Cuba’s capital isn’t designed for easy consumption. It’s not curated for your feed or streamlined for convenience. Havana is vivid, raw, and unapologetically alive with music spilling from courtyards, conversations unfolding in its streets, and golden sunlight streaming across crumbling facades.

Those who think the Caribbean is just for beaches and resorts should think again. Santo Domingo covers it all—historical sites, contemporary art, eclectic musical heritage, and an emerging food scene—all served with a dose of island attitude, of course.

We sat down with acclaimed Cuban-American writer, Cristina García, the author of eight novels including Dreaming in Cuban, a finalist for the National Book Award which tells the story of a Cuban family across three generations as they experience the country’s revolution.

Field Notes are firsthand travel recommendations for and by our ECT Clubhouse members. This week, travel advisor, Malak Yacout, shares her highlights from Antigua and Barbuda.

We’ve purposefully chosen to craft this guide away from the typical resort areas to showcase the best of Jamaica’s diversity—which ranges from its pulsing capital city, majestic Blue Mountains, lush rainforests, and cascading waterfalls—by focusing on Kingston, Portland, and Treasure Beach.