Advice For Travelling To Cuba: Know Before You Go

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Cuba hasn’t been essentially the most accessible nation to go to for a very long time, so it’s unsurprising that lots of people are on the lookout for recommendation for travelling to Cuba.

It’s a kind of distinctive locations which might be not like wherever else on the earth; from colourful colonial buildings to traditional American automobiles to a thriving salsa dancing tradition.

However it’s additionally notoriously recognized for being a bit unstable politically, and whereas crime is low right here, you do must go in armed understanding concerning the nation’s historical past and why it could possibly appear unstable to some individuals.

On this information, we’re sharing our necessary Cuba journey suggestions, so you possibly can go to this unbelievable and interesting nation with out a hitch.

Is Cuba pleasant to vacationers?

I’m not going to deceive you, Cuba­ just isn’t a simple place to journey to. There are a handful of nations the place you possibly can fly direct to Havana from, making it laborious to entry for many individuals – so the hurdles go up instantly.

Can People go to Cuba? Sure, now you can journey to Cuba from USA and fly to Havana direct from the States, however flights are laborious to come back by and can all the time be the costliest choice.

What’s extra, there appears to be little or no useful details about Cuba on-line, and all the things you see appears to battle with what you’ve simply learn earlier than. That is why we created this information that will help you type by the wheat and the chaff.

The toughest half is attending to Cuba, however when you arrive, you’ll discover that Cuba in all fairness vacationer pleasant. Violent crime is uncommon, however pickpocketing is understood to occur, so hold your belongings secure and don’t wander out of vacationer areas.

One factor to pay attention to is that English just isn’t extensively spoken exterior of Havana or the massive cities, however when you can communicate primary Spanish you will get by. Whatever the language barrier, Cubans are keen to assist and work together with vacationers.

Cash Suggestions for Cuba

Let’s start with cash, since this shall be your largest headache when visiting Cuba. Beneath are some recommendation for utilizing cash in Cuba…

1. Take money with you

Though issues with the States are settling down now, it’s a good suggestion to take some laborious foreign money in your journeys to Cuba.

You’ll find ATMs in Cuba, however know that they don’t settle for American debit or bank cards. There’s a 3% withdrawal charge or bank card utilization charge for many transactions.

In actual fact, most retailers and card machines don’t settle for American playing cards, so when you’re American, you’ll don’t have any selection however to take US Greenback with you and alternate it.

2. Take Euros or GBP Sterling

When you’re not American, you should use your credit score and debit playing cards with out a drawback, however if you need to alternate money, attempt to take Euros or British Kilos as these get one of the best alternate price.

Use a journey bank card to pay for all the things that you would be able to, however know that some smaller, impartial retailers and eating places might solely settle for money.

3. Don’t take another international foreign money

Except for USD, Euros and Kilos, don’t take another foreign money (Canadian {Dollars} is perhaps accepted in some locations, however not as fascinating as the opposite currencies).

They don’t know what to do with them.

When you’re not American, don’t take American {dollars}, the alternate price shall be horrible plus you need to pay an additional charge each time.

If that’s your solely choice, sorry People, a minimum of we warned you!

4. Cuba now not has two currencies

When tensions eased and Cuba allowed People to journey, they created two currencies; CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso or ‘Cuban greenback’) which was aligned to USD, which vacationers should use. The second is CUP (Cuban Peso) which is for the locals.

Now, after two years, this has been scrapped. The one foreign money in circulation now could be CUPs.

CUC payments at the moment are nugatory and never accepted. Once you obtain your change, be sure to verify whether or not it’s an outdated invoice or a brand new CUP.

7. Verify to see in case your financial institution has any American alliances

American Specific and different American affiliated banks are blocked in Cuba, although most Visa, Euro and Mastercard bank cards do work if they aren’t American corporations.

Be sure that your financial institution doesn’t have an affiliation with the U.S., if it does, you won’t have the ability to entry your cash regardless.

Get your self a Revolut account or use Clever, which you should use as a backup.

8. The most effective ATM to get cash in Cuba

Attempt to get cash out of the ATM upstairs on degree 1 of Havana Worldwide Airport.

Keep away from utilizing the bureau de change on the airport although. They’re recognized to provide incorrect change and the charges aren’t pretty much as good.

Lodges and resorts normally have a bureau de change.

9. Each city can have two forms of financial institution

Banco de Cuba, that are correct banks, or Cadeca, which is sort of a foreign money kiosk. The financial institution normally offers higher charges.

10. Just one particular person at a time might be served within the financial institution

When you’re touring with a buddy or your associate, flip a coin to see who goes! You’ll be able to’t stand subsequent to at least one one other such as you may do at an ATM or financial institution in your house nation.

Cities normally have ATMs too – although some smaller locations like Viñales don’t.

11. Inform your financial institution you’re going to Cuba

It’s a good suggestion to do that each time you allow your nation anyway, however considered one of our prime Cuba journey suggestions is that it’s much more necessary for this vacation spot.

Worldwide calls are costly and web entry may be very restricted.

In case your financial institution thinks your playing cards are getting used with out your consent, they may cancel them in your behalf and depart you stranded.

Suggestions On Documentation for Journey to Cuba

12. Get journey insurance coverage for Cuba

You have to have journey insurance coverage to journey to Cuba. They do spot checks at Customs and when you can’t produce coverage documentation, they make you purchase insurance coverage there.

The bank card we use to purchase flights has nominal journey insurance coverage included. It doesn’t cowl all the things although however we took the gamble.

We weren’t checked going into Cuba.

13. Print out any journey paperwork earlier than you allow for Cuba

Know-how is basically laborious to come back by throughout journey in Cuba, and whereas some lodges can have a printer, they may most likely cost you to make use of it.

When you want any journey paperwork whilst you’re in Cuba, or on your subsequent vacation spot, print them earlier than flying to Havana.

14. Getting your Cuba Visa

Most nationalities require a visa for Cuba. For People, it’s the Pink Visa, for another nationality, it’s the Inexperienced Visa. Some nationalities want solely apply for a Cuba Vacationer Card.

The right way to get a visa for Cuba? You’ll be able to both purchase yours by your native Cuban embassy or earlier than verify­in at a Cubana Air desk.

This isn’t all the time potential although. Not each airport has the Cuba visa service, so it’s higher to be secure than sorry and get it on-line beforehand.

You may get your visa on-line right here.

15. You now not want a Basic License Affadavit

In case you didn’t discover from the completely different visa kind, People have completely different guidelines and laws for touring to Cuba.

It was as soon as the case that People must get a basic license affidavit, which is a doc declaring that the rationale they’re visiting is of “significant goal,” i.e., you’re visiting for tourism functions.

That is now not a authorized requirement for People by the Workplace of Overseas Belongings Management (OFAC), however some airways wish to verify earlier than you board a airplane.

When you’re going with a tour firm, that is normally accomplished as a part of the tour package deal, but when not, you’ll find extra details about it right here.

16. Flights to Cuba

Get to the airport three hours earlier than takeoff for each flights to Cuba, coming and going.

Cubana Air likes its passengers checked in a minimum of an hour sooner than another airline. Planes are sometimes over­booked, so it’s price that further hour for peace of thoughts.

Packing Suggestions For Cuba

17. Journey as gentle as potential

Once you fly to Cuba, when you can, go along with cabin baggage solely. We managed to and it was one of the best. We didn’t have to fret about shedding our stuff or about it getting broken.

We additionally noticed different vacationers struggling out and in of the tiny doorways of Cuban buildings and up tight staircases with their monumental luggage, which seemed like a nightmare.

18. Pack bathroom paper and sanitary merchandise

Cuba doesn’t have a lot in the way in which of soaps, sanitary merchandise, and even bathroom paper.

We advocate you pack these things, together with hand sanitizer and physique wash and so on, because it gained’t be straightforward to come back by in Cuba.

19. Take all drugs you want

Pharmacies in Cuba should not effectively stocked as primary medicines are laborious to acquire in Cuba.

We advocate you’re taking all drugs you want with you, in addition to the same old preventative meds like paracetamol, diarrhoea tablets, allergy tablets and so on.

Recommendation For Touring Round Cuba

20. Use collectivos (shared taxis)

One of the simplest ways to get round Cuba is to take the collectivos, that are like shared taxis that journey from metropolis to metropolis.

You’ll be able to normally order one together with your resort.

21. Items and bartering in Cuba

There’s a whole lot of speak about having pens to provide to individuals instead of cash. There’s a barter system in Cuba, however not for pens.

Youngsters like to have pens, however there gained’t be a mad scramble when you produce a chewed up Biro.

We noticed a person commerce a bar of resort cleaning soap for cigars as soon as, and there appears to be a scarcity of tinned tuna in Cuba – it’s some of the costly issues to eat there.

In any other case, clothes with American manufacturers on it’s a in style merchandise to commerce, as is something to do with baseball.

22. Meals in Cuba isn’t nice; take seasoning

On account of restrictions in commerce, Cuban meals isn’t one of the best – although it’s not the worst both. It’s normally only a bit bland.

Take just a little salt with you or – as our buddy did – take a bottle of sauce with you.

He took some Sriracha, which was nearly all gone after two weeks!

23. Drink bottled water

Though they are saying the water is handled in Cuba, we don’t advocate you drink it. Use bottled water for brushing your enamel and solely drink bottled water.

Watch out if you eat road meals, as typically the fruit might be washed in faucet water as an alternative of bottled water.

Watch out when ordering ice together with your drinks. Be sure that it has a gap by it, so you understand is has been handled.

Know-how in Cuba

24. Cuba web isn’t nice (and a few websites blocked)

The web isn’t nice in Cuba. It’s restricted and censored by the federal government, and so some websites can’t be accessed in Cuba.

Don’t fear, Netflix just isn’t one of many websites that’s blocked!

WiFi sign tends to be adequate for searching however not all the time the strongest.

The sign power can also be not nice, however you possibly can nonetheless use your smartphone to get round.

I like to recommend you obtain MapsMe or one other offline GPS like Galileo, which lets you use your cellphone’s GPS to indicate the place on the earth you might be.

You have to obtain maps onto the app first earlier than you get to Cuba and go offline.

25. Get an area sim card

To remain linked in Cuba, get an area sim card. The one with one of the best protection is the Cubacel Tur SIM Card, which you will get from the airport.

In case your cellphone helps an eSIM, Airalo have an eSIM deal for 7 days, 1GB, which ought to be sufficient for basic web searches and utilizing the map.

26. Observe Cuba Junky

Cuba Junky is an excellent weblog, which tells you a large number concerning the nation. This man additionally has maps of Cuba with every Casa Particulare – a kind of homestay in style with vacationers in Cuba – famous on the map.

You’ll be able to add these maps onto Galileo (see my earlier be aware) and use your GPS to navigate round.

The right way to Put together For Your Journey to Cuba

27. Know one of the best time of yr to go to Cuba

As with all vacation spot, there are good and higher occasions of yr to go to Cuba.

The most effective time of yr to go to Cuba is between mid­ November and March, when it’s the cooler dry season – that is normally a busier time of yr because of the decrease temperatures and humidity degree.

When NOT to go to Cuba? Could and June is the moist season and when issues get a bit sweaty in Cuba, however issues occur just like the tobacco is harvested and carnivale, that are some of the in style highlights of the Cuban calendar.

July to early November is hurricane season, when issues can get a bit windy.

28. E book your first evening’s lodging in Cuba

Undecided the place to remain in Cuba? Be sure to have your first evening’s lodging booked and when you prefer it you possibly can lengthen, or transfer some other place.

It’s not a good suggestion to reach in Cuba with no plan of the place you need to sleep that evening. Be sure that your first evening a minimum of is roofed.

The most effective website to e-book lodges and casas particulares (native houses) in Cuba is Expedia.

29. E book Cuba excursions earlier than you allow

As we’ve talked about earlier than, the web is tough to come back by in Cuba. Looking for excursions in Cuba and different paid-for actions whilst you’re there shall be troublesome and expensive.

We booked a small group tour with Cuban Adventures earlier than we left and it proved to be one of the best choice.

30. Select your tour primarily based on itinerary

If you wish to be part of a tour, you have to to consider how lengthy you need to be touring and create your listing of locations to go to in Cuba.

Don’t fear an excessive amount of about promised companies or extras. Most excursions use the identical company for the tour guides.

31. Be taught as a lot Spanish as you possibly can

Certainly one of our useful Cuba journey suggestions is to be taught just a little of the native language.

Even easy phrases and sentences will go a good distance in Cuba. Cuban individuals love to speak to you and if you understand just a little of their lingo, they’ll be even friendlier.

It additionally helps when you’re staying in casa particulars so you possibly can communicate to your beneficiant hosts.

32. Take salsa classes

Everybody in Cuba is aware of the best way to salsa. Even when you simply be taught the essential steps, you gained’t really feel ignored stood on the fringe of the dance ground whereas everybody else is having fun with themselves.

You’ll be able to take classes in Cuba whilst you’re there, however by then it is perhaps too late.

Remaining Ideas

An important factor to recollect to do whilst you’re in Cuba is to have enjoyable.

Cuba just isn’t a harmful nation, as many individuals suppose. Crime charges should not excessive, and petty crime is uncommon. There’s a whole lot of paperwork right here although, which makes touring laborious.

Offering you utilize your frequent sense and look out for scams on the streets in Cuba, behave with respect for the native tradition, you’ll have one of the best time in Cuba.

Extra Cuba Journey Suggestions

Want extra inspiration on your journey to Cuba? Listed below are another useful guides…

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