Cuba, with its unique history and Caribbean backdrop, is fascinating, compelling and inspiring. However, what attracts can also frustrate and madden. It’s often a country that doesn’t work. Exacerbated by the downturn in the economy since the pandemic and Trump’s reversal of the Obama reforms, it is a tough place to backpack. Here are my essential tips for a first-time traveller to Cuba in 2023.
Bring lots of foreign cash
Very few establishments accept card payments and when they do the exchange rate is worse than the street value (see next tip). ATMs are hard to come by and when functioning are subject to long queues. All those working in the tourist industry – whether drivers or host families – have a strong preference for foreign currency (as opposed to the Cuban peso) and sometimes insist on it. Err on the side of caution and bring more than you anticipate spending. It also helps to conserve cash when you get the opportunity by paying for accommodation and activities online. [US bank cards do not work]
Exchange your foreign currency (with someone you can trust)
The Cuban peso (COP) is pegged at 120 units to the dollar / euro, whereas the street value is about 175 COP to a euro / dollar (at time of writing). By bringing foreign cash, preferably the euro or dollar, and exchanging it informally, you can get significantly more value. Best to exchange with someone who has skin in the game and a reputation to protect. Good examples might be your casa particular host (read about my experience on my first day arriving) or someone who runs an established market stall. Black market rates can be found here.
Be prepared to go without electricity
Almost every day we experienced a blackout, usually in the evening. At its worst it lasted for 16 hours, whereas sometimes it was so brief you barely noticed it. Regardless, you should be prepared. It helps to make hay while the sun shines, such as charging your electronic items, and using the patchy internet to research what you need. Bringing battery packs and torches will make life easier too.
Don’t expect much internet
The internet is patchy and slow. It is also restricted (see next tip). Most plazas in the cities and bigger towns will have public wifi, which you’ll probably notice by the crowds of people huddled around phones. The internet operates differently too. Once connected to a network, you need to login with a username and password, which you’ll get from purchasing internet cards. You can get them in some tourist offices and hotels, however it is far cheaper to buy them from the ubiquitous ETECSA shops, Cuba’s single internet and telecoms provider. Another tip is to download maps in advance and screenshot useful information, such as restaurant reviews.
Purchase a VPN in advance
In Cuba many websites are banned. All forms of internet banking are inaccessible and accommodation websites, such as AirBbB and booking.com, don’t allow you to complete the transaction. A virtual private network will allow you to overcome this obstacle. Of course, purchasing a VPN is also banned – so doing so in advance of your trip is essential. This is something we only realised midday way into our trip and initially had to rely on friends and family to help us access money and book onward accommodation.
Wary of the street hustlers
The Cuba street hustlers (or jineteros as they’re known locally, which translates as jockey) can be very pushy. Given poverty and the measly wages from state employment, Cubans need to look to the private sector to make money. This has gone hand in hand with a rise and desperation of the jineteros. Generally friendly and often charismatic, they will try to reel you in by making a personal connection, such as asking where you’re from. A polite but firm gracias usually suffices. Common scams to be wary of include suspect restaurant recommendations, and one-day cigar festivals. Jineteros were particularly prominent (and pushy) in Trinidad where they seemed to outnumber the tourists.
Be flexible in your food choices
Cuba is subject to significant shortages and limited in its ingredients. It was very common that our restaurant wouldn’t have our first choice from the menu so we soon learned to be prepared with a back-up and / or ask in advance what they didn’t have.
Despite an improvement in recent years, food can be quite bland. Carrying a surreptitious bottle of tabasco to add flavour as I once witnessed one enterprising Cuban do isn’t a bad idea.
Learn how to queue
Unfortunately queues are a quintessential part of Cuban life and take up a significant chunk of the average Cuban’s day. Unsurprisingly society has adapted to make them as efficient as possible. At some stage you’ll need to join one too, and it feels like a right of passage. The first thing to do is ask ‘Quien es el ultimo?’ (who is last in line?) As long as you know who is ahead of you (who will in turn know who is ahead of them), you can be rest assured that order will be followed.
Be resilient
The most important piece of advice. Often things go wrong or not to plan. Your bus doesn’t turn up, the museum is closed, your guidebook restaurant recommendation turns out to be long closed. It’s important to be resilient, come up with an alternative and move on. Appreciate the unique beauty and charm of the country. You’ll face lows but the highs will be all the more satisfying.
