaying, i'd go to Cuba on that basis.
Can't wait :-p
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And then there is cigars aswell!!!
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I'd have to go to Israel, regardless of the weather.
I have never been but I'm dying to go - there is just so much history there to see!
It's way at the top of my list right now...
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Quote: : Yeah, that makes sense but as far as I'm aware it's a bit difficult to get into the true flavour of Cuba anyway as a tourist and I'm worried it might be a bit disillusioning in any case!!!
When I went back in the late '90s we did not have too much trouble getting the lay of the land.
It is pretty easy to get a ride almost everywhere and if you get into small towns people are surprisingly friendly and again all this is easier if if you have money.
Granted, this was also probably because when I with my family was on a boat, so the locals saw this forign boat come in and new it was tourist and thus money.
Although, I remember being showed around Havana by a local (who was smart and did not act like he was trying to be tour guide).
He also did not just show us tourist spots;
But even his home.
We also found the few people in small towns with cars and basically rented the car from under them for the day or used them as a taxi driver.
This may all sound like a lot of money;
But things are also very cheap in Cuba, at least when in the late '90s.
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Quote: : And then there is cigars aswell!!!
And Rum.
Another good reason to go travelling soon is because the currency exchange rate is good as the Euro and British Pounds are walking all over the American Dollar - something that surely can't last forever - (so for me at least that means more Cuban CUC as it's related to the dollar exchange).
My personal update is;
I've just got off the phone, i booked my flight to Cuba 2nd-16th February.
;-p Vamos a Cuba
I'll smoke one with Castro for you if you like ;-)
Last edited by Extranjero (1-6-2008 7:17 AM)
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