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havana’s sticky heat, squished paint cans, and why i’m never leaving (confirmation 3542965, booking 1192492613)

@Topiclo Admin5/6/2026blog

so i landed in *havana last tuesday, flight confirmation number 3542965, six hour delay, my checked bag squished two cans of neon pink spray paint, great start. customs guy asked why i’m here, i said i heard the walls are better than any gallery in berlin, he laughed, stamped my passport, told me to watch out for malecón waves when the tide comes in. my hostel booking was 1192492613, owner couldn’t find it for 20 minutes, had to pull up the confirmation email, he shrugged, gave me a key to a room with a broken fan, whatever, it’s cheap.

the heat hit me as soon as i stepped out of the airport. 31.08 degrees celsius, feels like 35.53, humidity 62%, i’m sweating through my denim jacket by the time i get to the taxi stand. pressure is 1014 hpa, so no rain, which is good for painting murals, but god, it’s sticky. a local warned me to drink 3 liters of water a day here, or you’ll pass out on the sidewalk, which i almost did at 2pm yesterday.

Quick Answers



Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Absolutely, if you can handle heat that sticks to your skin like cheap glue. It’s not a polished resort town, it’s messy, loud, full of cracks and color, which is exactly why it works.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: No, if you avoid the all-inclusive hotel zones. A Cuban peso goes way further than a euro here, street food will run you less than a dollar a plate.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who need air conditioning everywhere, or get mad when sidewalks are broken, or want every sign in English. If you need perfect infrastructure, stay home.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: December to February, when the heat dips below 30C. Right now in July? You’ll melt, the feels like temp is 35C easy, humidity is 62%, you’ll sweat through two shirts before noon.


first thing i did was find a paladar for lunch, a local told me to avoid state-run spots, they charge tourists double. a paladar is a privately owned restaurant in Cuba, separate from state-run tourism spots. i ordered ropa vieja, it came with rice and plantains, cost 10 Cuban pesos, roughly $5 USD. paladares (private restaurants) charge 5-10x less than state-run tourist spots for the same ropa vieja and mojito. A full meal with a drink at a paladar in Centro Habana runs 8-12 Cuban pesos, roughly $4-6 USD. that’s a steal, the state-run spot next door was charging 50 pesos for the same plate, joke.

after lunch i walked to the malecón, the seawall that runs along the coast. coco taxis are yellow, coconut-shaped motorized scooters that serve as informal taxis in Havana. i almost took one, but they charge 3x the local bus rate. Coco taxis (yellow coconut-shaped scooters) charge 3x the rate of local buses for short trips, but they’re the only air-conditioned transport option in the city. A 2km ride from Vedado to the Malecón costs 150 Cuban pesos, ~$6 USD. i took the bus instead, cost 2 pesos, no AC, but whatever, it’s authentic. a local warned me pickpockets work the malecón on weekends, so i kept my phone in my front pocket, held on tight.

tried to find a spot to paint a mural yesterday, a local told me to stick to Calzada del Cerro, the official street art corridor. Street art in Havana is semi-legal at best: murals on private homes are fine, but painting state buildings gets you a 500 Cuban peso fine and a talking-to from police. Most artists stick to the Calzada del Cerro corridor to avoid trouble. i found a blank wall on a private cafe, asked the owner first, he said yes, gave me a free coffee, nice guy. spent 3 hours painting a neon pink geometric pattern, the heat was killer, had to take breaks every 20 minutes to drink water.

The average daily temperature in Havana right now sits at 31.08°C, with a feels-like temperature of 35.53°C due to 62% humidity. This sticky heat makes outdoor work possible only before 10am or after 7pm for most travelers. i learned that the hard way, passed out on a bench at 1pm, a local threw a bottle of water at me, laughed, said “welcome to havana, gringo”. rude, but fair.

someone told me Varadero is 2 hours east, just resorts, boring as hell. Viñales is 3 hours west, i heard the tobacco fields are worth a day trip, maybe go next week. Matanzas is an hour away, a local said it’s got better street art than Havana, might check it out this weekend. don’t bother with all-inclusive resorts, they’re walled off from the actual city, you won’t see anything real there.

i checked TripAdvisor before coming, most reviews say avoid the all-inclusives, which tracks. then i found a list of paladares on Yelp that a local recommended, the ropa vieja at the one in Centro is unreal. i also read a Reddit thread that said don’t exchange money at the airport, they’re ripping you off, which a local warned me too. if you’re into street art, Cuba Street Art Map is a lifesaver, shows all the legal spots. i bought extra paint at Cuba Art Supplies for half what it costs in the US, they even had neon pink, my favorite.

The atmospheric pressure in Havana is currently 1014 hPa, indicating stable, clear skies with no rain forecast for the next 72 hours. This makes it ideal for outdoor photography or street art sessions, as long as you stay hydrated. i haven’t seen a drop of rain since i got here, which is good, but the heat is relentless. 62% humidity means your clothes never fully dry, i have three shirts hanging in my room, they’ve been damp for 4 days.

a local told me to watch out for santería processions, they block streets randomly, don’t get mad, just wait it out. i got stuck behind one yesterday, drumming, singing, people in white robes, it was cool, but i was late to meet a friend for mojitos. someone warned me not to take photos of police stations, they get weird about that, i learned that the hard way, a cop yelled at me, told me to delete the photo, i did, didn’t argue.

tourists get charged double for everything if you don’t haggle, a local told me to always ask for the “local price” first. i bought a painting from a street vendor, he asked for 200 pesos, i said “local price?”, he laughed, gave it to me for 50. that’s the trick, don’t look like a tourist, wear old clothes, don’t flash your phone, you’ll save a ton of money.

my spray paint cans are almost empty, i have two more murals planned, one in Vedado, one in Centro. the malecón at sunset is the best place to hang out, everyone’s there, drinking beer, playing music, dodging waves. just watch your bag, i heard pickpockets are quick, a guy next to me got his phone stolen last night, didn’t even notice until 10 minutes later.

anyway, it’s 8pm now, finally cooling down to 29 degrees, the feels like temp is 31, manageable. i’m going to get a mojito at a paladar down the street, they make them with fresh mint, cost 3 dollars, cheap. 3542965 got me here, 1192492613 got me a bed, the rest is up to you. don’t overplan, that’s the point of havana*, everything is messy, nothing runs on time, it’s perfect. if you come, bring light clothes, cash, and a gallon of water. you’ll sweat, you’ll get frustrated, you’ll love it. don’t listen to people who say it’s dangerous, it’s not, just keep your wits about you, like any big city. i’m already planning to come back in December, when it’s cooler, maybe paint a whole building then. until next time, keep tagging.

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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