Generally speaking, Cuba was a difficult place to travel solo. I did A LOT of research and preparation before this trip. Because the internet is virtually nonexistent in Cuba, I had a folder full of extensive notes, maps, directions, and confirmation numbers. At the same time, Cuba is a very doable "plan as you go" travel destination if you have a buddy, in that it's easy to spontaneously walk up to a casa particular or a taxi. I just wanted to make sure I got the best deal and was not taken advantage of, so I planned ahead.
I'm glad I got to experience Cuba before it really blows up (which is already happening with the lifting of sanctions and foreign developers moving in). It was really awesome to experience such a foreign culture. I need to explore more of Latin America and the Caribbean...
Alas, here is my full report on Cuba! And enjoy the additional photos from my GoPro footage below. I will hopefully post some edited videos for each town eventually too.
Onward,
Chris
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*General Observations:
- Prices are weird and all over the place. Yes, things are generally cheaper than in the U.S., but not for foreigners. They really try to overcharge tourists for everything. For example: accommodations, transportation, and drinks are cheap, but food, water, and souvenirs are overpriced (food varies, depending on the location). You can negotiate over souvenirs, but they'll say it's a "fixed price." At night, taxi prices go way up because they know there are no alternatives.
- I became so exhausted from feeling like everyone was trying to cheat me. People are nice, but they're always selling something or trying to pull a scam. The "juguetes" can be smooth talkers... "Happy holiday" and "Where are you from?" were constantly flung at me. Also, I despise being called, "lady." "Hey, lady! Taxi? Taxi?" I wanted to tell them that the proper word to use is "miss."
- I did not experience nor witness any catcalling, which was pretty amazing. See why below.
- I felt totally safe everywhere I went. There were constantly people around in the streets (because the population is high and it's always hot). I learned that crime is so low because the punishments are so severe. The crime is not worth the time (or fine). Yes, most streets look super sketchy and dirty (and dark at night without street lamps), but I didn't feel threatened at all.
- I was and still am confused as to how to pronounce the currency, "CUC." I heard both pronunciations: "kook" and "C-U-C."
- People don't properly queue. Someone will arrive and ask who the last person in line is, then say, "I'm behind him/her," and then go stand wherever they want. Because of this, people will try to cut in line. So be vigilant! Sometimes though, other people will call it out and stand up for the person being cut. It's not very efficient; Germans would be annoyed.
- There are a lot of men wearing all white, which I read means they are in the process of being sainted under the Santeria religion.
- There are so many stray dogs and cats. I know I've seen this in other countries, but it was really starting to get to me. They're all very unique and diverse-looking too.
- There are also random chickens everywhere.
- The people are very diverse here. From speaking to a few locals, there isn't a racial divide here, which makes sense because the Castro regime was all about taking care of the people. Because of that, homosexual and transgender folks are mostly accepted. However, someone did tell me that although being LGBT is not a big deal, it is frowned upon to stray from the traditional idea of family; that is to say, open relationships, polyamory, or swingers are not understood, and therefore, not accepted.
- The people I talked to had different opinions about the Communist government and Castro's revolution. My bike tour guide, who is a younger fellow, lamented the restrictiveness of the law and feeling cut off from the rest of the world. Another younger guy didn't like the feeling of being poor and always just getting by ("If people are poor, they can't gain any power against the government"). My Viñales tour guide (from a rural area) said he is content because he has his health and his family is taken care of; the only thing he laments is not having the money to travel like the tourists he meets (he is saving up to someday leave the country for vacation). Another person said that the older generation disapproves of the revolution because they lost a lot of what they owned when Castro came to power; while other older folks hate and distrust American visitors because they think they're spies.
- There are no homeless people because of the Communist government. However, I learned that, until recently, the punishments for breaking the law were so bad that people could be blacklisted for their entire lives and unable to get jobs.
- People can now open their own private restaurants (palidares), instead of there existing only government-owned establishments. They still have to pay the government though, and keep meticulous records of all business. The casas particulares also have to log everyone who stays with them by taking down their passport information.
- Hitchhiking is common in Cuba. You often see people on the side of the road holding out cash, trying to get a ride.
- Cuba has bad beer and bad cheese.
*Preparation Advice:
- Carry tissues with you, as most restrooms (even in bars and restaurants) don't have toilet paper. Or any soap for that matter (yay, wipes/hand sanitizer).
- I've mentioned in my Euro/Asia trip recap that I have a list of essentials that I carry in my day bag always, and they still apply here: tissues, napkins, wipes, two plastic bags, two Ziploc baggies, a couple of rubber bands, toothpicks, twist ties, a pen and paper, sunscreen, and a small medicine/bandage kit. This time, I also carried a plastic fork, which came in handy twice.
- Use bug spray! I got attacked.
- The maps.me app is awesome! It's way better than TripAdviser app I used on my Europe travels. It has maps and directions to be used offline. It even has hiking trails!
*Money Advice:
- You must pay all in cash! No American ATM or credit cards will work.
- You can't exchange for Cuban currency outside of Cuba and you technically can't leave with any Cuban money left over.
- As you may know, there are two currencies in Cuba: CUP are the original pesos still used by Cubans. CUC are the modern pesos used by both locals and tourists, and they are 1:1 with U.S. dollars. CUC bills have monuments on them, while CUP have people on them. 24 CUP equals 1 CUC, so they're closer to Mexican pesos in value.
- Check your change! And make sure that if you pay with CUC, you aren't given change back in CUP. I didn't carry any CUP. If a place listed prices in CUP, I asked if they accept CUC (they always do), but the CUC price is going be disproportionately higher. When paying a taxi, count the cash out in front of them so they don't try to cheat you!
- Many, many places had a hard time giving back change for a 20 CUC bill. So carry small bills. Some restaurants can break a 20.
- Carry small change (25-50 cents) for public restrooms.
- I read that all CADECA's (currency exchange offices) have the same exchange rates. I found this to be untrue. My advice is that when you arrive at the airport, only exchange just enough for a taxi to your accommodations and maybe a meal, then exchange at a CADECA in town. The airport rates (as in most places) are higher. Also, don't exchange at a bank, if you can avoid it. I spent 90 minutes waiting in line at a bank (long story). However, the CADECA's are quite picky about the bills they'll accept (no rips or tears), so you may have to go to a bank if your money is rejected.
- There is a 10-13% fee for exchanging between U.S. dollars on top of the conversion rate. To avoid this, I exchanged from Mexican pesos. Hotels that have exchange offices most likely will only take USD or Euros, however.
- Tipping is typically 10% for restaurants and taxis. For tours, tip 2-5 CUC. For a musical performer, tip 2 CUC.
*Casa Advice:
- Book your casas particulares in advance on Airbnb. I did this because I wanted peace of mind, but also because I could charge it to my credit card and therefore, carry less cash. Also, you can check reviews and know what you're getting into.
- Check the keys before you first leave the casa. I had a hell of a time with the keys and locks.
- Ask the host to book collective taxis and activities for you (they get a commission). Tours are cheaper this way because they "know a guy."
- Technically, Americans are not allowed to stay at hotels because they are government-owned and, therefore, support the Communist government. But I met a guy from Florida who was staying at the Hotel Nacional and I don't think anyone really cares.
*Transportation Advice:
- There are essentially two options when traveling between towns: taxis colectivos or the Viazul bus. Taxis colectivos are cheap and will take you door-to-door. The casa host will book taxis for you if you ask. If you need to find a taxi yourself, I've read that it's cheaper to first take a taxi to the bus station or taxi station (I never found where this is in Havana), and then hire a car from there. The bus takes longer, but is more comfortable (e.g. air conditioning, shade, more space). Also, you must get a taxi to and from the bus station. Taxis colectivos and buses are comparable in price.
- Collective taxis are a crap shoot. Some were good, some were miserable. Sometimes, you can't help but wonder, "Wow. Is this car going to make it?!"
- Private taxis are not worth the money, unless you are traveling as a group of four or more and can split the price.
*Food Advice:
- There are no grocery stores for tourists. The supermarkets are for Cubans only, where they can use their ration cards. If you want to buy bottled water, you can do so from your casa host or from a restaurant. The casa price is typically 1.50 CUC for a big bottle.
- At least once, try having the breakfast provided by the casa host. It typically costs only 5 CUC is plenty fulfilling. Many casas also offer dinner for 10-15 CUC, but I did not try that.
*Internet Advice:
- You have to buy an internet card from an ETECSA booth. The price is 1 CUC per hour. There are often long lines.
- You can tell where the wifi zones are because you'll see people looking at their phones. I noticed this the first night I got to Cuba, but didn't at first know why everyone was seemingly obsessed with their phones. Most parks/plazas are wifi zones. But be forewarned that the signal and speed is horrible compared to what we're used to in the States.
- You have to log in every time you turn on wifi, which is a pain. I had to do a weird combination of restarting my phone, turning wifi on and off, and turning airplane mode on and off to get it to work. It was different every time.
- Be careful when scratching the internet cards for the code. It's says on it to be careful, but I fucked one up anyway (so it became useless), and apparently it's common. So I would only buy a low increment card, just in case. Or, you can ask the clerk to scratch it for you when you buy it, and if they mess it up, they'll give you a different one.