Your trips to Cuba will be characterized by its people. The Cubans are imaginative, joyful, unprejudiced, show their intelligence and are friends of joking and celebrating. And talking about celebrations, now that you’re here you won’t want to miss the carnivals, charangas, the parrandas, the countryside parties and the patron saint’s days, when you’ll have the chance of tasting the typical Cuban gastronomy made of Buñuelos, Tamales and Roasted Pig, always accompanied by a good coffee, a Cuba Libre, a Daiquiri, Mojito or Piña Colada drink.

The revolution marks a before and after in the history of Cuba. The triumph of January 1st 1959 meant a new beginning for Cuba and made its culture one of the most prolific ones in Latin America. Cuba excels at dancing, with the world-wide famous National Ballet of Cuba, in literature with authors like Jose Maria Heredia, Jose Marti, Jose Lezama Lima and Alejo Carpentier and practically in every single artistic manifestation, whether theatre, cinema or visual arts.

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Entry/Exit Requirements

For Canadian travellers, your passport must be valid to visit Cuba. In order to avoid unexpected delays prior to departure, ensure that your passport be valid for at least 1 month beyond the date of your expected departure from Cuba.

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Health

Consult a health care professional a minimum of 6 weeks before departure to inquire about vaccines. 

Medical Travel Insurance is required when visiting Cuba. If you cannot produce proof, you may be obligated to purchase a policy on-site.

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Weather

Average annual temperatures do not fluctuate as much as rainfall does.Average daytime temperature usually ranges from 25 to 31 degrees Celsius. 

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Money

Cuba has 2 official currencies:

• the Cuban convertible peso (CUC)

• the Cuban national peso (CUP), also known as moneda nacional)

The CUC is worth substantially more than the CUP. Transactions involving foreigners almost always take place in CUCs.

It is a common scam for merchants to give change in CUP instead of CUC. Learn to differentiate between 2 currencies.

Credit cards

Credit cards issued by U.S. financial institutions or affiliated with U.S. banks, are not accepted in Cuba.

Other credit cards are generally accepted at major establishments and international resort chains. However, private restaurants (paladares) and private guest houses (casas particulares) do not accept credit cards of any kind.

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Laws & Culture

You must abide by local laws.

The criminal justice system in Cuba differs significantly from that in Canada. Charges are not laid until the investigation is complete, and the accused may be jailed during the entire period of investigation. Canadian consular officials may be accompanied by Cuban authorities during visits with Canadians who have been arrested or detained.

If you are arrested in Cuba, even for a minor incident, you should expect long delays to resolve your case and you may not be allowed to leave the country.

Cuba’s constitution allows the death penalty, but since 2003, the country has effectively had a moratorium on carrying out death sentences.

Drugs

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect long prison sentences.

• Alcohol, drugs and travel

• Cannabis and international travel

LGBTQ2 travellers

Cuban law does not prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex.

General safety information and advice for LGBTQ2 travellers abroad

Photographs

Photographing military and police installations or personnel and harbour, rail and airport facilities is forbidden.

Avoid military zones and any other restricted or heavily guarded areas. Note that these areas are not always identified.

Identification

You must carry photo identification. Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, in case it’s lost or confiscated.

Driving

Penalties for drinking and driving are severe. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.04 percent. If you are found driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you will be subject to arrest and detention.