Exploring Cuba: Travel Tips For Canadians

Cuba is a popular destination for Canadians, with its beautiful beaches and rich history. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when travelling to Cuba from Canada. Firstly, Canadians must have a valid Canadian passport and a tourist card, which is usually included with the plane ticket. It is also important to note that medical insurance is required for entry into Cuba and must cover any medical emergency, including COVID-19. In addition, travellers must complete a customs and health declaration form online before arriving in Cuba.

When it comes to currency, the local Cuban Peso (CUP) is the official currency, and while Canadian dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, it is recommended to exchange money at official exchange offices or with trusted individuals. It is also important to be cautious of currency scams and to be aware of the informal currency exchange market.

While Cuba is considered a safe destination for Canadians, petty crimes such as pickpocketing and theft can occur. It is recommended to take basic safety precautions such as using anti-theft bags, not carrying large amounts of cash, and staying in well-secured accommodations. Additionally, solo female travellers may be subject to verbal harassment and catcalling.

Other things to consider when travelling to Cuba include the complex and ever-changing currency system, health risks such as contaminated water and mosquito-borne diseases, and the challenge of getting a reliable internet connection. Overall, travelling to Cuba from Canada can be a memorable trip, but it is important to be well-informed and prepared for any potential challenges.

Required documents for entry

When travelling from Canada to Cuba, you need a valid Canadian passport. Your passport must be valid for the expected duration of your stay in Cuba and have a minimum of six months of validity before you arrive on the island. If you don't have a Canadian passport and are travelling with a passport from another country, you will be required to show a Canadian resident card or a work or study permit that includes a multiple-entry permit attached to your valid passport.

The tourist card, also known as the Cuba Tourist Card or Cuban Tourist Visa, is included with your plane ticket and will be given to you by the airline onboard. It is the equivalent of a tourist visa and is required for all travellers to the country. Canadians require the green Cuba Tourist Card, while visitors who make a pit stop in the US before arriving in Cuba need the pink one. If your Cuba Tourist Card is not included in your flight ticket, you can obtain it through EasyTouristCard, an established provider of Cuban visas.

Since January 1, 2022, travellers must complete the customs and health declaration form online at least 48 hours before travelling to Cuba. Once the form is completed, you will receive a QR code by email, which you must show to the authorities upon arrival in an electronic or printed version. If you cannot fill out the form online, a printed version will be available at the airport in Cuba.

Medical insurance is required for Cuba and must cover any type of medical emergency, including COVID-19. If you are unable to obtain insurance in Canada, you can purchase it at the airport in Cuba or through their website.

Currency and payment methods

Cuba's national currency is the Cuban Peso (CUP), which is made up of 100 cents. The CUP comes in bills of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 pesos, and fractional coins of 1 and 3 pesos, and 1, 2, 5, and 20 cents. The convertible peso is no longer in use or accepted in Cuba.

US dollars are not accepted anywhere in Cuba, but Canadian dollars are widely accepted. It is recommended that you exchange Canadian dollars into local Cuban pesos if you plan to travel outside tourist areas, as you won't be able to exchange leftover CUP back into Canadian dollars.

Hotels and resorts only accept payments made with Debit/Visa or Visa/Mastercard credit cards from Canadian banks. Prepaid cards can be purchased at the airport, exchange houses, and resort areas in Cuba for those without a credit card.

Canadian credit cards are becoming more widely accepted at restaurants and hotels, but the system is unreliable and cards may stop working without notice. ATMs are also unreliable and rare, with each withdrawal limited to 5000 CUP. Credit card cash advances in CUP can be obtained at banks, hotels, or state-run exchange bureaus.

It is recommended that you bring enough currency to cover your trip, as well as small bank notes for daily transactions such as street food, taxis, and tips. Canadian dollars are the best currency for tipping.

Exchanging money on the street or anywhere other than authorized entities is illegal. You cannot go through Cuban customs with more than 5000 CUP.

Health and safety precautions

Cuba is a relatively safe destination for Canadians, with violent crimes against tourists being rare. However, there are still some health and safety precautions you should take when travelling to Cuba from Canada. Here are some essential health and safety precautions to keep in mind:

Health Precautions:

• Water Contamination: Pollution, poor sanitation, and crumbling pipes are the leading causes of water contamination in Cuba. Tap water is unsafe to drink, so always opt for bottled water. Bottled water may be hard to find, so consider bringing a water filter bottle or purchasing water from hotels or restaurants.
• Mosquito-borne Diseases: Outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue fever are common in Cuba. Take precautions such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and using insect repellent to prevent mosquito bites.
• Food Poisoning: Visitors to Cuba are at risk of food poisoning, especially from street vendors and undercooked meat or seafood. Refrain from buying food from street vendors, and be cautious when consuming seafood to avoid ciguatera poisoning.
• Health Insurance: Medical insurance is required for entry into Cuba and must cover all types of medical emergencies, including COVID-19. Ensure your insurance covers medical evacuation and hospital stays, as these services may be limited on the island.
• Prescription Medications: Bring any necessary prescription medications from Canada, as they may not be available in Cuba. Keep them in their original containers and pack them in your carry-on luggage.
• First Aid Kit: Bring a basic first aid kit to prepare for any potential health emergencies.
• COVID-19 Precautions: While Cuba has lifted most COVID-19 travel restrictions, continue to take preventative measures such as hand washing, social distancing, and wearing masks in crowded places.

Safety Precautions:

• Theft and Scams: Petty crimes like pickpocketing, currency scams, and theft are common in Cuba. Keep your valuables secure, avoid displaying signs of wealth, and be cautious when using debit or credit cards.
• Sexual Assault: Incidents of sexual assault against women, including Canadian women, have occurred in Cuba, even at beach resorts. Be cautious when interacting with strangers, and report any incidents to the nearest Canadian consulate or embassy and the Cuban authorities.
• Transportation: Local transportation in Cuba can be unreliable and unsafe. Official taxis and tour company buses are generally safe, but other forms of public transportation, like city buses, are often overcrowded and poorly maintained.
• Driving: Driving in Cuba can be dangerous due to poorly maintained roads, aggressive driving, and a lack of road signs and traffic lights. If you choose to drive, do so defensively and avoid travelling at night.
• Natural Disasters: Cuba is prone to hurricanes and storms during the hurricane season (mid-May to late November). Stay updated with weather forecasts and follow the instructions of local authorities if a storm is approaching.
• Political and Social Issues: Avoid discussing politics, and refrain from taking photographs of military or police facilities. Cuba has strict rules regarding drone usage, and drones may be confiscated by authorities.

Internet access and communication

Internet access in Cuba is limited and costly. Public access to free Wi-Fi is virtually non-existent. There are around 118 state-owned telecommunication offices (known as Etecsa) and state-owned hotels that offer internet access. Wi-Fi is offered in some places, but it is not ubiquitous.

The cost of using the internet is prohibitively expensive for most Cubans. At an Etecsa office, it costs CUC4.50 for one hour of access to the international internet network, and CUC1.50 for access to the Intranet and email. Most Cubans receive a monthly salary of around CUC20 (about $20), making it nearly impossible for them to afford regular access to the internet.

To get online, you will need to present your passport and buy a prepaid internet card. Your passport number will be recorded, as will the number of your internet card. Anonymous use of the internet is impossible in Cuba.

At upscale tourist hotels, you may be able to access the internet using Etecsa's system. These hotels often have Wi-Fi, and it's not uncommon to see foreigners huddled over their phones and iPads in the hotel lobby. The cost of using the internet here is usually higher (around CUC6-10 per hour), and you may be required to buy something from the bar. A handful of hotels are equipped with Wi-Fi and dataports in their rooms.

There are a few ways to purchase a Nauta card, the pre-paid Wi-Fi card by Etecsa (Telecommunications Company of Cuba SA). You can buy it from any of the official commercial stores in most major towns in Cuba and José Martí International Airport. This is the cheapest method, but expect long lines. Alternatively, you can purchase a Nauta card at many popular hotels, but you may have to pay a premium price, and it is the exact same card. The third option is to buy it from locals hanging about the Etecsa lines, who sell the cards for an inflated price. Finally, you can find out where the cards are being sold in the local community. This option is less likely in Havana, but some locals sell them from their houses, with a sign in the window.

To log in, find a Wi-Fi spot inside or outside, use a credit card to scratch off and reveal your code, go to your Wi-Fi log-in settings, and type in your login username and password. To log out, type 1.1.1.1 into the search bar. Here, you can request to log out and select 'cerrar sesión'.

Cuba has a poor telecommunications network. Connections are unreliable and may be intermittent. Some Canadian cell phones may not work, even in large cities. Local authorities control telecommunications and may block access to mobile phones and the internet in the case of civil unrest or before demonstrations.

To prepare for this lack of reliable connection, it is recommended that you subscribe to and install a VPN service before leaving Canada, print out all your documents, take screenshots of relevant information, buy a travel guidebook, and download offline apps.

Transportation

There are several ways to get around Cuba, including by bus, train, taxi, car, or plane. Here is a breakdown of each transportation method:

Buses

The Viazul bus service is the most common form of transportation for tourists visiting Cuba. It offers modern and comfortable coaches on longer-distance routes designed principally for tourists. Schedules, prices, and ticket bookings can be done online, at any of the major international airports, or national terminals across Cuba. Tickets should be booked well in advance, and it is recommended to arrive at the bus station early as there may be a line to get a ticket. The Viazul buses are safe, reliable, air-conditioned, and affordable by tourist standards.

Another bus option is AstroBus, which offers comfortable air-conditioned coaches to Cuban locals at an affordable price. AstroBus is payable in Cuban pesos and is accessible to Cuban residents with their ID cards. Astro buses are cheaper than Viazul but are harder to get a seat on, aren't air-conditioned, break down often, and are unreliable.

There are also intracity buses called Gua or "gua-guas" that cover most areas in Cuban cities. They are very cheap, costing only 1 CUP (about $0.05 USD), but they are very crowded, have no air conditioning, and pickpocketing is common.

Trains

Taking the train in Cuba can be an adventure, but it is slow and unreliable. It can be challenging to find an accurate schedule and purchase tickets. Overall, it is not the best form of transportation in Cuba, but if you have time, it can be a unique and safe way to travel with locals.

Taxis

There are several types of taxis in Cuba, including private car services, shared taxis or "colectivos," and state-run taxis. Private car services can be convenient and offer door-to-door service, but they are expensive, costing around $50-60 USD per hour.

Colectivos are shared taxis that travel along a fixed route, mainly in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. They are usually colorful old cars from the 1950s with a taxi sign in the window. The standard cost is 20 CUP (about $0.50 USD), but confirm the price before getting in.

CubaTaxi, the state-run taxi service, can use the meter, but it may be cheaper to negotiate the price ahead of time.

Cars

Renting a car in Cuba can be expensive ($50+ per day) and comes with the risk of breakdowns due to high mileage. There is also a major lack of road signage, making navigation challenging. However, renting a car can be a unique and adventurous way to explore the country, as only 10% of travellers end up renting cars.

Planes

Domestic airlines like Aerocaribbean offer flights between Havana and other cities throughout the island, such as Holguin and Santiago de Cuba. Almost all flight routes depart or arrive in Havana, the heart of air transportation in Cuba. Internal flights can be expensive, and it is recommended to book them before arriving in Cuba.

Frequently asked questions