Essential Tips for Cuba Travel
Cuba is a time capsule filled with carefully preserved vintage cars zooming down paved streets and beautiful people. Fortunately, I was able to experience the country and bring in the New Year with my two best girlfriends.
Here are essential tips for Cuba Travel:
1. Getting to Cuba
As of early 2015, Americans no longer need to apply for a specific license or get approval to travel to Cuba if it fits within the twelve categories of authorized travel. My friends and I traveled to Cuba independently and classified our visit under the “education category.” Since we did not travel through a tour agent, we had to book two airline tickets to reach Havana. First, we flew from San Francisco to Cancun on Delta Airlines. We then flew to Havana from Cancun on Copa Airlines. We obtained our visa at the airport while in Mexico.
2. Accommodations
We wanted to interact with the locals, so we used Airbnb to book our accommodations. AirBnB is different in Cuba. We stayed in five different Casa Particulars, three in Havana and two in Matanzas. We selected the entire home for housing type for all of our accommodations. However, this can mean staying in a house with your host family in a separate room. My friends and I were okay with this as it allowed for a richer experience of Cuba.
Before AirBnB, the Cuban government allowed residents to rent rooms to tourists. This well-networked system has existed since the early 90s and flourished ever since. If you’re ever in Cuba and can’t access Airbnb, look for a trademark casa sign outside of a residence; they will help you find a place to stay.
3. Currency
Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is the major currency for exchanging money and making all purchases. Also, as of January 2016, American credit cards do not work in Cuba. Make sure to budget your money and have a backup budget. 1 CUC = $1 US dollar, but you’re charged a 10% penalty charge when exchanging in American dollars,
Cuban Peso (CUP): Lower level currency used by residents and not used by tourists. We always kept a few CUPs to pay for local buses because they were so cheap. 1 CUC = 26.5 CUP
4. Wifi Connection
Traveling to Cuba was a time to disconnect from social media and work and to be present. Not having fast and free access to WiFi was indeed the way to do so. WiFi is available but not free, and the government controls it. You obtain an ETECSA wifi card (5 CUC for 1 hour) to get access. Wifi cards are popular, and many locals sell them on the street, especially downtown and nearby hotels.
5. The Gift of Sharing
Friends who traveled to Cuba before us suggested we bring small trinkets to give to our host families and kids in the area. We stocked up on toys, chocolates, and gift boxes and packed new and old clothes. After we were out of our items, we gave out some of our make-up items, which was a big hit. If you’re willing to do this (I suggest so), I will bring make-up items and other cool products.
6. Things to Do
Havana
Our primary mode of transportation was by foot. Every day, we walked miles before hopping into a Taxi Colectivo (shared taxi system). During our walks, we ventured along El Malecon, Havana’s ocean-side boulevard, whose atmosphere is most potent after sunset. We also spent several days and nights “chilling” with the locals, eating and listening to old American music (Tupac, Keyshia Cole, and Ashanti, to name a few). One of my most memorable moments was attending a yoga class with our host “mom” and other local women in the neighborhood.
There are so many reasons to visit Havana. During our “tourist” days, we visited Central and Old Havana and explored the Plaza de Catedral, Havana Rum Museum, Plaza de la Revolución, and Casa de la Música. We paid extra bucks for one sunset for a private ride and guided tour around Havana to learn more about the country’s history and rich traditions.
Varadero and Matanzas
After spending several days in Havana, it was time for the beach. Before traveling to Cuba, we all fantasized about sunbathing and dipping our bodies in the crystal blue waters of Cuba’s beaches. We chose Varadero Beach, one of Cuba’s most popular beaches. We originally planned to take the local bus from Havana to Varadero but learned that buses fill up quickly. Instead, we opted for a shared taxi, which cost us about 20 CUC per person. Although our taxi was not an actual car but a cargo truck with open sides, we arrived safely at the beach in just under two hours (bus travel time=3 hrs or longer).
Our Casa Particular for our time in Varadero was 30 minutes from the beach in Matanzas. Initially, we perceived this as a setback because our first taxi ride to our casa was 30 CUC, and our driver presented the area as remote and a place where tourists don’t often travel. Matanzas was far from the beach, but it was a hidden gem. Matanzas is historic, and the streets are paved with horse-drawn carriages, older yet active residents, jovial kids, and street vendors. Yes, we were probably three of the few tourists in the area, but that didn’t bother us. We spent our first night sitting on concrete with the locals, drinking rum, riding mopeds, and sharing life stories. That was the essence of our trip, experiencing Cuba with the Cuban people.
But back to the beach. Sadly, our first two days rained, and traveling to the beach didn’t happen. On our third day, we woke up early, hopped on the local bus (1 CUC per person), and ventured to Varadero. Our excitement was short-lived as it rained the majority of the day. We could escape to the beach for about 20 minutes, just enough time to place our feet in the blue water and take photos before we were drenched wet. We took a taxi back home to Matanzas ( about 15 CUC total, not 30 CUC) and prepared to depart from Havana and then to the airport.
7. Costs
Transportation Related:
Air-Travel to Cuba: SFO-Cancun $407, Cancun-Havana $294
Cuban Visa Bought in Mexico: $30
Bus Travel: 10-15 CUC depending on destination
Taxi: 7 CUC for local rides ( We spend about 40 CUC per person for our entire trip)
Accommodations:
The average price of our Casa’s was about 20-30 CUC per night.
Food:
Breakfast prepared at your Casa Particular: 5 CUC or less per day
Average cost of meals: 5-10 CUC
Drinks: 3 CUC, 5-7 CUC for more expensive places
Coffee (because it’s just that good): 1-2 CUC
Museums and Other Things:
Rum Museum: 7 CUC, rum tasting included
House of Music: 15-20 CUC entry fee
Fabricia de Artre Cubano: 3 CUC entry fee
8. Explore Outside of Havana Cuba:
My time in Cuba was a breath of fresh air. The people are genuinely welcoming and happy. They welcome conversation, even with language barriers. Buildings, streets, and cars were rustic but polished and traditional. We opened our patio door each morning and truly indulged in the Cuban atmosphere. We soaked up every moment from the sounds of music bumping from nearby apartments, kids playing in the streets, or our view of the neighborhood pigeon keeper.
