Cuba Yoga Retreat

DATES TBA

Gorgeous beaches, fascinating history and some of the liveliest people you’ll ever meet await! In early 2023, FloYo is traveling to Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean. From paddling the bright turquoise waters to sipping mojitos on a rooftop terrace to following the footsteps of onetime Havana resident Ernest Hemingway, this retreat is filled with truly unique cultural experiences.

Cuba has something for everyone. The island is known for cigars, beaches, and classic cars — but it’s also home to a booming culinary scene and world-class music and dancing.

As with all FloYo Travels retreats, this itinerary has been thoughtfully curated to give you a true locals taste of Cuba. We will have a private driver and local guide with us every day to give us a true insiders view of the island and its vibrant culture and history.

Why Cuba?

Because now is the best time in history to visit. Our partners at Cuba Candela share why they believe there is no better time than NOW to visit Cuba…

“There is no place like Cuba, it’s roots remain in a simpler time, encapsulating memories of a bygone era. Cuba is the romance of Hemingway, the sounds of Afro-Caribbean music amidst decaying colonial grandeur, the smell of the ocean & tropical fruit, & the taste of world-class tobacco & rum.

From the rooftops of Havana, the rhythm of El Malecón to the cascading waterfalls of Trinidad and the otherworldly magic of Viñales, the energy and natural beauty of Cuba capture the heart and mind.

Discover a dream that once seemed impossible, holding the allure of the past, of the forbidden, of paradise lost. “

Trip Details:

Dates: TBD- planning on early 2023

Where: We will stay at private villas in two different locations (Havana for 4 nights, Trinidad for 2 nights)

How to get there: Fly into Havana, Cuba (flight recommendations will be provided, SWA has several flights a day to Havana!)

Cost: $3100* (a non-refundable $1,000 deposit is required ASAP to hold your spot on this retreat)
*A few single rooms are available for an additional cost.

Is it legal to travel to Cuba?

YES! Travel must comply with one of twelve categories authorized by the U.S. Treasury Department for travel to Cuba. We’ve partnered with one of the best Cuban travel companies out there (Cuba Candela!) to take care of all legal considerations for you. Our private journey to Cuba complies with U.S. requirements and your legal purpose of travel to Cuba is “support for the Cuban people.” We will adhere to the new restrictions by staying at privately run guest houses (casas particulares), eating in privately-owned restaurants (paladares), and ensuring that our money goes directly into the hands of local Cubans through activities like walking tours, guided paddles, cooking lessons and dance classes!

What the trip includes:

U.S. Travel license
6 nights accommodation in a private villa (double occupancy shared rooms)
Private driver to provide all airport and excursion transfers
Local guide with us every day
All breakfasts, three lunches & two dinners
Restaurant reservations at the best restaurants in Cuba
All activities listed on the itinerary, including daily yoga
Design and curation of a fully custom itinerary
Compliance with all U.S. travel regulations
All gratuities except tip for local guide

Does Not Include:

Flight and any airline fees
Cuban Tourist Visa (our Cuba travel specialist at Cuba Candela will assist with acquiring visas)
Incidentals such as some lunches and dinners ($10-40 per meal)
Tip for local guide ($20 total per guide per person suggested)
Alcoholic beverages
Travel insurance (highly recommended)

TBD

Breakfast: Full breakfast provided in your accommodation.

TBD

Depart for airport: Please be ready to depart for the Havana airport at this time.

TBD
Flight Departure

11:50 AM – 2:30 PM	Arrival & Accommodation Check-in: Our private car will be waiting for you upon arrival at the airport and will be with you for the entire trip. Retrieve your bags and proceed outside to meet your driver, who will be waiting with your name on a sign. Go straight to your accommodation to check-in. *Please book your flight to arrive by 2PM*
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM	Exploring Old Havana: Find your bearings and step back in time, as you immerse yourself in the iconic, colorful and historic Habana Vieja (Old Havana) with your local host. Discuss and witness real Cuban life and the many curiosities that arise for every traveler’s first trip to the island. Highlights include: Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Taller de Grafica, a local store where Cubans use the ration card, local tenements called solares and more!
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Private Sunset Terrace Event: Welcome to Havana! Kick-off your cultural immersion on a private terrace in Old Havana with live local musicians playing Cuban classics. Mojitos on us!
6:30 PM	Return to Villa to Freshen up
8:00 PM	Welcome Dinner: You will be dining at one of Havana’s trendiest restaurants Tierra, serving international food, located inside the VIP section of the famous Fábrica de Arte Cubano. After dinner, mingle with local artists and musicians and enjoy the live music from an elevated VIP seating area. The dress code is casual island chic (jeans and a fashionable shirt for men and a casual dress, pants, or skirt for women).
Evening	You will already be inside the VIP section of Fábrica de Arte Cubano! No need to worry about the lines that form here starting at 8PM.

8:00 AM	Yoga & Breakfast: After a powerful vinyasa yoga class, a full breakfast provided at our accommodation.
10:00 AM -1:30 PM	Cojímar Cooking and Mojito-Making Class & Lunch: A fantastic culturally immersive activity at El Ajiaco, a restaurant named after a traditional Cuban soup. Channel Hemingway’s spirit at lunch in the small fishing village of Cojímar, the inspiration for one of Hemingway’s most famous works: the Old Man and the Sea. Note: this activity may be shared with other travelers. Lunch included
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Hemmingway House: Famed novelist Earnest Hemingway lived at this sprawling mansion from 1940 – 1960. The home’s interior has been virtually untouched since the day that “Papa,” the U.S.- ambassador-in-spirit left. Must-see for many! .
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM	Cultural Immersion: Discover the sights and sounds of this vibrant neighborhood through the eyes of a young Cuban local who will take you to her favorite local spots. Few have seen Cuba through this lens.
8:00 PM	Dinner at a local restaurant (meal included)
Evening	Optional: Salsa Dancing at our favorite local spot!

8:00 AM	Breakfast: Full breakfast provided at your accommodation.
9:00 AM	Depart for Viñales: Please be ready to depart by this time.
12:00 PM	Lunch at local restaurant (included meal)
1:00 PM	Tobacco Country: Tour tobacco country like a Cuban farmer on oxcart! Stop at a working tobacco farm run by a lovely multigenerational family. Learn the special technique and secret family recipe for rolling cigars with a twist. Here you can buy your very own authentic Cuban puros, the perfect souvenir or gift for a friend at home. We’ll continue into the lush Viñales valley to our special viewing point, which happens to be one of the most tranquil places on the planet.
4:00 PM	Return to Havana: Please be ready to depart by this time.
7:00 PM	Dinner: Cuban food served at your accommodation! (included meal)

8:00 AM	Breakfast: Full breakfast provided at your accommodation.
9:00 AM -11:00 AM	Group 1: Cultural SUP and Yoga Experience in Havana! 1 hour of paddling and 1 hour of yoga with a local guide If you don’t want to paddle: Visit to Fine Arts Museum with a local art curator Group 2: Salsa Lesson: Learn from the best. Meet our resident dance instructor Elio, also known as Cosita Rara. He may be the most talented dancer in all of Cuba. You’ve never seen anyone move like this!!! No trip to Cuba is complete without dancing salsa.
11:00 AM -1:00 PM	Group 1: Salsa Lesson: Learn from the best. Meet our resident dance instructor Elio, also known as Cosita Rara. He may be the most talented dancer in all of Cuba. You’ve never seen anyone move like this!!! No trip to Cuba is complete without dancing salsa. Group 2: SUP and Yoga Experience in Havana! 1 hour of paddling and 1 hour of yoga with a local guide Alternative for Group 2: Visit to Fine Arts Museum with a local art curator
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM	Lunch at a local restaurant
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM	Havana Convertible Car Experience: Hop into a vintage classic American convertible car and cruise through Havana’s neighborhoods.

8:00 PM	Dinner at a local restaurant

7:30 AM	Breakfast & Yoga: Today will start with a yoga class on the terrace, then a full breakfast provided in your accommodation.
9:00 AM	Depart for Cienfuegos: Please be ready to depart by this time.
12:00 PM	Lunch in Cienfuegos: Lunch at local restaurant.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM	Explore Cienfuegos with your Host: Witness the inspiring French influences of the city known as Cuba’s “Pearl of the South”.
5:00 PM	Arrive in Trinidad.

8:00 PM	Dinner: Dinner at local restaurant.
Evening	Optional: Salsa dancing in the Town Square!

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM	Sunrise Yoga: Enjoy a one-hour sunrise morning yoga practice on a serene open-air terrace before breakfast.
8:15 AM	Breakfast: Full breakfast provided in your accommodation.
9:00 AM	Depart for Hike: Please be ready to depart by this time.
9:30 AM	Stop at Coffee Farm: Learn how the locals plant, grow, harvest and roast coffee beans. Taste Cuba’s freshest farm to table coffee. You can even crush the beans yourself!
10:30 AM	Secret Waterfall Hike: Wear your bathing suit to take a dip in the cool waters below the cascade and prepare for a hike of moderate difficulty (no climbing but plenty of breaks may be helpful).
2:00 PM	Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant (meal included)
4:00 PM	Beach: Head directly to one of Trinidad’s nearby beaches for sunset and mojitos!
8:00 PM	Farewell Dinner: Group dinner at local restaurant.
Evening	Optional: Salsa dancing in a cave!

TBD	Breakfast: Full breakfast provided in your accommodation.
TBD	Depart for airport: Please be ready to depart for the Havana airport at this time.
TBD	Flight Departure