• The Caribbean's largest and least commercialised island has a rich cultural heritage and has become increasingly popular in recent years as a tourist destination, despite the US blockade. Still more visitors are expected when flights from Miami resume
• Exuberant and extremely friendly people – even in big cities like Havana you're assured of a warm welcome, particularly if you're travelling with children
• 3,500 miles of beautiful coastline and a beach season which lasts all year along! Some of them, like Varadero, have sandy shores extending for more than 20 km (13 miles).  Alternatively, the smaller make for delightful retreats away from it all 
• Great for watersports lovers particularly scuba divers and snorkellers: the Cuban coral has been compared to Australia's Barrier Reef
• Good value and affordable for a Caribbean destination
• Read all about Cuba with a toddler

Things to think about:

• Construction work and last minute itinerary changes may happen at unexpected times
• Indifferent standards of service and transport which may be a bit lower than you'd expect in more established tourist destinations
• Bring anything you (or your child) can't live without as choice of consumer goods is not wide

Visas: Yes virtually all visitors require a Cuban visa or Tourist Card, available from travel agencies, tour operators or a Cuban consulate for a stay of one month.

Vaccinations: Hepatitis if you're going off the beaten track. Other than that, it's a very healthy country with one of the finest healthcare systems in the world!

When to go: Generally year-round destination: hot, rainy season runs from May to October; winter (December to April) is the island's peak tourist season. Christmas, Easter and the end of July, when Cubans celebrate the anniversary of the revolution, are also very busy.

Flight time: 10hrs from UK

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