‘Abandon preconceptions, all ye who enter here’ – this is the first sign you’ll read after stepping off the plane in Cuba ahead of your luxury yacht adventure. And not to put too fine a point on it, there’s really no better tagline for what lies ahead.

In a nutshell, you can take anything you’ve ever heard or assumed about a Cuba yacht vacation and throw it out of the window. The reason being that it’s impossible to get a feel for what’s essentially an island of complete and total contradictions without taking a trip there. Cuba feels shabby and like something of an underdog, but you can tell it’s actually a land of riches. Often described as a ‘prince in a poor man’s coat’ it really won’t take you long to realize that there are about a dozen more sides to Cuba’s charm and character than all the brochures in the world would have you believe.

Closer look

 Exquisitely and deliberately underdeveloped in places, you get the feeling that Cuba is holding itself back on purpose in many ways and all to the island’s credit. No matter where you head there’s the same rough, rugged and at times chaotic feel, though you get the sense that it is all in fact very well controlled and maintained. Or in other worlds, Cuba feels a very random a mish-mashed kind of destination, but to a large extend has been orchestrated to give off exactly such a vibe.

In terms of super yacht charter opportunities, the geographical location of Cuba alone makes for a quite unrivalled base for larger exploration. Occupying a majestic plot close to Latin America, the USA and the rest of the gems the Caribbean has to offer, make Cuba your primary hub and you can easily take in the world’s most stunning destinations all in a single adventure. That being said, you must make time to fully explore what Cuba has to offer above and beyond the staples of Havana and the obvious beach resorts. It’s not until you experience Cuban family life that you will get a real insight into the way of life in this part of the world, which could best be described as misunderstood.

Regardless of what you’ve heard about Cuba, you’re in for a shock. It’s more vibrant, colorful, intoxication and downright wonderful than you would have ever dreamed possible and you’ll leave with a wry smile when you think about how the rest of the world really has no idea what it’s missing.