Customer Reviews

Bicycling Cuba: Fifty Days of Detailed Rides from Havana to Pinar Del Rio and the Oriente

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having never done any cycle touring, speaking very little Spanish and being a middle aged women travelling alone, I thought a few tips and hints and route advice would make my trip a little easier. I found it all and more in "Bicycling Cuba" by Wally and Barbara Smith. Their advice on what to take, where to go, where to stay, and gems to see was unsurpassed.

I had spent three weeks in Cuba previously and had used two guide books. The Smiths' advice, while not replacing a guide book, was the best: succinct, accurate and introduced me to friendly and helpful people. Their three main cycle tours, west, central and eastern Cuba cover the most scenic areas as well as the historic gems of this wonderful country. The route descriptions were accurate, easy to follow and contained good advice about difficulty, water availability, traffic problems and special sites.

The Smiths obviously love Cuba and this comes out in their writing. They include inserts about various social issues, economics and politics -- each fascinating.

I thoroughly recommend "Bicycling Cuba" with no reservations. My only wish is that the Smiths would produce some more books for other countries.

We loved this book, comparing this book to other bicycling books we've used, this is by far the best, along with Cuba being one of the best places to cycle tour. Unless you want to spend an enormous amount of money on a stifling guided tour, pack light, buy this book, go and enjoy Cuba. This book has everything you need and is a great read on Cuba in addition to the touring information.

If you are visiting Cuba in the near future, BUY THIS BOOK. If you think you might tour Cuba,BUY THIS BOOK. If you don't plan to visit Cuba but enjoy reading travel narratives by those who have traveled to exotic places, BUY THIS BOOK. I have just returned from a two week bicycle trip with two friends and can report from experience that Bicycling Cuba is spot-on about everything. The Smiths have many years experience leading bike tours for a large bicycle touring company, so their guide book and route directions are presented as cyclists need and use them. Their routes cover the entire country, and the routes we follwed along the South Coast out of Santiago were accurate to a fault. Everything the Smiths wrote about the terrain, historical sites, social mores, laws,lodgings, and Cuban culture and society proved enormously helpful because everything is written clearly and, most importantly for cyclists, accurately. Anyone planning to tour Cuba by car, train, or bus will also find the book useful. I can't think of anything the Smiths left out, except maybe Fidel's personal telephone number! Europeans and other nationals should not pass up this book because it's in English. Even though written in English they will find the book invaluable. Now that I have been home for a couple of weeks I find myself picking the book up and reading about the places I have been and enjoying them all over again. Bicycling Cuba is about as close to Plato's Ideal Travel Guide as we are likely to see. Congratulations to the Smiths, and if you are thinking about a trip to Cuba, buy Bicycling Cuba. I'll bet you go.

As I said, this book is a good help for plan our trip to Cuba next August.
There are a lot of details, descrpctions, not only about the kilometeres between the villages, as the places we can eat something or the places we can buy something... Than you, and I have a nice live!!

Recuerdos a Enrique

There's many destinations where you can cycle with little prep, but Cuba is not one of them. It's really very simple - this book will be the best [money] you probably ever spent. Wally and Barb have spent a lot of time cycling Cuba and no doubt going hungry when stores were not available. They not only lay out suggested routes, but inform you where and when to get food and supplies. This info is especially invaluable in the Cuban countryside.

Simply put, here's a chance to learn from their travels and mistakes and greatly improve your trip. Why not, it's a bargain!

Exploring Cuba by bicycle is the best way to get upclose and intimate with this fascinating and enigmatic country. But if you don't undertake the careful planning that Wally and Barbara Smith did, I advise you to stay at home. However, if you hunger for insights into Cuban life and culture and you want to explore a country in rapid transition, your planning should start with the purchase of this book. It is well researched, authentic and an honest account of a Marco Polo style adventure. The photos are great and the appendix indispensable. Dont't wait, go now.

Bicycling Cuba turned out to be invaluable during our three-week trip to the western part of Cuba. The authors really know what they are writing about. Some of the most interesting and rewarding routes suggested in the book were not on the best maps available. The authors' way of describing the routes kilometer by kilometer was of great help because very often roads were unmarked. At the intersections we had no problems in choosing the right road. The book also contains a lot of other useful information, for example, on accomodation.
We warmly recommend Bicycling Cuba for independent cyclists planning a trip to Cuba.

Bicycling Cuba turned out to be invaluable during our three-week trip to the western part of Cuba. The authors really know what they are writing about. Some of the most interesting and rewarding routes suggested in the book were not on the best maps available. The authors way of describing the routes kilometer by kilometer was of great help because very often roads were unmarked. At the intersections we had no problems in choosing the right road. The book also contains a lot of useful information, for example, on accomodation.

We warmly recommend Bicycling Cuba for independent cyclists planning a trip to Cuba.

Bicycling Cuba turned out to be invaluable during our three-week trip to the western part of Cuba. The authors really know what they are writing about. Some of the most interesting and rewarding routes suggested in the book were not on the best maps available. The authors way of describing the routes kilometer by kilometer was of great help because very often roads were unmarked. At the intersections we had no problems in choosing the right road. The book also contains a lot of other useful information, for example, on accomodation.

We warmly recommend Bicycling Cuba for independent cyclists planning a trip to Cuba.