Things to know before you go: CUBA
You can’t help but feel seduced by Cuba’s beauty and charm. A colorful Caribbean island, with much more to offer than salsa dancing, vintage cars and complicated history and politics. Cuba is a dream destination for many. As intimidating as it may seem, flying to Cuba as an American tourist is NOT complicated. First, the US government requires you to choose 1 of the 11 approved categories of travel:
Family visits
Official business for the US government.
Journalism
Professional research
Religious activities
Public performances
Support for the Cuban people
Humanitarian projects
Activities of private foundations for research or educational institutes,
Exportation, importation or transmission of information or information materials
Certain export transactions
SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE is the most popular category independent travelers use. It basically means the activites on your itinerary focus on interacting with the locals, learning about and experiencing the culture, going to privately owned restaurants, paladares particulares and staying in privately owned accommodations, casa particulares. For more information on rules and restrictions while traveling under this category click here.
When you leave for your trip the airlines will ask you which one of those categories are you traveling under and you just give verbal confirmation. I’ve read in other articles if you choose ”support for the cuban people” you’ll need to show your trip itinerary that supports that, but we weren’t asked for any documentation. How does the US government know you’re abiding by the regulations and restrictions under the travel category? They don’t. It’s assumed you’ll comply with the rules under the honor system.
Airlines Jet Blue, American, Delta and Southwest have direct flights from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Houston, and New York to Cuba.
Obtain a Cuban tourist card aka Cuba visa. You can get one through the airlines you’re flying with ( at the airport) or follow my lead and purchase yours in advance online ( click here). The fee of the visa depends on the airlines you fly and ranges from $50-90. The color of the visa is based on where you are flying in from. If your flying from the US, your visa will be pink and if you were flying in from anywhere else your visa will be green.
Through my research, I’ve read that travel insurance is a requirement when you enter Cuba. I’ve also read that if you are arrive without travel insurance, they ask you to purchase theirs at the airport. Personally I didn’t buy one beforehand and I wasn’t asked for any proof of insurance.
Disclaimer: Travel guidelines are constantly changing, please do your online research for the most updated information.
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For our stays in Trinidad and Havana we booked our casa particulares through Airbnb. Casa particulares are private rooms, apartments, or houses for rent similar to a bed and breakfast. In Trinidad, our hosts lived in the main house while we stayed in a secluded mini guest house that had a rooftop sitting area. Our place in Havana, was more of an apartment that we had all to ourselves. Both places offered breakfast and other meals for a reasonable price. Although we mostly stayed in casa particulares, we spent one night at the 5 star Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski. We paid a hefty price for luxury, with rates starting at around $300 USD per night depending on the suite. We took advantage of their famous rooftop swimming pool and unlimited WiFi. They’re also right across the famous El Floridita, which was Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar for Daiquiris.
Food: Cuba has limited access to seasoning and condiments because of its trade regulations, which means some restaurants can lack in the flavor department. This wasn’t the case with every restaurant, but I suggest packing a few of your favorite spices in your luggage to be on the safe side.
Although I ordered fish almost everyday, here are a few other favorites try out:
Ropa Vieja: Translates to “old clothes” in Spanish, one of Cuba’s signature dishes is shredded beef and vegetable stew in tomato sauce.
Arroz Con Pollo: A dish similar to paella but with chicken instead of seafood.
Vaca Frita: This shredded steak “fried cow”, is comparable to Ropa Vieja, but is marinated in lime and garlic and is fried after it’s been cooked.
Picadillo: A ground beef dish with potatoes, olives, raisins and bell peppers cooked in tomato sauce and white wine.
Tonstones: Fried plantains
Moros y Cristianos: Rice cooked in black beans. This is a staple in Cuban restaurants.
Cuba has 2 different currencies. CUP is the Cuban peso and this is what the locals use. 1 CUP is equivalent to 4 U.S cents. Foreigners aren’t supposed to use this currency, but it’s not restricted. If you do happen to get your hands on CUP, you can use it for street food, flea markets, neighborhood restaurants, ice cream stands and the local bus. CUC is the Cuban convertible peso and is the currency tourists mainly use, 1 CUC is equaled to 1 U.S. dollar and is accepted everywhere. Most if not all your money will be exchanged to CUC. You can exchange your money at the airport, cadecas aka exchange houses, government owned hotels, Banco Metropolitano and BFI banks. All currencies have a 3% exchange fee and US dollars have an additional 10% tax on top of that. Any credit credit/debit affiliated with an American bank can NOT be used, so take out cash that will last your whole trip.
Be prepared to disconnect from the world because internet is limited. WiFi cards are used and sold for $1.50 USD for one hour or a 5 hour WiFI card for $7.50 You can purchase them at ETECSA offices (ETECSA is Cuba’s only authorized internet service provider) and certain high end hotels. Don’t forget to bring your passport, you’re required to have that with you before buying. Designated public WiFi hotspots are usually in parks, hotels, resorts and restaurants. A few casa particulares offer WiFi access to their guests. Both of ours did and thankfully they sold WiFi cards which saved us from waking up early and having to wait in extremely long lines to get one.
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La Libreta is a food ration system set in place for the past 50 years. A supplies booklet aka ration cards are given to each household allowing them to get a fixed number of produce each month. Even basic necessities like toilet paper, toothpaste, soap and other things we take for granted are not easy to come by. We were approached by a few locals to leave them anything we didn’t want or need. We left behind our toiletries and unwanted clothes to the people who assisted us during our stay in our casa particulares.
On average Cubans make less then $30 a month. Taxi drivers, tour guides, waiters and others working in the tourism industry can make more than a doctor thanks to tips from tourists.
Buy authentic Cuban cigars from Viñales. Well known for their tobacco farms and limestone mountains, Cuba’s countryside is a 2 1/2- 3 hour drive from Havana. You can purchase cigars from cigar shops and government owned hotels, but buying them from the plantation directly supports the farmers. They sold me a batch of 15 at $3 per cigar. The farmers are obligated to give 90% of the tobacco they produce to the government. The government not only marks up the price, but they add chemicals to the tobacco. Other popular activities in Viñales are horseback riding and underground cave exploring. We also had lunch at El Paladares de Kirenia which was hands down the best meal I had in Cuba! With an impressive menu selection, the food was flavorful and savory, not to mention we were given generous portions.
While the Cuban people are rich in culture and lively in spirit, it’s also important to bring awareness to their everyday reality that’s not glamorized in photos or social media. Even when you eat and stay at privately owned restaurants and accommodations, the government collects a portion of their earnings. Unfair as that may sound, for the locals, it’s better than not profiting at all. Tourism is significant due to their circumstances.
Politics aside, there’s something to be said about the energy here that you won’t find anywhere else. There are a handful of places I would travel back to and Cuba is definitely one of them.
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Photo Credit: Emily Marie Wilson/Shutterstock.com