The Yucatan is situated in Mexico’s south east coast surrounded my clear tropical waters and white-coral sandy beaches. The peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea and the gulf of Mexico and everything that one associated with the word “Caribbean” is on full display along the shore line. The area is so diverse; from the most amazing and diverse coral reefs saturated in colour to Mayan ruins, colonial cities and towns to underground caves of fresh water called cenotes, slow beach towns to the bright lights and party scene in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The Yucatan has something to offer for every type of traveler. Time to go: The dry season which is also the high season is November to March where it is less humid and slightly cooler than the humid summer months. The wet or hurricane season is from late August to October. This is where you will find cheaper deals and having travelled to this area myself in September, I would not hesitate to go back at that time of year. One of the days during the 10 days in Mexico was rainy, other than that we had perfectly clear and sunny days but it was…
If you haven’t been to Cuba, it should be on your list. It is a country steeped in culture, history and it has been through a lot. Despite 50 years of withering neglect, the damaged colonial buildings are still grand and beautiful. You will feel as if you are in a time warp with the lack of internet, private enterprise, old classic cars and brightly coloured buildings. Things you need to know when going to Cuba: Cash is king! In Cuba they have two currencies; you’ll hear it being referred to as the local currency, or Cuban Peso, and the tourist currency, Cuban Convertible currency (CUC). Cuban currency is considered a closed currency, i.e you can only get it from within the country. The exchange rate is $1 = 1 CUC and 1 CUC = 25 Cuban Peso for locals. Tourists use almost exclusively CUC so you won’t need to worry about the other currency. Take cash in your own currency and exchange it at the desk in the airport for CUC. Not many shops and restaurants accept card so make sure you have cash on you, and ATMs are few and far between. Sometime…