When I booked my Cuba resort in the late 1980s, I imagined something similar to my Dominican Republic trip — soft sand, turquoise water, and maybe a little diving if I was able. But stepping into the southeast corner of the island quickly taught me that this wasn’t Varadero, and this wasn’t the kind of Cuba most travelers talked about.
Arriving at a Cuba Resort on the “Other Side” of the Island
I wanted soft beaches, turquoise water, long days drifting between the ocean and a beach chair. That expectation vanished the moment I walked down to the shoreline.
The “beach” was a shock.
The coast was entirely volcanic rock, and the resort had trucked in a narrow ribbon of sand to create a small, sheltered cove. The waves beyond it crashed hard against the stone, and wading into the water felt more like stepping onto a sharp, uneven shelf than slipping into the sea.
Any fantasy I had about diving evaporated once I learned that a guest at the resort — on his honeymoon — had died just days earlier while diving outside the cove. That detail hit harder than the rocky shoreline. Suddenly, skipping the ocean felt like the right choice.
Scarcity Was the Uninvited Guest
Then came the shortages.
There were never enough beach towels. Never enough mopeds. Every morning guests quietly queued before 7 a.m., hoping today might be their day to claim limited supplies. Show up late and you simply went without. So much for lazy vacation mornings!
At the time, I didn’t understand why. I assumed it was poor management. Years later, I realized it was a byproduct of the U.S. embargo and Cuba’s limited Soviet trade — even Cuba resorts were rationed, doing their best with whatever they could get. But in the moment, it just felt like the trip I’d envisioned was slipping away.
A Room With a View — and a Reality Check
Our room overlooked the ocean, a full wide-angle view that almost distracted you from the rocky shoreline below. Inside, our twin beds were pushed together but still made separately, offering a bit of unintentional slapstick comedy.
As I unpacked, I pulled out the usual items Canadians brought to Cuba in those days — t-shirts, toiletries, small essentials. Since U.S. dollars were forbidden, these little items often meant more to staff than cash. Many everyday things simply weren’t available to Cubans in 1989.
It was the first time I truly understood how different day-to-day life could be in another country.
Traveling to Cuba Today? What to Bring & Why It Matters
Cuba still experiences shortages, so small, practical gifts can make a meaningful difference.
Most Appreciated Items
- Toiletries (soap, shampoo, deodorant)
- Toothpaste & toothbrushes
- Painkillers
- Feminine hygiene products
- Kids’ items (crayons, notebooks)
- Diapers
- New or gently used clothing
- Razors
- USB sticks or phone chargers
Best Practices
- Give items discreetly
- Offer them to staff you’ve interacted with
- Ask before giving
- Avoid candy (dentistry shortages are real)
What About Money?
USD is now widely accepted and often preferred over local currency.
The Lime Juice That Redeemed Mornings
The resort still wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for, but there was one tiny ritual that made every morning better: a glass of fresh-squeezed lime juice.
It was bright, icy cold, and better than any juice I’d ever tasted. I didn’t love the rest of the resort food (there was an oil they cooked with that my palate could never adjust to), but that lime juice? I would’ve woken up early for that alone.
Good thing… because we needed to be awake early for what came next.
The Morning Everything Changed at Our Cuba Resort
One morning before sunrise, we managed to snag two mopeds — a minor miracle given the daily shortage. I didn’t have any experience driving one, but I wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.
I jumped on the moped, rolled out the front gate, and hit the empty road into the unknown.
What followed was one of the most surreal, cinematic days of my life.
Coming Up Next: The Moped Ride That Changed Everything
The next installment picks up after the rocky cove and the rationed towels — when I finally got that coveted moped and rode straight into a series of moments that felt like scenes from a dream.
Read the Cuba 1989 Travel Series
A five-part memoir of a trip that changed everything.
Part 1 — Arriving in Cuba: The Other Side of the Island
Part 2 — The Resort That Wasn’t What We Expected
Part 3 — The Moped Adventure Through Baconao
Part 4 — The Giant Rock & the Moment Cuba Opened My Eyes
Part 5 — New Year’s Eve in Santiago & Cayo Granma
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