TL;DR
Tips I picked up visiting Cuba in 2019, covering visas, money, food, rum, cigars, and what to expect in Havana and Vinales.
Note: This post was written in 2019. US travel restrictions to Cuba have changed significantly since then - the US banned most travel categories in June 2019. Airbnb suspended Cuba listings in 2023. Double-check current regulations before planning a trip.
Have always wanted to see what communism looks like firsthand or try an authentic Cuban cigar? Well, travel to Cuba is still possible from the United States in 2018 (despite President Trump’s travel restrictions). This is a brief Cuba travel guide for travelers from the United States.
I personally visited Cuba in early 2019 and I thought that I would share a couple of tips for Travelers from the United States since it is still a very new travel destination for many of us. This isn’t an exhaustive list or an in-depth analysis of the US and Cuba political situation, it’s just an attempt to share what I learned.
Update 6/12/19: The USA has officially banned travel from the US to Cuba again. What a shame :‘(
Visa
You still cannot get a tourist visa when you visit Cuba from the US, but there are 12 types of American travel that are still allowed, independent people-to-people educational travel is no longer a valid reason for visiting Cuba in 2018.
We traveled under the “Support the Cuban People” visa and we had no issues from customs in Cuba or the US. We were even able to purchase our Visa in the airport minutes before we boarded our flight for $50 USD. However, you can order a visa ahead of time through a website, or book it directly through the airline.
Additional information about obtaining a visa can be found here:
US State Department: Cuba Travel Information
Money
Okay, the money situation is kinda confusing in Cuba. First of all, you still cannot use credit or debit cards from the US, so you will need to bring all the cash you need with you. There is also, a 10% tax on exchanging USD, so I would recommend bringing Mexican Pesos or Euros with you.
The other confusing thing about Cuba is they have two different currencies, CUC and CUP. Most activities will use CUC, but a lot of the locals use CUP
Customs
Currently, there is no limit on the amount of rum or cigars you can bring back to the US, as long as you promise not to resell any of them. I brought back a ton of rum and cigars and no one cared at all.
Food
Okay, the food in Cuba isn’t great. Due to communism, there aren’t many private restaurants in Cuba. The nationalized restaurants are cheap, but the food is very bland. You will be eating lots of rice and beans. That being said, you should try Ropa Viejo.
Ropa Viejo con arroz y tostones.
and the Picadillo El Habanero was delightful.
Late-night jamon pizzas. They kinda taste like an off-brand Totino’s pizza, but when you have been drinking rum all night, they’re delicious (and hella cheap).
One night we ordered a “hamburger” and it was a chunk of literal Ham.
Havana Club Rum
Cuba is known for two things, cigars, and rum. You should be sure to drink lots of rum when you are there. Literally, every drink I had in Cuba had some sort of rum in it.
My favorite rum drinks were:
Cuba Libre:
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12 cl Cola
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5 cl white rum
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1 cl Fresh lime juice
Canchanchara:
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Juice of 1 lime
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2 tablespoons honey
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1 1/2 ounces white rum
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Crushed ice
The best Canchanchara I had was made inside of a grapefruit - it was incredible.
Pro-tip: it’s legal to drink on the street in Cuba, so be sure to buy a small bottle of rum and some cola for cheap drinks on the go.
Cigars
I’m not a big “cigar guy,” but shit, Cuban cigars are really fucking good. Even if you don’t smoke, do yourself a favor and split one with a friend. Pro-tip - put honey on the end.
Pro-tip - Hold the cigar like Che for extra points.
DOSSIER MATHIL COMMANDANTE CHE GUEVARA RAOUL CORRALES
WiFi
There is very limited internet in Cuba. But, I found that not having WiFi was a really great way for me to forcibly disconnect. When we did reconnect, we learned that we didn’t miss anything. We had fantasies of missing major news, but it turns out nothing important happened. This was an important reminder of that.
Havana
Walking everywhere. It’s a very dense city with lots to do and see everywhere.
People and car watching. I never got sick of watching the old cars and people dancing and playing in the streets.
Not living in a late-stage capitalist nightmare.
Vinales
Real lil town. Pretty touristy to be honest, but it’s quiet and gorgeous. Every sunset was incredible. We stayed at a really interesting Airbnb.
Misc Tips
Don’t wear Panama hats - only tourists wear them
Get there fast. With tourism opening up and Fidel dead, things are going to start changing quickly.
Traveling is a great way to build empathy for our commonly misunderstood neighbors. Cuba has had a rough history of being exploited and bullied. The US is responsible for much of this. I’m not qualified to speak deeply about this subject, but all I know is that visiting Cuba is a great idea and I would highly recommend it to everyone who can.