Note: This post was published in June 2017. Since then, things have changed. Weeks after writing this post, President Donald Trump announced his new policy regarding travel to Cuba. The “Educational Activities” category has been amended to eliminate the general license for individual “people-to-people” travel. Although the subcategory has not been eliminated, U.S. passport holders and permanent residents are now required to travel as part of an organized group sponsored by a U.S. organization that promotes people-to-people educational exchanges, if traveling under the category of “Educational Activities” – so, please keep that in mind when reading the following.
A weekend in Cuba was next on my radar after another failed attempt at planning a trip to Angel Falls. For as long as I can remember, Cuba has been off limits to Americans. A forbidden paradise. In 2015, Cuba and the United States restored diplomatic relations. Shortly after, U.S. airlines began operating flights to Havana, opening the door to American travelers.
Logistics
Travel restrictions to Cuba are ever-changing. At this time, tourist travel to Cuba remains prohibited. You must obtain a license from the Department of the Treasury or your travel must fall into one of the 12 categories of authorized travel.
12 categories of authorized travel per the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: (1) Family visits; (2) Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) Journalistic activity; (4) Professional research and professional meetings; (5) Educational activities; (6) Religious activities; (7) Public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) Support for the Cuban people; (9) Humanitarian projects; (10) Activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11) Exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials; and (12) Certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing Department of Commerce regulations and guidelines with respect to Cuba or engaged in by U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign firms.
Persons traveling pursuant to a general license do not need to notify the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of their travel plans. Although most of the preceding categories are quite specific, under “educational activities” is the subcategory “people-to-people”, which allows any American to legally travel to Cuba, provided that they engage in a full-time schedule of activities with the intent to meet and interact with the Cuban people.
U.S. passport holders and permanent residents who travel to Cuba through an OFAC approved travel category need a visa for Cuba (also called a tourist card). Each U.S. airline that operates flights to Cuba has its own process and fees for obtaining the visa. I traveled with American Airlines, who is partnered with Cuba Visa Services. The process is simple – American Airlines passengers can purchase the visa online in advance for $50 USD plus a $35 USD processing fee and have it sent via regular mail or American Airlines travelers can purchase the visa the same day of travel at either Charlotte (CLT) or Miami (MIA) airports at any one of the “Cuba Ready” kiosks for $50 USD plus a $50 USD processing fee.
Havana
Not too long ago, my grandmother shared that she wanted to someday visit Cuba. Of course, taking her to Cuba immediately became my priority. Even though, as Polish passport holders, neither of us were ever banned from traveling to Cuba for tourism, I did not want to deal with the hassle of traveling through a third country. Since I originally allocated this long holiday weekend for a trip to Angel Falls with Katie, I invited her to instead join me and my grandmother in Cuba.
We arrived at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana early morning on Saturday, July 1, 2017. Since we only had one full day in Havana, I jam-packed our itinerary with activities. After dropping off our backpacks at the apartment that I had booked through Airbnb, we hopped into a 1953 Buick Super and set out to explore the city.
Cuba is basically one giant classic car show. Prior to arriving in Cuba, I booked the two-hour “Havana Mafia Tour including Tour Guide” through Old Cars Havana for that morning. There are many companies that operate similar tours, but Old Cars Havana offered the best price and had an excellent selection of classic cars. The tour basically takes you around Havana in a classic car – definitely worth the money given the unique aspect of the experience.
After lunch, we explored the historic heart of the city on foot.
Old Havana immediately reminded me of Cartagena, Colombia. Bold architecture. Narrow streets. Colorful buildings. And plazas in between.
Walking around Havana’s old town was like taking a step back in time.
Later that evening, we left for the “Havana By Night” tour that I had booked through Nexus Tours. The tour started with dinner by the bay, and then took us to witness the traditional cannon ceremony at the ancient Fortress of San Carlos de Cabana.
Afterwards, we finished the night with Cuban music and dancers at Cabaret Parisien. Looking back, I would take a pass on the show – just another tourist trap.
Varadero Beach
The following morning we left for the famous Varadero Beach.
Our Airbnb host organized the two or so hour transfer for us. I booked a two-night stay at the all-inclusive Barcelo Solymar Arenas Blancas resort located on a several-mile stretch of white-sand beach.
Anguilla did not even make it three weeks as number three on my list of “most beautiful beach destinations”. (In case you are wondering, the Maldives hold the number one spot and the Turks and Caicos Islands are number two on the list). We spent two days lounging around, swimming, eating and drinking.
Oh, and I smoked a cigar for the very first time (which is kind of a big deal since I have never even tried smoking a cigarette in my lifetime thus far). Because Cuba.
On the third day, instead of returning to Havana, we left Cuba from Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport in Varadero.
None of us had any issues passing through passport control in the United States – no questions were asked.
Things to Note
Credit and debit cards issued by U.S. banks will not work in Cuba, so bring cash. Enough cash to cover any unexpected expenses – you will not be able to pull out more if you run out! Always plan for an emergency. Keep in mind that Cuba uses two currencies: Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC) and Cuban Pesos (CUP). You, as a tourist, will receive CUC when you exchange currency. For exchange purposes: $1.00 USD equals $1.00 CUC. However, Cuba charges a 10 percent fee when exchanging or using U.S. dollars. This fee is not applicable to other currencies, just the U.S. dollar. So, if you can, bring Euro, Canadian Dollars, Mexican Pesos, or British Pounds to exchange or spend while in Cuba. Just remember, Cuban currency has no value outside of Cuba. So, make sure that you spend or exchange any leftover CUC before leaving the country. Do not wait until the airport to do so – the official currency exchange outside of the airport in Havana was closed when I visited. Also note, you will not be able to get much, if any, roaming service in Cuba if using a U.S. cell phone carrier.
