[wiki=32648e19f3ecbc82a0de6dbed297d9c3]Viñales[/wiki] - A national park in [wiki=9ea29759e1d6e5766b5d8099ee7318e6]Pinar del Rio[/wiki] province, with mountains and caves. It has the best-developed tourist facilities of Cuba's national parks.
* [wiki=cfbed2ab52c1705b28721a74df28c342]Parque Nacional La Güira[/wiki] (La Güira National Park) - Another national park in [wiki=9ea29759e1d6e5766b5d8099ee7318e6]Pinar del Rio[/wiki] province, with mountains and caves, but without many tourist facilities.
* [wiki=2c0c9c945cccecfc08f8942a0892071f]Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario[/wiki] - A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Sierra del Rosario mountains of [wiki=9ea29759e1d6e5766b5d8099ee7318e6]Pinar del Rio[/wiki] province. The principal sites are Soroa and Las Terazzas.
* [wiki=ba95a41d806ca849f8e6bf95804610c5]Parque Nacional Ciénaga de Zapata[/wiki] (Ciénaga de Zapata National Park) - A national park in [wiki=3c47587b79ecd600a8fdbb8332a0e57b]Mantanzas[/wiki] province, similar to Florida's Everglades National Park, with vast swamps and world-famous birdwatching, scuba diving, and beaches; and the site of the 1961 American Bay of Pigs invasion.
* [wiki=2f45e42789d24c592d859e42abc7fa9f]Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes[/wiki] (Topes de Collantes National Park) - A national park in the Sierra del Emcambray mountains, straddling Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, and Sancti Spiritus provinces.
* Parque Allejandro de Humboldt (Guantanamo province) approx 40km from baracoa, offers walking, and conservation movements
Citizens of [wiki=9e7002d53d4db7bfad4f5cf419b0c126]Benin[/wiki], [wiki=96a6dd711874d4323dc2d3f932bd2ed3]Bosnia and Herzegovina[/wiki], [wiki=5547baeda33255ad8f5307fc92cb589e]Macedonia[/wiki], [wiki=3f0e49c46cbde0c7adf5ea04a97ab261]Malaysia[/wiki], [wiki=4e92f9d2cdf0b8eb493ae3a19709d121]Montenegro[/wiki], and [wiki=2ff6e535bd2f100979a171ad430e642b]Serbia[/wiki] can visit visa-free for up to 90 days. Citizens of [wiki=45b1cb9a558807139085c645d2f47f07]Grenada[/wiki] and [wiki=c6f5008606ccd26c840a52657d671c4b]Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[/wiki] can visit visa-free for up to 60 days. Citizens of [wiki=f7e68bf0791888ebcd5bfc62e022aa83]Antigua and Barbuda[/wiki], [wiki=6542f875eaa09a5c550e5f3986400ad9]Belarus[/wiki], [wiki=bb6a72b6a93150d4181e50496fc15f5a]Mongolia[/wiki], [wiki=5feb168ca8fb495dcc89b1208cdeb919]Russia[/wiki], [wiki=5976169ac1852fff6f0b9095100407fc]Saint Kitts and Nevis[/wiki], [wiki=a00c273f0f497484093fa94865cf5ca5]Armenia[/wiki] and [wiki=d1ef233007d706d71aa6d46642d5f804]Saint Lucia[/wiki] can visit visa-free for up to 30 days. Citizens of [wiki=3214c0f21d200a1dae4eb83a53ec2730]Barbados[/wiki] and [wiki=531c552093668f148d3c826fca6e3cc8]Dominica[/wiki] can visit visa-free for up to 28 days.
Generally, an investigation is not required for the grant of a tourist visa, and many airlines (such as Edelweiss flying from Zurich) even distribute them at check-in or at the gate. Contact your airline and ask. If it does not provide tourist cards, you need to get it from a Cuban embassy or a travel agent.
Passengers from Canada get a tourist card onboard the aircraft, which is included in the airfare
The penalties imposed by Cuba on airlines bringing in undocumented travellers can be quite severe. If you run into this problem, it is likely that you will forfeit your airfare, as you did not ensure you would be able to enter the country before asking the carrier to bring you to Cuba.
Visa costs are routinely included in flights from Canada, with tourist visas delivered before landing. Visa cards can be purchased at Cancún, El Dorado, and many other gateway airports. However, please check on the availability of visas in your home country before your flight. In many places, they can be purchased in the airport or from an agent designated by the airline that enters Cuba. Generally, they can be purchased at both Central American and South American airports, but not at most European airports (Zurich being one exception).
The tourist visa is valid for 30 days, and can be renewed for another 30. However, Canadians are granted 90-day visas renewable for another 90 days. The fee for renewing the tourist visa is CUC25. It's not renewable after the first extension - at 60 days, you must leave the country (in the case of Canadians, 180 days, etc.). Tourists can leave Cuba and return immediately for a further 60 days, but they then face a barrier to re-entry if they attempt to stay more than 120 days (one entry, one extension, brief departure, one entry, one extension = 120 days).
Your passport must be valid for at least 60 days after departure from Cuba in the case of some nations (EU countries, incl UK, US) and 6 months for others. Since it's possible for a visitor to renew a visa for 120 days, it seems exceptionally unwise to have a passport that does not expire at least six months after departure.
Entry requirements for Cuba can be a bit daunting. If you are an expatriate from your country of birth, you must have your adopted country's passport or, if you do not have citizenship in your current home country, you must be able to prove your residency in the country where you live and work. Documentation is absolutely vital - documenting that you are on a valid visa to the country of origin, documenting your true residency in that country, documenting your intent to return to that country. A letter from your employer on company letterhead documenting your job, the length of your holiday from this job, and your clear intent to return to that employment has been helpful for other travellers. There have been cases of people being denied exit as well as entry because security did not believe that they were returning to a country where they had a clear affiliation. There have also been cases of travellers being asked to telephone their employers to prove their story. It's best to be able to document your circumstances very fully. Having a comprehensive itinerary, with confirmations of hotel reservations and the like, is also prudent.
Regular tourists who renew their 30 day visa are eligible to depart the country (to any destination) and return immediately enjoying a further 60 days (30 days plus a 30 day extension). You are only allowed two consecutive stays in this manner.
If you are entering Cuba to visit relatives, it's advisable to enter on a tourist visa, and then convert within 24 hours at the local immigration office. For the family visa, you must appear at the immigration office with the owner of the property. It is illegal for non-Cubans to stay in the homes of Cubans, but rather they must stay in a casa particular or a hotel. To convert to a family visa was, at last report, a fee of CUC40. The family visa is valid for 60 days from time of entry, and can be renewed twice more, for a total of 180 days spent in Cuba.
Upon departure from Cuba there used to be an exit fee of CUC25 but as of May 2015 it is included into your airline ticket.
To enter Cuba, Cuban citizens residing permanently in another country require a current Cuban passport with the appropriate authorisation. This authorisation is known as "Habilitación" of the passport. To obtain this authorisation the Cuban citizen must be recognised a migrant by the Cuban government.
Most people born in Cuba that are citizens of other countries still need a current authorised Cuban passport to enter Cuba. The Cuban government does not recognise the citizenships that might have been acquired by anyone born in Cuba. This means that all those born in Cuba are considered to be Cuban citizens even if they have a different citizenship.
An exception to this rule are Cubans born that migrated from Cuba before the 1st of January 1971. In this case they can enter Cuba with a non-Cuban passport and the appropriate visa. However, it should be noted that some consulates are known to disregard this exception and for travellers to be forced to acquire a Cuban passport at a significant cost. The Cuban consulate in Sydney, Australia is one that has been reported to be doing this.
For more information see the Cuban government's web page [url=http://www.nacionyemigracion.cu/content/consulares/nuevo-procedimiento-de-entrada-al-pa%C3%ADs]"Nación y Immigración" (in Spanish)":[/url]
There are no regular ferries or boats to Cuba from foreign ports, although some cruise liners do visit. Yachters are expected to anchor at the public marinas. Most ports are closed and tourists are not permitted to walk around them. Private vessels may enter at Marina Hemingway in [wiki=8819692009314e64e3efb596442dbbb5]Havana[/wiki] or Marina Acua in [wiki=2fe4b2cd6cca63f2e97f79bd38a7a6d6]Varadero[/wiki]. There are no visa requirements. Expect to hand out several USD10 bills to facilitate your entry.
Buses in Cuba are called "guaguas" like in other areas of the Caribbean, it is pronounced Guahguah with the G sounding like in gate, not like in George. Other Spanish words like bus and collectivos will not be understood by many Cubans. This name applies to any bus from a local bus "guagua local" to a bigger, fancier tourist bus "guagua de turismo".
Víazul [url=http://www.viazul.com/]]is Cuba's hard currency bus line and is by far the best choice of public transportation to tour the island. They run comfortable air-conditioned long-distance coaches with washrooms and televisions to most places of interest to tourists. The buses are getting a bit grubby, but they are reliable and punctual. Complete schedules can be found on the [url=http://www.viazul.com/]Viazul website[/url[/url] (the Varadero - Santa Clara - Cienfuegos - Trinidad and return service is missing from the website but runs daily). The buses can be used theoretically by anyone, including Cubans, but in reality, few Cubans can afford the convertible peso fares. Reservations can be made in advance, but are usually unnecessary except at peak travel times. In December/January 2015/16, most popular bus routes were booked out up to 4 days in advance so get in early if planning to travel during this period. Do not waste your time making an on-line reservation on the website -- that feature rarely works. Refreshments are not served, despite what the website says, but the buses stop for meal breaks at highway restaurants with bad food. (Bring your own food!) The buses are often over air conditioned, so bring along something warm to wear. Note that most westbound buses from Santiago de Cuba run overnight.
Astro is the bus line that most Cubans use. Astro recently renewed their fleet with 300 new Chinese coaches that are as comfortable as Viazul (without the washroom). Although the new buses have proven to be unreliable and often break down, they are still better than the old buses that Astro used to run. Astro has a much more extensive network than Viazul, and contrary to popular belief depending upon the vendor and your ability to speak Spanish, especially if your destination is not covered by Viazul, it is possible to purchase tickets.
In La Habana routes are covered by newer YuTong Chinese buses throughout the city, and are a welcome respite from the extortionate taxi fares. Each fare costs 0.40 CUP however far one travels. This is particularly useful in getting to the airport, where the official rate is 20-25 CUC from Centro or Vieja via taxi (although patient bargaining can lower this to 15 CUC); any bus to Santiago de Las Vegas such as P-2, P-12 and P-16, which run from Parque Fraternidad next to the Capitolio and anywhere along Avendida de la Indepencia, can take you near the airport to Boyeros (again for 0.40 CUP or 0.02 CUC, a thousandth of what you'd pay for a taxi). From Boyeros outside the Psychiatric Hospital, or a few stops before, or one after, one can walk, flag a taxi down, or if going to Terminal 3 take the 'Connexions' bus. People will be helpful when asking for advice about this whilst on the bus, even without Spanish skills. To reiterate at the time of writing this option will cost you from 0.02GBP as opposed to 20GBP.
There are also local provincial buses, consisting of overcrowded old beat-up eastern European buses that may or may not be running but they are very very cheap. Each town will have a "terminal" where buses or trucks (large pre 1960s vehicles) serve local destinations and usually neighbouring provinces (for example from Santiago you can get to Bayamo or Guantanamo). They are usually quite easy to find - in La Habana it is found in the Lido, in the Marianao (the P-9, P-5 or P-14 will get you close), whilst in Santiago it is found on Calle 4 (along from La Plaza de la Revolucion).
It is important to note that queues will be lengthy (it is best to arrive in the early hours of the morning, or alternatively give the chauffeur a tip to allow you to jump the queue) and you should always say that you are a student, as tourists are theoretically forbidden from using this transport. You may occasionally need to pay a little extra by virtue of being a tourist, but this should never be more than 1-2 CUC for long journeys (as opposed to 5-10 CUP for locals).
It is also possible to travel between some popular tourist destinations, such as Havana and Varadero, on special tourist minibuses carrying 4-5 people. The cost is a few dollars more but highly recommended if you are not planning to sleep the whole distance - plus you can ask the driver to stop along the way!
Alternatively there are some guaguas which might acutally be cheaper than the official bus. The advantages of these collectivos is that they bring you exactly where you want, they can be cheaper and they run and stop for a snack when you want them to. Example Santa Clara - La Habana: Viazul costs 18 CUC and leave at 3:15AM and 5PM, the collectivo costs 40 - 50 CUC (if you fill it up with 4 people it is 10 to 12 CUC each or alternatively you can wait for the driver to look for other passengers). While this transport (like many things in Cuba!) is illegal in theory, remember that the money goes directly to the owner (as opposed to the Cuban government) and the chances of any problems are minimal.
Official taxis are pretty expensive for long distances. Between [wiki=8819692009314e64e3efb596442dbbb5]Havana[/wiki] and [wiki=32648e19f3ecbc82a0de6dbed297d9c3]Viñales[/wiki], for example, will run about CUC 90-100, although this can work out cheaper than traveling by bus or train if you split the fare between several people. Some recent (Jan 2016) fares include 120 CUC for 4 pax Havana-Trinidad, 50 CUC for 4 pax Santa Clara-Matanzas (this will be more or less depending on your luck, bargaining skills, and willingness to wait for another taxi). If you're up for a little adventure, you can find some enterprising locals willing to (illegally) play "taxi" with their old car for a little less money. Be aware that if they get caught, you will have to get out of the car. Although you will not be in any trouble with the authorities, you may find yourself in the middle of nowhere with no transportation.
Taxis are the most convenient way to get around within the big cities. There are several types of taxis, including the official government taxis, the private and potentially unlicensed "yank tanks", and the small three-wheeled coco-taxis. They're fairly abundant and not hard to find - they tend to group in front of large hotels, but it will usually be cheaper to find one elsewhere.
In Cuba, all vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road.
Car rental starts from CUC 65 per day (including insurance) plus the cost of a full tank of gasoline. The refundable deposits start around CUC 200. Rental cars are for the most part fairly new, imported European or Asian models. Any traffic tickets received are noted on a rental car sheet and are deducted from your rental deposit. Note that if you are involved in a serious traffic accident involving injury or death, you will be detained in Cuba until the legal process sorts things out, which can take from several months to a year. For this reason, many countries advise their citizens not to rent cars in Cuba.
Scams in car rental offices seem to become common. The deceit exploits your desire to be safe and have a full-cover insurance. Check the [url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Cuba#Scams]Scams[/url] section for details.
Busier roads and city streets are generally of fair (drivable) quality and should not pose much trouble if due care is exercised, however some quiet rural roads are in need of serious repair.
Generally traffic is light, especially away from Havana. Outside of towns and cities traffic is usually very light, with no cars for miles on some rural roads. Be warned - you also share the highways with local salespeople selling cheese, snacks and onions(!), cyclists (sometimes going the wrong way, and at night usually without lights) and horse-drawn vehicles. Also note that the Autopista (the main highway running down the center of the country) is crossed at occasional intervals by railway tracks - take care to slow down before going over to avoid damage to the tires or suspension. Many of these have a stop sign ("PARE" in Spanish) which you should carefully heed - or risk a fine of CUC 30, even if no train is coming.
Roads are poorly signposted (and frequently not at all), so if you do plan to do serious driving, it would be well-advised to get a detailed map and ask for directions when not sure.
Be aware that many traffic lights, especially in cities, are placed on the FAR corner of the crossing, not where you are supposed to stop, thus inviting you to stop in the middle of the intersection! Something that you obviously don't want... Also most of them have light as weak as a glow-worm.
Expect to encounter checkpoints when traveling in the interior of the country. These usually require you to slow down to 40. Respect this or get fined 10 CUC!
Gasoline costs CUC 0.85/Regular, CUC 0.95/Special and 1.10/Super per litre. Tourist rental cars are not supposed to use regular.
The Cuban government's system for facilitating hitchhiking is by far the most economical way for foreigners to travel in Cuba, though a flexible schedule and good Spanish are a must. Known as "El Amarillo" ("the yellow guy") for the yellowy-beige uniforms of its administrators, the system consists of points along main routes where certain vehicles are required to stop and pick up hitchhikers. Amarillo points ("el punto amarillo") along major highways are often full service rest stops for hitchhikers, with water, peso-priced food, and a 24 hour indoor waiting area.
Hitchhiking is the only system where you can travel for Cuban prices without paying a tourist premium. Given that transportation is one of a tourist's biggest expenses in Cuba, this can make your money go much further. Tell folks you're a student (not a tourist) to avoid funny looks and price gouging.
To use the system within cities, just keep your eyes peeled for a man or woman in a yellow / beige uniform standing along the road near a line of people. Tell the official where you need to go, and wait. To travel long distances, you need to get to the "punto amarillo" on the edge of the city in the direction you're going. Ask a local for help on the best way to do that. Then as you pass through cities, ask what bus or taxi to take to get to the "punto amarillo" on the outgoing road at the opposite extreme of the city. This can be tricky, and it's often worth it to take a local taxi. If you can find a Cuban to accompany you on your journey, their help will be invaluable.
In daytime hours, when the amarillo is present, you pay a nominal amount of money (approx. 20 pesos from one city to the next) to the official when you find a ride. The money all goes to the government; drivers don't get any. As a result, it's much easier to travel long distances at night, when the amarillo has gone home and drivers can make some money picking up hitchhikers.
Of course, it's always possible to hitchhike just by sticking out your thumb to passing cars, but be prepared to give the driver 20-50 pesos for a long ride.
Most of the rides you get will be in the back of large trucks, open to the weather. This is an exciting and beautiful way to travel the Cuban countryside. Though an accident would obviously be very dangerous for passengers, school kids, older adults, and parents with small children use this system every day. Make sure to bring protection against sun and rain and, if traveling at night, wind and cold.
The main train line in the country runs between [wiki=8819692009314e64e3efb596442dbbb5]Havana[/wiki] and [wiki=113e202b52db7631b4c47027d1edccf5]Santiago de Cuba[/wiki], with major stops at [wiki=2f6cf97f8e1f96a592c42274a95a5d92]Santa Clara[/wiki] and [wiki=9de48d2f6fd1d7294109e8f3e317ace4]Camagüey[/wiki]. Trains also run to other cities such as [wiki=2f99c4e3f403b73947c6a29eac72af57]Cienfuegos[/wiki], Manzanillo, Morón, [wiki=cc0fa141f33f81ae759acc38d4c052b3]Sancti Spiritus[/wiki], and [wiki=5470bd1bed8f9ff0f9382ecefa6082f4]Pinar del Rio[/wiki].
There is one reliable train in Cuba: the overnight Tren Francés between Havana and Santiago de Cuba, which runs on alternate days. It uses equipment that was formerly operated on the Trans-Europe Express, and donated to Cuba by France a few years ago (hence the name). There are first class and special first class seats on this train (the special seats are better and more expensive), but no sleepers. If only one train in Cuba is running, this will be it.
All other trains in Cuba are unreliable. The equipment is often in poor condition, breakdowns are common, and when they occur, you can be stuck for the better part of the day (or night) waiting for a replacement engine. There are no services on the trains, so bring plenty of food and water with you. Trains are frequently cancelled. Some trains offer first class seats (don't expect too much); others have second class seats, which can be very uncomfortable. Schedules are at best optimistic and should always be checked in advance of travel. There are no sleepers on overnight routes.
If you are still thinking of taking a train, other than the Tren Francès, you should know that many Cubans prefer to hitchhike than take the train.
If you are still determined to take a train, approximate schedules are given under the different city descriptions. Foreigners must pay much higher fares (which is still very cheap) than the locals. Tickets are roughly two-thirds what Viazul charges. Theft is a problem so watch your luggage!
The following services can be expected to run (special first class: air-conditioned, reservation required, meals and drinks available; regular first class: more comfortable seats, otherwise like second class):
* 1/2, every third day, Habana Central - Santiago de Cuba, "Tren Frances", train, first class
* 3/4, every third day, Habana Central - Guantánamo, train, second class
* 5/6, every third day, Habana Central - Santiago de Cuba, train, second class
* 7/8, every third day, Habana Central - Bayamo, train, second class, continues as 28/29
* 9/10, every second day, Habana Central - Sancti Spiritus, "El Espirituano", train, second class
* 11/12, two per week, Santa Clara - Santiago de Cuba, train, second class
* 19/20, every second day, Habana La Coubre - Cienfuegos, second class
* 28/29, every third day, Bayamo - Manzanillo, train, second class, continues as 7/8
* 83/84, daily, Camagüey - Bayamo, train, second class
* 88/89, every second day, Guantánamo - Holguin, train, second class
* 90/91/92/93/800/801/802/803/804/805, daily, Matanzas - Habana Casa Blanca, Hershey railbus
* 119/120, daily, Habana La Coubre - Unión de Reyes, train, second class
* 133/134, daily, Matanzas - Agramonte, train, second class
* 139/140/141/142/143/144, Habana 19 de Noviembre - San Antonio de los Baños
* 159/160/161/162, daily, Cárdenas - Aguada de Pasajeros, railbus, second class
* 163/164, daily, Colón - Aguada de Pasajeros, railbus, second class
* 165/166, daily, Los Palacios - Guane, train, second class
* 168/169, daily, Guane - Pinar del Rio, train, second class
* 213/214/215/216, Artemisa - Habana 19 de Noviembre
* 224/225, every second day, Pinar del Rio - Habana Central, "El Lechero", second class
* 331/332, six per week, Cienfuegos - Santa Clara, train, second class
* 333/334, five per week, Cienfuegos - Sto Domingo Viejo, train, second class
* 337/338/339/340, daily, Santa Clara - Caibarién, railbus, second class
* 341/342/344, daily, Sagua - Santa Clara, railbus, second class
* 343, daily, Concha - Santa Clara, railbus, second class
* 345/346, daily, Sagua - Caibarién, railbus, second class
* 347/349/350/351/352, daily, Sagua - Concha, railbus, second class
* 353/354/355/356, daily, Santa Clara - Vega Alta, railbus, second class
* 357/358/359/360, daily, Zaza del Medio - Tunas de Zaza, train, second class
* 361/362/363/364, daily, Placetas Norte - Sopimpa, railbus, second class
* 365/366/367/368/369/370/371/372, daily, Trinidad - Meyer, railbus, second class
* 373/374, daily, Trinidad - Enlace Central FNTA Iznaga, "Expreso", railbus, second class
* 379/380, daily, Aguada de Pasajeros - Cienfuegos, second class
* 501/502/503/504, daily, Morón - Camagüey, railbus, first class
* 505/516, daily, Morón - Júcaro, railbus, second class
* 506/511/512/515, daily, Júcaro - Ciego de Avila, railbus, second class
* 507/508/509/510/513/514, daily, Morón - Ciego de Avila, train, second class
* 519/520/521/522/523/524, daily, Fallá - Morón, railbus, second class
* 525/526, daily, Morón - Ciego de Avila, railbus, second class
* 532/533/534/535, daily, Nuevitas - Camagüey, train, second class
* 536/537/538/539/540/541, daily, Nuevitas - Tarafa, railbus, second class
* 542/543/544/545, daily, Santa Cruz del Sur - Camagüey, railbus, second class
* 546/547/548/549/550/551/552/553/554/555, daily, Las Tunas - Balcón, railbus, second class
* 557/558/559/560/561/562/563/564/565/566/567/568, daily, Piedrecitas - Kilómetro 5.6, railbus, second class
* 608/609, daily, Santiago de Cuba - Manzanillo, train, second class
* 610/611, every second day, Santiago de Cuba - Holguin, train, second class
* 613/614, daily, Herrera - Santiago de Cuba, train, second class
* 615/616, daily, Holguin - Herrera, train, second class
* 617, daily, Bayamo - Jiguani, train, second class
* 618/619/620, daily, Jiguani - Manzanillo, train, second class
* 621, daily, Manzanillo - Bayamo, train, second class
* 622/623/624/625, daily, Bayamo - Guamo, train, second class
* 626/630, daily, Contramaestre - Jiguani, railbus, second class
* 627/631, daily, Jiguani - Oriente, railbus, second class
* 628/632, daily, Oriente - Contramaestre, railbus, second class
* 633/634, daily, Contramaestre - Santiago de Cuba, railbus, second class
* 712/713/714/715, daily, Guantánamo - Martires de la Frontera, railbus, second class
* 716/717/718/719/720/721, every second day, Guantánamo - San Anselmo, railbus, second class
* 722/723, daily, Guantánamo - Yayal, railbus, second class
* 726/727/730/731/732/733, daily, Guantánamo - Caimanera, railbus, second class
* 807/809/853/870/872, daily, Talleres Calle 7 - Canasi, Hershey railbus
* 810/811/812/813/814/815/816/817/818/819/820/821/822/823/824/825/826/827/828/829/830/831, daily, Jaruco - Talleres Calle 7, Hershey railbus
* 832/833/836/837/842/843/846/847, daily, Caraballo - San Mateo, Hershey railbus
* 834/835, daily, Caraballo - Playas del Este, Hershey railbus
* 838/839/844/845/848/849/850/851, daily, Caraballo - Hershey, Hershey railbus
* 840/841, daily, Caraballo - Talleres Calle 7, Hershey railbus
* 852/854/855/865/866, daily, Canasi - Santa Cruz del Norte, Hershey railbus
* 856/857/868, daily, Santa Cruz del Norte - Talleres Calle 7, Hershey railbus
* 858/859/860/861, daily, Santa Cruz del Norte - Jibacoa, Hershey railbus
* 862/863, daily, Santa Cruz del Norte - Hershey, Hershey railbus
* 864/867, daily, Canasi - Hershey, Hershey railbus
* 876/881/882/883, daily during summer, Playas del Este - Habana La Coubre, Hershey railbus
The following services may run (all daily, second class):
* 86/87, Holguin - Las Tunas, train
* 117/118, Matanzas - Los Arabos Nuevo, train
* 335/336, Los Arabos Nuevo - Santa Clara, train
* 569/570, Camagüey - Talleres, train
* 572/573, Las Tunas - Camagüey, railbus
The fastest and most comfortable way to cover larger distances is on either of the Cuban airlines, Cubana de Aviación [url=http://www.cubana.cu/],]Aero Caribbean [url=http://www.aero-caribbean.com/[/url]]or Aerogaviota [http://www.aerogaviota.com[/url]. They operate on the following routes:
Calm roads and beautiful scenery make Cuba an ideal country for biking. You will have to bring your own bike as bikes suitable for trekking are not readily available in Cuba. Do not under any circumstances rent a bike (i.e. el Orbe in Havana) in Cuba as you will get a junker or something that will leave your backside raw.
Roads in most places in Cuba are reasonable, but it may still be a good idea to bring a mountain bike. Mountain bikes are stronger and allow for better driving off-road. Make sure to bring all spare parts you might need along the way, since they will not be available in Cuba. As casas particulares are available even in relatively small towns it is easy to plan an itinerary. Food for on the road can often be obtained locally for cheap Cuban Pesos, but make sure if you travel through more remote areas to carry enough food (and water!). Obtaining bottled water outside the major cities can be a definite problem.
Bikers are often met with enthusiasm and interest; when taking a break you will often be approached by curious locals. It is possible to take bikes on a tourbus, like "Viazul", to cover larger distances. You have to arrange a personal agreement with the driver however, who will expect a little bonus in return. It is also possible to take bikes on trains and even to hitch with bikes (wave some convertible pesos to approaching drivers to catch their attention).
The best times to go are between December and April, to avoid the horrendous storms and hurricanes before December and the sticky heat of the Cuban summer which can be unbearable for some. This is also the high season so expect a price increase during this period.
For information specific to [wiki=1f122dd19db580fd03635dd699fb49de]U.S. citizens[/wiki] see '[wiki=b6c99ef96491f805ed4912cb3ea829a2]Americans in Cuba[/wiki]
There are two currencies circulating in Cuba, Cuban Pesos (CUP) and Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC). Prior to November 2004 US dollars were in wide circulation on par with the CUC, but the government discontinued that and they are no longer used.
CUC is the currency most tourists will use in Cuba. It is how you will pay for hotels, official taxis, entry into museums, meals at restaurants, cigars, rum, etc. Since March 2011, the CUC has been set at par to the USD for exchange calculation (with commission and, in the case of actual USD a penalty - see below). Conversion into CUC can be done at exchange houses (casa de cambio, or cadeca). These are located in many hotels and in other places throughout the cities. CUC are valued at 25 times the value of CUP. Tourists are permitted to import or export a maxiumum of CUP 100 or CUC 200 at any one time. Locals pronounce the currency CUC/CUCs as "kook" or "kooks"
CUP' are also known as local pesos and are referred to in Spanish as "Moneda Nacional" (National currency). As of Jan 2011, 1 CUC buys 24 CUP and 25 CUP buys 1 CUC. There is a limited range of goods that can be bought for local pesos, and these are transactions carried out in agricultural markets or from street vendors. Fruits, vegetables, fresh juices and snacks from street vendors are among the things CUP can buy. CUP's also buys the local cigars 'tabacos' or 'Nacionales' in local shops. These taste fair, and you get one for 1 CUP, far cheaper than what you have to pay for the exportation brands. Try them, they are OK. If you plan on staying in Havana there are plenty of locations that offer goods in CUP and they are worth checking out. There are even sit down restaurants with food priced in CUP. The food is cheaper and you will be eating with actual Cubans. However the quality of cuisine can be very hit or miss.
Because the products that can be purchased with CUP are limited, it is a good idea to change only about CUC 5-10 into CUP at a time,
If you are on a budget, finding food vendors in CUP is the best way to go. These will not be aimed at tourists and therefore much cheaper. A street vendor selling donuts for 5 CUP might bump up the price to 1 CUC (roughly five times more) though, so make sure you always have some CUPs on you.
As in any developing country, most of the merchandise available is designed for tourists to take back home. The biggest Cuban exports for tourists are rum, cigars, and coffee, all of which are available at government-owned stores (including the duty free store at the airport) or on the streets. For genuine merchandise, you should pay the official price at the legal stores.
Cubans also do well in creating music such as salsa, son, and Afro-Cubano. You can purchase CDs or tapes anywhere, but paying the average cost of 20 CUC assures you of quality.
If you are planning to take big quantities (several boxes or more) of cigars with you, be sure you have purchased them officially from an approved shop that gives you proper purchase documentation. Foreign nationals are allowed to export up to 50 cigars (generally 25 to a box) without special permits or receipts, but the export of more requires official receipts. If you buy cigars cheap on streets and you don't have official purchase invoice then your cigars may/will be confiscated. Also, be advised that any purchase of Cuban cigars outside government-approved stores (even in resorts) has the potential to be fake, and that the "cigar factory worker who steals from the factory" does not exist in any appreciable quantities. If you find a "deal" from a street vendor, it's incredibly likely you are getting fakes, some of which may not even be made of tobacco. Always ensure, no matter where you buy, that the Cuban government origin warranty stamp is properly affixed to the cigar box. Americans are no longer allowed to bring Cuban cigars back into the U.S., regardless of their value, if they have an OFAC license, or even if they were given as a gift. It is also illegal for Americans to smoke or buy Cuban cigars anywhere in the world.
Officially you'll need permission to export paintings that are larger than 70cm/side. When you buy artwork from approved shop then they'll give you also the required document, that consists of one paper and one stamp that will be glued on back of your painting. Serial numbers on the stamp and paper must match. Cost of the document is about CUC 2-3. In reality, it is possible that no one will be interested in your paintings.
Cuba has long been a popular Medical Tourism destination for patients worldwide that seek high quality medical care at low costs. According to the Association of Caribbean States, nearly 20,000 international patients visited Cuba in 2006 for medical care. Cuba is especially attractive to many Latin American and North American patients given its easy proximity and relaxing environment.
A wide range of medical treatments are provided including joint replacement, cancer treatment, eye surgery, cosmetic surgery and addictions rehabilitation. Costs are about 60 to 80 percent less than U.S. costs.
Note that many locals are simply friendly and their only motive is a conversation, though some may swing it towards cigars. However, a few well established scams exist:
*Insurance price for the rental cars became a subject of scams. It is quite expensive as you may get to pay twice the real cost. You should keep in mind that there is one type of insurance policy covering everything (except for radio and tires) and the price varies only depending on the car type. The guy at the car rental office might start to explain the difference between 2-3 types of policies for the same car type, coming at different costs. Undoubtedly, only the more expensive one has full coverage (except for the radio and tires theft). This is the scam! If you choose the more expensive option, you are told that it is not possible to pay the full amount with credit card. Nevertheless it is possible to pay a part of it with credit card (exactly the cost of the less expensive one)and pay cash for the difference. You will not get any receipt, nor does this sum appears on the rental contract. This is the exact amount the scammer gets from you.
*Cigars are the most popular merchandise for the tourists to Cuba, however most of the cigars that tourists bought in Cuba during Havana one-day tour or even in Varadero airport tax-free store are fake. Make sure you buy cigars in official shops, do not trust the tobacco factory where the tourism guide takes you to.
*In some spots such as casa de gobierno y palacio municipal, be cautious to the staffs who want to take photos for you or offer you a visit to some "hidden" area. They will ask you more than CUC1 as tips after they have "served" you.
*Real-looking discount cigars of dubious authenticity being offered by street touts. Quite often though these are indeed genuine articles which have been stolen or collected over a long period of time by cigar workers and are sold at substantial discount on legal and taxed cigars. If you are unable to distinguish genuine cigars then you should only buy from the official cigar dealers. The best people to buy untaxed (illegal but genuine) cigars from tend to be hotel doormen who will not be offended if asked "if they know where you can get cheap cigars" and may lead you to a room in the hotel used for this purpose. If buying untaxed cigars you should not pay more than say CUC 50 for a box of say 25 Esplendidos (around ten times cheaper than taxed cigars a rule of thumb). Be careful that you see the box you are buying open to prove there are in fact cigars in it. Also often stickers are included to allow you to seal the box as if it had been taxed. There is a risk that customs will confiscate these on exit, but for less than 50 cigars it is very unlikely. If carrying more then they should be split between the members of your party. Since the activity of selling untaxed cigars stolen or collection from the factory is illegal and the locals are often very short of money outside the main tourist season it is possible to haggle the prices very low, but since a typical salary for a hotel worker may be the equivalent of USD 20 per month it may seem unfair.
*"Friendly" locals inviting tourists to bars for a drink (normally a Mojito) or to a restaurant; the tourist will be charged two to three times the normal price, and the spoils split between the establishment and the "friend". In Central Havana area, a running trick is a young local man or couple, in pretext of practising English, to invite tourists to attend a performance by "Buena Vista Social Club" (no, most of the members of BVSC have passed away and the group hasn't performed in Havana for many years) while suggesting to go to a nearby bar for a drink while waiting for the show to start.
*Short-changing in bars or taxis or giving national pesos (CUP) in change for convertible pesos (CUC). Or, offering to swap 3 CUC or more for a "special edition" 3 peso coin with a picture of Che Guevara (the swap is of a CUC for CUP which is worth about 20 times less). Unfortunately unlike bills, convertible coins are unmarked as such. Get familiarized with the coins as soon as you get them from the bank or CADECA - the ones with a big star or Che Guevara on one side are all national pesos. The convertible bills have images of monuments on them while the pesos have images of people on them. Further the convertible bills have a water mark of a man (Jose Martin) on them while the pesos have a watermark of a woman (Fidel Castro's personal secretary who was beloved as the mother of all Cuban children because she provided help to those in need) on them.
*Water is often sold around tourist areas. Sometimes these bottles have been filled with local tap water and re-sealed (which can be poisonous). You can usually see this tampering on the bottle, but not always, in any case tap water will taste markedly different to bottled water and should be avoided in all cases. If in doubt you should discard the water. In fact, real bottled water (same goes for canned soft drinks) is a luxury even to locals and costs about the same either in national pesos (around 10 CUP) or convertibles (around 0.45 CUC) in stores, local or tourist ones alike - if you get one too cheaply, it's probably too good to be true.
*Locals offer to swap money at a 'local bank' where the natives can get the best rates and ask you to remain outside whilst they do the deal as your presence would drive the rate up. If you give them your money you will never see them again.
*Credit cards scams are common and accordingly money should only be withdrawn in reputable hotels or banks. Ideally carry cash with you; CAD, EUR and GBP are almost universally accepted (in order of popularity) despite being illegal to spend.
*In Havana it is important to always be careful when using money. When taking a taxi, ask someone familiar with the system what the approximate fare should be, as many drivers will try to set an artificially high fare before departing. If in doubt, insist that they use the meter. You can almost be sure that any predetermined fare from the airport is at least 5-10 CUC higher than it should be - insist on the meter.
*Shop assistants have been known not to give change and go on serving the next customer, assuming the tourist will not be able to speak enough Spanish to question the matter. In addition, some ambiguity exists between whether or not published prices are in CUC or CUP, and many vendors will take CUC when CUP is due and pocket the difference without telling you of your mistake. If in doubt, observe what the other customers are doing before making your purchase.
*Credit card scams are common. Do not let your credit card out of your hands, and watch as the salesperson passes the card in the machine. If anything seems strange, DO NOT SIGN! Merchants in small shops may take your card to an adjacent bank counter and use it to take out a cash advance. Look closely at your receipts, if the receipt indicates 'Venta' and a dollar or CUC amount, this means that is has been passed as a cash advance (which will be kept by the dishonest employees). Credit card facilities are however generally so limited to non-existent in shops that it is customary and more practical to just pay with cash.
*Often, real products such as rum and cigars may be switched by employees for fake ones which are under the counter or in a storeroom.
*Jineteros/jineteras are a problem in larger cities, and will try to sell tourists anything, including restaurants, cigars, sex and drugs. Note that this type of solicitation is illegal in Cuba and most will leave you alone if you ignore them or politely say no for fear of police attention.
*Bicycle tour drivers will often quote you a price of 5-8 CUC for a 1 hour tour of nearly all of the tourist sights. This is impossible to do by cycle in 1 hour and will take 2-3, which you will then be asked to pay for and be given an excuse as to the 'confusion'. The tours are still a great way to see the city, just confirm and negotiate all the details before you accept.
*Look before you buy has become a relatively common trick for tourists in Havana, especially with cigars. Very friendly men will quote you a very good price on some cigars, and you can go with them just to look before you decide if you want them. Then once you are at their house or office or shop, they will present what are inevitably fake cigars and passively-aggressively force you to buy them.
In many cities the only way for tourists to access the internet is through the government's communications centers. Look for buildings bearing the name "ETECSA", which stands for Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. ETECSA also has internet stations in some of the larger government hotels and resorts.
The connection speed is 1-2 MBps near the ETECSA office and cost is 4.5 CUC per hour. (May 2015) Casas may offer you prepaid cards at the cost of 6 CUC.
This is payable by purchasing a prepaid scratch card with a PIN code granting you access for one hour. The same card can be used throughout the country at any ETECSA terminal, allowing you to disconnect after your session and use the remaining time on the card further at the next hotel/city you go to.
Wi-Fi in hotels and restaurants is certainly uncommon if not non-existent and tourists should not rely on this being available when planning their means of communication. Many will tell you that Skype is unavailable in the country, yet on a recent visit (Nov 2011) it was possible to Skype the UK and Australia, with video, from a hotel lobby using an iPad and the hotel's Wi-Fi.
Having internet access at your house is illegal, though illegal connections (usually through a modem set up at a school or workplace) can be obtained for about 30 CUC per month. However legal connections are available for Cubans from ETECSA. Access is through wifi and connection gear cost around 200-300 CUC. (Bring your old PC and wifi stuff to Cuba, even used equipment is expensive for the people.) Citizens pay their connection through the same prepaid system as tourists. Campaign price is -50% from the 4.5 CUC per hour. This can be renewed online. (May 2015)
The country code for Cuba is 53.
The emergency number is 116. The information number is 113.
GSM cell phones will work in Cuba (900 MHz).
Cuba is one of the most expensive countries in which to communicate. Incoming phonecalls to Cuba cost about €1 / minute, even through services like Skype. Outgoing calls from Cuba are similarly expensive, and can be as high as €5 per minute for making international when roaming with your cellphone from overseas.
Cellphones can be rented at several stores in Havana, including one in the airport. The rates are 9 CUC per day (6 CUC for the phone and 3 CUC for the SIM card), plus about 36 cents a minute for prepaid cards. If you bring an unlocked GSM phone operating at 900 MHz (or quad-band world phone) you can buy a SIM card for 111 CUC, plus your prepaid minutes. If you're staying two weeks or more it makes sense to bring a cheap phone, buy a SIM card and prepaid minutes, then give the phone to a Cuban friend when you leave. Cellphones are among the most desired items for Cubans (bring a case for the phone too, Cubans are very fussy about keeping their phones scratch-free). You will have to go to a cellphone store with your friend and sign a paper to give the phone to your friend. Don't give your friend an unlimited plan that charges to your credit card!
You can buy and send an Aerogram (a piece of stationary that you fold into an envelope and send like that with no extra stamps, used to be very popular worldwide decades ago) to anywhere in the world for as little as 0,60 peso (2007 price).
Granma has a daily [url=http://www.granma.cubasi.cu/]]edition and an international [url=http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html[/url]]version.
* Juventud Rebelde, [http://www.juventudrebelde.cu[/url].
* Cuba Vision, [url=http://www.cubavision.cubaweb.cu/portada.asp]]is the national television station.
* Radio Reloj, [url=http://www.radioreloj.cu[/url]]broadcasts news 24 hours and states the time every minute on the minute - dos cuarenta y dos minutos...
* Radio Rebelde, [url=http://www.radiorebelde.com.cu[/url],]another news radio station.
* Cuba Holiday News, [url=http://news.thecubaexperience.co.uk[/url],]online news channel, with selected news for people interested on travelling to Cuba.
* Havana Times, [url=http://www.havanatimes.org[/url],]Photos, News Briefs and Features from Havana, Cuba.
* Cuba Headlines, [url=http://www.cubaheadlines.com[/url],]Cuba News Headlines. Cuban Daily News | Cuba News, Articles and Daily Information.
Most of the radio stations are available live online [http://media-radio.cubasi.cu/[/url].
If you're staying at a hotel or casa particular, it's likely there will be a television, and watching Cuban television is a good place to observe Cuba's unique mix of vibrant culture, sports and controversial politics.
The Cuban telenovelas are one of the state's key instruments for addressing sexual taboos and educating young people about AIDS, for example. The locally produced cartoons are the most interesting and uniquely Cuban. They range from abstract and artsy to informative to entertaining.
The most famous of the genre is the children's program Elpidio Valdés, which chronicles the adventures of a band of rebels in the 19th century revolt against the Spanish. The mix of cartoon slapstick humor and images of violent revolution (dashing revolutionaries stealing rifles, blowing up Spanish forts, and sticking pistols into the mouths of goofy Spanish generals) in a program geared at children is simultaneously delightful and disturbing.
There are classes under the heading "Universidad Para Todos" (University for Everybody) with the purpose to teach Cubans subjects like mathematics and grammar through the television. Also one of the channels is called the "Educational Channel" (Canal Educativo), although this uses "educational" in its widest sense, including foreign soap operas and pop concerts.
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