Travelers to Cuba must have a medical insurance!

To fulfill this demand, the traveller should have a travel insurance that includes medical expenses or a medical expenses policy, with cover inside of Cuba. The policy should be acquired in the country of residence. Those travelers that exceptionally don't have the insurance at their arrival, they will be able to acquire a policy with insurance and assistance cover subscribed by Cuban insurance companies at the airport, port or marines.

The travel insurances subscribed by Cuban insurance companies and by most of the international insurance companies have the Asistur Assistance Services in trip inside of Cuba. It is a 24 hours service during 365 days of the year.

According to statistics, more than 80 percent of persons who visit Cuba at the moment; have an insurance provided by companies of their country of residence. This insurance covers the medical expenses in Cuba.
In the case of residents in the United States that travel directly to Cuba, they will have to acquire a policy with Cuban insurance cover in the country of residence. This policy is marketed through a network of agencies associated to Havanaturcelimar, due to the impossibility for North American insurance companies to guarantee covering in the national territory.
The traveler who is checked when arriving to the country, should show the policy, certificate of insurance or travel assistance card, which is valid during the stay in Cuba.
For any case of medical emergency, the Cuban Health care System guarantees primary assistance through a net of clinics and hospitals all over the country. The primary medical assistance is provided in most of the tourist facilities. For more information on the service, when planning your trip to Cuba, please visit the website, or you can go to the nearest Embassy or Consulate, or to the offices of Cuban Ministry of Tourism. You can also visit websites of Ministry of Tourism or the insurance and assistance company Asistur.

Visa / Tourist card
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

Cuban Embassies and Consulates worldwide

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 bags! In Dec / Jan it can be chilly at nighttime. So bring something warm too in these months. 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.
Anti muscito stuff, some areas are overloaded with these bichos.
Leave you're jewelries at home, you don't need them on this Island.
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 with you to donate.

Havana airport is more relaxed than Varadero or Holguin, but remind this ... All your stuff is getting scanned!!! Every suitcase is passing the x-ray!!! Check out the Cuba-custom website to see what is and what's NOT possible to bring in. Money can do some help sometimes ... But if "they" decide it is not allowed ... it just isn't allowed ... sorry! Besides this not ALL aduana people are charmed for getting bribed
Remind that when bringing in new stuff, you might have to pay tax.
There is a 25 CUC (convertible pesos) airport departure tax

Cuban customs website

Electricity
Cuba has 110 volt, some more luxury hotels also 220. Sockets are as shown in the picture, same as in the USA.

Photo Equipement
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 and some memory cards, 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.

The Centers of Information are characterized for the exclusiveness of the product that they offer: information. Teams of well-informed professionals with a high degree of technical and language training, offers you free and accurate information each one of the 365 days of the year.

Infotur offers:
- Information on the Cuban tourist product.
- Specialized programs and promotional brochures.
- Maps, guides, posters and post cards featuring Cuban images.
- Phone cards, photographic movies, CDs and cassettes of Cuban music.
- Magazines, newspapers, books and promotional videos.
- Reservation of lodging, tours, trips, walks and car rentals.
- Service of photocopy and impression of documents.
- Reception and transmission of fax and e-mails.

Address in Havana (picture):
521 Obispo, La Habana, Cuba

Cuba Weather
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

Money
First of all: Don't exchange money in the street ... EVER!

Foreigners and money exchange
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).
Besides this you can bring your credit card with you to get money from the bank in Cuba.

For the local people The Cubans
Pesos Cubanos
This currency is more or less only used by Cuban citizens.
Of course you, 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.

More detailed explanation Cuba and money