WHY I WENT:
I did an architecture design project in Havana back at the University of Miami and we had the opportunity to visit at the time with the school but it was last minute and expensive. It was soon after Americans were able to go but entry was very limited at the time and the flights were way over priced especially from Miami even though the flight duration is a little over one hour.
Last year, I was planning a trip with one of my best friends and were looking at a few options. We decided to go to Cuba because the price and time was right (Our flight was $180 each from Miami plus the $50 Visa/Tourist Card). I was always intrigued by the architecture and the vintage cars. We traveled October of 2018 and we were there for 3 days. I didn't really plan each day like I do my other trips but I had the best time. I have truly loved every place I have been but Havana was definitely one of the most surprising and fun trips I have done so far. I went with no expectations but I still had an idea of what I thought it was like because of people I knew who grew up there and what society imprinted in my brain about Cuba.
When I told people I was going to Cuba a lot of people asked why I wanted to go to a communist country. They really looked down on my choice of going there but I was not doing it for them, I wanted to see for myself and if nothing else I wanted to see the architecture. People in the architecture community told me to go before it gets ruined by commercial businesses so I knew I had to go as soon as possible. Some of the buildings are literally crumbling and there is not enough funding to renovate the buildings so it definitely is a special place to see the natural aging of buildings.
Traveling to Cuba is still taboo. There are not as many resources on Cuban travel compared to other places so I wanted to share my thoughts and tips that I think are helpful to know before you go.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
VISA:
If you want to go as a tourist on your own, you can go under the "Support the Cuban People" category. People think it is a complicated process but it is really simple. I got my tourist card directly from my airline when I checked in for my flight. I paid for it online and received it at the gate. It essentially is a tourist card valid for 30 days (90 days for Canadian citizens) that you fill out yourself.
Here are the Visa/Tourist Card prices for several airlines:Southwest: $50, purchased online and delivered at the gate.JetBlue: $50, purchase at gate.Delta: $50, purchase at gate or through mail.United: $75 ($50 visa + $25 processing fee), purchase at gate.American: $85 ($50 visa + $35 processing fee), purchase online and sent via mail. AA will send instructions.Frontier: $110 ($50 visa + $35 processing fee + $25 mailing fee), purchase online and sent via mail. Frontier will send instructions.
MONEY:
If you are American you are not able to take out cash from an ATM. I only saw one ATM while I was there anyways. If you have international debit cards you are able to take out money but know that you will not find an ATM on every block like other cities. I would definitely call your bank to see if you can use your card there and find out what they will charge you for taking out money.
American dollars are taxed at 13% so if you have any other more common currency like Euros I would exchange those instead to get more bang for your buck. I exchanged $300 USD and received 261 CUC (their tourist currency). This lasted me all three days I was there and even came home with some money. I exchanged it at the airport upstairs. It was really easy and we barely waited in line.
Meals averaged 5 CUC for breakfast to 15 CUC for lunch and dinner including a drink and small tip. I would round up for the tip or give 10% but you are not expected to tip the same way we do in the US. There is a lot of controversy around tipping in Cuba but I don't mind giving people a tip at all especially if they are actually working for their money.
I spent way less than I expected and could have saved if I wanted to but we ate at regular priced restaurants and some more expensive restaurants. I also did not hold back if I wanted an extra guava milkshake or frozen coffee frappe (which I still think about to this day because they were so delicious). Overall, this trip was very affordable. I still brought some American Dollars just in case I had to/wanted to spend it or in case of emergency but I did not need it at all.
WHERE TO STAY:
Since you are going under the "Support the Cuban People" category you are encouraged to stay at a casa particular booked through booking.com (get $20 off with the link) or airbnb.com (get $40 off with the link).
I stayed at a hostel/hotel called Animas 303 Havana, Hotelito and booked it through Airbnb. I liked that there was a person at the desk 24/7. It was located in Havana Vieja and was a short walk to the center, about 5 minutes.
WIFI/DATA:
DO NOT use your data in Cuba. I made the mistake of turning on my data to check my phone for 30 minutes total and was charged $60. Just leave it on airplane mode.
You can access the internet by buying a WiFi card. Your host can tell you where to find the places to get the cards. I personally loved not being glued to my phone and being in the moment so I recommend waiting to post your pictures later but definitely try to tell your loved ones back home that you are alive at least. Your battery will last longer so you can take more pictures!
They sell WiFi cards for as little as 1 CUC for 1 hour or for more at the hotels but try to find the cheapest place they sell it because it is the same thing. I bought a card after realizing I turned my data on which I should have done in the first place. You will see where the WiFi hotspots are as you walk around town because you will see a group of people all staring at their phones. The locations where you can use the hotspots are at the parks or squares. Even when I connected I wasn't interested in being on my phone so I saved the last 30 min for the airport before I boarded back and was glad I did because I had nothing to do there. We thought we would have needed to get online to check in for our flight beforehand but there wasn't an option to. Do not expect the WiFi to work as fast as a Starbucks back home. It took 15 minutes to even be able to log on and it was not reliable but nonetheless I was able to tell my family I was ok! It was not working that well in the park and a hotel let us sit down inside to use it.
GETTING AROUND:
Once you exit the doors of the airport you will be offered a taxi a hundred times by different people. The average ride to and from the airport is anywhere from 25 CUC to 30 CUC. Try to get it down to 20 CUC or tell them you will do 25 CUC including tip. As with anywhere else if you look like you aren't from there people can try to get more money from you. Don't let anyone take advantage of you and also don't take advantage of them by trying to offer a really low fair.
My friend and I walked everywhere except for when we went to Fábrica de Arte which I highly recommend. A local told us we shouldn't pay more than 20 CUC for the ride so I got it down to 15 CUC and just gave 20 CUC with the tip.
Twice I did not have change and wanted to give a tip but the drivers refused to accept it which was so nice but I also had some drivers that literally asked for a tip after.
Download the app maps.me for an offline map of Havana. I heard it was the best map for Cuba so I used it on my trip and it worked very well. Download it before you go so you can familiarize yourself with the app. You may not be able to do it there because you most likely won't have WiFi so plan ahead!
GOING TO THE BEACH:
My friend and I went to Santa Maria del Mar on a blue transtur charter bus we took at Parque Central. It was only 2 CUC and included the ride there and back. It was comfortable and the ride was approximately 30 minutes. I was really surprised how efficient and clean the bus was! The beach was small but beautiful. It was not crowded at all and there was one restaurant at the beach. I thought I wasn't going to be impressed by the beach since I live in South Florida but the ocean was a sparkling blue and the sand felt like sugar sand. We were offered a fresh coconut by one of the people that worked at the beach! It was a really nice experience. I would suggest bringing an extra smaller towel with you from home because we used the ones from the hotel but they weren't very big or sturdy.
BEST TIME TO GO:
I flew in late October knowing it was a risk because of hurricane season that runs from June 1st and ends on November 30th. Just be aware that a hurricane can affect your travels. It was really hot in October which was great for the beach but I got sunburnt while walking around the city even though I used sunscreen and covered up. The best time to go would probably be from December to May but I did like that it wasn't crowded when I went.
SAFETY:
My friend, also a female, and I walked around the city no problem. We did get cat called every 2 seconds on the street but no one really went up to us and made us feel uncomfortable. A big thing when traveling is that you cannot make yourself a target or act scared. Keep your bags close to you and make sure your zippers are always closed. Never leave anything unattended or in your pockets. This is just general advice when traveling anywhere. If you are too tired or want to play it safe you can rent a coco-taxi or a bike taxi to take you around. The streets are really dark at night so if you feel there could be an opportunity for danger please think ahead and play it smart.
As soon as my friend and I got to the Airbnb upon landing a lady asked us if we had any gifts to give and I told her no. She then proceeded to ask for the clothes I was wearing which was very odd. We were also asked for formula by two ladies. Just be prepared and learn to say no firmly because they keep asking you.
WATER:
You can easily get bottles of water at restaurants for 1 CUC or 2 CUC for a liter. It was no problem at all so do not worry about not finding clean water.
WHAT TO PACK:
Most things are not available in Cuba for purchase so pack these things before you go even if you think you may not need them! It is better to be prepared. If you don't use them you can definitely leave them with your host. They will appreciate it.
Bug Spray or Wipes: There are a lot of mosquitoes so you will definitely need mosquito repellent.
Baby Wipes, Toilet Paper To Go, and/or Wet Ones: Some places do not have toilet paper and if they do it's not the best quality. Wet Wipes are also great to pack in case you can't wash your hands right away such as before or after a meal.
Medicine: Bring bandaids, Tums, Alcohol Pads, etc.
Sunscreen: You will not be able to easily find any there and if you do it will be over priced.
Sunglasses (It was really sunny and hot!)
Scarf (I took one to protect myself from the sun and was glad I did)
Crossbody Bag or Fanny Pack: I kept my money close to me at all times.
Toiletries: Your Airbnb or Hotel may have toiletries but if you have any favorites you will not be able to buy them easily or they are way overpriced.
Bathing Suits: If you go I hope you make it to the beach! You will want to pack at least one suit just in case!
TOUR:
I heard about a free tour around Havana from a Facebook group I joined for people who travel to Cuba. It's a fantastic group where you can ask questions and people post on there all the time. The link to the group is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CubaBackpackerTraveler/
The link to the free tour is here: https://www.facebook.com/havanafreetour/
My friend and I bombarded our tour guide with a ton of questions and he patiently answered them. On the tour I was able to see a lot the architecture I went to see and I learned so much. It was a highlight of the trip and I highly recommend it because our tour guide told us things we would not have known otherwise and really impressed us with his knowledge. It is tip based so I suggest bringing the right amount of cash with you. Check their Facebook page for times and more information.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Every day felt like a movie. Live music was being played at a few restaurants we went to. The locals were so nice and a few people on the street greeted us and happily welcomed us to the city since we obviously were not from there. I've never really experienced that before. The architecture was everything I thought it would be! I was told that the food wasn't that great or as good as Cuban food in South Florida because they can't import that many spices but every meal I had was delicious. Overall, I did not go with any expectations because I really did not know what I was going to see or experience anyways. I also did not let the opinions of others affect my trip. I always have a positive outlook when I travel and I think that is the best tip I can give anyone. Just live in the moment and appreciate the privilege you have to see the world. I can't wait to go back! If you have any questions feel free to reach out.
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