Best time to go to Cuba for a perfect weather and where to go?
When is the best time to go to Cuba?
Cuba is attractive and popular with tourists throughout the year. Therefore, one has a vast choice of periods to combine the preferred cultural discoveries with relaxing days. If one desires to visit Cuba, in reference to the best climatic period, one should choose the dry season which runs from November to April. However, as this period also coincides with the peak tourist season, one's overall travel budget may be more costly, in comparison to a travel budget during the low tourist season.
From May to October, Cuba is faced with the wet season although the weather is still beautiful enough to allow tourists to wander among the streets, enjoy the sun, discover the old colonial buildings and take a ride aboard an old, yet still gleaming car. Cubans are in fact known as masters in the art of old vehicle restoration for generations, as much as they are also masters in the art of partying. If one enjoys mingling with the crowd, do not miss the carnival of Santiago, which takes place in July. If one decides to visit Cuba outside of the high season, the opportunity to discover this wondrous island in all its authenticity is also possible.
Where and when to go based on the weather?
Canarreos Archipelago
Cayo Largo, Isla de la Juventud, Cayo Cantiles...
Central of Cuba
Santa Clara, Cayo Coco, Trinidad...
East of Cuba
Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa...
West of Cuba
Havana, Varadero, Vinales...
To get all the information about the climate and weather in Cuba for a specific month, click on the corresponding link below:
Cuba in january Cuba in february Cuba in march Cuba in april Cuba in may Cuba in june Cuba in july Cuba in august Cuba in september Cuba in october Cuba in november Cuba in december
Best time to travel to Cuba by cities
Climate and Weather in Cuba
Located just off the US coast, Cuba has an overall pleasant weather and a moderate subtropical climate with a predominance for warm temperatures. There are generally two seasons that pass throughout the year, the dry season from late November to May and the rainy season from June to October or November. The latter is characterized by particularly heavy but short rain, especially at the very end of the day. Additionally, the rainy season in Cuba is particularly warm.
The Cuban climate is mild throughout the entire year, thanks to its optimal location at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico - there are on average 330 sunny days per year! The sea temperature appears pleasant throughout the whole of the island and it is even more so in the further south, especially towards Santiago de Cuba where the water can climb an easy 2 or 3° C higher. The climate in Cuba is also characterized by the presence of many cyclones between the months of June and November, with October being the most affected month - especially when looking at Havana, the capital - which is generally more exposed due to its location on the north coast of the island. During the dry season, temperatures can drop drastically in the evening, refreshing somewhat the ambient atmosphere, especially with the cold winds coming in through the north of the island.
To the west of Cuba, there are a few drier, desert-like areas where one will feel less ambient humidity.
Temperatures and rainfall in Cuba
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Cuba and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Havana, Cayo Coco, Holguín, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Cuba
Find out when Cuba has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Cuba
The months with low numbers of tourists are: May, June, July, September and October. The number of visitors to Cuba is high in: January, February, March, April, August, November and December.
- Very low season in Cuba: May, June and September.
- Low season in Cuba: July and October.
- High season in Cuba: April.
- Peak season in Cuba: January, February, March, August, November and December.
Figure: Visitor index for Cuba month by month
Average price for flights to Cuba
A return flight between New York City and Havana is generally cheaper if you go in january ($ 509 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 197 more for your airline ticket to Havana if you go in july.
Where to go in Cuba?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Havana | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 92°F | 88°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Cayo Coco | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 81°F | 79°F |
| Holguín | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 94°F | 94°F | 92°F | 90°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Santa Clara | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 83°F | 83°F |
| Santiago de Cuba | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F |
| Trinidad | 79°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Varadero | 79°F | 83°F | 83°F | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Baracoa | 81°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Camagüey | 83°F | 86°F | 86°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 94°F | 92°F | 88°F | 85°F | 85°F |
| Cayo Largo | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Isla de la Juventud | 79°F | 79°F | 81°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Vinales | 79°F | 81°F | 85°F | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Bayamo | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 94°F | 94°F | 92°F | 90°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Caibarién (La Villa Blanca) | 79°F | 81°F | 81°F | 85°F | 86°F | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Cárdenas | 79°F | 83°F | 83°F | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 86°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Cayo Cruz | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 81°F | 79°F |
| Cayo Guillermo | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 81°F | 79°F |
| Cayo Levisa | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 83°F | 81°F |
| Cayo Romano | 77°F | 77°F | 77°F | 81°F | 83°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 81°F | 79°F |
| Cayo Sabinal | 81°F | 83°F | 83°F | 86°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F | 92°F | 90°F | 88°F | 85°F | 83°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
About Cuba
What can I do in Cuba?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Cuba reliable?
Climate data for Cuba has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Cuba allows us to determine the average for each month in Havana, Cayo Coco, Holguín, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Varadero, Baracoa, and 57 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.