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| Cuba
: Traveler's Info
| Travelers
from the USA |
First
the most complicated thing
| Cuba
for US Citizens |
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Americans
are for all intents and purposes, not allowed to travel
to Cuba.
Heavy
fines are being imposed and at a much greater frequency
under the Bush administration. Please check out the
OFAC
website |
OK
fine ... but how do I go to Cuba? (for
US citizens) |
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"When
unlicensed travelers go to Cuba from the US they normally
have to go through a third country. You will frequently
see this referred to as the "Gateway" on various
boards. The most common gateways to Cuba for unlicensed
US travellers are Toronto,
Montreal, Nassau, Cancun and Mexico City, and
less frequently used Santo
Domingo and Montego Bay. In my opinion Mexico
and in particular Cancun
are the gateways that offer the least risk of detection--I
say that because:
- Unlike Canada and the Bahamas, a traveller leaving
from Mexico does not pre-clear US Customs and
Immigration. You will not clear Customs/Immigration
until you arrive back in the US. In Canada and
the Bahamas you will go through US Customs and
Immigration at the airport in Toronto, Montreal
or Nassau.
-
Cancun is the most popular destination for US
tourists in the Caribbean. There is absolutely
no reason why US Customs/Immigration would suspect
you have been anywhere else but Cancun.
-
You can enter Mexico and re-enter the US using
only a certified copy of your birth certificate
and a government issued photo id, such as a driver's
license (BC/DL) In other words you do not have
to show US Immigration your passport upon re-entry
to the US. Probably half or more of US tourists
who travel to Cancun use this alternate form of
identification as their travel documents.
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You
should take the following steps in travelling back/forth:
-
Enter Mexico from the US using your BC/DL.
-
Mexico does not stamp passports on exit, although you
will need a passport to enter Cuba.
- Cuban
Immigration does not stamp the passport at the present
time, so do not worry about a Cuban stamp.
- When
you arrive back in Mexico from Cuba you will probably
have to present your passport. The entry stamp that
is placed there should be the only stamp you receive
on your trip. Some people recommend presenting the passport
with a $10 bill inside to avoid the Mexican entry stamp.
If you use the BC/DL to re-enter the US this step is
unnecessary.
- After
you arrive in Mexico make sure you strip all HAV luggage
tags from you checked baggage.
-
Throw away your Cuban tickets, boarding passes and any
other paper evidence of your Cuban trip.
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Do not list Cuba as a Country visited on the Customs
Declaration form.
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Do not bring back any high profile Cuban souveniers
like cigars, rum, t-shirts.
-
Use your BC/DL when you clear Immigration in your arrival
city.
The
fine by the way if you are unlucky or careless enough
to get caught can be negotiated down to $1000 or less.
Usefull
links
-
Flights >>
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| Travel
Documents For a US citizen |
| Passport
(US related) |
| Make
no mistake about it ... you need a "valid"
passport to get into Cuba. Whereas in some countries
you can get in with a US birth certificate (Mexico,
Canada) or even an expired passport (Bahamas),
you will NOT be admitted into Cuba with these credentials.
Make sure its valid and current.
Passport Stamping - Fortunately, the Cubans know that
returning to the US with a Cuba stamp can be trouble
if you're not there with a General or Specific License
from OFAC. It used to be that if you slipped the immigration
official a $5 or $10 with your passport, it was no problem.
However, now there are posted signs in the Immigration
Department discouraging such practices.
Either way, the best thing to do is smile, say something
nice then ask them in Spanish to please not stamp your
passport. "Por favor, no empuje mi pasaporte"
should do fine. This is still no guarantee that
they won't however.
|
Holy
crap ... they stamped my passport! (US related) |
Immediately
wire home and have them send you enough money to hide
out in Cuba for the rest of your life!! You will need
to ... just kidding.
If you check the OFAC papers (see link on navigation panel),
I'm sure you'll probably find a sanctioned way to go and
not have to worry about it. If not, the chances of actually
being assessed a fine are pretty remote anyway.
If you feel the need to bypass the system and go anyway,
well ...
CAREFUL: Lying to an Immigration Official is a
Federal Offense. If you lie, you'll probably get through.
Then again, if they decide to question you, well ...
If you tell them the truth, they'll probably just wave
you on through. However, if not, read the above OFAC section.
If you get through, there's always that stamped passport
you have to contend with. Again, the absolute best way
to go about it is under the OFAC guidelines. A little
reading can go a long way. |
Still
US related questions? ... If there are still any
questions ... do not doubt to ask this at the Lonely
Planet Thorn Tree Discussion Board.
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| Now ... the rest of
the world ... and USA as well! |
Visa
/ Touristcard
Cuban
rules say: you have to book an accommodation for the first
night. If you booked a flight, no accommodation and ready
to fill in your visa, this visa will ask you in which hotel
you are staying ... fill in any address of a hotel or casa
particular and look real innocent going through customs. The
experience tells, it is also ok to fill in an address of a
licensed casa particular. However, if customs has a strict
day they can demand to book a hotel, if you didn't, they will
make a reservation for you.
You can order your visa through the Cuban Embassy or Consulate
in your country and some travel agencies and flight companies
Usefull
links
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Cuban
Embassies and Consulates worldwide >>
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| Luggage
and Bags |
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A
well locked suitcase, or a lock on your backpack is
best. You can also decide to plastify your backpack
or soft weekender at the airport of your departure.
Remind
when you are traveling with more people and rented a
car, bring soft backs!
Usefull
links
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Rent your car through Cuba-Junky >>
- Packing List >>
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| Photo
Equipment |
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Take
everything with you from home, rolls are available at dollar
stores (if you still uses those), but the quality is not as
good as you are used to have, mostly only 100asa.
It is smarter to bring a small digital camera, Havana and
Santiago de Cuba are less safe as it was in the past. Many
people are being robbed from their camera.
Burning
a CD is possible in some stores in Havana and maybe some other
cities but don't count on it. Better bring extra memory cards
or an image tank to store your pictures on.
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| Electricity |
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Cuba
has 110 volt, some more luxury hotels also 220. Sockets are
as shown in the picture.
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| Miscellaneous |
| Anti
muscito stuff, some areas are overloaded with these bichos.
Leave you're jewelries at home, you don't need them on this
Island.
Bring clothes with you which you might not like anymore, and
give it to Cubans at the end of your vacation, clothes are
expensive for a Cuban.
Cubans need not only ballpoints, soaps, clothes, toothpaste,
toys ... but everything which for us is normal. Medical stuff
is needed as well, even glasses. Please take some stuff to
donate with you.
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| Customs |
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Havana
airport is more relaxed then Varadero
or Holguin,
but remind this ... All your stuff is getting scanned!!!
Every suitcase is passing the x-ray!!!
After
you picked up your suitcase and you see the flight tape
signed with red pencil ... big chance you will get checked.
Check
out the Cuba-custom
website to see what is and what's NOT possible
to bring in. |
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Money
can do some help sometimes ... But if "they" decide
it is not allowed ... it just isn't allowed ... sorry! Besides
this not ALL adouana people are charmed for getting bribed
Remind that when bringing in new stuff, you might have to
pay tax.
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There
is a 25 CUC (convertible pesos) airport departure tax
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Usefull
links
-
Cuban custom website >>
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| Infotur
|
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Infotur
is a tourist service that can be found in many places throughout
Cuba. They provide tours, excursions, transport around the
Island, postcards, maps, printed guides, posters, magazines,
newspapers and souvenirs.
They also sell pre-paid phone cards which are good to stock
up on since a $10.00 card only gets you a few minutes when
making an international call.
They can confirm airline flights as well. Disabled access
is available.
Address:
521 Obispo, La Habana
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Cuba
General Info
- The
whole year through about 28 / 29 C degrees. The East of
Cuba is always a few degrees warmer than the West
- Most
rain fall in May till October, during these months short
but heavy rainy showers can fall, mostly at the end of the
day.
Areas like Baracoa
and Moa in the east of Cuba do have to most rainy days,
because the mountain which come from the Atlantic Ocean
The dry season is from Novenber till April.
- Most
sunny hours in July and August, Cuba has short days in winter,
at 18.00 it is getting dark. In summer the sun is very powerfull.
-
Dec / April Colder then usual, specialy at night
- June
/ September Hot humid, every end of the day a rainy shower
- June
/ end of November Huricane
season (possible)
- High
and low (tourist) season December / Januari, Easter, July
/ September
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Money
First
of all: Don't exchange money in the street
... EVER!
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Foreigners
and
money exchange |
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After November
8 2004 Cuba only except convertible pesos (CUC). This
means you have to bring Euros, CAD, Pound Sterling (whatever
hard currency) with you to exchange it into CUC (convertible
pesos).
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Besides
this of course you can bring your credit card with you
to get money from the bank in Cuba.
As for USD, after November 2004 you have to pay an extra
charge of 10%, so better leave those USD at home.
| For
the local people The Cubans |
 |
Pesos
Cubanos
This currency is more or less only used by Cuban
citizens. |
| Of
course yo, as a foreigner also can exchange your
CUC (convertible pesos) into the "normal"
national currency CUP. This CUP you can use for
bying at local markets. |
Usefull
links
-
More detailed Explanaition Cuba and money >> |
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| Good
Cuba Forums and Boards |
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Cuban
Events
- 1 - Liberationday
- Feria Internacional
de Artesanias, Pabexpo, Havana. Kind of International
fair
- First 2 weeks - Jornadas
de la Cultura Camagneyana
- End - Carnival in
Habana
- Every second year
- Habana International Jazz Festival
- First half of Feb.
- Feria Internacional del Libro, Fortaleza de San
Carlos. A book fair.
- Festival de Monogolos
y Unipersonales (Havana), A competion for actors,
writers, producers and dancers, from the whole country.
Some foreigners are also giving monologues.
- Taller Internacional
de Teatro de Titeres (Matanzas), Performances of the
most important puppet theatres, with seminars, acts
and workshops.
- Semana de la Cultura
(Baracoa)
- Electro-acoustic Music
Festival Varadero
- La Huela de Espana
(Havana), Gran Teatro de la Habana en Castillo de
la Real Fuerza. A Festival for Cuban/Spanish Culture,
concerts, classical dance, Flamenco and Theatre.
- Taller Internacional
de Teatro de Titeres (Matanzas), Performances of the
most important puppet theatres, with seminars, acts
and workshops.
- Festival Internacional
de Percusion (Havana), Concerts, courses, readings
and documentairies about Cuban percussion instruments.
- 1-15 Bienal del Humor
de San Antonio de los Banos, Museo del Humor, San
Antonio de los Banos. Fetival of humor, with exhibitions,
readings and performances.
- Festival de Arte Danzario
(Havana and Camaguey), Festival for all kind of dancing,
Readings, seminars and workshops, the teachers and
dancers will be Cuban and from other countries.
- Los Dias de la Danza,
Festival of performing Cuban dance groups. May 29,
the International day of dancing, is the day the Premio
Nacional de la Danza, a nacional reward, will be hand
out in the Teatro Mella Havana.
- 1 - Primero de Mayo
(Labor Day), Meetings, parades, processions trough
the whole country. The most important will take place
in Havana at the Plaza de la Revolution.
- First week - Romería
de Mayo (Holguin)
- Half May -
Fierro Internacional
del Disco Cubadisco, (International music album fair
in Pabexpo Havana).
- Festival de Arte Danzario
(Havana and Camaguey), Festival for all kind of dancing,
Readings, seminars and workshops, the teachers and
dancers will be Cuban and from other countries.
- Fiesta Nacional de
la Danza (Santa Clara), The best dancers will perform
through the whole province. The festival will end
with a big party in Santa Clara.
- End - Fiestas Sanjuaneras
(Trinidad)
- Festival of Caribbean
Culture
- Half June - Festival
de Boleros de Oro (Santiago, Moron, Havana), Concerts
of the best Cuban and foreign Bolero singers, readings
as well.
- 1 till 15 - Encuentro
de Bandas de Concierto (Plaza de la Revolution, Bayamo)
Performances of National and International bands.
Readings, workshops.
- End of June - Fiesta
del Gallo (Moron), Parades in the sign of the rooster,
the symbol of the city.
- Every other year at
the end of June - Jornada Cucalambeana, Encuentro
Festival Iberoamericano de la Decima (Las Tunas),
Most important festival of the Rural Cuban Culture.
Concerts and performances of poets, musicians and
repentistas (impromptu). Readings and litarairy meetings,
exhibitions of local activitie and theatre.
- Carnaval in Havana,
a parade of decorated cars driving from Hotel Nacional
to Calle Belascoain and music performances of comparsas
(prosession group who prepare this the whole year).
During the weekends free concerts at the Piragua.
- Last week - Carnival
santiago de Cuba, Parade of decorated cars through
the streets of the city, music of comparsas and a
show of the Tropicana at Santiago.
- 25-27 July - Celebration
of the National Rebellion, every year in a different
city. The official tribute because of the Moncada
barrack attacks at July 26 1953. Fidel Castro will
always speech at one of the Revoltion Squares in a
Cuban city. Lots of concerts etc around the country.
- Festival de Titere
(Havana) puppet festival in Havana Vieja
- Fiesta del Fuego (Santiago
de Cuba)
- Festival Internacional
de Musica Contemporanea de Camaguey, Big festival
about todays music, with concerts, workgroups and
a roundtable for discussions about Cuban music en
foreign composers.
- 13 August Fidel Castros
birthday (1926)
- End of August, ones
in 2 years - Festival Internacional de Musica Popular
"Beny More" (Cienfuegos) Festival
of the popular Cuban music and its most important
representatives, with readings etc about Beny More.
- 8 - Festa de la Virgin
del Cobre (Santiago de Cuba)
- Second half of September
- Festival de Teatro de la Habana, 2 times a year
event with performances of dance, opera, puppettheatre,
streetacts and pantamime.
- Metamoros Son (Santiago),
Festival of Son, 2 years event.
- Festival de Teatro
de Camaguey, National Theatre competition, a tribute
to Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda.
- 10 October - Day of
Cuban Culture
- Havana Festival of
Contemporary Music Trinidad (10 days)
- Second half of Oct.
- Fiesta de la Cultura Iberoamericana (Holguin) Festival
about the Spanish culture with concerts, exhibitions,
readings and festivals.
- Second half of Oct.
- Festival Internacional de Ballet de la Habana, Teatro
Garcia Lorca Havana. A wide open view on classical
ballet, organised by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba.
- End - Semana de la
Cultura Trinitaria Trinidad
- Salon de Arte Cubano
Contemporeano, Centro Desarrollo de las Artes Visuales,
Havana (twice a year). A expo competition of modern
art with rewards to win. Next to this expo,, discussions
and readings.
- Festejos de San Cristobal
de la Habana
- Festval International
de Coros, Sala Dolores, Teatro Heredia (Santiago de
Cuba)
- Second half of Nov.
- Festival de Raices Africanas "Wemilere",
Guanabacoa. African parties.
- Festival Cubadanzon,
Teatro Sauto, Matanzas. Performances of danzon orchestras
and dancers, courses and trades
- First half of Dec.
- Festival Internacional Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano
(ICAIC) International Festival of Latin American Film
Habana. The most important Cuban movie festival with
lots of foreign famous people. The cinemas show the
newest Latin American movies.
- First half of Dec.
- Fiesta Guantanamera, Guantanamo. Demonstrations
en readings about Afro Cuban religions.
- Dec 17 - Dia de San
Lazaro, Santiago de las Vegas, El Rincon. Religious
Cubans go to the church of Rincon....a lot from far
away by feet.
- 8 till 24 - Parrandas
di Remedios. Cuba's most popular nacional party.
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What
the future will bring ...
*In
the end a little funny quote, what a lot Americans will
say when the travel ban is lifted, and they finally are
able to visit Cuba...
- "Where
is the toilet seat? (and the paper to go with it)"
- "The
A/C doesn't work."
- "What
happened to the electricity?"
- "You
expect ME to use that shower?"
- "Where
did all these flies come from?"
- "How
come they don't have regular street signs?"
- "How
much longer do we have to wait for (name it)?"
- "What
do you mean, you're all out of filet mignon?"
- "The
room we reserved had a king size bed."
- "Why
is it so hot here?"
- "Why
does it rain so much in August?"
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