Passports & Visas

A validity passport is essencial when you travel abroad. We cannot accept any responsability for customers who do not possess the correct documents.

Currency in Cuba
There are two kinds of legal tender in Cuba: domestic pesos (moneda nacional: MN) and, convertible pesos (moneda libremente convertible MLC). MLC is known as CUC and is equivalent to 1.08 USD.

Although most visitors will never see any MN while in Cuba, is noteworthy to mention that MN can be freely exchanged for CUC at any CADECA (currency exchange booth).Cubans and foreigners alike may affect the exchange and the current rate is 24 MN per 1 CUC.

Cuba´s tourism sector is operating in convertible pesos starting on November 8th 2004 thus replacing the US dollar to pay for sales and services. Cuba´s Central Bank (www.bc.gov.cu) informed that payments in hotels, restaurants, bars, cafeterias, taxis, shops, car rental companies and other services will be made in convertible pesos.

USD will be subject to 18% commission charge.

All other currencies will be subject to 8% commission charge.

For more info, click here.

nternational phone calls to Cuba
If you need to make a direct phone call to Cuba, the first thing to do is to dial code number (53). Then, dial the city or town code, and finally, the number you wish to call. You may check the list of national codes we hereby include:

Provinces, cities or towns:

Pinar del Río: 82
La Habana: 7
Matanzas: 52
Varadero: 5
Playa Larga: 59
Cienfuegos: 432
Villa Clara: 422
Sancti Spíritus: 41
Trinidad: 419
Topes de Collantes: 42
Ciego de Ávila: 33
Camagüey: 322
Las Tunas: 31
Holguín: 24
Granma: 23
Santiago de Cuba: 226
Guantánamo: 21
Municipio Especial Isla de la Juventud: 61

For example, if you wish to call Cuba Luxury Hotels agency in Havana, you should dial
(53-7) 553980.

Where to Buy Souvenirs
After visiting Cuba you can bring home anything from the manufacturing industry to hand crafted items. Hotel shops are perfect for things like Che Guevara T-shirts, key chains, postcards, etc. For a more homespun feel, Cuban artists exhibit their paintings, wood carvings, ceramics, metal work, weaving, etc. in these three craft fairs:
•Malecon and D in Vedado.
•23rd St. and O in Vedado (La Rampa).
•Tacon, % Empedrado y Chacon, near the Catedral and port in
Old Havana
They are open every day, except Monday

Airport Tax
Within your travel budget to Cuba you should save 25 USD for the airport tax at the moment of your departure. It is obligatorily paid right after you check your bags, and must be in cash as no kind of credit card is admitted (even from non-U.S. banks).

Phoning in Cuba
Visitors to Cuba who need to make international calls can do so from their hotel rooms or from
international calling centers (identifiable by their blue and glass kiosks).

You can also use cell phones in Cuba, either by renting one during your stay or, if you
have a GSM phone, simply bringing yours from home. There are two cell phone companies in
Cuba: Cubacel works with TDMA standard phones (tel.: 80-2222) and has a small office in
the airport; C_COM works with GSM standard phones (tel.: 264-2266).

Sending and receiving packages
Travelers may request this service in most hotels of the country, or address themselves to specialized agencies:

Cubanacán Express S.A.: Tel: (53-7) 204-2331
Cubapost: Tel: (53-7) 33-6097 and 33-6098
D.H.L. Tel: (53-7) 204-1578
Cubapack internacional S.A.: Tel: (53-7) 204-2134


Where to Get Road Maps
Road maps can be purchased at Tourist Information Offices (INFOTUR), which also has post and telephone cards, photocopies, fax and email and more.

There are offices at:

• José Martí International Airport: Terminals I, II y II. Open 24 hours

• Old Havana: calle Obispo e/ Bernaza y Villegas. tel (537) 33-3333, (537) 62-4586. Open 8:30 am - 8:30 pm

• Cruise ship terminal: Avenida del Puerto, Old Havana: calle Obispo y San Ignacio. el (537) 63-6884. Open 8:30 am - 8:30 pm

• Playa municipality: 5ta Ave y calle 112, Miramar. Tel: (537) 24-7036 Fax: (537) 24-3977. Open 8:30 am- 8:30 pm.

• Playas del Este: Playa Santa María del Mar. Ave Las Terrazas e/ 11 y 12, La Habana del Este.
Open 8:30 am - 8:30 pm

Cuba with Kids
If you come to Cuba it's not necessary to include in your luggage products that can easily be purchased here, like disposable diapers, creams, medicine, clothes and food.
These things can easily be picked up in Havana or Varadero. You should bring special dietary needs, but other than that you don't have to worry about anything, especially
personal safety. Public parks and play areas here are safe for children or adults 24 hours a day.

Remember the Voltage!
Most hotels in Cuba have 110 volt flat tooth electricity plugs, but some are 220 volt, so find out before you arrive and bring the corresponding adapter if necessary.