Four years ago, my friend and I decided to take a trip to Cuba, a country that had been banned for the longest to travel by the US. We wanted to take advantage of lifted ban by President Obama. And that trip has become my top 3 international trips thus far. Post-covid, we decided to take a trip to Belize, a central American country that has gotten rave reviews from many other travel bloggers. When we arrived, we both agreed that Belize felt similar to Cuba. Here's my versus of both countries.

Round One: Food

Both Belize and Cuba had amazing selection of dishes, including decadent of fish and seafood dishes. In Belize, the food was also tasty and fresh. The ambiance of the restaurants were casual and beachy. I ordered a combination of fish types from different restaurants.

The fish portion was large and high quality (I tried baked and fried fish.) The flavorful fish dishes included rice, beans, cabbage and plantains (my favorite). The fish was well-seasoned and organically grown. The meals were about $20-25USD. I also ordered fish tacos from the restaurants which was mediocre.

In Cuba, my airbnb host recommended a phenomenal restaurant which required a reservation (even pre-covid). The ambiance of the restaurant was semi-formal and elegant. My first visit to the restaurant, I ordered a fish dish. Cuba's fish dishes were served fresh with white rice and vegetables. The fish was seared to perfection and tender enough to melt into my mouth. The meal was about $20USD.

My second visit to the restaurant (yes the fish was that good to visit the restaurant again), I ordered a chicken dish that included about 7 pieces of chicken in orange sauce and white rice. The chicken was organically grown, tender and juicy. I ate every bit of the chicken and rice. This meal was about $15USD.

ROUND ONE WINNER: CUBA. The ambiance matched with the variety of tasty dishes makes Cuba the winner of this round.

Round Two: Culture

Culturally, Belize in known for diversity and a mix of cultures such as Creole, East Indian, Chinese, European, Mayan and Mestizo, just to name a few. Although English is the main language, natives speak Creole. The people are welcoming to Americans, in particular black Americans. I was able to walk around the islands freely. I did feel that the mixtures of cultures did not allow a full scope of identity or closeness.

As friendly as the people were, I did not enjoy the feeling of being taken advantage of financially because I was American. Maybe it was because of COVID, but the people were more worried about getting over than actually making sure I had a good time. For example, I paid $230USD for excursion that included transportation to Mayan tour and cave tubing. The price was extremely high and we did not receive top tier service. Instead, we received mediocre transportation service (the van was old and air did not work properly) and tour guide. The price was NOT worth the excursion.

In Cuba, the culture is a mixture of African and Spanish influences. The main language in Cuba is Spanish, with little English spoken. The best way to describe the culture of Cuba is to say it felt like home. The people were so welcoming and I felt a closeness to the people.

They were excited to greet me and teach me about their culture. The people of Cuba were connected to their culture and roots and made me feel connected. I walked freely around Havana and felt safe. The men of Cuba provided free cigars and cheap rides in classic cars. The people of Cuba focused on showing me Cuban culture and not making money or taking advantage of me. The hospitality in Cuba was unmatched.

ROUND TWO WINNER: CUBA. The hospitality and the feeling of home helps Cuba win this round.

Round Three: Excursions

Belize is known for its reefs and beautiful blue water. I decided to take advantage of this blue water and booked my first snorkeling trip. I indulged in the Manatee snorkeling adventure where I saw a manatee (manatees are huge, about 1000 lbs), baby shark, corals and even a sea turtle.

I was ecstatic and definitely thrilled the entire $55 excursion. I used a floating device and was able to witness the beautiful sea creatures. We even got a chance to visit Caye Caulkner, another cool island in Belize. Although I was extremely nervous, snorkeling was the best excursion experience while traveling. I accomplished something on my bucket list and will do snorkeling again without the floating device.

Cuba is known for tobacco and cigars. I decided to participate in a tobacco tour and learn about the crop of tobacco and how cigars are formed.

The natives of Cuba also taught me about the communist government in Cuba and the requirements of the amounts of tobacco the farmer must give to the government. I learned how to roll the cigar and given sample cigars to try. The $50 excursion also included a rum tour. I learned how rum was made in Cuba.

ROUND THREE WINNER: BELIZE. As a water fanatic, I enjoyed snorkeling in Belize the most, making Belize the round three winner.

Overall, I enjoyed both places but Cuba is the winner in this Versus winning 2/3 rounds!