1. Home
  2. About Us
  3. Travel Ethics

What Does Sustainable Travel Mean To Us?

At Cuba Unbound we firmly believe that sustainable travel takes commitment, accountability, and adaptability. We travel within Cuba responsibility, respectfully, and in support of the Cuban people. Our travel ethics encourage us to practice environmental and cultural stewardship to the people and places we travel to within Cuba.

The sustainable travel practices we put into action work towards protecting and conserving the natural environments, culture, and communities throughout the country. Travel in Cuba is unique and exciting, and we don’t shy away from discussing our impact on the environment from traveling there. We share Cuba with guests to inspire and motivate others to advocate for future conservation and protection efforts. To know a place is to love and place, and when you love a place, you will want to conserve it.

At Cuba Unbound, we seek to foster meaningful, interpersonal connections with the natural environment, communities, and culture throughout Cuba.

The front of a red kayak on the water in Cuba with sandstone cliffs in the background

Minimizing Our Footprint

In our best effort to follow travel ethics and practices that protect and respect the natural environment of the destinations we visit, we closely follow Leave No Trace (LNT) principles. These principles put words into action and it’s something we weave into the way we work from our office operations all the way to our field operations in Cuba.

Below are just a few ways in which we keep the promise of putting Leave No Trace into action:

  1. At Cuba Unbound, we offer mostly human powered travel and activities. We explore Cuba by foot, bike, kayak, etc. We also use vehicles to travel and hire local drivers to ensure our money is going back into the community.
  2. While traveling throughout Cuba, we respect wildlife and their habitats. We observe and witness wildlife from a distance to make sure we are not causing them disruption to their ecosystem or lifecycle.
  3. Many of our accommodations in Cuba are at Casa Particulars - bed and breakfast style private lodging run by locals. These are an important way to support the Cuban locals and their community.
  4. To minimize single-use plastic water bottles, we ask guests to bring water filters and filter tap water to fill their water bottles. Full details are included on our packing lists.

A group of cyclists on tour in Cuba smiling with Cuban kids at a school

Connecting People to Place

Sustainable travel makes learning about the destinations you’re visiting an integral part of travel. We believe that understanding the natural environment, wildlife, culture, economy and politics makes for a richer travel experience and inspires stewardship.

We hire local guides who share the natural history and culture of Cuba. Our guides are committed to highlighting the uniqueness of Cuba, from traditions to wildlife, installing meaningful connections among our guests.

Giving Back to Local Communities

Traveling to different countries is one of the best ways to distribute wealth if you are able. At Cuba Unbound, we are authentically invested in the people and culture of Cuba, and we support the community by hiring local guides, eating at locally owned restaurants and cafes, visiting and supporting non profit centers, buying handmade and/or local supplies, and fostering meaningful connections among our guests and locals.

Local Cuban sea kayak guide pulling in a red tandem sea kayak onto a sandy beach on a sunny day in Cuba

We Hire Local

We believe that learning from the locals is the best way to have an enriched travel experience. Hiring local contributes to our sustainable travel practices and helps foster an authentic travel experience for our guests.

Meet our team.