Ever wanted to see Cuba legally? Now’s your chance!

Our team at Friendly Planet Travel has helped more than 5,000 Americans travel to Cuba legally through our licensed people-to-people programs, and according to a survey we conducted of travelers upon their return, an astonishing 81 percent would go back again if given the chance. People-to-people licenses were first issued to qualified tour operators by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2011, with the intent of developing a greater understanding between the separated nations, and since then, have proven to be a tremendous success.

These tours are not simple vacations. Instead, they’re life-changing events that allow Americans and Cubans to better understand each other through educational exchanges around such topics as art, music, literature, education, and much more.

Our present license — due to expire in September — has just been renewed for two more years! We’re extremely excited that we can continue offering these rewarding experiences to anyone with a desire to find out more about Cuba and its people. As a result, our team has been hard at work preparing the details of our upcoming departures, and we’ve just posted new dates through May 2015 for our three signature programs:

• Discover Havana: This five-day program focuses on Havana and its environs, and offers a great introduction to the island. It includes plenty of people-to-people activities focused on Cuba’s incredible musical and cultural landscape, and that’s just the beginning!
• Highlights of Havana & Varadero: Those dying to know what the best beach in Cuba looks like have particularly enjoyed our six-day people-to-people program. Not only will you have plenty of cultural interactions all throughout your stay, but you’ll spend two nights at a beautiful resort on Varadero Beach. It’s not surprising that this program has quickly become a Friendly-Planet-traveler favorite.
• Colors of Cuba: This offering is undoubtedly the most deluxe of all our Cuba programs. It’s an eight-day tour that includes stays at two of TripAdvisor’s top-rated Havana and Trinidad hotels, the Parque Central and the Iberostar. Finding great hotels in Cuba is often difficult for operators because choices are limited and the costs can be astronomical (unless you’re traveling with us)!

Additionally, we customize private individual and group programs to match specific traveler interests, having already helped architects, medical professionals, photographers, families, and beyond visit this culturally rich nation. As with all of our programs, we keep our tour groups to Cuba small so that visitors can have a far more personalized travel experience. In the coming year, we plan to expand our Cuba offerings to include additional programs.

If you’re interested in a travel experience unlike any other, take some time to explore our three life-altering people-to-people programs to Cuba, and jump start your next unforgettable cultural adventure.