- Cuba – Top Tips
To vacation in Cuba is like going no-where else because of the time warp the country has been in for the past half century.
I thought the country was beguiling with interesting (and interested) people and I left the country with rich and warm memories.
I’ve jotted down a few of my observations and experiences relating to money, safety, transport, accommodation, (food I’ve covered in earlier articles), what extras to take, the internet and good buys.
Some tips for would be visitors to Cuba:
Money:
Cuba has two currencies: one for tourists and one for locals. Tourists have to use the CUC or Cuban Convertible Peso which can only be purchased in Cuba. The locals use pesos.
Leave your home country with Euro or Canadian Dollars in cash and/or some in traveler’s cheques. Because I was going to be in Cuba for nearly a month, for the first time ever I traveled with several thousand (this time Euro) in cash. I travel with a Travelex card loaded with money http://www.cashpassport.com.au/ but I couldn’t find a machine to accept it.
I was advised to take small denominations but I found that wasn’t necessary as the banks could change larger denominations.
Credit cards work at a few machines (if you can find them). When I used my Australian issued credit card the amount in CUC was converted to US Dollars (which has a 10% commission), then into Australian dollars – ouch – it was an expensive exercise.
Keep lots of small change for tips and to give away. Wages are incredibly low and a tip of 1CUC (approximately $1.30 AU) will help a lot. Bathroom ladies are prevalent and they have a saucer for small change too.
Safety:
As a solo female traveler I am often asked about the safety of a place. Thankfully, I have no horror stories to report, but locals warned me on numerous occasions to take care of my keys, money, hat, bag, camera etc. In old Habana, and to a lesser extent Trinidad, security is very obvious and this helps to keep the city safe.
Local Transport:
Road transportation between the main destinations is not difficult, but it is rather expensive, when compared to similar economies like Cambodia and Laos.
Bus companies Transtur and Viazul operate air conditioned buses and they are reliable and comfortable. Transtur often operates door to door – usually hotel to hotel but when I stayed in a Vinales the bus driver took some trouble to find and drop me off at my casa! Reservations can be made through various tour agencies or directly with the companies.
In Habana, Vinales and Varadero a hop on hop off bus operates. You pay when you get on the first time and its cheap (relative to other travel in Cuba) and an excellent way to see the country.
Accommodation:
Most of the time I stayed in Casa Particulares – (homes of the locals). I recommend looking around for one that suits. I paid between 25-30CUC per night for a very clean private room, air conditioning and attached bathroom with hot water.
For meals at Casas I typically paid 3CUC for breakfasts and 6CUC for dinners. The food provided by my Casa hosts varied and the servings overly generous. Always, they tried to get food I wanted to eat.
My Casa hosts didn’t speak English very well and so my Spanish/English dictionary was rather dog-eared by the end of my trip. It’s very helpful if you know some of the language.
My Casa host would make a booking with their friends at my next destination. Although, in typical Cuban fashion, twice on arrival the promised room was not available, they always found another room for me somewhere else.
Make Sure You Pack:
- Your sense of humour.
- Soap (to use as it’s not always offered), small packets of tissues, hand wash (but see my comments in my earlier article), plenty of reading material (books in English are attainable but the supply is very limited), a good conversion plug, a good Spanish/English dictionary and…
- Snacks, snacks and more snacks. I was very pleased I’d stocked up with lots of nuts, dried fruit, crackers, chocolate, biscuits etc. Food is rationed here and the supplies are limited.
- I also recommend you pack things to give away. I took supplies of chewing gum and pens and wished I’d taken a lot more as they were very gratefully received. I also took hair decorations and coloured felt pens. You will be asked for things e.g. adults asked me for reading books for their children, food, my tee shirts etc.
Internet:
The internet is available but it's slow and expensive and as there are few machines there's a wait – sometimes well over one hour.
In Habana the best places to access the internet is at the hotels where you buy a card, typically for half an hour or one hour. Although the card looks universal, I found that the cards were unique to each establishment meaning any remaining credit couldn’t be used elsewhere.
Sometimes the USB ports worked but many times not.
Good Buys:
Cigars, rum and in some places tee shirts.
Crochet work in Trinidad is excellent and inexpensive in the markets.
Art presented by the artists at the outdoor market off Plaza de Armas is excellent. Negotiation is possible. Great art is also available from Ofelia ORoberto, 19 The Malecon in Habana. Five artists share this space. There are many more small shops selling art. Ensure you have an export certificate for it. They are available from the shop or the agency.
Locally grown organic coffee is excellent and inexpensive.
If you are thinking about going to Cuba, I urge you to do it soon and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. If I can help further, please leave me a message and I will be sure to reply. If you have been there, and have a tip to share, feel free to send a message for others to read.
Photo: the art market close to Plaza de Armas
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