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 20
UNESCO listings among them 37 8
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
- Baracoa old town
- Camagüey old town
- Cayo Coco and the Jardines del Rey beach
- Cienfuegos old town
- Cuban Cuisine dish
- Cuban Music and Dance tradition
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.