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Money and Forms of Payments

US dollars no longer circulate in Cuba and will have to be changed into Convertible Cuban Pesos. US dollars can be used at Airports at duty free shops. You can pay directly with euros at Varadero; on Cayo Largo del Sur; Jardines del Rey Archipelago; at Santa Lucía Beach in Camagüey; at Covarrubia Beach in Las Tunas and at Guardalavaca, Don Lino, Esmeralda and Pesquero Beaches in Holguin. You can change hard currency into convertible Cuban pesos in airports, banks and hotels and into Cuban pesos or convertible Cuban pesos in the CADECA money-exchange offices in the main cities.

Cabal, Transcard, Visa and MasterCard credit cards are accepted if they have not been issued by US banks or their branches.

Immigration Regulations

Every visitor should have a valid passport issued in his name and a visa or tourist card, except those who come from countries with which Cuba has visa-exemption agreements.

Customs Regulations

You may not bring in pornography, blood derivatives, cordless microphones and telephones, narcotics nor firearms, except for those duly authorized for hunting.
If you want to take works of art or antiques with you, you may obtain permission to do so from the National Registry of Cultural Assets.
You dont need permission for Cuban artcrafts exportation.
All Cuban Airports charge an exit fee of 25 Convertible Cuban Pesos

Health Regulations

Visitors coming from countries where there is endemic cholera and yellow fever or which contain areas that the World Health Organization has declared to be zones of infection must present International Vaccination Certificates. The entry of products of animal and/or plant origin is restricted.

Medical care and insurance

Around 95 % of hotels have a doctor on the premises for the provision of primary care to patients. In addition, there are eight international clinics that offer specialist treatment in Pinar del Río, Varadero, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Cayo Coco, Santa Lucía, Guardalavaca and Santiago de Cuba. It is advisable for all tourists traveling to Cuba to do so with health insurance, which is available on the island from the company Asistur, S.A.

Though tap water is drinkable, we advise you to drink bottled water to avoid tropical illnesses.

Electricity

110 volts, 60 Hertz. Use plugs with flat prongs. Some hotels and other instalations also have 220-volt outlet.

Transportation

You should not take urban transportation - like the "camel" -, they are always crowded and unreliable. You should take taxis or tourist buses instead, or walk when it's short distances. If you want to go on a tour of the island, your best option is to rent a car. There are several car rental offices at the airports, hotels and tourist spots providing high quality cars and services.

Communications

Cuba has a telephone network service that guarantees direct communication with any part of the world and within any part of its own territory.
To call Cuba directly:

• Dial the prefix to obtain an exterior line from the caller's country.
• Dial the code for Cuba: 53
• Dial the code for the province you want to call (see below)
• Finally, dial the telephone number

Codes for the different provinces:

• Pinar del Río (provincial capital) 82
• Valle de Viñales 8
• La Habana (country's capital) 7
• Matanzas, capital provincial 45
• Varadero 45
• Playa Girón y Playa Larga 45
• Santa Clara (provincial capital) 42
• Remedios 42
• Caibarién 42
• Cienfuegos (provincial capital) 432
• Cayo Largo del Sur 45
• Sancti Spíritus (provincial capital) 41
• Trinidad 419
• Topes de Collantes 42
• Ancón 419
• Ciego de Ávila (provincial capital) 33
• Cayo Coco 33
• Morón 335
• Camagüey (provincial capital) 32
• Playa Santa Lucía 32
• Florida 32
• Playa Covarrubias 31
• Las Tunas (provincial capital) 31
• Holguín 24
• Granma 23
• Santiago de Cuba (provincial capital) 22
• Baracoa 21