|
 |
|
I'm going down to Cuba! |
|
British map from 1763 shows plan of the original walled city of La Habana (founded in 1519). The city was occupied by British and Canadian colonial troops from 1762 to 1763. Spain settled the dispute by trading Florida for the return of Havana. Click here or on map for another British occupation map of Havana from 1762. Try to identify this section of Havana on a modern interactive Google Map of Cuba. |
 |
FIRST HERO OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Taíno Indian Chief Hatuey from the island of Hispanolia traveled to and warned his Cuban counterparts about the horrific dangers of the impending Spanish invasion in the year 1511. Read about his legendary struggle – that of the premier independence and resistance fighter in our Americas who staked his life for freedom from foreign occupation and thralldom. |
|
The statue of and monument to national hero José Martí dominates the Plaza de La Revolución. Fidel Castro had a unique role as a young attorney in the development of the monument. |
|
The jutía, native to Cuba, is a large rodent the size of a cocker spaniel. They dwell in trees and are vegetarians. Jutías are the biggest endemic island mammal, and the preferred breakfast of crocodiles. |
|
Cuba Crocodile The endangered Crocodylus rhombifer is found only in Cuba's Zapata Swamp and the Isle of Youth. It jumps to feed by thrusting its powerful tail and can leap up to four-and-a-half meters (15 feet) from the water to snatch arboreal animals such as jutías from overhanging branches. Today, barely 4,500 Cuban crocodiles remain in the wild. Photo Dan Macintosh. |
|
Baseball is the national sport and kids practice in every available spot. Bats, balls and gloves make a wonderful gift for schools. |
|
|
| KEEP IN TOUCH with your new Cuban friends – exchange email addresses! Bring some business cards to pass out on the island. Take pictures and keep a journal. Upon your return, we'll post them on this website for all to see and enjoy. |
|
|
|
|
Old Cuban saying, "a true friend remembers the song in your heart when you have forgotten the lyrics." |
|
 |
|
Parting words When visiting Cuba you are an ambassador for your people. Cubans face many hardships that you may find shocking. Don't be too quick to judge. The problem may be a result of the US economic blockade. |
|
|
|
WE WANT YOUR journey to be safe, without complications, and culturally rewarding. Please study this orientation and preparation guide. It's based on years of experience and feedback from hundreds of returning guests. |
|
|
| Before you go |
|
|
Mandatory items to bring to Cuba
|
|
|
| Luggage weight limits and restricted items |
Index |
|
|
CUBA restricts total incoming luggage weight to 30 kilos (66 pounds). If you bring more you could be subject to a 10.00 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) surcharge per extra kilo (2.2 pounds). An additional 10-kilo (22 pound) allowance is made for donations of medicines and medical items. Learn more at Donations to Cuba.
PERMITTED ITEMS You can take photographic and video cameras, personal DVD, PDA, CD and game device, cell phones, including ones that are GPS enabled (all are costly to use), laptops, MP3 players, hair dryers, electric shavers, binoculars, portable radio receivers, musical instruments, and sound recording devices FOR PERSONAL USE. If you take more than one of the above items, Cuban Customs may ask if you intend to leave them on the island. If you do, tariffs may apply. If you take more than the equivalent of $5,000 USD in cash, you'll need to declare it. Prescription medicines should remain in their original containers with labels intact. See Cuban Customs site for current ok items.
PROHIBITED ITEMS Narcotics, explosives, pornography, anti-Cuba literature, stand-alone GPS devices, walkie-talkies, and items that might be considered weapons. See Cuban Customs site for current excluded and regulated items. |
|
|
| What to wear, pack, etc. |
Index |
|
|
SEE OUR What to Take on Your Cuba Education Tour page that addresses: Climate, Suggested gifts for your new Cuban friends, Clothes and accessories, Medicine and hygiene, Other travel items, and Money, documents, prohibited items, communications, and gratuities.
Mosquitos and no-see-ums are a nuisance and affect visitors normally resistant to pests at home. Bring repellant. We suggest nontoxic citronella oil. |
|
|
| internet and telephones |
Index |
|
|
YOU CAN take your laptop to Cuba without complications, but connecting it to the internet is difficult. WiFi is available at the Melia Cohiba and Hotel Nacional. If you want to access your email at the Habana Libre, you'll have to use computers at its business center. Rates per hour vary between 5.00 and 10.00 CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos). All internet access is limited to dial-up connection speeds.
TELEPHONY The least expensive way to make international or local calls is on public ETECSA blue phones using ETECSA calling cards you must buy in Cuba. To call the US or Canada you must dial 119+1+(area code)+phone number. The cost is about $2.50 per minute. For calls inside Cuba, you must dial 0+(area code)+phone number at a cost of about 5 cents per minute. We strongly discourage the use hotel room phones for local or long distance calls – it can prove costly! If you call North America collect, the connection fee is about $10.00 plus $3.50 per minute. |
|
|
| Donations and gifts |
Index |
|
|
CUBANS welcome and need donations. Small gift giving is an island custom.
 SCHOOL DONATIONS most needed are pens, calculators, pencils, erasers, memory sticks, candles, flashlights, markers, note pads, stuffed animals, games, dolls, toy trucks and cars. Also appreciated is toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo and good quality used clothing and shoes. Baseball bats, balls and gloves are very popular. Do not distribute donations on the street. Your guide will suggest schools and institutions in need. Learn more at Donations to Cuba.
GIFTS FOR CUBANS While on your tour, you'll make many new friends. Consider small gifts such as aspirin, multiple vitamins, makeup, manicure and sewing kits, perfume, chocolate, watches, wallets, keychains, purses, scarves, jewelry, pen sets and other things that you yourself would like. See What to Take to Cuba.
NOTE Please do not tip your guide, bus driver, chambermaids or restaurant staff with leftovers, national pesos or gifts in place of the Cuban Convertible Peso.
IMPORTANT When entering Cuba do not declare any items you intend to leave behind as donations as it could result in lengthy delays and possible confiscation of materials. If your luggage is searched and you are questioned as to why you're bringing 100 pencils (for example), say, "they are for friends" and leave it at that. The word donation raises concerns because, in the past, bad people from Miami have used this method to bring harmful things into Cuba. In the unlikely event your donations are confiscated rest assured they'll be distributed to Cubans most in need. Luggage inspections rarely happen unless your bags exceed weight limits. |
|
|
| Laundry in Cuba |
Index |
|
|
| THERE ARE NO public laundry facilities in Cuba. If you need laundry services, ask your chambermaid or hotel front desk. They'll give you costs and instructions for this service. |
|
|
| Electrical standards and time zone |
Index |
|
|
ELECTRICITY in Cuba is 110 volts, 60Hz (same as the US and Canada), however some hotels and resorts also have 220 volt service and outlets. An electrical adapter is rarely needed. Check the hotels listed on your tour page for electrical specifications.
EASTERN TIME is observed across Cuba, as in Toronto, New York, Chicago and Miami. Click here for more time zone details. |
|
|
| Upon Arrival: Your tour guide, bus driver and hotels |
Index |
|
|
WHEN YOU arrive on a scheduled group tour flight, your Cuba Education Tours guide and bus driver will meet you at the airport. Once you collect your luggage and pass through Cuban Customs into the main airport lobby, your guide will have a sign reading "Cuba Education Tours." Your guide will help you with currency exchange at the airport (or you can save time and do this at your hotel), ensure your luggage is put onto our bus, then take you to your hotel and assist with check-in.
TOUR MEMBERS arriving on other flights need to make airport transfer arrangements prior to arrival with Cuba Education Tours, or take a cab from the airport to your hotel on your own. The cost of a taxi from the airport to your hotel is 25.00 CUC.
DETAILED information about your Cuban hotels is available on your tour website. Click here to find your tour. |
|
|
| BE KIND, BE ON TIME |
Index |
|
|
CUBA, UNLIKE OTHER countries south of the border, doesn't operate on "Latin time." Some past participants were routinely late when the bus was ready to depart. They held up the whole group and insulted Cubans who worked hard for activities to unfold smoothly.
When the bus is delayed waiting for tardy participants, the whole schedule gets messed up. It hurts your Cuban hosts who've spent months preparing for your visit. And, as well, eager tour participants suffer.
We've instructed our guide and chauffeur to leave ten minutes after the agreed upon bus departure time. Latecomers will be left behind, and on their own. Your guide announces the bus schedules a day prior. Your hotels have wake-up call services. Don't get angry if your miss your bus.
However, if you don't want to participate in an activity, that's ok. Just tell your guide in advance. |
|
|
| money matters in cuba |
Index |
|
|
WE STRONGLY advise you review our detailed explanation of Money Matters in Cuba webpage. It is essential for up-to-date currency, exchange and safety issues.
PARTICIPANTS should carefully evaluate daily spending needs prior to departure. A minimum of $75 per day is recommended. It is better to plan to take more money than to get caught short of funds.
 WARNING Change your money into CUC at a bank, your hotel, or at a CADECA (Casas de Cambio SA – exchange bureau). Never exchange your money on the street or through an individual Cuban (including your guide). |
|
|
| TIPPING AND GRATUITIES IN CUBA |
Index |
|
|
FEEL GOOD about tipping and don't cheap out! When you give a tip to a Cuban the whole island benefits. Cuban tourist staff share tips with their co-workers and family who don't have access to them, and they all donate a portion of their tips to the national health and education systems. Click here for a schedule of tipping and gratuity amounts.
HINT Tip your guide and bus driver at the end of the tour. |
|
|
| Health and safety in cuba |
Index |
|
|
CUBA IS considered among the safest countries in the world with a very low crime rate. However precautions with personal belongings are necessary – do not leave things unattended. Don't wear expensive jewelry – it attracts pickpockets, which are a growing problem. Keep cameras and handbags secure to your person at all times. Participants should use a lockbox at hotels for valuables, travel documents, air tickets, passport and cash. A reasonably informative and objective traveler's website for Cuba is published by the Government of Canada.
ALWAYS carry some cash in small amounts each day, we suggest between 40.00 and 60.00 CUC. The rest of your money remains in your hotel lockbox, along with your travel documents, valuables and passport.
PERSONAL TRANSPORT Take official taxis. Private cabs aren't worth the hassle, nor are they necessarily roadworthy or cheaper.
 WHILE MOST foreign guests and Cubans have no problems with the water, we recommend you drink bottled water at all times for peace of mind. A doctor or nurse is available to participants throughout the tour either at your hotel, nearby clinic or en route to destinations. No vaccinations are required.
TOUR ORGANIZERS in North America are always available to
to departure and your expert Cuban guide is there for you during the trip. When in doubt, ask. |
|
|
| what to expect while in cuba |
Index |
|
|
EVERYTHING IS very different: language, climate, customs and demeanor. Cubans are ultra courteous, effusive, candid and have a great sense of humor. All of the small material conveniences and services we take for granted are absent at every level on the island (except at your hotel). While Cubans are punctual delays are common because of transportation and communications problems. Yet the latter is not typical for our programs. Extreme shortages of everything require great innovation. Cubans have risen to the task. Practical problem solving skills are an asset especially when combined with patience and understanding. We advise going with the flow with eyes wide open until you get a lay of the land.
WORDS FROM WISE TRAVELERS If you go to Cuba looking for problems you will be all consumed, as they exist in abundance. On the other hand, if you go in the spirit of learning about a wonderful people and unique culture, and are prepared to fully engage and contribute, your rewards will be unequalled. The Cubans are as happy to have you as their guests as you are about getting to know them. |
|
|
| Race, sex and gender issues in cuba |
Index |
|
|
RACE AND SEX and gay issues are up side down compared to North American mores. Color is nebulous. Only a minority of Cubans is white or black. Everyone else seems to fall in between. Don't assume local jokes about color are necessarily racist. The context is different. There are dozens of shades of color and most Cubans are happy, if not proud, of this condition.
WOMEN Cuba is not like other Latin countries where women get pinched and squeezed on their private parts. Cuban men are above this. However Cuban men are not beyond issuing very flirtatious comments to women. Women travelers can answer back to them as they please. Suffice it to say Cuba is the safest country in the world for female travelers. "No means no," reigns supreme in Cuba.
HOMOPHOBIA like racism cannot be compared to the North American extreme that can verge on hostility or violence. In Cuba, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people are safer than in the States. Their situation is similar to the counterparts in Canada. Straight people in Cuba are refreshingly open-minded. |
|
|
| Panhandlers and hustlers – be prepared, be firm |
Index |
|
|
SOME people get upset when they read this section. OK. We can attest to many instances where those who disregarded our advice have ended up losing a lot of money.
WE STRONGLY advise against giving money to individuals who approach you on the streets. While in tourist areas you'll encounter professional scam artists who pester foreign guests with sob stories that win them hundreds of dollars a week. When an individual approaches you on the street and asks for money, or with offers to provide guide or other services, just say no. Wag your finger back-and-forth with determination (indicating your are not interested) and move on. You risk getting ripped-off. Don't be shy, don't feel bad, and don't let them waste your precious time in Cuba. To do otherwise could cost you heartache and your wallet! Remember, nearly half of every dollar you spend on this trip goes into the island's healthcare and education system – to Cubans who need and deserve it. |
|
|
| leaving cuba, returning home |
Index |
|
|
ALL VISITORS must set aside 25.00 CUC for your Cuban airport departure tax.
HINT Don't forget to save money to tip your guide and bus driver at the end of the tour.
AMERICAN participants traveling with an OFAC license can bring back literature and music in any form. The regulations state:
"No goods of Cuban origin, other than information or informational materials, may be transported out of Cuba or brought into the United States… There are no limits on the import or export of informational materials. Such materials – including books, films, posters, photographs, CDs – are statutorily exempt from regulation under the embargo and may be transported freely."
CANADIANS can return home with up to two liters of rum, 50 cigars purchased at official outlets with a holographic seal, 200 cigarettes, and all of the gifts and souvenirs they can carry! Original works of contemporary art require an export seal or export permission letter to exit the country. |
|
|
| SHARE YOUR TRIP MEMORIES WITH US |
Index |
|
|
 WE'D TOTALLY appreciate you sharing a story about your Cuban experience with us upon your return. We'd love post your contribution on our website for your family, friends and colleagues to enjoy. New Cuba travelers too will benefit from your candid observations and reflections on what you witnessed. When we publish reports from Americans visiting Cuba on an OFAC general research license, their obligation to disseminate findings is fulfilled. See Cuba tour reports from past travelers. |
|
|
| Contact information |
Index |
|
|
Cuba Education Tours
2278 East 24th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V5N 2V2
Canada |
|
+ 604-677-2944 International
+ 877-687-3817 Toll Free North America
+ 604-874-9041 Fax
+ 778-859-1048 Cell |
|
| Please feel welcome to
with any questions. |
|
| Our websites are CubaExplorer.com for adult cultural and research tours, and CubaTreks.com for teacher and student educational tours.
|
|
|
