Epic colonial architecture, libidinous young salsa dancers, Che Guevara murals, white-powder sandy beaches, swaying fields of sugar cane - the images of Cuba are as transfixing as they are timeless. This is an island of unique historical heritage floating amid a sea of encroaching globalisation.

Travel in Cuba can involve anything from sipping mojittos at an all-inclusive resort in Varadero to scraping the spit and sawdust off your shoes outside the Casa de las Tradiciones in Santiago. The burgeoning tourist sector rubs up against the Cuba of communist myth.

Cuba has already undergone a significant change. After the fall of Berlin Wall and end of communism in Eastern Europe, Cuba’s main business partner – Russia was on the brink of bankruptcy and had to deal with its own crumbling economy so Cuba lost its foreign supportive hand and 80% of international trade. Fidel Castro did the only thing he could to save his country from complete financial collapse: opened Cuba to mass tourism.

Everything about Cuban way of life, its crumbling continental architecture, saloon cars from the 50’s, tobacco fields, cigar factories and some of the world’s best medical care and education remained the same. The difference was most noticeable in areas known for world’s finest beaches.

Similarly, while streets of Cuba are still not too busy and still dominated by those old American vintage gas-guzzling monsters, it is not unusual to see a shiny modern car in the mix. That would be a foreigner on a rental.

Most of Cuba remains unchanged. It’s still the same it has been since revolution in 1959. No McDonald’s or any other recognizable fast food chains, no Walmarts or any other multi billion dollar corporation destroying small business, no drugs, no organized crime – aka, it’s still the same old Cuba that makes it so unique and so awesome.

New US president is likely to introduce a more relaxed approach towards Cuba and when the embargo is dropped, the island will get flooded with tourists to the point that it’s change country’s topography. Investors will start pouring in, ultimately putting an end to most traditional ways of business. Cuba will change and it will be significant. I can’t stress it enough – visit Cuba as soon as you can. Visit it before it changes. Once changed, old buildings will be replaced with new, old cars replaced with new, old ways replaced with new. The charm of the island will be gone. A trip to Cuba will be no different from a trip to Mexico. You’ll miss out if you don’t go before it changes.

The Cuban resort of Varadero has been turned into a tourist resort, the type you will find in Dominican Republic, Virgin Islands, Curacao or whichever other tropical resort you can think of. To experience real Cuba and get the most out of its culture and history, go straight to Havana.

Havana has the best hospitals and schools in the Caribbean. The colonial architecture will remind you of Spaniards who conquered the island. The mass tourism has not affected Cuba’s capital much. Old hotels built in the 30’s are still in operation. Most give funky smell, but from the window you can see it all – national monuments, street performers, incredibly beautiful Cuban girls and men, coco-taxis, old men sitting on a street smoking cigars, little traffic mostly consisting of those old two tone saloon cars and palm trees.

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