Solo Salsa Holiday in Cuba- Departure anytime

5 Reviews

Excellent

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Good

25%

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  May
  Written on June 25, 2014

  4.0 - Good

  Hi, I did a 2 week salsa holiday with Vamos Cuba in Oct/Nov 2013 and would definitely recommend it. As a 26 year old female, travelling solo for the first time, I was quite nervous about safety and what to expect, but I needn't have worried! It was a bonus that 2 other girls of a similar my age ended up booking roughly the same dates as me and we had an amazing time, especially since we had our classes, went out partying and travelled within Cuba together. BEST PARTS: 1) The dance teacher: Yoerles is absolutely fantastic, a brilliant teacher and so much fun. 2) The dancers: were awesome and great to hang out with. They took care of you throughout the evening and after a big night out, made sure you were safely walked to your door. Veronika and Yoerles also took into account any special requests you might have (e.g. I am very small, so the dance partner that was picked for me was the perfect height! His name was Girardo and I would highly recommend him - a brilliant dancer, hilarious company and a complete gentleman). Even though all 3 of us were assigned a particular dance partner, since we went out together, we always rotated and also the last 3 days of my trip I was on my own, but could pick which of the dancers I wanted to go out with. 3) The uniqueness of the trip: once you've lived with Cubans and partied with Cubans, you'll never go back to a 'package holiday' again! We experienced so many things that you'd never get to normally, such as seeing a rehearsal at a professional Cuban dance school. 4) The casa families: they really took care of us and were very hospitable. AREA TO IMPROVE: 1) Hosting by Vamos Cuba: Veronika was wonderful at answering all the questions I had before I came over, but in Cuba she wasn't always as warm and friendly. Also I barely saw Alfredo (another member of the Vamos Cuba team) when I was out there. Having said that, they would certainly provide advice/tips when you asked for it.

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  Andrea
  Written on October 12, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  It was my first time to Cuba and as a girl travelling solo, I really didn't know where to begin to organise everything. After a quick Google search I stumbled across Vamos Cuba and Veronika was very prompt at arranging a Skype conversation to discuss my needs. I was met at Havana Airport by my tour guide, Alfredo who was so friendly and really great in telling me all the ins and outs of Cuban life. He took me out to dinner the first night and also invited me for dinner at his home where I got to meet his extended family and experience real Cuban life first hand. My accommodation was at Casa Yola y Maria in central Havana, away from the "touristy" part but a very short walk to the main attractions. Yola was very warm and welcoming and I really felt like I was part of a Cuban family. My room was clean, very large and of a good standard - double bed plus a single bed, ensuite, kitchenette with couch and dining table. Breakfast was a healthy mix of fresh fruit, guava juice, omelette, breads and coffee. I loved staying here and I will definitely stay here again should I return to Cuba. My salsa classes were great albeit really hard work! My teacher, Yoerlis, is a teacher from Danza Contemporanea de Cuba. I was also lucky enough to have my own salsa partner, Raidel, join me in class as well. Yoerlis was a tough teacher but very very good in helping me develop my Cuban salsa skills. Raidel took me out to the salsa clubs every night and was more than happy to show me around Havana as well which enabled me to see things I wouldn't have if I'd been on my own. I was also lucky enough to be there during the Havana Carnival, so Yoerlis and Raidel invited me to attend with them - what a great experience! Overall Vamos Cuba was an unbelievable experience for me and I saw a side to Cuba that not many get to experience. It is very much independent travel but with the hassle taken out of organisation. If you are thinking of going to Cuba, keep away from the tacky resorts and tourist hotels and do it the REAL way! Cuba - you have stolen my heart and I will return! :)

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  Nicole
  Written on April 2, 2013

  5.0 - Excellent

  I got to know about “Vamos Cuba” while searching for good addresses to book Salsa lessons for my vacations in Cuba. I already had my flight more or less booked and was planning to organize all other things directly in Cuba. But just one chat via Skype and Veronika from Vamos Cuba changed my mind regarding my one week I was planning to spend in Havana. It was easy and straight forward to work out an itinerary with her regarding my accommodation, individual Salsa classes, going out with locals and last but not least a dinner at a Cuban home all accompanied by a Cuban guide from Havana. The details: My casa particular was great: The room (at the border to Habana vieja y Habana Centro), the view from my balcony, the family, the food…there was just nothing to complain about. My guide Alfredo is a fun guy. Depending on the tourists wish, he is ready to speak either Spanish or English, while guiding you through exciting Havanna. He has got all the tips and tricks for how to jump on cabs, how to find the best deals, what to see, where to go out, what to do and what not to do. His support saved me quite some time orientating myself and it only took me a couple days to find my way around in busy Havana. The dinner out at a Cuban home was also very well organized by Alfredo and we had some wonderful hours with great food. It was really cool getting a glimpse into the preparation of Cuban food and also getting to know another Cuban family. This is something which normal tourists hardly have a chance to experience. The Salsa dance classes with Yosmell were awesome. He is a professional and incredible dancer and does definitely know how to challenge his students! This is not just some fooling around, this is hard work and if you really want to move ahead with your Salsa skills than book your Salsa classes via Vamos Cuba as they are working together with professional teachers. Overall I am just really happy that I had Veronika and Vamos Cuba helping me to make my stay in Havana an unforgettable one. This was my first trip to this wonderful country and it definitely was not the last!

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  Alice
  Written on September 10, 2012

  5.0 - Excellent

  Usually I’m not the kind of person who uses organized tours, as I like the adventure of travelling alone or with one or two friends and enjoying the challenge! However with Cuba I was really keen to do some Salsa lessons and also didn’t have a lot of time to plan so I really wanted support from an expert who could give advice, help organise budget accommodation and give me some tips. 

I have to say that working with Vamos Cuba was the best decision I could have made. The dancers I had my lessons with were wonderful – really patient and supportive, but also really pushed me to get the most out of my time with them! VC actually works with a prestigious dance troop in Cuba, so I couldn’t have asked for more and it made me more confident when it came to going out in the evenings and dancing with the locals. 

 The accommodation was also great and I loved staying with a host family – it was much more personal and sociable than just staying in a hotel. We were in Cuba for New Year and ended up partying with the host family (and when I say family I mean aged 8-80!) dancing into the night with them and their neighbors, and taking part in the bizarre tradition of throwing condoms full of water into the street at midnight! 

Veronika also gave great advice on places to go in Havana, cultural events and nightlife. Havana is an amazing and beautiful city, I’ve never been anywhere so photogenic in my life and the people are wonderful as well. 

The great thing about Vamos Cuba is that they are so flexible and can really fit with your plans, from organising a full schedule of classes (music, art, dance, Spanish), sightseeing and accommodation, to just providing the basics and letting you do the exploring yourself. I’d definitely recommend Vamos Cuba, it’s great to have people there to give you a real insight and advise you on where to go rather than just being stuck in the usual tourist traps, and since it’s working closely with locals rather than agencies then you won’t find better prices. 

Havana is somewhere everyone should go, and soon before it changes!

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• A

  Anonymous
  Written on February 8, 2012

  5.0 - Excellent

  I can’t explain the feeling I had when I arrived at cuba, the atmosphere, the people and the culture are so friendly. I planned not to miss this experience and through Vamos Cuba I found the perfect match of culture, music and travel that I could have hoped for. . For a not just a holiday of a life time but an experience like no other then I would recommend booking your Cuban holiday experience through Vamos Cuba. Colin Hogins, UK