Category: Travel

Pack a sun hat, some loose-fitting clothes and a book of José Martí’s poems, and get ready to uncover the buoyant and sophisticated magic of Cuba. Fewer restrictions on private enterprise in recent years have led to an explosion of creativity in this island nation, while the culture-dampening effects of globalization have yet to dilute the local charm.

Isolated but eager to advance, the country is buzzing with ideas – here, a free-spirited, student-filled cafe; there, an avant-garde art factory where live music, exhibitions, DJ sessions and creative gastronomy collide with electrifying results.

Here are the top activities that encompass the best of what Cuba has to offer.

Cuba’s tourist hub of Varadero has wonderful beaches, but there are plenty of quieter ones to enjoy too. Shutterstock Shutterstock

1. Don’t miss the wonderful beaches

Uncrowded, extremely varied and loaded with tropical beauty, Cuba’s beaches are world famous for a reason. Search around long enough, and you’re sure to find your own slice of nirvana.

The long, wide, tourist-heavy beaches of Varadero abound with massive resorts, while sea turtles lay their eggs on the wild, deserted beaches of the Península de Guanahacabibes. Pirates once roamed on the little-visited black-sand beaches on the Isla de la Juventud. On the nudist beaches of Cayo Largo del Sur, package tourists lounge with mojitos (and without self-consciousness).

2. Stay in a casa particular

Stay in a private homestay, and you quickly uncover the nuances of everyday Cuban life. Think rocking chairs on the porch, a bottle of rum on the dresser, a front room full of family heirlooms, the clip-clop of horses’ hooves in the street outside and the animated conversations over breakfast that always seem to end with the words “no es fácil” (it ain’t easy).

Local tip: Casas particulares in places like Havana and Viñales are positively palatial, while others remain refreshingly down-to-earth. All of them offer an uncensored view of Cuba that no hotel could ever replicate.

Cuba’s national bird, the blue, white and red tocororo bears the colors of the country’s flag. Tarpan/Shutterstock Tarpan / Shutterstock

3. Go birdwatching

Aside from crocodiles, Cuba’s fauna doesn’t make much of impression – except for its abundance of birdlife, that is. Approximately 350 avian species inhabit the shores of this distinct and ecologically unusual archipelago, a good two dozen of them endemic.

Look out in particular for the colorful tocororo (Cuban trogan), the zunzuncito (bee hummingbird), the critically endangered ivory-billed woodpecker, and one of the world’s largest flamingo-nesting site.

Planning tip: The Gran Parque Natural Montemar is one of many birdwatching highlights.

4. Enjoy Cuba’s ebullient festivals

Through war, austerity, rationing and hardship, Cubans have retained their infectious joie de vivre. Even during the darkest days of the Special Period (following the demise of Cuba’s ally and patron the USSR), the feisty festivals never stopped – a testament to the country’s capacity to put politics aside and get on with the important business of living.

Planning tip: The best shows involve fireworks in Remedios, folklórico dancing in Santiago de Cuba, movies in Gibara and every conceivable genre of music in Havana. Arrive prepared to party.

From elegant buildings in Cienfuegos to colonial homes in Trinidad, Cuba displays its multifaceted culture through its architecture. Shutterstock Shutterstock

5. Admire Cuba’s eclectic architecture

Often spectacular yet rarely constant, Cuban architecture retains certain binding threads, a definable cubanidad (“Cuban-ness”) that is always recognizable.

Many of the country’s older buildings were built with the sugar fortunes derived from the brutal enforced labor of enslaved Afro-Cubans. These structures provide an uncomfortable testimony to Cuba’s multifaceted culture and sometimes difficult past. More-recent architecture displays a melody of influences, from French classicism to hints of art deco and art nouveau.

Planning tip: Visit the UNESCO-listed cities of Havana, Trinidad, Cienfuegos and Camagüey, and pick out the details.

6. Dive in the Caribbean Sea

There will be objections, no doubt, but let’s say it anyway: Cuba has the best diving in the Caribbean. The reasons? Unrivaled water clarity, virgin reefs and sheltered Caribbean waters that teem with exotic fish.

Accessibility for divers varies from the swim-out walls of the Bahía de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) to the hard-to-reach underwater nirvana of the Jardines de la Reina archipelago.

For repeat visitors, Punta Francés on Isla de la Juventud – known for its underwater photography – reigns supreme. Rich coral reefs, caves and wrecked ships are among the submerged wonders near the shores of Guardalavaca Beach in Holguín.

Expect to hear live music at every turn in Cuba, one of the world’s most musically diverse nations. Shutterstock Shutterstock

7. Soak up Cuba’s live-music scene

Welcome to one of the most musically diverse countries on the planet, where melodious guitars always win out over background tracks, and singing is seen as just another form of verbal communication. If you’ve been in Cuba for more than a day and still haven’t heard any live music, you’re clearly hanging out in the wrong places. 

The traditional genres are merely one groove on a larger record – and indeed, Cuba has been pushing the musical envelope for decades. From Benny Moré to X-Alfonso, cities like Havana and Santiago de Cuba have spawned talent that continues to enchant the world.

8. Unlock the secrets of Matanzas

For too long, travelers have overlooked the city of Matanzas on their way to the all-inclusive resorts of nearby Varadero. But things are gradually changing. Amid the bridges and rivers of this once-great cultural city, flickers of its erstwhile beauty are starting to reemerge in revived classical-music venues, a refurbished theater and a cutting-edge art street decorated with chin-scratching sculptures.

Varadero may have the beaches, but Matanzas’ gigantic historical legacy will teach you more about the real Cuba than dozens of repeat visits to the resorts.

See traces of Cuba’s revolutionary history and spirit at sites across the country. Felix Lipov/Shutterstock Felix Lipov / Shutterstock

9. Understand Cuba’s revolutionary heritage

An improbable escape from a shipwrecked leisure yacht and a classic David-vs-Goliath struggle that was won convincingly by the (extreme) underdogs: the details of Cuba’s revolution might have been pulled from a (barely believable) movie script. Yet it all happened right here – and just to prove it, you can visit the revolutionary sites in person.

In nearly 70 years since the invasion, little has changed at the disembarkation of the Granma yacht and Fidel Castro’s wartime HQ at mountaintop Comandancia de la Plata. For a glimpse of the guerrillas’ weaponry and anecdotes, visit Museo de la Revolución in Havana or Cuartel Moncada in Santiago de Cuba.

10. Feel the rhythm of folklórico in Santiago de Cuba

There’s nothing quite as transcendent as the hypnotic beat of the Santería drums summoning up the spirits of the orishas (deities). But while most Afro-Cuban religious rites are only for initiates, the drumming and dances of Cuba’s folklórico (traditional Latin American dance) troupes are open to all.

Formed in the 1960s to keep the African culture of Cuba alive, folklórico groups enjoy strong government patronage, and their energetic and colorful shows in Santiago de Cuba remain spontaneous and true to their roots.

The architecture of Trinidad is perfectly preserved. Julian Peters Photography/Shutterstock ©Julian Peters Photography/Shutterstock

11. Step back in time in Trinidad

The regional city of Trinidad all but went to sleep in 1850 – and never really woke up. This strange twist of fate is good news for modern travelers, who can roam freely through the perfectly preserved mid-19th-century sugar town like voyeurs from another era.

Though it’s no secret these days, the time-warped streets still have the power to enchant with their grand colonial homestays, easily accessible countryside and exciting live-music scene. But this is also a real working town, with all the foibles and fun of 21st-century Cuba.

12. Cycle through Valle de Viñales

With less traffic on the roads than 1940s Britain, Cuba is ideal for cycling, and there’s no better place to do it than the bucolic Valle de Viñales. The valley offers all the ingredients of a tropical Tour de France: craggy mogotes (limestone monoliths), impossibly green tobacco fields, ambling oxen and spirit-lifting viewpoints at every turn.

Planning tip: The terrain is relatively flat – and your biggest dilemma (if you can procure a decent bike, that is) will be where to stop for your sunset-toasting mojito.

Pico Turquino in the Sierra Maestra is Cuba’s highest mountain. Losa/Shutterstock

13. Hike Pico Turquino

The trek up Pico Turquino, Cuba’s highest mountain, is a mixture of endurance sport, nature tour and fascinating history lesson. Guides are mandatory, whether you choose an intense one-day round-trip route or an also-tough two- to three-day 17km (10.5-mile) trek through the steep cloud forests of the Sierra Maestra to the 1974m (6476ft) summit, where you’ll be greeted by a bronze bust of Cuban national hero José Martí.

Planning tip: Revolutionary buffs can make a side trip to Fidel’s wartime jungle HQ, La Plata, on the way up.

14. Experience the next wave of Cuban culture at Fábrica de Arte Cubano

Welcome to the “new” Cuba. And no – it’s not a casino or golf course or all-inclusive resort designed to satisfy the whims of foreign tourists. Rather, it’s an independent, cutting-edge art “factory” where visitors can wander from room to room as they listen to innovative music, view fabulous paintings and share discourse with diverse people.

The brainchild of Cuban musician X-Alfonso, Havana’s Fábrica de Arte Cubano has emerged as Cuba’s finest bona-fide art collective, a bastion of creative ideas that offers constant inspiration and excitement. Every city should have one.

Wander the meandering streets of Camagüey. alxpin/Getty Images alxpin/Getty Images

15. Get lost in the maze-like streets of Camagüey

Getting lost is a savvy recommendation for any traveler passing through the city of tinajones (clay pots), churches and erstwhile pirates: Camagüey.

Always keen to be different, Camagüey has a street grid that deviates from almost every other Spanish colonial city in Latin America. Its lanes are as labyrinthine as a Moroccan medina, hiding Catholic churches, triangular plazas and a growing ensemble of smart boutique hotels occupying restored colonial buildings.

16. Tuck into Cuba’s evolving food scene

Ever since new privatization laws lifted the lid off Cuba’s creative pressure cooker in 2011, a culinary revolution has been in full swing. A country that once offered little more than rice and beans has rediscovered its gastronomic mojo, with a profusion of new restaurants experimenting with spices, fusion and – perhaps best of all – a welcome reevaluation of its own national cuisine.

Planning tip: Havana leads the culinary field in number and variety of eating establishments, yet there’s plenty of regional diversity, from fresh crabs in Caibarién to to-die-for chocolate in Baracoa.

17. Tap into Santa Clara’s youthful energy

Leave your preconceived notions about Cuba at the city limits. Santa Clara is everything you thought this country wasn’t: progressive, creative, welcoming to people of all persuasions, enthusiastic about rock ’n’ roll and keen to push the boundaries of art in every direction.

Being a university town helps. Youthful energy courses through Santa Clara as nowhere else in Cuba. Check out the LGBTIQ+ shows at Club Mejunje, meet arty students at the Casa de la Ciudad or wander Parque Vidal in the evening when the city orchestra is in full swing.

Rising improbably and spectacularly from the desert, the glorious monolith of Uluru has a magical color palette and a gravitas that few other natural features possess. Whether you’re seeing it for the first time, looking up close at its strangely alluring textures, or just enjoying its presence, this is one soulful place.  

Uluru overflows with profound meaning and spiritual significance for the local Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal peoples, called Anangu. And there are so many different ways to experience “the Rock” – on foot, by bicycle, at sunset, in the company of a First Nations guide, on a scenic flight – that you could easily spend a week here. And just as beautiful, Kata Tjuta looks like a fairy-tale desert fortress, and the fabulous hikes that lead into the inner sanctum are major highlights of any visit to the Red Centre.

When should I go to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park?

The best time to tour Uluru depends on the things you want to do there – hiking, dining out under the stars, see art, or perhaps take a camel trek nearby. Travelers wishing to explore the outback without worrying about rain and extreme temperatures should know the best time to visit Uluru is from May to September. Runners who want to participate in the Australian Outback Marathon will need to schedule a late July Uluru trip. Sightseers curious to witness Uluru Falls come to life in the rain should plan a trip during the rainy season (November to March) – it’s a rare phenomenon, but you may get lucky.

Get a birds-eye perspective of the vastness of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park on an aerial tour. Jessica Lockhart/Lonely Planet Jessica Lockhart

How much time should I spend at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park?

You can spend anywhere between two days and a week in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. If you can only stay for for a short period, then split your time between a guided tour at the base of Uluru and a wander at Kata Tjuta before the sun gets too hot. Prebook a scenic flight over Uluru and Kata Tjuta (these range from 15 mins to 2 hours) to get a sense of the scale. There’s plenty to do at night too, from fine-dining to exploring desert art so make sure you book these in too.

If you have more time, tackle some hikes like the Uluru Base Walk (three to four hours), and join one of the many educational tours from learning about bush tucker and medicine to Aboriginal astronomy. Multi-day Uluru festivals may also inspire longer trips. 

How do I get there?

Many travelers arrive at Yulara (the small airport and town on the park’s periphery) on a tour bus, in a rental car, or by air. Once here, you can get around everywhere by tour bus if you don’t have your own vehicle. 

Top things to do at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

1. See Uluru from above in a helicopter

Operating out of Yulara, Ayers Rock Helicopters and Professional Helicopter Services offer a sliding scale of aerial experiences based around one simple equation: the more you pay, the further you go. On a 15-minute flight, you can enjoy views of Uluru from above. The two-hour version takes in Uluru, Kata Tjuta and might even land atop the summit of Mt Connor. Flying over Kings Canyon is also a possibility.

Planning tip: Not everyone enjoys the experience of being in a helicopter. If that sounds like you, Ayers Rock Scenic Flights (which is actually run by the same company as Ayers Rock Helicopters) offers scenic flights in small, fixed-wing planes. 

Wander through Bruce Munro’s mesmerising “Field of Light” after dark. Jessica Lockhart/Lonely Planet Jessica Lockhart

2. Experience the Field of Light

See a “field of light” in desert darkness. Originally conceived as a temporary exhibition, Field of Light – the extraordinary installation by artist Bruce Munro – has now been extended until 2027. It opened in March 2016 and it remains one of the region’s most popular attractions.

A visit to Field of Light begins just on sunset, as darkness falls upon the desert and Uluru loses definition and becomes a silhouette. Illuminated in the foreground, over 50,000 poppy-like stems topped with lit, frosted glass provide an awe-inspiring display of light and color. Crowds fall silent, people gasp, and there is definitely something special about the whole experience. Appropriately, it’s known as “Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku” in the local Pitjantjatjara language, which means “looking at lots of beautiful lights.”

Planning tip: Advance bookings are essential for this attraction.

3. Dine in the outback

A massive upgrade on a simple desert meal around a campfire, two desert dining experiences have become a special part of the whole Uluru package. Each offers a slightly different set-up. The unifying themes are desert views, locally inspired tastes, red sands underfoot and an intense spray of stars in the sky above. 

The first, Sounds of Silence, is a dinner of canapés, followed by a three-course meal in which local bush spices and flavors take center stage. Apart from the food, there’s a didgeridoo performance to herald the sunset, and an astronomer will talk you through the stars you’ll see above in exceptional clarity.

The second option, Tali Wiru, offers a more fine dining experience. It only runs from April until October, and involves a glorious dune-top location with distant Uluru views. The four-course meal is top-notch, combining Japanese inflections and surprising local tastes, such as desert limes and fermented quandong salsa. Premium wines and champagne accompany the food. Service is excellent, there’s a didgeridoo performance, and, instead of an astronomer, you’ll be regaled with stories by a First Nations storyteller.

4. Go on a First Nations tour

Possible tours in the company of an Anangu First Nations guide include a one-hour Maruku Cave Tour into the Mutitjulu waterhole or an immersive, seven-hour Patji tour run by Seit Outback Australia; the latter gives you access to areas no other tour allows.

Maruku Arts runs a fabulous, twice-daily dot-painting workshop in Yulara during the cooler months – you’ll learn the meaning behind many symbols, get to try your hand at painting and listen to the storytelling of a local Anangu artist. They also have a gallery and shop at the cultural center. Walkatjara Art Centre is a low-key place where you can browse artworks and watch the artists at work.

5. Take a walk through desert and rock

The Liru Walk (4km/2.5-mile return, 1½ hours) links the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre with the main Uluru car park. This is where the fascinating, free, 1½-hour ranger-guided Mala Walk begins every morning. The other walks – the Mala Walk (2km/1.2-mile return, 1 hour) and Kuniya Walk (1km/0.6-mile return, 45 minutes) are part of a larger circumnavigation of the Rock: the Uluru Base Walk (10km/6.6 miles, 3 to 4 hours).

Apart from a shadeless section along the northern part of the Base Walk (get started early in the morning!), you’ll love the chance to examine the rich textures of the rock faces – Uluru’s caves, waterholes (including Mutitjulu, home of the ancestral water snake), fissures, and enigmatic rock formations laden with spiritual meaning for the local Anangu people. 

You can follow the Uluru Base Walk on a rented bike from Outback Cycling, which operates alongside the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. Although the trails are not paved, they’re flat, well-maintained and usually in excellent condition for cycling (except after heavy rains).

Hiking in the gorges of Kata Tjuta is another highlight, but start early and carry plenty of water. Shutterstock Shutterstock

6. Hike the Valley of the Winds

Over at Kata Tjuta, the 7.5km/4.6-mile Valley of the Winds loop (2 to 4 hours) is one of the great outback hikes. Following the narrow contours of the inner gorges, dwarfed at every step by the surreal domes hundreds of meters above you, this trail climbs to a saddle where you can either return the way you came or – much better – continue into the broader valleys of the range before looping back to where you began. 

Start at first light, and remember that if the weather is forecast to reach 36°C (96.8°F), trail access is closed, usually by 11am. If you can’t make the full walk, try the Walpa Gorge (Tatintjawiya) Walk (2.5km/1.6-mile return, 45 minutes). Look for rock wallabies.

7. See the sunrise and sunset

There are few places in Australia where you’ll see a more spectacular sunset than here. The two main viewing areas – the Bus Sunset Viewing Area and Car Sunset Viewing Area – are wonderfully chosen. Bring wine and a picnic hamper and watch Uluru turn the most magical shades of red. 

For Kata Tjuta, the Kata Tjuta Sand Dune Lookout is also magnificent, with an unrivaled panorama of the range, although it’s cast into shadow for the final half hour. For another fine angle, drive a couple of miles out on the Kaltukatjara (Docker River) road and park by the roadside. For sunrise, it has to be Talinguru Nyakunytjaku Lookout with Uluru in the foreground and Kata Tjuta in the same frame, far away on the horizon.

Planning tip: Plan to begin all activities (especially hikes) as soon after sunrise as you can; park gates open just before sunrise.

8. Attend a marathon even if you’re not a runner

One of Australia’s most grueling (yet picturesque) foot races takes place in late July at Yulara. It’s popular with locals to the Territory, and overseas runners looking for an once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Australian Outback Marathon cuts a path through the park, with Uluru and Kata Tjuta views to inspire the competitors to keep running. There’s not just the full marathon to take part in, for beginners the festival includes 6km and 11km fun runs all on flat desert paths.

9. Watch a Wintjiri Wiru drone show

A more modern Uluru art experience that debuted in 2023, Wintjiri Wiṟu (aka “beautiful view out to the horizon”) is a brilliant illuminated drone show depicting ancient Indigenous tales. Organized in collaboration with the Aṉangu community, the show takes place at night and incorporates lasers and projections to impress onlookers. As Custodians of the Land, Anangu hold the Mala story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru. To share their story, RAMUS designed and produced an artistic platform using drones, light and sound to create an immersive storytelling experience. Expect to see over 1,100 choreographed drones fly through the air as you watch the spectacular after a sunset dinner or after-dark wine, cheese, and dessert package. Choose how you want to enjoy Wintjiri Wiṟu with Ayers Rock Resort’s three offerings: the Wintjiri Wiṟu 
Sunset Dinner, Wintjiri Wiṟu Twilight, or Wintjiri Wiṟu After Dark.

You have to get up early to beat the heat for the base walk around Uluru. Tetra Images/Shutterstock ©Tetra Images/Shutterstock

Getting around

Ayers Rock Resort runs a free shuttle-bus service around Yulara, while AAT Kings also runs tour buses between Yulara and Uluru. Having your own vehicle gives you more freedom, although be wary of limited kilometer contracts. One thing to remember is that Uluru and Kata Tjuta may be close by outback standards, but 56.8 kilometers (34.8 miles) of road separates them.

Uluru and Kata Tjuta tours

The Desert Awakenings Tour Sunrise tour features First Nations storytelling and a traditional bush-dweller’s breakfast. Uluru Outback Sky Journey gives participants a look through a telescope at the outback sky with an astronomer. Seit Outback Australia hosts small-group tours, including bush foods, sunset and sunrise tours.

Uluru Camel Tours lets you view distant Uluru and Kata Tjuta from atop a camel, with free farm visits. Uluru Motorcycle Tours gets you closer to Uluru on a Harley. Meanwhile, Uluru Segway Tours lead four- to five-hour trips along the Uluru Base Walk.

There are plenty of places to dine: this is a “bush tucker”-inspired high tea at Sails in the Desert. Jessica Lockhart/Lonely Planet Jessica Lockhart

Where to eat and drink nearby

Our picks for where to eat around Uluru include: 

• Grab breakfast or a light lunch at Kulata Academy Cafe, a spot staffed by trainees of Uluru’s Indigenous training academy. 
• Have lunch or dinner at Geckos Cafe for wood-fired pizza, kangaroo burgers and pasta.
• Enjoy an indulgent dinner with seafood and a chocolate fountain at Ilkari Restaurant.
• Desert Gardens Hotel’s Mangata Bistro & Bar is good for drinks and shareable small and big plates.
• Another dinner option is Arngulli Grill & Restaurant (arguably Yulara’s best restaurant), which serves up fabulous, locally sourced dishes. 
• Ayers Wok Noodle Bar, a small takeaway place on the Town Square, does a fine pad thai, laksa, dumplings and stir-fries. 
• Order drinks and excellent food featuring Aussie bush ingredients at Walpa Lobby Bar.

Top planning tips

• Book any tours you absolutely want to do, including outdoor dining experiences, ahead of your visit, as they do sell-out. For last minute ideas, pop into the Information Centre on the Town Square in Yulara.
• Plan your trip to Uluru and Kata Tjuta as early as you can: online flash sales by Ayers Rock Resort can cut accommodation rates by 75%.
• Three-day park fees for Uluru & Kata Tjuta National Park are $38 per adult; if your visit spills into a fourth day, a free extension is granted.
• Don’t miss essential experiences like circling Uluru on a bicycle, watching the sunset at viewing areas, sightseeing at Kata Tjuta Sand Dune Lookout and exploring Uluru Base Walk, Valley of the Winds Walk and Liru Walk.

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