Cuba Travel Is Legal Again. ¡Vamanos!

I’ve traveled to more than 30 countries on four continents, but of the many trips I’ve taken overseas, the one I made to Havana in December 2003 stands out as one of the most incredible. Admittedly, part of what made it so incredible is the fact that in 2003, very few Americans could legally travel to Cuba and not sneak in, through the back door, by flying from Canada, Jamaica or Mexico. And that on Dec. 31, 2003, so-called “people-to-people” licenses by organizations such as Insight Cuba—the New York State-based cultural tour organizer with whom I traveled to this Caribbean nation—were cancelled by the Bush Administration.

But just this summer, the Obama Administration reinstated these licenses, making it legal once again for us, U.S. citizens, to visit Cuba as long as we travel with a licensed operator. Insight Cuba is one of the largest and most-established operators, and ran our flawless, four-day program that’s got me longing to return to this hauntingly beautiful place. From the tour company’s three-night “Weekend in Havana” to the incredible-sounding, nine-day “Cuban Music & Art Experience” that delves deep into the country’s rich and thriving arts scene, these tours expose you to the real Cuba and its warm-hearted people. Its inaugural tours leave for Cuba on August 11.

This is one of these trips you want to take sooner rather than later. No one knows what will happen after Fidel and Raúl Castro are no longer in power—but my guess is that the essential nature of Cuban life is likely to change drastically. Unlike nearly any other country in the world, there are no McDonald’s or Starbucks here, few signs of Americanization beyond the NBA player jerseys worn by young guys on the streets. You don’t want to over-romanticize life here, but there’s something authentic and charming about its historical architecture (La Habana Vieja, or Old Havana, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and those legendary box-shaped cars that inventive Cubans have somehow kept running for decades, despite having no access to American-built replacement parts. It’s an incredible place unlike any other.

Even if you’re not a fan of his Travel Channel show—or his often-profane schtick—don’t miss catching this month’s last airing of Chef Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” episode from Cuba at 1pm Central this Saturday, July 30. (The premiere hit the air earlier this month.) Mr. Bourdain—who told MSNBC.com’s Rebecca Ruiz that Cuba “has my heart in the sense that I’ll always care a lot about what happens. I feel interested in what happens and how it works for the Cuban people in ways that I might not care in other places.”

I felt exactly the same way.

Even though our 2003 tour was far too brief, the four days felt long, jam-packed with fascinating sights and people at each stop. We stayed at the four-star Hotel Presidente, an elegant, 1920s-built hotel touted as the first skyscraper in Havana. A walking and bus tour allowed us to gaze at and stroll past graceful sites in Old Havana. We attended a neighborhood block party hosted by the local Committee for the Defense of the Revolution, where I’ll never forget hearing 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” blaring from the speakers. (So much for the notion that Cubans are totally cut off from American culture!) We sat in on a fabulous set at a happening Havana jazz club. And we got to eat in a paladar, a home-based restaurant granted a license by the Cuban government to serve dining guests in the family’s living room. We were forewarned that rice and beans—a staple of this poor country’s diet—would be served at every meal. But they were deliciously prepared, a testament to the resilience and make-do attitude of the Cuban people.

Interested in traveling with a Chicago-based group? The city’s own DuSable Museum of African American History is planning its own 11-day tour of Cuba to “learn the heritage and accomplishments of the Afro-Cuban people.” At $3,800 per person, this surely is no bargain Caribbean vacation (but it does include round-trip flights from Chicago and travel within the country to the cities of Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba). But travel memories like these are priceless, and sure to be ones you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Tagged as: Cuba, Havana, travel, people-to-people licenses, Anthony Bourdain, No Reservations and Insight Cuba

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Maureen Jenkins s a food/travel writer and communications professional who's visited more than 30 countries and territories, lived in Florence, Italy -- and is spending the year in Samois-sur-Seine, a charming village near Paris, France. The self-proclaimed “urban travel girl” talks travel, food and wine – abroad and in Chicago – in “TCW Travel Connection.” Read more of her thoughts on living globally at UrbanTravelGirl.com.