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Varadero Hotels: 508 Reviews - 859 Photos
Havana Hotels: 1988 Reviews - 3485 Photos
Cayo Coco Hotels: 110 Reviews - 180 Photos
Holguín Hotels: 132 Reviews - 306 Photos
Santiago de Cuba Hotels: 184 Reviews - 318 Photos
Cuba Hotels: 10 Reviews - 31 Photos
Trinidad Hotels: 332 Reviews - 650 Photos
Santa Clara Hotels: 64 Reviews - 119 Photos
Guardalavaca Hotels: 46 Reviews - 121 Photos
Ciego de Ávila Hotels: 4 Reviews - 7 Photos
Nuevitas Hotels: 0 Reviews
Cayo Guillermo Hotels: 24 Reviews - 47 Photos
Bayamo Hotels: 3 Reviews - 5 Photos
Cayo Santa María Hotels: 3 Reviews - 7 Photos
Cayo Santa María Hotels: 4 Reviews - 10 Photos

Cuba Local Customs

by JessieLang

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Local Customs
by JessieLang
Peso store for food
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A bottle of Cristal beer, Cuba
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A Bucanero beer in Santiago de Cuba
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Ration book
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Most Viewed Local Customs in Cuba

26.

Holguin City Holguín

3 Reviews There is a lot spainish in Cuba, also the buildings. If you like the spainish buildings there are alot of pictures you can make just of the buildings. So bring enough. This building has a balcony and...

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27.

Cuban Music Santiago de Cuba

1 Review The famous "Casa de la Trova" in Calle Heredia - exchange of emotions between a teacher and his student (a Cuban music player living in the Netherlands ) - we had a great time. But no misunderstanding...

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28.

Trinidad People Trinidad

2 Reviews In most of the Cuban Cities it is an experience to visit the local temples of music and that made my second trip to Cuba so different Like this building - not that far from the Plaza Mayor This island...

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29.

Give Aways Holguín

2 Reviews Get to know the locals. They are the best people but remember they are poor. Bring lots of clothes and toys for the children. One little girl her toy was an empty toothpaste box. We litterally gave...

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30.

Practical Santiago de Cuba

2 Reviews During your visit of Moncada garrison you'll see that part of it is school as well (Mr.Casto decision)... it's strange that we passed and kids had exam...with open door and none told us to be quite or...

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31.

Religion Santiago de Cuba

2 Reviews Christmas in Cuba this year passed with little more observance than the tiny plastic Xmas tree for me. Some of my Cuban friends did attend church as usual but there was none of the comercialization...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

MOJITOS & HEMINGWAY

by LoriPori

Hemingway would have his usual MOJITO pronounced Moh-hee-toh at his favourite haunt, La Bodeguita Del Medio, located in old Havana. I did try one at our resort and I must admit that it's an acquired taste and I didn't much care for it. But there were many that did, so I thought it would be fun to post the original authentic recipe which I got from the website TASTEOF CUBA.com1 teaspoon powdered sugarJuice from 1 lime ( 2 ounces )4 mint leavesHavana Club white rum ( 2 ounces )2 ounces club soda1 sprig of mint for garnishPlace the mint leaves into a long mojito glass (often called a "collins" glass) and squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it. You'll want about two ounces of lime juice. Add the powdered sugar, then gently smash the mint into the lime juice and sugar. Add ice (preferably crushed) then add the rum and stir, and top off with the club soda (you can also stir the club soda in...

You're paying.

by tomcarlson

in havana at least, when you have a cuban to dinner or drinks, you're paying. if there are multiple habaneros out with you, this can get a bit expensive, so keep that in mind. and don't get discouraged, if you trust the people you're with, they mean nothing by it, only that you most certainly have FAR more money than them. i found it odd that many cubans think of americans as fantastically rich. but, the average monthly salary in cuba is CUC 15/month, so by that standard most americans are pretty loaded.

Customs

by MagpieLiz

Be aware when trying to leave the country you have to pay a charge of 25 Cuban Convertible Pesos so make sure u have the change. (I was very tempted to just stay there!) Also unless returning to Cuba, taking Peso's out of the country is pointless as cannot be exchanged anywhere.

(non) Anti-western propaganda

by rsudic

It's really nothing but this poster was only thing I could find visible as anti-western propaganda. In fact, no one cares who you are as long as you have CUC / EUR / USD .... and that's good for country.

Shop where locals purchase

by rsudic

If you enter (and you can couse none will stop you) in one of the shops where locals purchase basic groceries (sugar, oil, tooth paste, flour....) you'll be suprised ?! shocked?! sad ?! anything but cool !Those merchandise Cubans can buy in local currency (Peso) and seems like state participate in those discounted values. You can not buy (as Cuban) as much as you need or want becasue you have small book with description of merchandise you bought in past (e.g. you can't buy milk everyday or eggs...). The small book contains names of one familiy with their date births, so if you don't have baby it's probably really hard to buy milk.You'll think you are in 50's or in twilight zone or in some antique museum....or not.Unusual experience but don't enter with a big group armed with cameras, people there still have dignity. Wait for group to pass then enter alone and ask salesman if you can make...

Money

by Helga67

Don't bring US dollars to change into the local tourist currency Peso Convertible 'CUC', which by the way is the only valid and useful currency for tourists. You will pay 10 to 12% more as there is a boycot against the US. Also creditcards linked to US banks won't be accepted. Cuba is a cash country. Bring as much cash money as possible. Although creditcards are accepted in some good hotels and restaurants, they have to convert the CUC to USD on your card, and then you do pay the extra 10 to 12%. This is because the 'CUC' is not accepted by the creditcard companies as an official currency and although we asked the bank to put EUR instead of USD on our creditcard they wouldn't do it.It is recommendable to change into small bills, because you will always need one, three, five or ten CUC bills as it is sometimes difficult to receive change and it is sometimes quite difficult to change 50...

Hitchhikers

by Helga67

Public transportation is almost non-existing outside of Havana. People need to hitchhike to go somewhere.There is an official hitchhike system in Cuba. You will notice that number plates have different colours. Cars with blue number plates (state cars, trucks) are obliged to stop for hitchhikers when they have free seats or a free loading platform. Yellow number plates (privates cars) can stop when they like. Brown number plates (tourist cars) are the most desired ones but don't need to stop. On the highway under every bridge you will find huge crowds of people looking for rides. On secundary roads you will find them especially on junctions. Sometimes there is an official (mostly in yellow uniform) who organises the lifts and having cars/trucks stop.The official will never stop a tourist car, but after a while your heart will. When you see old people or women with small children waiting...

hitchhike

by Alicja1

Many Cubans hitchhike as a means of getting around and locally the activity is known as hacer botella (literally 'to make a bottle' with the hand). Government vehicles are legally required to pick up hitchhikers if they have the room and town exits and major crossroads often have yellow-clad amarillo officials armed with clipboards to organize the Cubans waiting for a ride.

Russian cards

by Alicja1

well, how I know this story.. my country (Poland ) in early 80s had the same system. We also struggled for toilet paper and food. Cuban still have Rusian cards system which give them only a certain amount of food per month

Tipping

by Helga67

Some guidelines for tipping:Porter at the airport/hotel: 1 CUCWaiter in a restaurant: 1 CUC or 5-10usicians in a restaurant/bar: 1 CUCMusic CD of bands in a restaurant/bar: 10 CUCRoom maid: 1 CUC (for 3 days)The woman in front of the toilettes: coins (10-25 cents)Cleaning the rental car: 0.5 - 1 CUCSecurity at parking lot: 0.5 - 1 CUCMany families and their relatives are living of the tips earned by family members in tourism and therefore tipping is recommended. On the other hand you don't have to tip if the service was not good.

Top 3 Hotels in Cuba

Villa Las Brujas Cuba

2 Reviews and 51 Opinions I could have chosen Okay but some problems, but I still think it falls too short to express how...

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NH Parque Central Havana

8 Reviews and 1269 Opinions This is a jewel of a hotel, located just a block or two away from Old Havana, and the shops of Calle...

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Iberostar Varadero Varadero

5 Reviews and 1871 Opinions great food gained 5 lbs on the french sauces whatch out for the car rental guy Frank , he takes the...

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Questions and Answers

Q: We're hoping to do Eastern Cuba in December, we've already done the west. I'm trying to book flights, ideally from Manchester. I...

A: flights domestically it is, aerocaribbean do it, as you are in Manchester check the Cuban tourist office http://www.travel2cuba.co.uk/ hope it helps cheers

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