Some Information About Cuba
Cuba’s electricity is 110 volts, 60Hz. Most hotels and resorts have 220 volts. Double check to see if your travel appliances need an adapter.
Cuba is on Eastern Standard Time. From May through October, Cuba moves into daylight savings time (an hour ahead).
Inbound Travellers to Cuba
Cuban customs laws prohibits any imports of pornographic material, narcotics drugs, live animals and firearms, although these last ones can be authorized by the organization in charge of this tourist modality when these are for the sport of hunting. Any possession, consumption and traffic of narcotic drugs and other substances are penalized, except for those of personal use accompanied by the corresponding doctor prescription letter.
In addition to their personal jewelry, cameras and other valuables, visitors are allowed to bring into Cuba, duty free, two bottles of liquor, one carton of cigarettes and up to 10 kilograms of medicine. Gifts up to a value of $250 US can also be brought in. Of that, $50 is duty-free; the rest is 100 per cent taxable.
Effective December 20th 2007, walkie-talkies are now allowed in Cuba for tourists. They must be registered at customs when entering and you must bring them back with you.
Outbound travelers
Be sure to save $25 CUC (Cuban Convertible pesos) in cash for your departure tax at the airport. Visitors leaving Cuba can take out 50 cigars, and 1.14 litres of liquor (two regular-sized bottles of 750ml). To export other items, such as art and antiques, obtain a permit from the National Registry of Cultural Objects. Most legitimate vendors have such permits, and can officially stamp your receipt.
Strict rules apply to taking plants and animals out of Cuba. The Convention on International Trading in Endangered Species (CITES) prohibits taking the following out of the country: indigenous flora and fauna; live or preserved specimens and articles made from parts of endangered species. However, articles made from species approved by the CITES Administrative Authority in Cuba may be taken out
Transportation
Cuba has excellent taxi services as well as car, van and motorcycle rentals. Tour buses in Havana and Varadero cover the major sites of interest. For special excursions, contact the tourism desk at your hotel. Economy travel on buses among major centres around the country is also available through Viazul. For information and schedules, visit http://www.viazul.com/asp/reserva/Default.aspx.
Currency
All the goods and services in Cuba are priced in Cuban Convertible pesos only, (including transportation and the departure tax from Cuba are priced and payable in CUCs).
The Convertible peso is value now at 1.08 US dollar. Currency exchange from US dollars in Convertible pesos will be subject to a 10% charge while transactions from Canadian dollars, Euro, UK pounds and Swiss Francs are not going to be taxed when exchanged into Convertible pesos, of course, the amount of CUCs you’ll receive for your Canadian dollar will reflect its new, stronger value ($US 1.08). Accepted are Visa, Thomas Cook & American Express Travelers’ cheques and Visa & Master Card credit cards. All must be drawn on Canadian Banks.
Health care and insurance
We recommend carrying insurance on your trip from your local insurance company in Canada. In Cuba, insurance can be obtained from Asistur S.A., the country’s official travel insurance company.
All hotels have doctors on staff or on call who guarantee primary care. Every major resort area also has an international medical clinic that handles more complex medical conditions. These clinics are scattered across the country in Pinar del Río, Varadero, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Cayo Coco, Santa Lucía, Guardalavaca and Santiago de Cuba.
Forms of Payment
All the goods and services in Cuba are priced in Cuban Convertible pesos only, (including transportation and the departure tax from Cuba are priced and payable in CUCs).
The value of the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is no longer at par with US dollars. It is 8% higher than the US dollar. To exchange US dollars into the CUC there is a 10% surcharge, while exchanges from Canadian dollars, Euros, UK pounds and Swiss Francs will not incur a surcharge. To check the daily exchange rate please visit: http://www.bc.gov.cu/English/exchange_rate.asp Travelers cheques that are accepted are: Visa, Thomas Cook & American Express. Credit cards that are accepted are: Visa & MasterCard. All travelers cheques and credit cards must be drawn and from Canadian financial institutions.
Bring cash instead of relying on credit cards, debit cards or traveller’s cheques. Even in tourist areas, it’s extremely rare that merchants accept credit cards. Those who do (like your hotel) will charge an extra percentage for the privilege. And forget ATM’s: they simply don’t exist. Most shops literally work with pens and calculators.
You must exchange your local currency to Convertible Pesos (CUC) once you arrive in Cuba. US dollars are no longer accepted and incur a surcharge when exchanging. Wait to change your money at the hotel to get a better rate than at the airport.
There are three banks in Varadero, I believe, which have the best exchange rates. However, they are quite far from the hotel area and the waits can be long. You will need your credit card and passport if you wish to draw money. I do suggest trying to avoid the bank by bringing all the cash you need!
Cuban Food
Cuban and International dishes are served. Chicken, fish and pork are the usual meat dishes. Hot vegetables are not as plentiful as in Canada. Generally there are ample supplies of lettuce, tomatoes. All kinds of tropical fruits (papaya, pineapple, grapefruit, oranges & Guava) are available along with yogurt and juices. The National food is called ajiaco ( a root vegetable stew cooked with meat, especially pork). Other typical foods are lechon asado en pua (broiled pork cooked over an open fire), tachinos, chaninos or tostones ( fried bananas) , moros y cristianos (rice and black beans), congri oriental ( rice and red kidney beans), picadillo a la Habanera ( Havana mincemeat ) and pollo a la barbacoa ( barbeque chicken).
http://www.cuban-beaches.com/matanzas/varadero
Child Gifts
Every child in Cuba has to go to school and gets food there. There are no “street kids” like in other Latin American countries. But some kids ask tourists for little gifts or sweets or money. This way some earn more than adults with a proper job which causes social problems. Therefore don’t give money or things to kids which can be resold. There is no need for children to beg.
Recommended Items To Bring As A Presents
-for men: t-shirts, second hand jeans
-For kids: school supplies, pencils, colours, calculators, colouring books, dolls, toys (donate to schools)
-For women: perfume, lipsticks
-For everybody: toothpaste, toiletries, shoes, runners, caps, medical supplies
General Check List for Travel
An excellent site to check for travel information and advisories is http://www.voyage.gc.ca/consular_home-en.asp by the Canadian government.
1. Pack a copy of “Bon Voyage But…” and a copy of the Country Travel Report for your destination.
2. Carry a passport that is valid well beyond the date of your anticipated return to Canada; keep a copy of the identification page separate from the original.
3. Leave copies with friends or family, of your passport identification page, itinerary and insurance policy, contact numbers for credit card company if lost.
4. Well in advance make sure to:
a. Obtain any required visas .
b. Arrange for health and travel insurance.
c. Plan your itinerary and budget.
d. Anticipate financial needs: local currency, traveller’s cheques, departure tax.
e. Take care of health needs: vaccinations, prescriptions, medical certificates, supplies, extra eyeglasses.
5. Check whether dual citizenship is an issue for you.
6. If travelling with children, carry documentation proving your right to accompany them (consent letter, court order).
7. Register on-line with a Canadian government office abroad.
8. Obtain an International Driving Permit, if required.
9. Prepare for your flight by carefully attending to luggage, documentation and airport security.
10. While abroad, keep receipts for purchases and make special arrangements for food, plants and animals brought back to Canada.
11. Put identification information in your suitcase on an 8.5×11 piece of paper for the little luggage tag can get lost.
12. It is recommended that you drink bottled water. It can be purchased in the hotel’s shop and in grocery stores. The ice and drinking water served in the hotels is made from purified water.
13. Each travelling passenger is responsible to pay a local departure tax in Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC). This fee is payable in cash at the airport in destination prior to boarding your flight, in the amount of CUC$25 (subject to change).
Tel.: 1-800-267-6788 (in Canada and the USA) or 613-944-6788
E-mail: voyage@international.gc.ca
More details can be found at http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/before/checklist-en.asp
In order to make air travel more secure, stricter screening procedures are increasingly common. This section provides information and advice to help you avoid delays and problems during boarding.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/before/pre_boarding-en.asp
Useful Links
http://www.gocuba.ca/en/index.asp
http://www.viazul.com/asp/reserva/Default.aspx
http://www.cubatraveltips.com/
http://www.bc.gov.cu/English/exchange_rate.asp
Documents
Definitely need a passport to travel to Cuba, but Cuba will not stamp your passport.
A Cuban tourist card is also required. It is provided by your carrier usually in flight enroute to Cuba. Fill in the blanks lines your name, passport number, citizenship, resident country, departure point, departure date, where you are staying in Cuba. Half of the visa is collected on arrival and the other half collected on departure. If you hold a Canadian passport it’s good for 90 days with an extension of another 90 days upon application and payment of a fee. All other Nationalities are limited to 30 days with a 30 day renewal.
Make sure you bring along an international drivers licence if you want to explore further afield outside of the main cities. Otherwise, you´re restricted to the Viazul bus service, which only connects the major towns between provinces.
There is a departure tax of 25CUC
Do Not Bring: Cell phones, pagers, walkie talkies, GPS units with communication capability. They delay your luggage inspection. After a lengthy delay, a customs agent brings out the “suspicious” baggage and will go through your entire bag with you. A regular cell won’t work in Cuba anyway. Also not allowed: VCRs, DVDs, hotplates, cooking equipment, pornography.
Cubans Like To Dress Up At Night
Cubans like to dress up at night, so bring some going out clothes. Most resorts are pretty casual. You might want to bring one dressy outfit if you plan to make a reservation at one the resort restaurants.
A dress code maybe in effect at your resort for sit down meals. They wouldn’t let anybody into the main dining room wearing shorts or a T-shirt, the rule was strictly enforced and people were turned away at the door. Beach sandals were also frowned upon. Jeans were acceptable. Men wear long pants and collared shirt, but women can get to wear dresses and tanks tops instead if you want.
A List of Items to Consider for Your Vacation.
Remember the luggage limits and make compromises.
Lots of Sunscreen, sun block, sun lotion (very expensive to buy), Solarcain/ Aloe vera in case of sun burn, Lip balm, spf 30, a good conditioner (sun and salt is hard on hair). A bath louffa to scrub off that gross layer of sun tan lotion, sweat and dirt that accumulates at the beach.
Be sure to take aspirin, band aids, Tylenol or Advil (hard to buy), polysporin, upset stomach/diarrhea medication pepto, tums, benadryl (in case the food does not agree),anti-bacterial wipes or hand cream, tampons are nearly impossible to find. Drugs are in short supply.
Also make sure you have your own medications if you need them. It will be a nightmare to get any prescriptions filled.
Make sure to have some tissue or toilet paper in your purse or pocket as many facilities simply do not have any toilet paper at all. Even some restaurants will hand you a roll before you go to the bathroom and they will be waiting for you to bring it back.
I would bring a repellant with DEET in it, after bite, and calamine lotion. Around dusk the mosquitos are out wherever sand meets land. A mosquito net – depends on where you are staying. They don’t take up much room in your luggage, and make a good gift for A terrific gift for a family with an infant on leaving.
A good pair of polarizing sunglasses are a must bring. If you wear contact lenses, make sure you wear sunglasses. The wind can pick up the sand and it can get into your eyes. Extra sunglasses if you tend to lose them may be a good idea.
Bring a good pair of sandals and if you are going in the water you might want to wear a pair of Tevas or other type of ‘wet to dry’ sandals.
Bathing suits should be in your carry on luggage so you can jump in the water while waiting for your room and luggage to get sorted out.
Make sure to bring something a little warmer for the evening. Bring a light jacket, long pants and maybe a sweater. Although you’re in Cuba, Varadero can be chilly at night. Nights feel cool when you have a sunburn. You might also need a sweater or shawl for the cold air conditioning in some hotels.
A travel alarm clock so you always know the time.
A photo copy your passport…And leave it separate from original – very important.
Drivers’ licence for photo id and in case you want to rent a car/scooter.
Insulated mugs…They help to keep drinks colder longer, and you don’t have to make so many trips to the bar!.
A plug-in air freshener to clear the musty smell. The kind with the built in night light is also very handy.
Fabric softener sheets to throw in the dressers to keep your clothes smelling fresh, and not damp smelling. (Or clip to air conditioner).
Pack some empty plastic grocery bags – great for putting wet bathing suits in when packing to leave.
Face cloth (they don’t have them) and towel if you don’t want to pay the deposit.
Bungee cord (works as clothes line or to keep door open).
Clothes/safety pins to hang your wet clothes.
Flash light for the rooms are often very dark at night and predawn bus departures.
Door stopper (apparently some hotels don’t have dead bolts – used on the inside when you’re sleeping is added protection).
Ant traps if you are terrified of crawly insects.
Underwater camera.
Cheap wallet (in case you are the kind that forgets to take it out when you swim! Nylon dries faster – leave what you don’t need at home)
Homeopathic remedies and aromatherapy oils (you’ll be healthy and your room will smell nice!)
Dried, healthy snacks, Gatorade powder, granola and protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter and trail mix provide energy. Good take-out fare is hard to find.
Ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper (packs from fast food places work) for a lot of resorts don’t have these items.
Pens (to fill out paperwork on the plane)
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