Traveling to Cuba is still legal, and honestly not that hard to do after you do your research and prepare well. I wanted to share what I found out through the process to make it easier for any of you who might be considering a trip. I will write about my actual vacation later, but I felt this deserved its own blog as it is quite a bit of information!
Helpful tips to know before visiting:
1.) Money
There are two currencies that are used (no USD!):
– CUC, one that you will need, widely accepted across the country, 1 CUC = 1 USD
– CUP, used only by locals, tourists are not supposed to have, 25 CUP = 1 USD
ATMS in Cuba will NOT accept American credit cards. It is important to plan ahead and bring all the cash you might possibly need WITH YOU to Cuba. The easiest place to exchange money is in the Havana airport. The exchange fees vary by currencies (usually around 3%), but USD have an ADDITIONAL 10% tax upon exchange! This is why before going, have your USD exchanged at your departing airport or your bank for Euros (this is what I chose, ends up saving you money) or Canadian dollars (easiest to switch over) then switched there for CUCs (just keep a calculator handy to make sure you’re not getting cheated). If you don’t have time to switch over currencies at the Havana airport, other safe places to exchange money include cadecas, BFI & Banco Metropolitano banks, & major hotels like Hotel Nacional or Hotel Saratoga. Upon returning from Cuba, make sure to switch your CUC back to another currency before leaving, as they cannot exchange this when back in the US.
2.) Documentation
You will need 3 different types of documentation to visit Cuba:
– A passport
– Non-U.S. medical insurance, which is usually included in airline ticket prices on flights originating in the United States or can be purchased at the airport upon arrival to Cuba. We flew on American Airlines, and it was included with our flight. It’s a $25 insurance policy, and automatically shows up in the quote for your flight. If you do have to pay at arrival, it is decently cheap (~$3-5/day).
– A visa, which can either be purchased at CLT or MIA airports exclusively, or bought online and shipped to your home. I checked at CLT for a Cuba entry kiosk, and was never able to find it. At MIA, after checking in our luggage, a man with the portable “kiosk” was there to issue us the documents we needed and collected our fees there ($100 USD- you can pay by cash or card, but make sure to have some USD still available, as they do not accept other currencies for this). If you buy online, you have to pay for the visa ($85 + the price of shipping, which is $25 to $40, depending on how quickly you need it). Depending on which airline you fly, visa prices can fluctuate, but all should range between $50-$125.
There was a lot of stress in choosing which of the 12 authorized categories we should put as our reason for traveling, as travel for the sole purpose of tourism is not allowed. After a lot of research, here’s a simplified version of a couple of the most popular choices for US travelers:
People to People– Usually only good for those who are going on a cruise, as you have to be with a group package tour (no individual travelers)
Support for the Cuban People– “Individuals and non-governmental organizations that promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba; and each traveler engages in a full-time schedule of activities that enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities; and result in meaningful interaction with individuals in Cuba.” This is what we ended up choosing. Activities that contribute to this category include staying at a casa particular , eating at local restaurants, supporting and engaging local artisans. The only thing you cannot do is go to certain military-owned businesses and hotels. There is a list of these buildings online. Make you sure check it out and keep it with you before you visit Cuba, just in case.
Overall, no one ever made a big deal or questioned us about our reason for visiting. We kept receipts from some of these transactions just in case, but I wouldn’t stress about it. At our casa particulars, they asked for our passports and our signatures for their log books to keep records as well.
3.) Accommodations
The main type of accommodation is through what is known as casa particulars, which are government-approved homes in Cuba, run by families that rent out rooms to tourists. The easiest way to find these are buy booking on AirBnb. Many of the hotels are owned by the military, and are therefore not allowed for US citizens. They are usually run-down and overpriced. Plus, you get the true Cuban experience from casa particulars and their owners. The most expensive casa particular we purchased was $40/ night! That is insane to me, since we were close to the city center, everything was clean, and we had our own private apartment with our own private kitchen. Most of the places we stayed at varied between $10-$25/night, and all were honestly great.
4.) Transportation
Walking on foot is good for almost any city/town in Cuba. Though Havana is large, you can still walk most places. If you are wanting to skip the walk, or if you feel uncomfortable at night, taxis are your best bet.
The yellow taxis are government-owned taxis, and are usually in better condition than the other taxis. It just depends on your driver, but prices are around the same for both. Transportation by taxi is generally more expensive in Havana, so just beware of this.
If you are wanting to skip from city, to city, there are a few ways to best go about this. One option is the Viazul bus. Tickets can be purchased online in advance (I would recommend doing this if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of going to and fro and want to know exactly what you’ll be spending on transportation). Just realize that the bus does take a little bit longer compared to taxis due to periodic stops, and that if you do not purchase tickets online, you would need to show up over an hour before the bus is set to depart to make sure there are any available seats (they fill up fast). We ended up missing the window to purchase online as we booked our trip last minute, so I have no actual personal experience with the buses.
Viazul bus has various routes:
– Havana to Varadero: $10 (3 hours)
– Varadero to Santiago de Cuba: $49 (15 hours)
– Trinidad to Havana: $24 (6 hours)
– Havana to Vinales: $12 (3.5 hours)
Car rentals in Cuba are usually very rare. You also have no idea what kind of condition the car will be in. This is why I recommend against them. The roadway system in Cuba can not be the greatest either, depending on what section you are in.
The best and most affordable means of transportation from city to city is by collectivos (shared taxis). To set these up, you either need to find a group of taxis parked at a park around town, or even easier.. through hosts at AirBnbs. Most do not care at all to arrange transportation for you, as they know there are no websites for these kind of services and Americans usually get a little ripped off if they negotiate a price themselves. We did a collectivo from Havana to Cienfuegos for 35 CUC/person, Cienfuegos to El Nicho and Trinidad for 15 CUC/person, then Trinidad to Havana for 30 CUC/person. Though not completely comfortable being crammed into a car for a few hours drive, how can you beat $30 for a 5+ hour taxi? Plus, sometimes you’ll luck up and get a pretty neat classic car!
5.) No internet & little cell service
Internet is a rarity in Cuba. I was honestly a little relieved that I would be very present on vacation, instead of wanting to check in constantly and scroll through social media. But this also requires planning. You will need to download maps of everywhere you are going via Google Maps to use offline. Thank God I did this before, or we would have been completely lost!
Another great tool to download before you leave is an offline translation app. I know very little Spanish. Our first hosts knew very little English, and we would have been completely unable communicate if it were not for an app.
You can buy an internet card at certain hotels for relatively cheap by the hour if you do want to get in contact a few times while you’re gone. Take into account that the internet is still much slower in most places than what I was accustomed to at home, so best to know beforehand what you need to look up/ people you want to contact, before doing so.
I have Verizon and have the travel pass that turns on when I automatically go into another country and charges $10 a day for my current plan. Of course, there are a few countries this is not available in, with Cuba being one of them. Text messages and phone calls did cost when I had to use them. Sometimes when I did send a text, it would be delayed for quite a while. Just be aware of what your current plan offers, what will be charged, and make sure to keep your phone on airplane mode when possible to avoid any unwanted fees.
6.) Misc.
Tipping is generally not expected in Cuba. Yet, I feel as more Americans have visited and have not been aware of what is appropriate, they have tipped. Cubans are all about making a dollar (nothing wrong with that) and because of this, sometimes you will get asked for a tip for extra help (taxi rides, tours, etc). Be careful of anyone on the street who demands to perform for you, or who badgers to chat with you. In one way or another, they will expect some money from you as well. These characters are all around Havana in particular. It’s best to avoid eye contact and keep on moving.
Cuban cigars. Havana Club rum. All that good stuff that would make great presents for your family and friends, and you can buy for cheap and take back home, but are worried if you actually can? You sure can. You can bring up to $800 worth of souvenirs back home from Cuba duty-free. This includes alcohol and tobacco products. Not a problem.
Luggage. I brought my one big bag of luggage, since we were there for a week. I did ok with this, but it would have been easier if I could have somehow brought something smaller. One casa particular was up three flights of stairs, and fitting that big suitcase in the back of every taxi proved to be like a game of Tetris. If at all possible, pack small to medium sized luggage. The Havana airport baggage claim is crazy! But unlike other horror stories I read, I did not have to wait a long time and my luggage was not lost. But, if you want to avoid the possibility of any of that, there’s yet another reason to only bring a carry-on.
I hope these tips help any of you who find yourself planning a trip to Cuba! Even though it is a country that requires a bit more preparation than some others, realize it is absolutely worth it. It’s a beautiful country, and I’m so thankful to say I’ve had the opportunity to visit! Happy travels!
bedtravels 