It is sometimes difficult for tourists to understand the monetary system of a particular country, especially if the state has more than one currency. When going to Cuba, you need to be aware of not only the laws of the island, but also its political relations with other states. This will help determine what currency is in Cuba "in use", and which one doesn’t.
Features of Cuban currencies
There are two types of currency in Cuba:
- national (CUP);
- convertible (CUC).
Both currencies are used equally in trade on the island. The local population calls the convertible unit "cook", but its official name is peso. Cubans are paid in both currencies.
Distinguish "cook" from the national currency is very simple: the sign is printed on convertible pesos "convertible" and historical objects are painted, and on the CUP there are portraits of government leaders. "Cook" relates to the national peso in the proportion of 1:25. (See photo above).
The national currency is accepted everywhere: in any store, market, boutique, public transport, and simply when paying for any services with a Cuban resident.
But some tourist areas where specialized exchange offices are located only accept convertible pesos. "Cook", as a rule, are paid in bars, restaurants and cafeterias.
What to take to Cuba: rubles, dollars or euros?
Rubles in Cuba do not change, so you will have to forget about the Russian currency on the island. The question remains: what is more profitable – dollars or euros? You can stock up on two currencies at once, as Cubans are happy to exchange both. But it is advisable to take more euros.
The fact is that Cuba does not have the best political relations with America. Therefore, a large commission is charged here for the American dollar - up to 20% for 1 denomination, depending on which exchange point you contact. There is no commission for euros.
Both currencies can be exchanged at a bank branch or exchange office. It is worth noting that "exchangers", located at the airport, hotel and city centers, offer exchange at an unfavorable rate. Therefore, it is advisable to look for points remote from crowds of tourists.
The bank is the safest and most reliable "exchanger". Opening hours of Cuban banks: from 9 am to 6 pm (Tuesday-Friday) and from 10 am to 2 pm (Saturday). Days off are Sunday and Monday.
It is not recommended to use the services of street money changers in Cuba There are enough licensed exchange offices. Having exchanged money with a passerby, there is a high probability of receiving counterfeit banknotes. Money changers also sell Cuban currency at an unfavorable rate for tourists.
Is it possible to pay by card?
Eurocard, Visa and Mastercard are valid on the island. You can also pay with traveler's checks, but provided that they are not issued by an American organization.
Credit and savings cards are usually used in shopping centers, boutiques, and restaurants. But it is worth remembering that when paying by bank transfer, the buyer is charged a commission of 3% of the purchase amount.
How much money to take to the island
Almost all resort islands offer cheap services to tourists. If you check into a hotel with the service "all inclusive" guests spend no more than $100 for a 1-2 week vacation in Cuba. Some people manage to reduce their expenses to just a few dollars a week. Tourists who have flown to Cuba with the aim of sunbathing, swimming in the ocean and strolling along the local streets, "headlong" 50 dollars is enough for 6-7 days.
As for active travelers, in this case you will have to take at least $500 with you. 2 excursions around Cuba cost an average of $125 per person. Trips to remote areas cost two to three times more: from $300 to $700. Water activities will also cost a pretty penny.
Shopping in Cuba is inexpensive; a tourist can easily spend 20-50 dollars. Clothes, shoes, exotic products and souvenirs on the island are cheap, as they are produced in local factories and plantations. In Cuba you can buy 1 kg of coffee beans, rum and natural tobacco at a low cost.
Total: tourists leading a relaxed lifestyle will have enough 50-100$ for the entire period of stay on the island. Guests planning active holidays, shopping and excursions in Cuba are advised to take at least 1000$ for a week.
When getting ready for the trip, I read a lot of reviews on the Internet, which really helped me organize my stay in Cuba. As a token of gratitude, I decided to make my contribution to the preparation of a “savage” holiday on the island of freedom. So the information below is not an ironic amateur description of your adventures, but a series of practical information that may be useful for lovers of independent recreation. Those who prefer organized “all-inclusive” tourism in Varadero with multi-colored bracelets on their hands are unlikely to find this reading entertaining.
1. Season, off-season
In Cuba, the most favorable season for vacation is the end of November - beginning of April. This is mild and warm (in our opinion so hot) weather with quite tolerable humidity. May-October is the rainy season and summer stuffiness. There are also hurricanes in October and November. However, having visited Cuba in October and previously made sure on Gismeteo.ru that water will ooze from the sky for the entire two weeks, I responsibly report: tropical rain almost always begins unexpectedly, ends in 10 minutes, and after another 5 minutes the sun is already actively shining. During the entire two weeks of our stay, we had to take out the umbrella once, and the raincoats purchased in advance remained untouched at the bottom of the suitcase. So there is no need to be afraid of rain, but it won’t hurt to prepare for it. But during the high season (especially December-January), you may have to wade through multilingual crowds of tourists who are fleeing to the south from the domestic cold, and also overpay for food, housing and entertainment (the price tag grows significantly). All prices below are correct as of October 2007.
2. Entry into Cuba
For citizens of Russia and Belarus (unlike, for example, Ukraine) a visa-free regime has been established for a stay in Cuba of up to 30 days. To enter Liberty Island you are officially required to have a valid passport, return air ticket and confirmation of your hotel reservation (or travel voucher). In fact, the nice woman in green uniform at the José San Marti airport did not ask for a ticket or confirmation of the online reservation, which had been carefully printed out in triplicate in advance. Judging by the reviews of other “savages,” this is not an oversight by an individual official, but normal practice. In addition to your passport, to enter you need to fill out an immigration card, which is usually handed out on the plane or can be asked from the women in uniform before passport control. It indicates the hotel in which the tourist has booked a room. Nobody bothers you to write down any hotel you know in Havana on this card, for example Nacional, Parque Central, Inglatera, Sevillia or any other. This will be quite enough. The entry stamp is not placed in the passport (so that later there will be no problems with obtaining an American visa), but on this very immigration card, half of which must be kept for departure.
The only way to get from the airport to the capital is by taxi. The upper limit, which is announced immediately upon leaving the terminal, is 25 convertible pesos. Quite quickly they drop it to 20. But we firmly stood at 15. As a result, the taxi driver mafia gave in, and after a three-minute wait for the suffering dates with Havana, the tourists were put in a taxi with some thrifty Swede, who, apparently, refused to pay more than a chervonets. By the way, to immediately close the topic of the cost of a taxi from/to the airport, Pantaxi (local economical taxi on domestic Zhiguli) usually asks 15 convertible pesos from the city, but according to the meter from the center of Havana it will be exactly 10 (from the Vedado area, of course, more). Tested from my own experience. So if, with the help of hypnosis or strong suggestion, you can force a poor Cuban to travel such a distance on the meter, then you can save five.
3. Money
There are two currency units in circulation in Cuba: the regular peso (often called “peso cubana” by locals), which is used by mere mortals, and the convertible peso (CUC, “convertible” or sometimes “peso fuerte”), invented specifically for foreign tourists. Something like the Soviet foreign currency ruble. On price tags, both regular and convertible pesos are indicated with a dollar sign $.
One convertible peso can be exchanged for 24 regular pesos at Cadeca banks. These Cuban pesos are used to pay wages to workers in socialist industry (12-16 dollars per month) and with them they use cards in special government shops at ridiculous subsidized prices to purchase cereals, sugar, soap and other basic necessities. These stores, with their empty shelves, are painfully reminiscent of a general store during the collapse of the union. Judging by the guidebooks (Lonely Planet), there are supposedly good restaurants in Cuba where you can pay with these pesos. I admit, I have never seen anything like this, except for the scary-looking snack bars and cafeterias that offered cheese and ham sandwiches (5 Cuban pesos) and no less scary pizza (10 - 15 pesos). Cubans consume this fast food with pleasure, and if suddenly you had to stay on the island of freedom with absolutely no money or are craving something exotic (if you have a plentiful supply of immodium, chloramphenicol, or at least smecta), then you can try it. In addition, on streets away from tourist trails, these rogue pesos can be used to purchase freshly squeezed juices (1-2 pesos per glass), ice cream (1-3 pesos) or coffee (30 centavos! for a small cup). Real benefits from local pesos can also be obtained at agricultural markets, where the party and government have allowed rural workers to sell their surplus produce. There's a place to go for a walk! They sell pineapples, papaya (called “fruita bomba” in Cuba), guava, bananas, etc. practically free of charge. Prices range from 3 to 5 pesos per pound. One really huge papaya will cost about 15 Cuban pesos (that is, a little more than half of one convertible peso). Bring a folding pocketknife in your luggage to peel and cut fruit.
Convertible pesos (bills with the inscription pesos convertibles) are exchanged (October 2007) at the airport and in banks at the rate of 1.25 - 1.26 pesos per 1 euro. Those. for 100 euros they will give you from 125 to 126 “convertibles”. It’s better not to take dollars with you to Cuba, as they are exchanged with a 10% commission and for 100 bucks you can only get 89 “cookies”. The owner of the treasured foreign currency rubles in Cuba has access to taxis, good restaurants, hotels and normal shops with a limited selection of goods, although it is still incomparable to distribution shops.
Money can also be withdrawn from a card (but not issued by American banks), but apparently for a fairly significant commission. So the cash is everything, and save the card in case of an unforeseen financial disaster.
4. Prices
Taxi
Pantaxi (Yellow or white checkered Lada - the most economical option) from Havana to José San Martí Airport - 15 CUC, from the Vedado area to Old Havana - up to 5 CUC, from Old Havana through the tunnel under the harbor to the fortress with the lighthouse - 2- 3 cookies, from the center of Havana to the beach of Santa Maria Del Mar (15 km from the city) - no more than 15 cookies, from the center of Havana (Capitol) to the Viazul bus station - 5 cookies. Pantaxi has meters and you can offer to drive along it, which is usually cheaper. Tourist taxi OK with good new cars with air conditioning costs significantly more, both with and without a meter. Pedicabs do not formally have the right to carry foreign tourists, but they will very strongly offer their services for 1-3 CUC depending on the duration of the trip. This does not threaten the tourist, but the rickshaw may have problems with the law enforcement officers. There are also motor scooters in Cuba with yellow booths for two people - Coco taxi, which can sometimes be bargained for at a reasonable price, but more likely for a fan. I’m silent about pleasure carriages. It all depends on the season and your persistence.
Food in restaurants and cafes
Beer Cristal (light) in an aluminum can 0.35 ml - 1 cook, in a glass can - 1.5, Bukanero (stronger) - 1.5 cook. We managed to find draft beer (by the way, very good) in one place - in a tavern on Plaza Vieja in Old Havana - 2 CUC per glass. Austrian brewing equipment - Salm Brau. Anyone who has been to Vienna will understand what we are talking about.
Cocktails almost everywhere cost 2.5 cookies, but there are places where the price starts from 1.5 cookies for a glass of “cuba libre” (rum and cola), 2 cookies for a “mojito” (rum with lemon, soda, mint and sugar) and up to 2.25 for “ piña colada (rum with pineapple juice and coconut milk).
Coffee - 1 - 1.5 CUC per cup.
The price of a hot dish in normal restaurants starts from 4-5 cookies (chicken or pork), 5-7 cookies (fish, beef), 6-8 cookies (shrimp or lobster tail). Side dish (rice, rice and beans or fried potatoes) - about 1 cookie. Soups 1.5 - 3 cookies. Although there are establishments (for example, I ended up in such a very decent place in Varadero), where at lunch the price tag for a hot dish starts from 2.5 cookies, and in some advanced restaurant in Old Havana in the evening it can start from a chervonets and reach more than twenty for a lobster . Ask for bread, because... it is usually not brought without an order and is “valued” at 1 cookie. On average, for a normal dinner you need to shell out 8-12 cookies. Portions in Cuba are huge, so don't overdo it. For those who will be in Havana, I highly recommend the worthy restaurant El Coquito at Malecon 107 (second floor of the Asturian Sociedad, on the first there is some kind of bar and billiard tables). Very tasty cuisine at affordable prices, high-level service and a balcony overlooking the ocean and the Havana promenade. Unfortunately, there is no sign, but the number on the house has not fallen off yet.
When visiting Cuban restaurants, pay attention to the fact that, firstly, they like to shortchange tourists, and secondly, in a number of places a service fee of 10 to 20% is added to the bill (this will definitely be written on the menu). Tips are very welcome. At a minimum, you can round up the bill and leave “change” or, if you really liked it, give one or two cookies on top. Tea is always collected by musicians who perform music in cafes and restaurants. It will be enough to leave them 0.5 -1 cookies. You can immediately buy a disc of the band you like for 10 cookies (a little expensive; in a tourist store, good discs start at 6 cookies).
Sandwiches and pizzas for convertible pesos - from 1 to 3 cookies. For example, in the fairly widespread fast food chain El Rapido.
Rum? Rum... Rum! Havana Club Anejo Blanco (the cheapest, it is added to cocktails) in the store - 3.50 CUC per 0.7 liter bottle. and 5.2 cookies per liter. Three-year aged rum is somewhat more expensive, although you probably won’t feel much difference in taste. Excellent aged rum Havana Club Reserva or Santiago costs around 7.5-8 cookies per 0.7 liter. They are drunk separately, without mixing with cola and without ice. In taste and softness - like good cognac. The top bar is Havana Club aged seven years. Options for cheap and “tasty” drinking: buy a package of a mixture of pineapple juice and coconut milk (called piña colada and costs 4.20 CUC), rum and make cocktails yourself (believe me, cocktails are made from the same package in restaurants). It's the same with cola. Carbonated drinks in aluminum cans in cafes and restaurants, in discos - 1 CUC per can. Cola (local, of course) in one and a half liter bottles in the store - 1.5 kuka. Packaged juices - 2.1 CUC per liter.
Entrance to museums from 3 cookies (Capitol, the climb to the upper observation deck of the tower of the José San Marti memorial in Revolution Square, the house of the Spanish Governor General in Old Havana - I highly recommend), 5 cookies (Museum of the Revolution - a terrible boring place, the yacht Granma, exhibited in glass pavilion, visible from the street), up to 10 convertible pesos (tour of the Partagas tobacco factory - don’t spare the money, it’s worth it).
Entrance to the disco is 3-5 cookies, usually one drink is included. You should definitely go to the local discos. How Cubans dance salsa... Even 70-year-old old people rock the dance floor, let alone young people.
A sun lounger or umbrella on the beach costs 1-2 cooks (unless you live in a hotel that is adjacent to the beach and charges this fee), entrance to the beach is free almost everywhere.
Gasoline - 0.75-0.85 CUC per liter.
Water in the store for a one and a half liter bottle costs 0.7 -1 kuk, in a cafe it usually costs 2 kuk, and for a half liter bottle it costs kuk.
Airport tax when leaving Cuba is 25 cookies.
5. Housing
Hotels can be booked online (unless, of course, you buy a package with flights and accommodation from a travel agency). www.venere.com sometimes offers quite interesting rates. Costs start from 30-35 euros per night with breakfast in a dirty three-star hotel out of season. The upper ceiling is lost in the clouds. For cheap options in Havana, I recommend Hotel Deuville on the Malecon embankment (intersection with Avenue Italia). Don't expect a palace and scraping staff for pennies. The home is quite shabby both outside and inside. But on the plus side: location (5 minutes walk to the Prado, 10-15 minutes to the Capitol, half an hour to Old Havana), hearty breakfast, clean linen and towels, decent pool on the 6th floor overlooking central Havana and the ocean, bar 24 hours a day, as well as a daily disco (except Tuesdays), where hotel residents are allowed in completely free of charge. The guests are mostly middle-income, unpretentious foreigners from various countries of the world (from Australia to Poland). In Varadero, a good option that lives up to its three stars is Hotel Aquasul. Quite neat both outside and inside, it is located 200-300 meters from the municipal beach.
"Casa particular", i.e. private rooms that the good Fidel allowed Cubans to rent out to foreigners in their homes so as not to starve. This is a real opportunity to communicate with Cubans (even if you don’t speak Spanish), look at their life from the inside, get a lot of useful information and help in planning trips around the country. Casas can vary greatly in location, level of furnishings and friendliness of the owners, but do not differ much in price. 25-35 CUC per night for a room (two people can share it) in Havana and 20-25 CUC in the provinces. In the capital, rooms in the area of Old Havana or the Center of Havana (closer to the waterfront - Malecon) are preferable if you want to be in the thick of things and close to attractions and nightlife. However, at first glance, central Havana does not make a very rosy impression - beautiful but crumbling houses, sometimes dark and dirty streets, dubious characters around. This option is good for night adventure seekers who are ready for hardships, although there are also very decent kasas. The Vedado area is a quieter green area with villas, where it is good to stay with a family. However, it is a long way from Old Havana, so budget at least 10 cookies a day for a taxi unless you are a marathon runner or race walker. I can recommend the house at Prado 20 (José San Marti Avenue), which has already appeared on the internet more than once. Rooms are available for rent on almost every floor, excellent view and location, terraces are brilliant (I apologize for Ellochka the Ogre's vocabulary), but the place is popular, so there may not be room. By the way, a person with a suitcase on the street is immediately grabbed by the hand with an offer to show him a “casa particular” or “habitacien” (room). If there are no other options, then you can follow Susanin. You may have to look through several apartments until one catches your eye and the price will be at least 5 cookies more expensive for you, since the owners will pay a commission to the conductor. Another option, if you were unable to stock up on addresses from forums or specialized sites in advance (type casa particular Habana in Google), is to rely on white A5 size labels with a blue or green triangle and the inscription rentator divisia pasted at the doors of houses. This means that the room(s) are available for rent. In an apartment building, the elevator operator will happily respond to the magic word “casa” or “habitsien”, who will show what is available and where.
The owners of the kasa often cook for their guests. Breakfast of sandwiches, scrambled eggs, fruit, coffee and fresh juice will cost 3 cookies (up to 5 in Havana). Dinner per person - from 7-8 for chicken or meat to 8-10 for seafood. A very good option - tasty and very filling. The main dish is usually accompanied by salad (cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, etc.) and fruit. They can also pamper you with Cuban wine (in the store it costs 2.5 CUC for a bottle of red or white “cracker”).
A digression on the topic of sex.
Living in a casa, in addition to the advantages listed above, in some (but not all) cases makes it possible to bring guests, including overnight guests. In such, I repeat, few cases, the owners either do not live in the apartment and leave for the night, or give the guests a key to the entrance locks, and themselves sleep behind a locked bedroom door. Officially, of course, the bringing of any Cuban guests by tourists to the cash registers is strictly prohibited, and envious neighbors, watchmen and security guards at night parking shamelessly knock on the police. So, if the owners do not give the entrance key (they will open the door to a knock themselves at any hour of the night) or frantically wave their hands, saying “BUT MUCHACHA,” then there will be no need to arrange a brothelero. However, there are those rooms that the owners provide (unofficially, of course, and at great risk for themselves, but not for the tourist) for short meetings of foreign citizens and women thirsting for affection with local Juanitas or Pedro (don’t be surprised, for Spanish women in Cuba, both for faithful and reliable Russian women Turkey). Such a room usually costs 20 cookies, regardless of the duration of the meeting. The address of the nearest hangout will probably be known to the Cuban woman you like. Take care of your pockets - they are VERY likely to be carefully cleaned. By the way, to close the topic of sex tourism, I’ll add that in a few mid-range hotels, security guards sometimes work as pimps (the same twenty on top for services), priestesses of love (30 cookies) are very persistent in their desire to get a client and concentrate in Havana in the Malecon embankment area . Meeting even an ordinary girl still means either free drinks at a bar, or a gift (Gobsecki, don’t think that savages live on the island of freedom who have never seen a ballpoint pen or a mirror), or money for a taxi. Free love is very rare in Cuba and the reason for this is the widespread poverty of the population. It is imperative to take protective and personal hygiene products with you and in large quantities. It’s difficult to find them in Cuba, so if you don’t use them, give them to the locals as a contribution to the health of the Cuban nation.
6. Transport around the country
Unfortunately, I can’t say anything about car rental, except that it is not only possible, but also wonderful. The downside is that signs on the roads are rare; you will have to pay a lot for a car.
There are two types of intercity buses: Astro and Viasul. Both are new, air-conditioned cars with uniformed, sedate drivers and conductors (Viazul is still more comfortable, but do not forget about something warm from clothes: the air conditioners work at full capacity). The difference is that Astros are designed for ordinary Cubans and take them around the country for ridiculous money. Therefore, the buses are full; without knowing Spanish, buying tickets for them can be a little difficult (but quite possible). On each flight, a certain number of seats are reserved and sold for convertible pesos to tourists. Viazuls are buses specially designed for foreigners, tickets for which are sold only for convertible pesos and cost on average 5 cookies more than the “tourist” seats in Astro. They go strictly on schedule. Reliable and basically inexpensive. Havana - Cienfuegos - 20 cookies, Havana-Trinidad - 25 cookies, Havana-Santiago de Cuba - 55 cookies. Places must be booked in advance (arrive at the station and sign up), especially during the tourist season from December to March. Probably, there is a reservation by phone (oh, I wish I knew Spanish - maybe the owners of the ticket office will help) and supposedly on the Internet (I definitely DO NOT BELIEVE this). During the off-season, buses run half empty and tickets are easily sold half an hour before departure. The stations at Astro and Viazul are most often common (the waiting rooms and ticket purchases are different), only in Havana Viazul has its own small station, located quite far from the center. Just tell the taxi driver “omnibus Viazul” and he will take you there. Pantaxi will cost no more than 5-6 cookies from almost any area of the city. Be careful with your luggage. It is accepted for transportation (just like on an airplane), given tags, carefully placed in the belly of the bus, but... still occasionally gutted. A locked combination lock will be enough to protect your property and mood. When issuing and loading luggage, they sometimes ask for a tip of 25-50 centavos (convertible, of course).
7. Security
Cuba is probably one of the safest countries in Latin America. This is where the notorious “order” is, which the fans of Joseph Vissarionovich so lack. The police are at every turn, both in uniform and in civilian clothes. A tourist is a “sacred cow,” so you can have a conversation with law enforcement officers only if they begin to advise you not to carelessly carry a camera or a woman’s handbag, joyfully waving it in the air while walking. But the locals have a hard time. Contacts between Cubans and especially Cuban women with foreigners are not very welcome, so if they see a local foreign tourist in the company, the police can check his documents and, if they are missing, take the Cuban citizen to the police station. At the same time, they will not say a word to you and will not explain anything. And despite this, Cuba has a big problem with molesters on the streets. You need to be mentally prepared for this and endure it stoically. Every 5 minutes in Havana (especially Old Havana) and a little less often, but still often in the provinces, a person will approach you and joyfully shout in broken Russian: “hello, comrade” or “Russo!” or simply “how are you, where are you from, do you remember me?” They immediately begin to insistently introduce themselves, report some important news (“Don’t miss it, today is the first day of the salsa festival, let’s go show you,” they told us every day during our two-week stay), name your hotel (sometimes even the name found out at the reception) and so on. In 99 cases out of 100, the goals of the acquaintance are transparent:
A guide (with varying degrees of professionalism, he will take you around various nooks and crannies of the city, and then demand money for living and work);
- sell fake cigars (at the same time he will present a pass card to the cigar factory and tell a sob story about how they have to be stolen in order to feed the family. See below about cigars);
- just ask for money for living (uncle, give me ten kopecks) or for milk for children (in Cuba, children have enough milk, the Cubans themselves talked about this);
- propose a girl (“chica caliente”, “faki faki”, “muchach”);
- sell cocaine (I strongly do not recommend);
- to cheat a foreigner out of money (after such a nice conversation, a Spanish friend had no watch, glasses, phone or money left, although no one hit him on the head or threatened him with a knife; he doesn’t understand how this happened);
- exchange currency at a favorable rate (the result is a “doll” with fewer bills, or regular Cuban pesos, instead of convertible ones).
So the best answer to the pesters: “but comprendo” (I don’t understand) a calm continuation of the walk, without stopping or turning around when called out or persistent “excuse me”, etc. Once you give up, stop and engage in conversation, it will be much more difficult to get rid of it.
Pickpocketing (especially by passionate Cuban women) and a banal gop-stop are still possible and do happen, especially with those who have drunk in dark alleys far from the tourist trails. So don't carry all your money, documents or tickets with you. It is better to rent a safe at the hotel and store them there or, if you are staying at a cash desk, hide them at the bottom of a suitcase that is locked with a combination or padlock. If there is no lock, then there is a high probability (especially in a hotel) that someone’s caring hand will go through your suitcase. Some kind of internal pocket on clothing, with a small slit and fastened with a safety pin and button, would be good. Unattended items are stolen on beaches, so be on the lookout.
By the way, there is also a category of barkers who offer to go to their restaurant (bar, cafe) and enjoy music and food. If it is located right at the entrance to the establishment, then there is no need to be afraid and you can quite easily look in and check what is on the menu and what the price tag is. You can find a good place to suit your taste and budget. But if you need to go somewhere, “there’s literally 100 meters around the corner,” etc., then decide for yourself (see above).
Medicines (aspirin, iodine or streptocide, immodium and levomecycin, activated carbon, etc.) must be taken with you. Having passed by local “pharmacies” several times, I still didn’t understand what they were selling. Some rare jars and boxes on half-empty shelves. Be sure to take a sunscreen with good protection. You won’t find it in Cuba, but you’ll burn your skin to blisters. Supposedly the first visit to the doctor is free. I don’t know, thank God I didn’t check.
8. Cigars
Like Mayakovsky: We say Cuba, we mean cigars, we say cigars, we mean Cuba. It’s amazing that even non-smokers want to buy real Havana cigars at a cheap price in Cuba. There are many types of Cuban cigars from the most elite Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo and Juliet at prices ranging from 3 to 10 or more cookies per piece, to machine-rolled Guantaramera at 1-1.5 cookies. Each type has different sizes (most often 4 main ones) and different thicknesses. The price depends on this. Cigars are sold individually and in cardboard boxes (3.5 pieces) and boxes (10.25 pieces). There are official stores everywhere, you can walk around and ask the price. If you are planning to buy cigars as a gift to someone who understands them at least a little, and you yourself are far from the world of tobacco, then it is better not to risk it, but to buy a smaller box, but in an official store. And there will be no problems with customs. As for the cigars offered on the streets, they can sell a frank awl, which is right there on Malaya Arnautskaya Street and is rolled from an unknown material.
If you have decided to take such a step and know so much about cigars that you can tell by eye or by smoking what they are slipping you, I’ll tell you. A smart merchant finally dragged us into some apartment in Trinidad under the pretext of showing us a cigar store (he caught loitering foreign tourists near a closed outlet). We go into the back rooms, the front door is padlocked behind our backs. Well, that's it, we're stuck. Nothing of the kind, the police are afraid of smugglers. They dump boxes on the table: you can open, look, smell and even smoke everything (if you like it, pay for the whole box, including the smoked cigar; if not, then theoretically you can pay nothing, but it’s unlikely that they’ll let you leave so easily - at least a couple you will have to pay cookies for a cigar or argue for a long time, threatening the police). The price tag for cigars that are actually stolen from the factory is from 25 to 40% of the store price. The boxes have holographic stickers, a numbered green tag with a coat of arms and the inscription “Made in Cube”, etc. Still, for testing, we bought one box of 10 cigars for 17 cookies (they asked for 20, its real price is about 50). At home they smoked it with a large group, including “experts”. The conclusion is this: the cigars were unanimously recognized as genuine, they did not disappoint in taste, smell and “smokiness”, they were only very dry (apparently they were carried around in a bag for a long time before they found the client). According to various sources, customs in Cuba allows the export of from 23 to 50 cigars (even the official store confirmed to us that the new rules increased the number to 50). So lottery fans can try to save money or lose a couple of dozen convertibles.
9. Beaches
It is not true that the best beaches in Cuba are in Varadero. Cuba has many great beaches. A very good place - Playa Del Este is 15 km away. east of Havana. White sand, palm trees, ocean. There are no beaches in Havana itself (there is some kind in the west of the city, but clearly not Bounty). Playa del Este is a fairly long series of beaches, the most famous and beautiful of them is Santa Maria Del Mar. You can get there by taxi for 15 convertibles. There is some kind of city bus that goes there, but we didn’t dare look for it, especially since one of the reviews found on the Internet talked about a three-hour wait (!) to board this ill-fated bus. It is easier to find travel companions and share a taxi between four people. There are hotels in Santa Maria Del Mar, sun loungers, umbrellas, police, beer and coconut milk sold right on the beach and all the other small pleasures of those who like to bask on the sand. Riding on a banana. I saw a jet ski in the distance. Very beautiful beaches on the Caribbean Sea in the Trinidad area (5-6 CUC by taxi from the city). Spreading large trees grow right in the sand, in the shade of which you can sit comfortably without fear of sunburn. That's what the locals do. You can take a catamaran ride for an hour to the diving site with a mask and fins for 10 kuk per nose. There are also excellent beaches on the islands, and everywhere on the island. Developed resorts organize deep-sea fishing and boat/catamaran rides, etc. entertainment. So an excellent sea holiday in Cuba is guaranteed.
HAVE A GOOD VACATION, CUBA O MUERTE!
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levomecytin not levomecycin!
I consider the advice regarding levomecytin, which is an antibiotic and is not prescribed by oneself, but only by a doctor, to be bad. Only Russians can take advantage of your advice; in civilized countries, all antibiotics are strictly prescribed. Do you swallow it from all misfortunes? Beware of allergies in this case.
LevometsiTin
to bon a savoir: Sorry, I got it wrong in a hurry, and there are many other similar errors in the text: hotels DeAuville, AquaZul, Nacional de Cuba, InglaterRa, etc. Regarding levomecithin: this is a strong antibiotic that is known for its side effects; in no case should it be taken at every opportunity. Of course, ideally - only as prescribed by a doctor. But every time I take it with me as a medical emergency - if ATSki catches it, and there is no doctor, then you have to self-medicate at your own peril and risk, anything is better than dying in the tropics
- Check your flight information on the information board and go to the check-in counters whose numbers are indicated on the board. When checking in, present your passport and ticket.
- After checking in and boarding being announced, you must proceed to the appropriate areas for international flights.
Passengers on international flights undergo customs, passport and security control, after which they await departure in the sterile area of the international airlines gallery. When going through security checks, you must present your passport and boarding pass.
When transporting animals or plants, it is necessary to undergo phytocontrol / veterinary control.
Rules for pre-flight and post-flight inspections
In accordance with Appendix No. 1 of the Rules for pre-flight and post-flight inspections, approved by order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation dated July 25, 2007 No. 104 prohibited from transporting on board the aircraft by passengers in checked baggage and in things carried by passengers, the following dangerous substances and objects:
Allowed to transport on board the aircraft by crew members and passengers, subject to the required conditions, the following items and substances:
- in checked baggage in cargo and luggage compartments of an aircraft with isolated passenger access to luggage during the flight:
- crossbows, spearguns, checkers, sabers, cutlasses, scimitars, broadswords, swords, rapiers, bayonets, daggers, knives: hunting knives, knives with ejectable blades, with locking locks, simulators of any type of weapon;
- household knives (scissors) with a blade length over 60 mm; alcoholic drinks containing more than 24%, but not more than 70% alcohol by volume in containers with a capacity of no more than 5 liters, in containers intended for retail trade - no more than 5 liters per passenger;
- liquids and alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content by volume of no more than 24%;
- aerosols intended for use for sports or household purposes, the release valves of the cans are protected by caps from spontaneous release of the contents in containers with a capacity of no more than 0.5 kg or 500 ml - no more than 2 kg or 2 liters per passenger;
- in things carried by passengers:
- medical thermometer - one per passenger;
- mercury tonometer in a standard case - one per passenger;
- a mercury barometer or manometer, packed in a sealed container and sealed with the sender's seal;
- disposable lighters - one per passenger;
- dry ice for cooling perishable foods - no more than 2 kg per passenger;
- 3% hydrogen peroxide - no more than 100 ml per passenger;
- liquids, gels and aerosols classified as non-hazardous: in containers with a capacity of no more than 100 ml (or equivalent capacity in other units of volume measurement), packed in a securely closed transparent plastic bag with a volume of no more than 1 liter - one bag per passenger.
Liquids in containers with a capacity of more than 100 ml are not accepted for transportation, even if the container is only partially filled. Exceptions to transportation include medications, baby food, and special dietary needs.
Liquids purchased from duty-free shops at the airport or on board an aircraft must be packaged in a securely sealed plastic bag that allows the contents of the bag to be identified during the flight and has reliable confirmation that the purchase was made at airport duty-free shops. or on board the aircraft on the day(s) of travel. Keep your receipt as proof of purchase. Do not open the package either before boarding or during the flight.
The administration of the airport, airline, or operator has the right to decide to introduce additional measures to ensure aviation security on high-risk flights, and as a result prohibit the transportation of the following items in the aircraft cabin:
- corkscrews;
- hypodermic needles (unless medical justification is provided);
- knitting needles;
- scissors with a blade length of less than 60 mm;
- folding (without lock) travel, pocket knives with a blade length of less than 60 mm.
Flight time
Direct charter flight Moscow - Havana - about 12.5 - 13 hours; to Varadero - 12 - 12.5 hours.
Upon arrival at Havana Airport, Varadero
Upon arrival at Havana Varadero Airport, you will first enter the passport control area. Follow the step by step instructions:
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| Example of a migration card |
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Upon arrival at the hotel
- Go to the reception, where you will be given a registration card.
- Fill out the registration card in English.
- Hand in the completed registration card, voucher (1 copy), foreign passport (the foreign passport will be returned to you after a photocopy is taken, check at the reception when you can pick up your passport).
- Wait for check-in. Check-in at the hotel is at 16.00. If you want to check into a room earlier than the specified time, you must pre-book a room a day before your arrival date (for example, you arrive in Cuba at 5 a.m. on September 10, so as not to wait until 4 p.m. to check in, you can book a room not from September 10, but from September 09. In this case, you will be checked into your room as soon as you arrive at the hotel). Upon check-in, you will be given room keys and towel cards.
- After checking into your room, review the information provided by the hotel. Pay attention to which services are paid and how much they cost (as a rule, the information is in a folder and lies on the table or bedside table).
Meeting with the hotel guide
The time of meeting with the hotel guide will be informed to you by the accompanying person (transferman) on the way to the hotel. At the appointed time, you must approach the hotel guide, who will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby. To the meeting, take with you your passport, voucher, and return flight ticket.
If you have any questions or problems, please contact your hotel guide or the hotel reception. The guide's coordinates (name, mobile phone) and the hours when the guide is directly at the hotel are indicated on the information stand or in the TEZ TOUR information folder in the hotel lobby.
Attention! There is no operational service on the TEZ TOUR routes listed below. Tourist support is provided by telephone.
The day before your flight home
- Go to the reception and check if you have any unpaid bills for additional services (use of a minibar, telephone, etc.). If you have any debts, pay them.
- In the evening, go to the TEZ TOUR information stand or the hotel guide and check the departure and departure times from the hotel. To do this, you need to know the number of the return flight you are departing on.
Airport codes:
Check out from the hotel
On the day of departure, you must vacate your room by 12:00, hand in your keys and towel cards.
You can leave your luggage in the hotel storage room.
To avoid various complications, please do not be late and arrive at the transfer at the specified time.
Arrival at Havana Airport, Varadero for departure
- The return transfer from the hotel to the airport takes place on comfortable buses of the Cuban company Gaviota.
- Upon arrival at the airport, your guide will take you to the check-in counters for your flight.
- Check in for the flight (provide your passport and ticket).
- Drop your luggage at the front desk.
- Get your boarding pass. Pay attention to the gate number and time for boarding the plane (on the boarding pass the gate is indicated by the word GATE, the time - TIME).
- Go through passport control (present your foreign passport and migration card filled out when entering the country).
- Proceed to the departure hall, where you will wait for the boarding announcement for your flight.
If you lose your passport, air ticket or luggage, we ask you to immediately inform a company representative, who will tell you how you can solve the problem.
Helpful information
Medical service
Medicine in Cuba is at a high level, despite the fact that the cost of medical services is low. However, if an insured event occurs, you must contact the insurance company by phone numbers specified in the insurance policy. Only if you directly inform the insurance company and coordinate your actions with it, will free (or with subsequent reimbursement of expenses) service be provided.
If your illness is not too serious and treatment is not very expensive, then we recommend paying for the doctor’s services in cash and taking a check. Upon returning to Russia, these costs will be compensated to you by the insurance company (if they are recognized as an insured event). This will be faster than waiting for the insurance company to confirm payment through the Cuban company ASISTUR, which may take one or two days.
Please also keep in mind that no insurance company covers the costs of treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and diseases caused by alcohol poisoning.
First aid kit
Before your trip, prepare and take with you a first aid kit, which will help you with minor ailments, save you time searching for medicines and eliminate the problems of communicating in a foreign language; in addition, many medicines may have different names in different countries.
Money
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| Rum, coffee and cigars are the main souvenirs of Cuba |
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All payments are made in Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC). Currency exchange is carried out in banks (from 09:00 to 15:00) or in exchange offices (CADECA), always with a passport. Cash US dollars are exchanged for convertible pesos at a rate of 0.87 (this rate never changes anywhere). Other currencies are exchanged at the exchange rate of that currency to the dollar on the day of exchange. A small commission is charged for the exchange (this rate changes every day). Money can be changed at the hotel reception, although the exchange rate in hotels is always less favorable. Many hotels have exchange offices (CADECA).
Credit cards
This is the best option for Cuba. Major international cards are accepted in Cuba, most importantly: they should not be issued by American banks or their branches. All transactions are subject to a 3% US dollar fee.
Souvenirs
Cuban cigars (long/short, thick/thin, with different flavors); jewelry made of black coral (earrings, rings, bracelets, pendants), turtle shell, pearls, fruit seeds; Cuban rum (3, 5, 7 years of aging); Cuban coffee; African-style wood carvings; souvenirs made of bamboo, sea shells and other materials; Traditional Cuban guyaber shirt.
Health and Safety
Cuba is a safe country. Walking around the city at any time does not pose any danger. Crime is low, but basic safety precautions are still required, especially in Havana at night.
The most serious danger in Cuba is the sun. Severe sunburn can easily occur even in cloudy weather, so Be sure to use protective creams with a high protection factor.
You are practically not in danger of being bitten by dangerous insects and animals in Cuba. Sharks and other large fish are also not a threat, since the beaches are protected by coral reefs that are impenetrable to large fish. Particularly dangerous can be the Portuguese man-of-war jellyfish, which is sometimes blown into shallow water by the wind.
Also, swimming on embankments and wild beaches is not recommended without instructors. The bottom of these places is often strewn with sharp corals and sea urchins. In addition, moray eels often hide among the corals.
We do not recommend drinking tap water. We recommend taking drinking water for walks and excursions. In government restaurants or in hotel restaurants you do not have to worry about poisoning. However, in cafes or restaurants with fairly low prices, the quality of the products may be low.
Visa
For a tourist trip to Cuba for up to 30 days, Russian citizens do not require a visa.
Time
The time is 8 hours behind Moscow.
Mains voltage
Mains voltage 110V. However, in many modern hotels the voltage is 220 volts. We recommend taking with you an adapter from 110V to 220V.
Hotels
The hotel has the right to evict a guest for drunkenness, disorderly behavior, immoral or provocative behavior. As a rule, no other hotel will accept such a guest, and the immigration service will deport him from the country. After this, he is blacklisted and cannot enter Cuba again.
If tourists wish, and if the hotel has such an opportunity, they can extend the time of stay in the room for an additional fee (from 30 to 40 CUC until 15:00 hours, then 15 CUC per additional hour).
Losing things
No institutions don't answer for forgotten and lost items in public places. Therefore, we recommend that you be very careful about your belongings when you leave beaches, restaurants, buses after an excursion or transfer, etc.
Transport
You should not use public transport in Cuba between cities: it is difficult to navigate and its quality leaves much to be desired. It is better to use a taxi. To move around within the resorts, there are various reliable types of transport, such as tourist buses, trains, horse-drawn carriages, mopeds, bicycles, taxis.
Tips
In Cuba it is customary to tip. Paying a tip is not mandatory, but if the client is satisfied with the service, a tip is a sign of good manners. The tipping system applies to the services of porters, waiters in bars and restaurants, maids in hotels, drivers and guides. There are no specific tip amounts.
Customs
For the amount of currency exported from the Russian Federation (Russian and/or foreign currencies) exceeding the equivalent of 3,000 US dollars, a written customs declaration must be filled out. If the amount of currency exported from the Russian Federation (Russian and/or foreign currency) is from 3,001 to 10,000 US dollars (inclusive), documents confirming the import or purchase of this currency (currencies) into the Russian Federation are required.
The import and export of foreign currency from Cuba is not limited, as is the national currency.
Departure restrictions
- Cigars: you can take out 20 cigars without any documents. If the number of cigars purchased exceeds 20, you must have a receipt from the store confirming their purchase. The total cost of cigars should not exceed 2000.00 CUC.
- Rum: no limits. The limit applies only at Russian customs: 2 liters per person, i.e. 3 bottles of 750 ml.
- Coffee: no limits.
- Paintings: If the painting is registered in the country's art fund, then it is necessary to have a certificate of its acquisition. If you don’t have a certificate, you need to purchase one (the cost of the certificate is 7.00 CUC).
- Stuffed animals: You need a certificate of purchase from the store.
- Corals: It is prohibited to export in its pure form; A certificate is not required for products made from white corals; a certificate is required for products made from black corals.
- Food: The import and export of food products is prohibited.
Phones
The best way to call Russia is to use your mobile phone. The cost of 1 minute of conversation with Russia, if you call from your hotel room or from any landline phone, is 4.50 CUC.
If you need to make a local call, it is cheaper to make it from your hotel room or from a pay phone.
You can purchase a local SIM card, but this is the least profitable option. In Cuba, mobile communications are very expensive.
Useful phones
TEZ TOUR tourist support phone numbers in Cuba+53 45 662 062 When calling from Moscow: access your operator’s international communications* and 53 45 662 062 From Varadero and Cayo Largo: 662062 From another city in Cuba when calling from a local number: 8 or 9 45 662 062 In Cuba when calling from a Moscow mobile phone: +53 45 662 062 *International dialing may vary depending on your telephone operator. For example, MGTS: 8 beeps 10 (international line access), followed by the city code and phone number. |
24/7 telephone in RussiaIf you have trouble dialing the support number, please report it to our 24-hour phone number 8-800-700-7878 (calls from any region of Russia are free). |
Cuba is amazing. Being a beggar, she managed to build a monetary system in which those who come to the island cannot use the local Cuban currency. At the same time, American dollars, which would be welcomed in any other state, are also not in favor. What to do with rubles in Castro's country? How can tourists change currency in a state that seems frozen in its development?
Money issues on Liberty Island
The Cuban authorities control the movement of currency throughout the country, so money can be exchanged in Cuba only at the state bank Metropolitano and its branches, or at exchange offices called Cadeca.
There is nothing to do with dollars in Cuba. They should be exchanged for Cuban pesos, but upon exchange they will charge a commission of 15 to 20%.
You can’t change your native rubles on Liberty Island at all.
Read our separate article about the currency in Cuba. Let us only recall that Cubans use Cuban non-convertible pesos (CUP), and tourists use Cuban convertible pesos (CUC, cookies) with the inscription “convertible”. At any exchange point you will exchange cookies for local pesos.
The best option is to take euros or Canadian dollars to Cuba, since the exchange for pesos will be more profitable. The problem is that Canadian dollars are not easy to buy in Russia at a favorable rate, and Russian banks do not particularly work with them in large volumes.
The Euro is a currency that Cubans will be happy to use. You can pay with it in shops, at the airport, in some hotels, at duty-free airport Varadeo (unofficially, of course).
There are two types of money in use in Cuba: pesos and CUC. Peso is local money for Cubans: salaries are paid in pesos (the average salary in Cuba is 800-1000 pesos), food is sold in vegetable markets, there are shops for Cubans where they sell a minimum set of products and hygiene products for pesos, there are cafes for Cubans, in short, all payments for all goods and services for the local population are made in pesos. Since 2006, a new currency, CUC, has been introduced in Cuba.
Dear friends, at present, despite the assurances of the Cuban authorities about the abolition of the 10% tax, in fact this has not yet happened. The 10% tax continues to be withheld when converting dollars to Cook. Don't bring dollars with you!
There are two types of money in use in Cuba: pesos and CUC.
(KUK in common parlance).Peso is local money for Cubans: salaries are paid in pesos (the average salary in Cuba is 600-1000 pesos), food is sold in vegetable markets, there are shops for Cubans where they sell a minimum set of products and hygiene products for pesos, there are cafes for Cubans, in short, all payments for all goods and services for the local population are made in pesos. Since 2006, a new currency, CUC, has been introduced in Cuba. This was done in order to fight the dollar and to control the state over money circulation.
CUC money for tourists:
tickets for all types of transport (except perhaps city buses), entrance tickets to any historical places and cultural events, fines for traffic violations, restaurants and cafes, shops with a wider selection of products - all this for tourists for CUC. The only place where foreigners are allowed in for the same money as Cubans, I met in children's amusement parks: entrance to the park is 1 peso, the price of a carousel is from 1 to 6 pesos, in short, for 10 CUC you can ride to death.1 CUC = 25 pesos
- this rate has not yet changed since 2006There is also a commission when exchanging, so for 1 CUC you will be given 24 pesos, and for a reverse exchange for 26 pesos - 1 CUC
The exchange rate for CUC is set by the state and depends on the global situation on the exchange rate market between the dollar and the euro.
The closer you are to the tourist area, the less choice you have to use pesos, but this does not mean that you should give it up, on the contrary, you should always have pesos in reserve, going to the market for fruit or some services from Cubans, but not enough Is there any situation and pesos will be more profitable than CUC. But as soon as you move away from the tourist areas, you will definitely need pesos: in the outback you can eat cheaply in local cafes for pesos, buy groceries, pay for services, give tips...
TIP 1: Exchange part of the CUC for pesos if you will be traveling around Cuba or living in the private sector. If you only expect to stay in All Inclusive hotels, then there is no point in exchanging CUC for pesos.
The question is where to exchange money for CUC and pesos.
In Cuba, all exchangers are state-owned, so it’s useless to run around looking for a better rate.
You can exchange euros for CUC in banks, at hotel receptions, and in Cadeca street exchange offices. Banking hours: Tuesday to Friday 9-00 to 18-00, Saturday from 10-00 to 14-00. Sunday and Monday are days off! There are always queues at banks (especially in Havana), so plan your time! The duty bank in Havana, open seven days a week, is located on Obispo Street (open on Sunday until 16-00)
Credit and debit cards. In Cuba, the use of cards in shops and cafes is not common. In tourist areas there are still places where they take them, but not willingly, and besides, they charge another % on top of the bill. You can use the card to pay for car rentals or additional services at the hotel, but if you go to the outback, it’s better to forget about the card. In Havana, in major tourist areas, in cities there are bank branches and ATMs where you can withdraw money from your card.
American bank cards are not accepted in Cuba(for example Citibank)
At ATMs you can only withdraw money from a VISA card; if you have a MasterCard, then you can withdraw money only at a bank branch upon presentation of your passport
TIP 2. Stock up on cash if you are traveling to the outback of Cuba.
I would also like to tell everyone that despite the fact that Cuba is a rather poor country, this does not mean that it is cheap for tourists and you can live in this country like Cubans on 1000 pesos a month))) Be prepared, what for you, as for a tourist, prices will be completely different in markets, restaurants, taxis, etc. If entrance to a museum or reserve for a Cuban costs 5 pesos, then you as a tourist will have to pay 5 CUC - this is the official pricing approved for tourists by the state, and private services will also be overpriced compared to prices for Cubans.