Delta las Brisas
 

Planning a trip to Holguin Cuba to the Delta in April. 4 couples, no kids. Would appreciate any helpful info about what to do while there and what to take. Also, what is the food really like and the rooms. Thanks.

Hi,we have been there a couple of times,beautiful hotel and beach,have fun!

Sorry,meant to add....the cubans are beautiful people and very proud,but they appreciate anything you give them,i.e.medical supplies,clothes,shoes,etc.Our next visit will be our 12th.Enough said,go and enjoy.Tom Patrick

If you are going to Guardalavaca , check out Sol Rio de Luna which is in the same area. We have stayed at LasBrisas and de Luna and found de Luna much better, better beach and better food. It is further away from the village but a $5 cab ride or horse & buggy ride gets you there. Also on the point of bringing clothing etc . I agree , but it has been done so much the locals expect it. What we did was have what we brought with us , distributed by our local tour rep (A Canadian , working down there ) that way we got the goods to people who were in greater need. Also a lot of people bring their goods to the local priest or agency to distribute. You will enjoy Cuba, the people are very friendly and the country is beautiful. Have a great time.

Dear Val: <BR>We were in the Delta in Jan. of this year. The food is so-so, well, I guess we have had better in Cuba. The rooms are clean, and the staff very friendly. They are always having activities, so you will have plenty to do it you desire. We rented mopeds and went almost into Banes. The mopeds were $6 an hour (all money is U.S. dollars) and the mopeds were almost new. The country side is so pretty. We had teenage sons with us, and we really enjoyed renting the mopeds. You can rent horses down the road for $4 an hour, and they just give you the horses, and you can ride along the beach, or where ever you like. <BR>We didn't do any of the other tours, too much money. The snorkeling is far our, but if you are into this, worth the swim. The ocean can be quite wavey at times, so go out in the morning if possible, or whenever it is calm, because you might not get a chance otherwise. Cuban crafters come to the hotel twice in the evening. There is quite the selection for things. But before you spend american dollars on things, bring clothes! We traded clothes for things, wooded faces, leather purse, necklaces, pottery etc. We went to the used clothing store and got a garbage bag full for $5. The Cubans pay for clothing as much as we do, and they need american dollars. So giving a guy a t shirt you are giving him about 1/2 months wages. We brought about $200 worth of things for the clothing we brought with us. Anything we take for granted--bring. I got earrings for 15 cents a pair, lipstick from Wal-mart for 25 cents, dinky cars from garage sales for 3 cents. Dinky cars are the best, for trading and for tips. They just can't get things like these. I gave the security guard at the beach (to keep the locals off) a dinky car and he was so thrilled. He had a son. Dolls, crayons, pencils, the kids in school get one pencil for the year, for tests and exams, and the rest of the time they just use slate and chalk. When we went, you can take 20 kgs in the luggage, and with the boys with us, we checked in with 68kgs in our 4 suitcases, and none of it was ours. We took our clothing and things on the carry ons. (they don't weight them) Slips, bras, anything like this bring! You can walk on the beach for about 3-4 kms. You will have a good time, enjoy

Responce to Anne letter 9/28 <BR>The people of Cuba are wonderful,kind and helpful. I like most visitors bring gifts similiar to to things Ann brings ...but I have never seen anyone "trading" expecting their warm and caring hosts to give merchanduse, the things that they sell to survive in return. I find this disgusting and if others follow her example the customs officers will enforce import regulations when it becomes apparent that instead of acts of kindness, tourists are involved in black market activities to the detriment of their economey <BR>Please be generous, it costs so little. <BR>Mike Martin

my wife and i stayed at the las brisas for our honeymoon last summer. <BR> <BR>there is a very small town there - nothing really to see after you bike through once and maybe talk to a couple locals <BR> <BR>the beach was nice - but the food was in one word - greasy in another word - capable of giving you a bacterial infection so bad that you will not want to be more than 15 minutes from a toilet at anytime <BR> <BR>it happened to us and many other couples during our stay - and lasted for more than a week after returning <BR> <BR>'World of Vacations' will be very polite about giving you a run around for several months - but you will eventually recover. <BR> <BR>i suggest you try a larger city in cuba, i know many people who have been and love the cuban people, beaches and night life <BR>there is only one non-hotel run 'disco' in guardalavaca and gets real tired after the first night <BR> <BR>we wished we had more to do - outside the bathroom especially