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Tips for travelers to Havana & Cuba
- Home stay, B&B, hostel & casa particular accommodation in Cuba -

How to get to Cuba?

Getting to Cuba is easy. The great majority of visitors arrive by air. Cuba is connected to approximately 50 cities in the world through regular and charter flights: the most important cities of the Caribbean, Canada, United States, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. Over 60 foreign airlines fly to Cuba landing in its ten international airports located in the main cities and tourist destinations of the country. However, the main place of entry to the Island is José Martí International Airport in Havana.

To enter Cuba as a tourist you only need a valid passport, a Tourist Card and a travel insurance policy. The passport must have a minimum valid period of six months beyond your stay in Cuba. The Tourist Card can be purchased at travel agencies and airlines that fly to Cuba. The Tourist Card allows free travel throughout Cuba for up to thirty days.

Visas for long-term stay & non-tourist

It is needed a visa to enter Cuba for more than a 30-day period. Students, businesspersons, journalists or any other visitor who comes to fulfil a specific task should get a special visa, which can be requested in the Cuban Consulate of their respective country.
During your stay in Cuba, we advise to carry with you a photocopy of your passport and not the original, unless you need it for some specific task.

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Travel insurance policy

As a requirement for entering the country, all foreign travelers and Cubans living abroad, shall have a travel insurance which covers medical expenses or a policy for medical expenses with coverage in Cuba. The insurance policy should be bought at the country of departure. Travelers, who do not have insurance at arrival, could obtain insurance and assistance from Cuban insurance companies at the airports, ports and marinas.

Do you have the right currency?

Since November 2004, prices in tourist facilities and other service units are set in Convertible Cuban Pesos (CUC), issued in 1994. You can exchange your currency (Euros, Canadian or US dollars, Pounds Sterling, Mexican Peso, Japanese Yen and others) into CUC at airports, banks, hotels and at the exchange houses, called CADECA for its acronym in Spanish, spread all around the Island.

» Cuban currency exchange rates

Electricity

Electric appliances with round prongs require a flat-prong adapter to be used in the electrical outlets of Cuba. The electric current of general use is of 110 v / 60 hz, even though recently constructed hotels also have 220 v / 60 hz.

Health

Though tap water is drinkable, it’s recommended that you stick to bottled water as an added protection against tropical illnesses. Most hotels have doctors and nurses on call for 24 hours a day, and the main cities and tourist destinations of the country have clinics for tourists.

Cira García Clinic, in Havana, provides emergency services, long-term care, and any medical need to tourists and foreigners. It has a good selection of doctors and nurses and offers excellent services. There is also a pharmacy across the street from the Clinic. Cira García Clinic address: Calle 18 # 4304, Alt. de Miramar, La Habana, Cuba. Ph.: (53-7) 204-2811 & 204-4300.

Health regulations upon arrival to Cuba

Restrictive sanitary regulations are only for visitors who come from countries where yellow fever and endemic cholera exist, or from countries the World Health Organization has declared as infected areas. In such cases, it’s required an International Vaccination Certificate. Products of animal and vegetable origins have entry restrictions. The corresponding certificate is required to bring animals into Cuba.

Communications

To call to Cuba, dial the country code 53, the code of the city, and the desired phone number. Havana code is 7. To make a phone call from Cuba you must dial 119, followed by the country and the area codes and then the phone number you want.

You can call from Cuba to any other country from your own home by using an ETECSA Prepaid Telephone Card, available at prices starting from CUC 5. You can also call to other countries from hotels or from Phone Company Desks available throughout the country, or from cellular phones.

Cellular phones can be rented upon arrival, or you can bring your own phone and activate it here. It will work in major cities and tourist areas.

Internet Access

It is available in many Cuban hotels, some Mail and ETECSA offices, the Capitol building and the Chamber of Commerce offices.

Internet access is becoming more and more common and available in Havana. The most popular Internet Cafe in the city is located in El Capitolio building. The price there is CUC 5 per hour. Several hotels with business centres and/or Internet cafes are other options, where most of the prices are between CUC 5 and CUC 8 per hour, some with higher prices for being fancier hotels. Alternatively, you can use ETECSA offices. These offices sell disposable access cards at CUC 6 per hour valid in every Internet-equipped ETECSA office in the country. There's one at Aguila & Dragones Streets in Centro Habana. Ph.: (53-7) 866-4641 & 866-4646.

Time zone

Cuba is in the same time zone as Bogota, Kingston, Lima, New York, Toronto and Washing D.C. Daylight Saving Time runs from April to October.

Essentials in your suitcase

Regarding clothing, cotton and linen fabrics, or similar are adequate for most of the year. In winter and in air-conditioned facilities, it’s advisable to use light wool garments or a light jacket. Theatres, concert halls, cabarets, and deluxe restaurants require more formal clothing. It’s advisable to be prepared for some rainy days. Be sure to include sunglasses, a swimsuit, and a sun blocking lotion.

Be a smart traveller in Cuba

Even though Cuba is a safe country and has low crime rates, you should be aware of certain precautions to avoid being a victim of thieves and impostors. It’s wise to consider some recommended precautions:

Exchange your currency only at banks, hotels and exchange houses (CADECA), never in the streets.
Carry only as much money as you need.
Be careful with your belongings and purchases, especially in crowded areas.
Check the bill at restaurants.
Don’t pay attention to people approaching you in the streets and introducing themselves as “tourist guides”.
Don’t pay attention to cigar sellers at cheaper prices than the ones in authorized stores, such as Habanos S.A., because those cigars are a fraud.
Try to keep away from dark quiet areas and side streets if you are on your own, particularly late at night. Always take an official taxi to return to your accommodation.

Departing Cuba

Guarantee your arrival to the airport at least two hours before your flight is due to depart. Make sure to retain at hand the second portion of your Tourist Card, as this ticket must be handed to the immigration official on departure. An airport departure tax of CUC 25 applies when leaving Cuba.