Mexico or Cuba?
The practical differences, drawn from our own write-ups rather than from a brochure. We are not going to tell you which is better - they are different trips. What follows is what actually changes between them.
Places written up here 419 63
UNESCO listings among them 49 14
Cost level Budget Budget
Busiest month in our write-ups February December
Currency Mexican peso (MXN) Cuban peso (CUP)
Plugs and voltage A, B - 127 V A, B, C - 110/220 V
Everyday languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side right hand side right hand side
Region North America Caribbean
Capital Mexico City Havana
Mexico
Courtesy and unhurried warmth; food is identity and every region has its own.
What we have written up
- Acolman Monastery monastery
- Actopan Monastery monastery
- Africam Safari safari park
- Agua Azul and Misol-Ha waterfall
- Aguachile dish
- Aguas Frescas drink tradition
Worth knowing before you go
- Tipping is 10-15% in restaurants
- Cards work in cities; cash rules markets and small towns
- First-class buses (ADO and peers) are genuinely excellent intercity transport
Cuba
Music from every window and improvisation as a way of life; two economies run in parallel.
What we have written up
- Alejandro de Humboldt National Park national park
- Baconao Park biosphere reserve
- Baracoa old town
- Bariay Bay historic site
- Basilica of El Cobre church
- Bayamo city
Worth knowing before you go
- Cash is king and change is scarce - small notes always
- Tipping matters - musicians, guides and casa hosts live on it
- Casa hosts can book the next casa down the road - the informal network works
Counts describe this site, not the countries: "places written up here" means how many pages we have finished, and it keeps growing. Currency, plugs and languages are practical facts and change rarely; check anything visa-related with the relevant official source before you book.