A Complete Idiot's Guide to Cuba
For those who have only heard of Cuba, this page will be a good starting point to get to know and even choose houses. This guide does not contain the same information that you can already find anywhere on the internet: Tropicana, la Bodeguita del Medio, the old town and so on. It is not a tourist guide of the kind that surely abounds online, but a practical guide not only for newcomers, but for those who are looking for tricks that not everyone knows. For those who want to know the real Cuba and not the Cuba of postcards and hotels.
What to know before travelling to Cuba?
- I. Zones of Cuba
- II. Planning a Travel
- III. Practical Information
- IV. Precautions
I. Zones of Cuba
If you are visiting Cuba for the first time, it is very useful to know something about a certain key area, so you can better choose the place that mostly responds to your tastes and expectations.
Every Cuban province has its poles of interest and its tourist places. Since this page does not limit itself to describe only areas, but many other things, we will limit ourselves to describe only Havana and Varadero the typical places visited by most newbie tourists.
Varadero
Varadero can be defined in a few words: about thirty kilometers of pure beach, hotels and tourist shops. Two general shopping malls, a natural park, a national aquarium and several restaurants that have nothing out of the ordinary because true quality can only be found in the best all-inclusive hotels. Varadero can be compared to the hotel zone of Cancun, Mexico, with the difference that Varadero is less commercial, less developed, more natural and also not exclusively hotel, there is an inhabited area where houses are rented, homes that cannot be sold and, a few years ago, could not be rented either.
Varadero does not have an agro-market because it is almost exclusively a tourist area and does not have a medical office for the population, but, just at the Varadero exit, there is a small town, Santa Marta, where all these services are available. Since Varadero is only a beach and not a big city like Havana, it is very difficult to get lost and orientation is easy, so no other descriptions are necessary. Besides, there is only one area, the beach area, and the tourist looking for private houses will have no difficulty in choosing.
Havana City
Havana City is the capital of Cuba and it's the place where most tourists go. It's the most developed city of Cuba and the one with most choices in vacation rental. Obviously, all these houses belong to zones and each zone has its special characteristics.
The hottest areas of Havana are mainly three: Old Havana / Centro Habana, Vedado / Nuevo Vedado and Miramar. There is also the area of Carlos III where the price of the rentals is more accessible but still this area belongs to Plaza, the same municipality of Vedado and Nuevo Vedado. And finally there are the famous beach areas of Guanabo, Boca Ciega and Brisas del Mar or the less known Playa Baracoa, which is located in the West opposite side of Havana. Although our agency serves all areas without restrictions, most of the rental houses are nevertheless, and for obvious reasons, in these areas. To find them you just have to use the 'Search by' function of the main menu or the thematic links of the quick menu.
Many of these areas have a dedicated page and description. Therefore we will only talk about the difference between them without describing each zone in detail.
Old Havana and Centro Habana
La Habana Vieja (Old Havana) is the historic center of Havana, where you can find the museums, traditions, architecture and classic places of the capital of Cuba. A more detailed description of this center can be found on the page dedicated to Old Havana Homes. We also have our Essential and definitive guide to Old Havana, where most of the monuments, buildings and artistic and cultural sites of this area are described.
Centro Habana is the natural continuation of Old Havana and is the bridge between the historical center and the modern center of the capital. Prado Avenue is the official border between the two municipalities. Therefore, the famous corner Prado y Neptuno (also the subject of the classic song A Prado y Neptuno), The Capitol, the Fraternity Park, the San Rafael Boulevard, the Galiano Avenue (or Avenida de Italia) the National Ballet of Cuba and many other tourist places technically belong to Centro Habana. While everything east of Avenida Prado, is Habana Vieja. The two municipalities are so important and interdependent that they tend to get confused and it is not uncommon for you to hear mention of Old Havana when in fact it's Centro Habana or vice versa. Let's say that the difference between the two municipalities is only administrative because in real life there is no clear boundary between the two and, according to rumors, there is even a unification project, which however has never been accomplished. You can find a more detailed description of Centro Habana on the page dedicated to the Centro Habana Houses.
Vedado and Nuevo Vedado (New Vedado)
Unlike Centro Habana and Old Havana, El Vedado and Nuevo Vedado are not municipalities, but rather neighborhoods that are part of a municipality called Plaza. El Vedado represents the modern center of the capital; it is there where all the high buildings are located, the Hotel Nacional of Cuba (which appears in all the flyers and postcards of Havana), La Rampa (which is the most lively part of El Vedado), the ice cream parlor named Coppelia, the hotel Habana Libre, reference of all other Cuban hotels and many other places. Old Havana has a historical and folkloric interest, while Vedado is the true modern center, with its residential parts, of course, like everything between the G Avenue (or Avenida de los Presidentes) and the Paseo Avenue. Many argue that this stretch represents the best place in Cuba. In fact, the houses in Vedado are more expensive than the houses in Old Havana, in terms of sales, because that's where the first rich people settled in post-colonial times. Some say that the houses in Vedado are even more expensive and quoted than those in Miramar (another residential area), but that is relative.
Nuevo Vedado is an extension of Vedado, it has nothing to do with the latter, but it is a residential and elite area located in the southern part of the municipality Plaza, in the southeastern part of the Almendares River. It borders all the Havana wood and, in spite of being a little intricate, it has an excellent, but unique, way of fast communication, the 26th Avenue.
Miramar and Playa
Miramar belongs to the municipality of Playa which is located to the west of the Vedado and the Almendares river. It is the residential neighborhood of Havana, but contrary to Nuevo Vedado, it has much more than luxury houses. It is the place where you can find most of the embassies, the big commercial and business centers. It is preferred by professionals and businessmen. There are also many hotels, bars, restaurants and recreation centers. In other words, it is like a third center of the capital, a residential center. All those who love tranquility but at the same time want to have the feeling of being in a central place, choose Miramar.
Miramar is not the only residential neighborhood of Playa. There also are others, less centric and even more luxurious in the west or the south, such as Kohly, Náutico, Flores, Siboney and Cubanacán. A more detailed description of Miramar is located in the page about Miramar's houses. If you want a more detailed description about the Playa borough, you can find it here.
II. Planning a Trip to Cuba
Here you will find some practical information which can be used to prepare your trip to Cuba.
Which Currency to Bring to Cuba?
Not all currencies are accepted in Cuba. Generally only US dollars, Canadian dollars, euros, pounds sterling, the Mexican peso, the Japanese yen, the Swiss franc and some others are accepted.
For those coming from the United States or a Latin American country the typical choice would be to arrive with US dollars. However, we advise against it, because the euro is worth more than the CUC (Cuba's local hard currency) and you will gain in exchange if you come with euros. Since November 2019 in Cuba, the CUC cannot be imported or exported and banks cannot sell US dollars. At the airport, on leaving Cuba, they only exchange up to 300 cucs in euros, US or Canadian dollars and only to those leaving Cuba. Therefore only change the money you need, do not arrive at the airport with more than 300 cucs.
The Two Cuba Currencies
In Cuba there are still two currencies. The Cuban peso (CUP) or national currency (MN) and the convertible peso (CUC).The CUC has always served to represent the US dollar, although lately this is no longer the case for reasons that are outside the scope of this article. The exchange rate between CUP and CUC is 24 to 1, or 24 Cuban pesos to one convertible peso. However, the bank charges 25 Cuban pesos to buy one CUC and sells it for 24. While on the street, especially in the agros, individuals change the CUC to 24 (the same as in the bank) and some shops in national currency (pharmacies, bookstores, some fairs, etc), change 23 pesos for one CUC. Note that there are also pharmacies, bookstores and fairs in CUC. While the coins (5, 10, 25 and 50 cents, but not the one peso coin), are changed to 20 pesos according to the old custom when, years ago, the change was 20 to 1. For example if you pay with 25 cents of CUC, they will be considered as 5 Cuban pesos. Admittedly, it's complicated. Our advice is that you should change at the official exchange offices, that you always have both currencies and always pay for everything in the respective one in which it is sold.
Almost all the stores in CUCs now accept CUPs but the inverse is not true. However, it is not advisable, because there the exchange rate is 25 to 1, as in the bank. For example, to buy a product that costs 1 CUC, you will have to pay 25 CUPs and not 24 or 23. Furthermore, if you pay in CUPs, the change will always be in CUCs and this lends itself to many tricks, especially if you are a tourist. Avoid it. Still complicated, so, once more, keep paying in CUCs in places that primarily sell in CUCs and in CUPs in places that primarily sell in CUPs.
What Documents Will I Need to Travel to Cuba?
To arrive in Cuba it is necessary to have a valid passport, a general medical insurance, which is compulsory from May 1st 2010, a tourist visa that you can buy at the airport or in any travel agency and a return ticket to your country (or any other ticket out of Cuba).
Passport
As in all countries, a passport is required to enter Cuba. If you have more than one passport because you have double citizenship, for example, you must take into account that you will have to leave Cuba with the same passport with which you entered. Avoid going out with this document. It is an important document and losing it involves complicated and expensive procedures at your embassy, besides you will not be able to leave Cuba until you have your new passport, although, in this case, most embassies give out provisional travel documents, but they are not free! The one from Canada, for example, costs 70 cucs. To identify yourself on the street, your identity card is sufficient and at most you can circulate with a photocopy of your passport. You will only need the original if you go to the bank or do something like extending your visa.
Tourist's Visa
You can buy it directly at the airport, but always try to have it first. Arriving in Cuba without a visa is forbidden and your airline will require it at luggage check-in. You can also buy the tourist visa through your travel agency. A tourist visa costs around 20 dollars.
Make sure that your visa has the stamp of your travel agency or airport agency because visas without a stamp are not valid. One of our clients had to buy the visa back at Madrid airport because when he bought it at Rome airport it did not have a stamp. Still, avoid going out on the street with your visa. This document only serves to enter and leave Cuba or to extend your stay. No national police officer will require you to show your visa, unless he's an immigration police officer. You will have to deal with these officers only if you commit a crime or are involved in a criminal problem.
Although rarely needed as an identification document, the tourist visa is a mandatory document in Cuba, which everyone must take out, even children. In case of loss, immediately notify the nearest immigration office, they will notify the airport agents, who will make you a duplicate. If you happen to leave your visa at home or at the hotel and you arrive at the airport without it, tell the immigration agents that you lost it, because if you say that it stayed with you, they will force you to go and look for it, and you will miss your flight!
Medical Insurance
Regarding the medical insurance, verify first if you really need to get one. Some countries, such as Canada, provide a free basic medical insurance for its citizens (called Carte Soleil in Quebec), which is valid in Cuba. In this case, you'll not need to get a health insurance to travel to Cuba! Also, some credit cards include a health insurance, which you can use. Verify if it's your case. If and only if you don't have any medical insurance, you must get one at your travel agency or some third-party insurance company accredited in Cuba [See the full list of accredited insurance companies in Cuba]. In any case you can buy the health insurance directly in Cuba, but it will cost about 3 cucs per day, in the Asistur agency.
Flight Ticket to Leave Cuba
Any tourist or Cuban living outside Cuba can't enter in Cuba without a ticket to leave the country, which may be to any destination, unless you are a temporary or permanent resident. If you want to know more about the existing residences types in Cuba, see this page.
How Many Days a Tourist Visa Lasts?
Generally a tourist visa is for 30 days and it can be extended to another 30, for 25 cucs. But, if you are a Canadian citizen, your visa will last 90 days and you can extend it for another 90 days (six months in total). Also, if you are married with a Cuban you can stay in Cuba up to six months, but you have to extend your visa each month.
Arriving to Cuba
If you have luggage weighing 30 kilograms or less, you do not have to pay any customs duties. There is a customs declaration, but this declaration is only for Cuban and foreign residents.
Looking for a Taxi
Arriving at the exit of the airport do not accept any taxi proposal because it could be an illegal taxi that would charge you the same as an official taxi or more, some of them go around a lot to pretend that the race is longer than it really is. Go out the door of the airport and head for an official taxi. Demand the use of the taximeter, as that is your right. In Havana a taxi ride to the city can cost between 20 and 30 cucs, depending on the distance, or perhaps more if you are going to a more peripheral area (such as the beaches). In other provinces the prices are similar. Sometimes taxi drivers, despite not having a taximeter, offer reasonable prices, but this is valid only when you know the price of the route in advance. Otherwise choose another taxi.
What you Should not to do With Taxi Drivers
Avoid to accept any proposition when the taxi driver offers you a private house which is not the hotel or the home you have booked. Most taxi drivers propose alternate lodging to get commissions from the home owners he know, who pay him to send them customers. The taxi driver will be very kind and seductive, but don't trust him completely. He may talk very badly and negatively about the home you have booked but this is only because he's interested to redirect you elsewhere. The bad news is that very often these houses are illegal, they don't have a rental license (below we'll discuss the consequences of this). If you get into such a taxi driver, make a try, invent a house and verify what he has to tell about it.
When you arrive at your destination, do not let the taxi driver talk to the owners of the house. Sometimes he will talk to the owners a little bit and then come and tell you that the house is taken. This happens because the taxi driver asks if the house is available as if you were an unknown customer. And the owners will say it's occupied because they weren't really waiting for just anyone, but for you. You must always speak in person, even if you don't speak Spanish, often the owners understand English or French.
The Cuban Taxi Riders
Sometimes in Cuba we invent incredible things to earn our daily bread. In Cuba there is almost no criminality. Is very unlikely that you fall into a gangster who will steal or attack you. And this is almost impossible if the taxi is official. So you can feel completely safe from this point of view. But this doesn't mean that taxis bring the best experience. They will instead be very friendly, seductive and helpful, but with the aim to gain money. And one way to do it is redirect you to any accommodation or service they will find for you. Sure, taxi drivers are not all equals. Much of them are over correct, but not all of them. Making money in Cuba is difficult. Don't allow someone to use you to remedy this unfortunate situation.
Where to Lodge in Cuba? Hotels and Casas Particulares
Where to stay in Cuba? Hotels and private houses
In Cuba, tourists and Cubans living abroad must stay in a hotel or in a house that has a rental license and pays taxes in CUC. They can also get a family visit visa. However, staying in a house without a license is a serious fiscal violation and can lead to a fine of 1500 CUCs, the confiscation of the house depending on the case and the deportation of the tourist. A deported tourist can return, even on the same day of his deportation, but this entails a plane ticket and the acquisition of new travel documents. Hardly anyone these days stays in illegal houses.
Tourists with the tourist's visa cannot lodge to friend's, spouse's or family's house. For this, they need a familiar visa, also called A-2 visa. You can change the visa in Cuba directly or in any Cuban embassy outside Cuba, but in this case you will pay more.
III. Practical Information
Drive a Car in Cuba
To rent a car in Cuba there are numerous agencies in almost all the tourist centers of the country.
Driver's License
Cuba will accept the driver's license of your country or the international license when you hire a car. In Cuba is not allowed to drive a vehicle without a valid and operative driver's license. The residents, six months after getting their residence, must get a Cuban driver's license. This may be done in the Trillo Park in Centro Habana or in Miramar 1ra and 14. The exact place depends on your domicile and it may be different than one of the ones we have mentioned.
What Credit Cards are Accepted in Cuba?
Credit cards are accepted in all tourist centers, commercial centers and official stores in CUCs. They are not accepted in private homes or in restaurants (paladares) or other private stuff. You can also use your credit card to withdraw money, both in ATMs and in cadecas (exchange houses) or in the main hotels (some hotels do not have a cadeca). In tourist centres and at the airport, the cadeca charges are higher, but the difference is irrelevant. Years ago, quite high fees were charged for any transaction made with a credit card. Today, these fees have become acceptable again. However, please note that ATMs only accept Visa cards. To make an advance of funds with a MasterCard, you must go to a hotel chain. In addition, no credit card issued by a U.S. bank is accepted.
Regarding debt cards, there is not guarantee that they will work, even if in general they should be accepted, especially if they are Visa or Visa Elektron.
Where to Eat in Cuba
In Cuba there are official restaurants and paladares (private restaurants, generally made in the same houses of the owners). Today, there are also the cooperative-type restaurants, that is, restaurants that were state-run and have been revitalized by private initiative. There are also the so-called cafeterias, which are small fast food kiosks and are generally in national currency and of mediocre quality. We totally discourage these places, not even the most popular ones, therefore they will not be mentioned in this site, we will only mention the official restaurants and the strict minority of the paladares, since most of them, despite the appearances, have not the quality and the reasonable prices they should.
The Cuban Cuisine
Cuban cuisine is derived from Hispanic and African traditions, but also has influences from the nearby island of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, so it is predominantly Creole and proposes simple meals based on local products. There is also a branch of fine cuisine that comes from Europe, mainly France and Spain, and was inherited by the Spanish from colonial times. Despite the difficulties of the special period and the loss of values, Cuba actually has a rich culinary tradition. Many legacies of this tradition, as well as fine dishes, can be found in fine restaurants or some paladares. While, from a home point of view, the dish of choice is the congrí (rice and beans), which accompanies anything else, a bit like in Chinese cuisine, where rice accompanies everything. In Cuba there is not much choice of fruits, but the ones that are available are really genuine. Good is the national beer and the famous rum. In Cuba the Italian and Spanish cuisines are very well represented and reproduced, but you can also find other thematic restaurants, less frequent but equally good. For example there is an Iranian restaurant in Vedado. It is located in front of the park at 23rd and D.
Telephone, Telecom and Internet
If a call is at the recipient's expense (and this is always the case when calling outside Cuba and the line is not international), you must always call through an operator. The other option is to have a cell phone. With a cell phone you can make international calls but they are quite expensive. Lately, Etecsa, the Cuban telecommunication company, proposes promotions, where when you recharge your cell phone line with a credit card through the internet, you receive a bonus, which is variable to the value of the recharge (bonus that applies with recharges from 20 cucs). With this bonus it is possible to make calls or send SMS mainly. International calls can sometimes be made with the bonus, other times they have half the price. The only drawback is that a bonus has a limited time, usually three weeks, if in this time the bonus is not spent, it expires and it is lost. Also these promotions do not apply all the time, every two or three weeks there is usually one and it lasts between 3 and 5 days. If a recharge is made on these promotion days, then the bonus is received. But you are no longer obliged to make these recharges online. Some individuals like private Etecsa agents can do it for you. These agents usually serve from their homes where a sign clearly indicates it.
The promotion can also include minutes, sms or mobile data bonus. Besides, the good news is that whoever receives international calls on a mobile phone in Cuba does not pay. It's also free if we receive a call from another mobile if that mobile doesn't dial *99 before the number, in that last case, the call is charged to the recipient. However, most people communicate internationally through mobile applications, such as WhatsApp, Imo or Telegram. WhatsApp is now the most widely used in Cuba.
In Cuba, a local call from mobile to mobile or from fixed to mobile costs 0.30 cents per minute. After 11 PM until 6:59 AM, calls from mobile to mobile cost 10 cents per minute. SMS messages cost 9 cents for the whole day. It is possible to transfer balance from one mobile to another. This however has an additional cost of 30 cents. In Cuba, mobile technology is based on the GSM system, SIM cards and is mostly prepaid.The TDMA system does not exist, while mobile data internet has been in place since 6 December 2018 and currently operates at 4G speed (although it does not yet reach all areas). In this page you can find an article entirely devoted to mobile data internet in Cuba.
Etecsa (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones Cubana Sociedad Anónima) manages all telecommunications services in Cuba. At first, mobile services were provided by Cubacel and Cecom. Cecom no longer exists and Cubacel has since been merged with ETECSA although both retain their distinctive names. Before 2009 only people who had a foreign (and not Cuban) passport could have a cell phone line in their name, in fact they could have up to 3 lines. Today it is the other way around: only Cubans and residents can have a cell phone line in their name. At first only one, now they can have three again. Foreigners cannot have it permanently but only under lease. However, the same thing that was done before can be done now: before, Cubans did business with foreigners to have their line. Now foreigners must pay any Cuban to have a line and use it. Although this is only convenient for foreigners who come to Cuba frequently, since a line expires one year after the last recharge.
The Internet in Cuba
The internet in Cuba used to be restricted but this is no longer the case. With the arrival of mobile data internet the options have become more flexible and now there are interesting packages, including 4G. I will not give details about prices and packages because this information is subject to rapid change. I will only say that these options have opened up possibilities. In addition to mobile data, the internet is available on wifi access, which is present in some parks, public places and hotels. This type of internet usually costs 1 cuc per hour, you can get it by purchasing connection coupons or by recharging a permanent Nauta account. And finally there is the Nauta Hogar option where it is possible to have an ADSL internet account, however this option is not available in all areas and is not usually very convenient because of the price. Personally I think that at this moment the mobile data option is the most flexible and convenient. Considering also that this type of internet does not work exclusively on mobiles. It is possible to enable a hot spot on the cell phone and connect the computer to the phone's internet via wifi. The good thing about mobile data internet in Cuba is that it has 4G speed (which allows to download videos at average speeds of 500 kb per second (real!), much faster than from a normal wifi in Cuba) and you can also disable the pay as you go option (an option you can't control) and only spend the mobile data that is left in the package. When the package runs out, the internet stops working. You can recharge it bery easily, you can buy a package directly from your phone balance. Once again, I invite you to read this page to know more about mobile data in Cuba (and all the details in terms of options and prices).
What kind of internet is suitable for a tourist? Surely wifi, but also mobile data, you just have to devote part of your balance to it. Tourists generally do not have permanent Nauta accounts, but most of the time they do not need them. Therefore it is advisable that they acquire their coupons in Etecsa centers or in hotels. Some hotels have their own internet connection or sell Nauta tickets that can only be used in those hotels. The dial-up internet connection is practically not used anymore, the few who still have this unfortunate internet have it anchored to a fixed phone and can no longer be transferred to another line, even if you move to another house! Luckily, this old stuff will soon be forgotten.
Dressing in Cuba
In Cuba the way of dressing is informal, due to the great heat that is most of the year. You have to choose cotton clothing and short sleeves. You can walk around in jeans, of course they are very hot if you are not used to it. For a foreigner it is preferable to walk around in light pants, skirts if you are a woman, shorts or sports suits (which are very comfortable in tropical climates because they are made for those who sweat and are hot). But you also have to take into account that long pants protect from mosquitoes. Therefore, if you are in an area where there are mosquitoes (and there almost always are), it is preferable to try to cover your legs and feet, which is where mosquitoes prefer to bite. Remember that in Cuba there is a risk of dengue fever (which is a type of yellow fever) and other endemic viral diseases due to mosquitoes. It is not very common to get sick, but precautions are never enough. If you come to Cuba in the dry season (November to April) you can bring something to keep you warm because during the sporadic cold fronts the temperature can drop to below 10 degrees Celsius. But generally, keep in mind that the climate in Cuba is tropical.
What is the Best Season to Travel to Cuba?
In Cuba there are two natural seasons, a "dry" and "fresh" one and a "damp" and "hot" one. Here the quotes really indicate a term between quotes because the climate in Cuba is never dry. In Cuba there is high humidity all year round. But the dry season is less humid compared to the summer. The "winter" is characterized by little rain and the arrival of several cold fronts. In the summer (April-October) it is the opposite. Excessive heat leads to higher rainfall, turbidity, insistent, violent but short-lived rainfall. While in the period June-November is the hurricane season, halfway between the beginning and end of summer. There is always the possibility of one passing over Cuba. Fortunately the Cuban civil defense is very efficient, Cuba is prepared to face hurricanes, now more than ever, and, in their occurrence, tourists who are staying in high risk areas are always moved to safe places.
Many prefer to come to Cuba in the fresh season. I also share this opinion but if you are a beach lover, if you love high temperatures and to brown under the sun, then summer is your choice. Let's say that winter is more suitable for general interest travel, while summer is an exclusively beach season. Cuba is always beautiful but its various manifestations depend on individual tastes and preferences.
Electricity in Cuba
The blackouts are not as frequent as years ago and the tourism sector is organized. Most hotels have their own power plant and so do some private homes. In addition, Cuba is already prepared to face electrical problems, perhaps more than other countries: they have many electrical plants that do not depend on oil, but on solar and other renewable energies. This makes blackouts very rare and usually due to breakdowns.
The voltage used in Cuba is 110 volts (and 220 for air conditioning), with American type outlets. Some hotels (such as the Melia chain hotels and others) use 220 volts and European plugs. If you come from a country that uses a different type of outlet and voltage, try to get adapters and transformers before you arrive in Cuba, because you will most likely have difficulty finding these things once you get there.
Shopping and Entertainments
In today's Cuba, there are practically three currencies: the national currency (CUP), which is the one used by the internal economy (this is the best way to describe it, because saying that it is the currency used by Cubans would be false), there is the CUC, whose value is similar to the US dollar and which is used to buy imported or first class products that were formerly reserved for tourists, and finally there is the virtual money, that is, people get a real account in dollars, which allows to shop in a new type of store, the convertible currencies shops, intended to replace the stores in CUC. In short, each currency has a purpose and serves for different types of products. The dollar has returned to the scene and even the 10% tax on exchange has been eliminated. This new virtual economy has been introduced to increase the influx of dollars and other hard currencies into the country. According to the authorities, this measure is temporary and will only be limited to high-end products. There is also a project to eliminate the CUC. We will see. For a more complete discussion of these issues, visit the article where to buy in Cuba.
Unfortunately the stores in CUC suffer a total shortage of products because the CUC is no longer well represented, Cuba has to buy in dollars and resell in CUC and the CUC itself is not worth anything. Up to now it, this limitation was always been compensated by tourism or supplies from Venezuela, making Cuba somehow dependent and unproductive, but none of that is enough anymore, especially after 2020. Definitely if you go to Cuba to go shopping, you are in the worst place in the world (not counting Venezuela which is likely to be worse).
Despite shortages, there are products that are always available, such as the famous rum, beers, drinks in general and cigars. If you are a first timer, don't buy any of these things on the street, especially talking about cigars. In order not to be swindled, you have to be a very fine connoisseur, apart from that, the only way to check if a tobacco is good is to smoke it, but not even, because the sellers will always give you excellent samples to try. For that reason, always buy in the stores, not everything is Cohiba Siglo VI, there are for all prices.
Religion in Cuba
The majority of the population practices and believes in syncretism, which is a mixture between Catholicism and African rites imported from colonial times. In the beginning, the Spanish colonizers forbade the slaves to practice their local religions. The latter began to mix the worship of the saints with their African rites, thus forming the famous religious trend called santeria or Afrocuban religion, something similar to what happens in Brazil. However, not everyone believes in it. In Cuba there is also Christianity with all its variants, the presence of the Catholic religion is quite strong and has been strengthened after the visits of the Popes.
There is currently no official religion in Cuba. The position regarding religion has been modified and changed over the years during the Revolution. For a time the government had an atheistic position, but over the years it has become more sensitive, especially towards Catholicism and syncretism.
Tips in Cuba
In general tips are very well accepted (where not, by the mean?) in exchange of little favors that you might receive. While in official places such as restaurants and hotels, they are usually 10% of the price, just like in other countries, but in Cuba they are not mandatory, while in some places (not much) that 10% is included in the price. When it's so, it's specified in the menu.
Transportation in Cuba
Public transportation in Cuba has always been a problem because of the shortage of means and especially of fuel. Buses are sometimes scarce and very full. That's why, except for some original ones, traveling by bus (which in Cuba is called "guagua") is not common among tourists, unless it is a tourist bus, like Viazul and others. But there are several options, such as personal taxis (both private and official, including classic cars), in CUCS and collective taxis in CUPS (mostly in classic cars, but less pretty). These latter are in national currency and can cost from 10 to 30 CUP per person, depending on the distance to travel, but they have a fixed and common itinerary. Personal taxis (which are called "taxi directo" in Cuba), are clearly more expensive, but they offer a faster and more comfortable service and also take you directly to the place you want to go. No taxi in Cuba charges for the trip made to go pick up the customer, for example if the customer calls the taxi by phone. You will only be charged from the moment the taxi picks you up. The night rates are a little higher than the day rates, especially if they are official taxis. The problem with these taxis is that they are few in number, the phone booking system has lost a lot of quality lately and most of them park only near hotels and airports. Generally the best option is using the collective taxis, however there are routes that only the guaguas can cover. Therefore, taking a bus is not so plebeyan after all.
The tourist also has the alternative of renting a car, but it is an costly one. In general, if you do not have much money, if you do not like to go in collective taxis or you do not have much knowledge about their routes, we advise you to stay in central areas and move only on known route.
In central locations it is also quite easy to get around on a bicycle or rollerblades. Cuba does not have very big cities and even Havana is a relatively small capital. Note also that most of the streets in Old Havana are pedestrianized, so it is not convenient to move around by car in this municipality. There are many bicycle taxis (which are cars powered by bicycles) in this area (and others).
Taxi Drivers Once More
Tipping is generally not done in taxis, unless they are official taxis that use a taximeter (only official taxis have one). Otherwise if you negotiate a tariff, it's often an undeclared race where the taxi driver personally earns the fare. Some drivers take advantage of newcomers by charging more than they should, some even ask for double! There are Cubans who think they are smarter than the rest of the world and consider tourists to be imbeciles, this at least until they travel to another country to reproduce the exact same experience in themselves. Avoid negotiating rates unless your convenience is evident. Some taxi drivers don't make much money but you don't know who is who and by the way, you didn't come to Cuba to perform humanitarian missions, nor to lose the respect of those who benefit at your expense!
Airports in Cuba
The airport of Havana is 18 kilometers (about 11.18 miles) away from the center and the airport of Santiago de Cuba city is about 15 km (roughly 9.32 miles) far from the downtown. And finally the airport of Varadero (the bigger after the airport of Havana), is 10 km (about 6.21 miles) away from the Varadero locality.
Here we will not talk about taxi prices as we have already done this, we just need to add that from the city to the airport is usually less expensive than from the airport to the city. Sometimes it is the same price, this depends on the situation and the taxi driver. The fact is that taxi drivers who pick up people at the airport have a special permit for that and some of them charge for it. Whereas anyone can go from the city to the airport, drop someone off and then leave. Much easier. In Santiago of Cuba the prices are similar. The situation in Varadero is a little different because normally tourists already have the transfer included in their travel package. But despite its 10 km, taxi prices in Varadero are higher than in other locations. The airport departure tax of 25 cucs is no longer paid, but it is always good to leave with some money. When leaving Cuba, at the airport they only exchange 300 cucs in foreign currency (typically Canadian dollars, Euros or Mexican Pesos, never USD). Keep this in mind as well.
IV. Precautions
Things to Avoid in Cuba
Avoid going around with a lot of money or with your passport in your pocket. In Cuba, there is not much crime, but there are plenty of thieves, who can rob you in various places and in various ways without you noticing. Avoid getting drunk or losing your head, both of which are easy to do in Cuba and make it easier for you to become a victim of some criminal act. But you don't have to go that far. One of our clients was robbed in his own car, he gave two women a hitchhike (which in Cuba is called "dar botella"). They began to propose theirselves to him by caressing him but in reality they took the money out of his pockets and he did not notice anything. Luckily he didn't have much money on him, but these things can always happen, no matter how unusual they are! Be very careful, if you lose an important document or a large sum of money it can totally spoil the happiness of your trip and perhaps even harm you completely.
Avoid to take pictures to uniformed people, military buildings or public establishments. This is forbidden in Cuba.
Avoid to bring in Cuba any kind of illegal drug or dope, unless you have a medical prescription certified in a Cuban embassy, which will authorize you to take it for medical reasons. Always get informed before bringing such things, because a simple medical prescription would not suffice. Carrying drugs in Cuba is severely punished. Don't be fool!
Since November 2004, Cuba's anti-tobacco law has been in effect, banning smoking in enclosed spaces. Clearly there are many violations. Cuba continues to be the paradise of smokers, and cancer is currently the first cause of death in Cuba, not only because of the use of tobacco, but also because of the poor diet to which Cubans are forced. It seems that it is more expensive for the government to invest in food than in medical expenses. Returning to the issue of tobacco, even though no one enforces it, the law still exists and is respected at least in tourist places such as hotels.
If you Drive, Don't Drink
Avoid driving with alcohol in Cuba. If you rent a car, your insurance pays for everything, whether or not you are in the right in the accident. However, if you drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the insurance will not cover anything and all the damages will be at your charge, according to the high prices in Cuba, established by the car rental. In addition, in case of accidents with injuries or deaths, the foreigner involved will not be able to leave Cuba until the trial is over, whether he is right or wrong, which can take months. Be very careful! If you plan to go to a discotheque and drink alcohol it is preferable not to go in your car, hire a driver or take a taxi. If you rent a car you are entitled to an additional driver. You can also have a personal chauffeur, but it has to be mentioned in the rental contract. Another option is to leave the car at the disco, it will be safe and you'll avoid risks, but the best option of all is to avoid getting drunk.
Illness and Vaccins
In Cuba, there are not endemic illness, except some infections like the dengue (yellow fever) transmitted by mosquitos. Despite of the battle conduced against mosquitos and the fumigation, these insects are always there. Be always careful, use insect repellents or protecting clothes, especially in the late afternoon, when the Aedes Aegipty, the mosquito responsible for the epidemic is most likely to appear.
Some cases of cholera also occurred in Cuba, but only in isolated steps and always far from tourist places.
Because there are not typical illness in Cuba, we don't have particular vaccines to recommend. A simple one against influenza would be handy.
The rate of AIDS in Cuba is quite low because health education programs are very good about it. Nevertheless, it is always important to protect yourself.
Possible Sanitary Risks
Dengue, hepatitis A, typhus, influenza.
It's always good to bring with you a little kit of medicines, here a small list that might be useful:
- Aspirin for fevers and pains. This in Cuba is difficult to get since many years.
- Antihistamines and anticongestions. - They are useful for allergic influenza and several other reactions quite frequent in Cuba. Keep in mind that if you take antihistamines they can give sleepiness. If possible, choose one you used in the past and you know well. These drugs are quite available in Cuba but they may be missing over the time. Therefore, if you have problems with that, it is always good to bring them with you.
- Some products to prevent altitude or car sickness.
- You don't need to bring antibiotics in Cuba and you cannot if you don't have medical prescription. These drugs are easily found in the drugstores accepting CUP and also in the international drug stores. You will also find a physician who will make a prescription, because they are now mandatory even in international drug stores.
- A good purgative may be useful because the constipation in Cuba is a common problem.
- Some disinfectants for cuts, scratches, etc. In Cuba it's difficult to get patches, so if you use them, bring them.
- An antihistamine ointment or the chinese menthol, to relieve irritations or itches due to insect bites.
- Some powder or anti-fungal products to relieve fungus. Although they are usually available in Cuba.
- Scissors, forceps and thermometer (but don't bring them in hand luggage because these things are generally forbidden by airlines).
- You can also bring solutions to disinfect water, even if the hypochlorite is usually available in any national money drugstore and it's very cheap. But sometimes they are missing.
- If you smoke cigars, Listerine is awesome, because it helps preventing mouth irritations. We also recommend to brush your teeths immediately after smoking a cigar, this will help you yo maintain your month free from any irritation and will keep your teeths clean.
- Alcohol based handkerchiefs or lotions to sanitize your hands, because in Cuba is often difficult to find soap in bathrooms and it's very important to wash your hands before eating anything. This will help prevent illness which in Cuba are always possible.
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