Cuba Master Thread

[travellove]

Partagas Cigar Factory but not sure if still open.

For internet, you need to buy these cards. Thats what it was like a few years ago at least.

Thanks for the reply. I guess will be useful for next person. By the time you replied i was already back. 

[travellove]

I don't know about the meat but I would think compared to most places you could have a problem. Havana Club rum tours. they have 2 types the short one in Havana but the good one is about 1 hour out side. Ask your taxi to take you to Havana club in Havana and their you can book your tour. there is only 1 way to access the internet and that is buying cards like airtime minutes at most hotels. Phone service I can't say because we started in Varadero and my friends verizion phone worked perfectly for phone calls no data. the allowance depends on a couple of things 1 are you flying directly from Cuba or via Mexico etc. last I heard flying from Cuba you can take as much as your carry on will allow. Via mexico the problem is if us customs stops you, then you will have to provide info that you were in cuba and not buying rum and cigars from Mexico aka supporting the Cuban government. Last time I went was 2018. Now that Biden has made it open like Obama did I hope I will go back. have fun

Thanks for the reply. I guess will be useful for next person. By the time you replied i was already back. 

[travellove]

Thank you very much of all the posters here. Your info was very helpful.

 Just a few things to clear up. There’s no more CUC and CUP. There’s only Cup. There no penalty anymore for exchanging from dollars to CUP. There’s no exit tax.  A lot of museums are closed on Monday (Tuesday not sure) so keep that in mind. 

Will give a very brief rundown of what I did. Stayed in Old Havana close to Capital/ grand theater. Very nice Airbnb. Great host. Took the classic car ride for over an hour paid $30. Walked by Adath Isral (was closed. Not sure when open). Kosher butcher, closed (they say now closed permanently. Meat given at Adath Israel. Not sure if correct. Parque de Menorah close to it. Didn’t know at the time so didn’t check if open. Plaza vieja, Hotel Raquel with the plaques on the rooms and name of restaurant, Plaza de San Francisco, Obispo Blvd, Plaza de Armas, Museum of the city. Castle of the royal force, Plaza de la Catedral, La Bodeguita Del Medio (famous mojito place), Museum of the Revolution (only able to see the outside stuff the inside was closed for renovation). Malecon and the forts. Parque central hotel rooftop bar. El Floridita Bar (famous daiquiri place), Grand Theater of Havana (guided tour) capital (could only go inside with tour but don’t accept CUP (how Cuban is that) or USD only card. They suggested we can give $ to someone that has card we decided to skip also because tour took an hour and had to wait half hour to start). Chinatown (no Chinese, nothing to see just drove by on classic car ride) Plaza de la Revolucion, Universidad de la Habana (from outside) Hotel Nacional de Cuba, Beth Shalom synagogue closed (got there after 5. Not sure when open).

Vinales, (Havana Airbnb host hooked us on with good Airbnb, taxi and tour guide). Went to farm where roll cigars, horseback riding, cave. Next day went to prehistorical painting, another cave with boat ride. On way back stop by waterfall midway (nothing major). When arrive back went to Playa de Este beach. Water was nice.

[lansky]

Thank you very much of all the posters here. Your info was very helpful.

 Just a few things to clear up. There’s no more CUC and CUP. There’s only Cup. There no penalty anymore for exchanging from dollars to CUP. There’s no exit tax.  A lot of museums are closed on Monday (Tuesday not sure) so keep that in mind. 

Will give a very brief rundown of what I did. Stayed in Old Havana close to Capital/ grand theater. Very nice Airbnb. Great host. Took the classic car ride for over an hour paid $30. Walked by Adath Isral (was closed. Not sure when open). Kosher butcher, closed (they say now closed permanently. Meat given at Adath Israel. Not sure if correct. Parque de Menorah close to it. Didn’t know at the time so didn’t check if open. Plaza vieja, Hotel Raquel with the plaques on the rooms and name of restaurant, Plaza de San Francisco, Obispo Blvd, Plaza de Armas, Museum of the city. Castle of the royal force, Plaza de la Catedral, La Bodeguita Del Medio (famous mojito place), Museum of the Revolution (only able to see the outside stuff the inside was closed for renovation). Malecon and the forts. Parque central hotel rooftop bar. El Floridita Bar (famous daiquiri place), Grand Theater of Havana (guided tour) capital (could only go inside with tour but don’t accept CUP (how Cuban is that) or USD only card. They suggested we can give $ to someone that has card we decided to skip also because tour took an hour and had to wait half hour to start). Chinatown (no Chinese, nothing to see just drove by on classic car ride) Plaza de la Revolucion, Universidad de la Habana (from outside) Hotel Nacional de Cuba, Beth Shalom synagogue closed (got there after 5. Not sure when open).

Vinales, (Havana Airbnb host hooked us on with good Airbnb, taxi and tour guide). Went to farm where roll cigars, horseback riding, cave. Next day went to prehistorical painting, another cave with boat ride. On way back stop by waterfall midway (nothing major). When arrive back went to Playa de Este beach. Water was nice.

is that information current cuz I was told there's 50 dollar exit visit cost and 10% penalty on us dollar when putting it on the muc government card?

[jpscuba720]

is that information current cuz I was told there's 50 dollar exit visit cost and 10% penalty on us dollar when putting it on the muc government card?

they said that they just got back so I would say very recent info. thanks for the update

[travellove]

is that information current cuz I was told there's 50 dollar exit visit cost and 10% penalty on us dollar when putting it on the muc government card?

I came back less than 10 days ago.

[lansky]

I came back less than 10 days ago.

are you referring to the mc government card or in general trading money on black market

[lansky]

Anyone that knows what jews need let me know

[El Capitan]

Question

I'm trying to book HAV-YYZ on Copa with a connection in PTY to avoid connecting in the US. When booking on copas website, the availability will show when searching RT, but disappears when I try to book OW. Any ideas as to why and how to avoid this? PUTPAC?


TIA

[Yaalili]

On flight home from Havana now, and will share a bit about the past few days there.

Havana has similar weather to Miami (not very pleasant in August), quite hum and hot. Primary motivation for going in August was that United announced that they are ending EWR-HAV in October (the only nonstop route) and these dates were a very good price at just 7K miles each way.

About a week before arriving, booked an Airbnb which looked decent for about $40 a night. 3 days before arrival, the Airbnb hosts sends a message that for the past 8 days the apartment had no running water and there is no ETA for when it will be back, ok then… Found a new place at $28 a night, with AC, good location in the Havana Vieja and very good reviews. This one did not come with wifi included, unlike the first option.

Taxi from the airport was $30 US and was in an old 1952 car with no air conditioning or seatbelts.

Outlets are the same in Havana as in the USA so no adapter was needed. Wifi is not very reliable if not included in your Airbnb and is one of the few countries without T-Mobile coverage.

On the street you get stopped quite often, it starts with “where are you from” and 30 seconds later it is “can I have a dollar?”, some of them more polished than others, but the motive is the same. Cubans don’t earn a lot of money, was speaking with one on the Malecon who earns a monthly salary of about $15 US. That said, they do not pay rent or pay for groceries. That is covered by the government. They do have to pay utilities of about $2-3 per month for water, gas and electric.

Taxi drivers earn in many cases more than doctors and surgeons in Cuba. Though to be a taxi you have to have a car and be licensed and many cannot afford that route.

Groceries are not easy to find at least in the old town. A grocery is usually someone’s apartment that has a cabinet with a few drinks and some basic snacks. Kind of like a canteen and stock based on availability. Kosher is non existent (perhaps there is some in larger supermarkets away from the city), though there was no issue or inspection bringing in cold cuts and other non perishables in to HAV.

Unfortunately it seems the Shul Adath Israel on Calle Acosta has closed or moved.

Any other questions or tips I can help with, feel free to ask.

[Yaalili]

The HAV airport is the worst airport out there. Long lines that move really slowly and no air conditioning. You need to come early due to the lines, but you will suffer

[Something Fishy]

What happened to the HAV-PTY flights? It doesn't seem to be bookable anywhere.

ETA: the flights are there, but apparently you can't originate from HAV. Anyone know how to book (NYC-HAV),HAV-PTY-NYC?