chrisjolly

We are planning a two month trip to Cuba next year from November and would like any guidance as to where to stay, how to meet the locals and what to do. We like simple homestay accommodation. Thank you.

jean1947

Chris
I lived in London when I first came to England, circumstances in my life changed and I moved to Runcorn, Cheshire 2008. Had thought of moving to Spain but as a single woman and no Spanish language changed my mind.
Had a long talk with Lorraine just now, she suggest talking with you rather than by email Would you giver her your phone number?
Are you aware of how things are in Cuba? They stamped her passport this last trip and you are not allowed into the USA with that, its a new passport as well, there is a card that she can and will have to use instead.
Where do you live? Take care Jean

Gordon Barlow

Chris. My advice is to stay at what they call a "casa particular" - a bed-and-breakfast, more or less, except you don't always get breakfast. In November 2013 I posted a short piece on my blog, called "A weekend in Cuba"; my wife and I had recently visited Havana, and enjoyed it very much. You might like to read it, to get the flavour. A friend of ours subsequently went there for two weeks from Australia, and was not impressed with the countryside at all - very deprived, she said.

You should speak with a travel agency that specialises in Cuba trips, and maybe book a few nights of accommodation at the begionning.

Next: who is your "we", and how many?

Next: The Cuban immigration authorities won't stamp your passport if you ask them not to. Indeed, I'm not sure that you have to ask them, even - although Jean (above) says they do. Well, I dunno. Thousands of EU citizens visit Cuba each year, and some of them surely also visit the US with the same passport; there's something missing in her story, I think. We used our UK passports, and our friend used her Australian passport and subsequently visited the US with it - with no stamp, of course (via Cayman).

chrisjolly

Thank you Gordon for that I formation. I have read your blog and from what you say it sounds very much like myself and my wife. We are older travellers who live in Spain for the summer and India for the winter. We are used to poverty, poor conditions and deprivation but we also know how resilient and happy people can be given those conditions. we would like to spend two months next year, November and December in Cuba. I am a professional guitar player and the music of cuba has always been a source of pleasure for us. I would like to get involved with some musicians there.
I agree about the passports and we will get the Tourist Card from London and get that stamped.
All the best and thank you for your help. Chris

dakota44

I do not buy the "denied entry to the U.S." because of a Cuban stamp in a foreign nationals passport either. I am not aware of anything in the travel embargo that says foreign nationals would be denied entry to the U.S. for visiting Cuba. This is actually some interesting information:

The current regulation does not limit travel of U.S. citizens to Cuba per se, but it makes it illegal for U.S. citizens to have transactions (spend money or receive gifts) in Cuba under most circumstances without a US government Office of Foreign Assets Control issued license. Since even paying unavoidable airfare ticket taxes into a Cuban airport would violate this transaction law, it is effectively impossible for ordinary tourists to visit Cuba without breaking the monetary transaction rule.

So, the law effects only U.S. citizens.

Gordon Barlow

Just as a footnote for those who don't know... Quite a few US citizens fly into Cuba via Grand Cayman (where I live), because our local airline has a regular scheduled flight two or three times a week. The US residents fly to Cayman and change planes to fly into Cuba, and return the same way with no evidence they have ever been in the forbidden land. Americans who live in Cayman can pop up there any weekend. Easy peasy.

jeremy brewer

Hi
Casa particulars could be harder to fiind, airbnb has opened up in cuba but only for those living in the US, at the moment.
Cuba is great went last year, going again this year.
Cheers
Jerry

chrisjolly

Thanks Jerry, all useful information graciously accepted..
We plan to fly to the Dominican Republic and spend two months there before flying to Cuba and then spending the same amount of time there too. It in its early stages of preparation but I am looking at flights, places to stay and more importantly where to stay. We very much like joining in with local affairs in rural surroundings.
All the best
Chris

Mitzyboy

Hmmmmmm .... I have a holiday booked in Cuba later in the year now and was sniffing around for information.

I'm going to be in Havana, Vinales, Trinidad and Varadero. The wife things it's a holiday, but it's really a photography trip

Flying with Virgin, and booked through Cuba Direct who have been relatively helpful. Hotels in Havana & Varadero and Casas inbetween

How are you arranging your money Chrisjolly? I really don't fancy having to queue at the airport on arrival.

I'm going to check on the US passport worries, as I'll be going to the States soon afterwards, but not directly

I can give you the casa names be have booked, they are well regarded on Trip Adviser

Gordon Barlow

I seem to remember from when my wife and I went a few years ago that you can't buy the Cuban visitors-money (CUC, pronounced "kook") outside the country.

As for going to the US afterwards: a friend of ours (from Australia) did that and had no problem with the Immigration people.

Enjoy!

Mitzyboy

Thats correct, thats why I was asking about what chrisjolly was going to do. You arrive at the airport with no cuban currency at all as does everyuone else. The queues at the airport currency exchange must be huge!

jerry brewer

Hi
Well i went back again last month for a week, i took one dollar US notes for tips for the first 24hrs, everyone was happy with them.
then i used my bank card in the ATM, for the rest of my spending money
I was in varadero and one of the banks on the main road has two ATM's outside it, real easy and no line ups
Presumably other bigger places will have atm's as well.
Changed my remaining cuc back to usd as it was 1:1 rate.
Cheers
Jerry

Mitzyboy

Thanks Jerry

They are happy with US$ tips, wow :-)
I'll be staying in Havana for the first three days so I'm guessing I should be fairly OK there for ATM's or banks.

Pulaski

A US airline is about to start scheduled flights from NY to Havana, so I doubt a Cuban visa stamp is going to be much of a concern in future for US immigration officers.

Gordon Barlow

Is it really "open slather" now, Pulaski? I hope so, of course, but would you please confirm? Somewhere I've read that there are some glitches to be overcome - "glitches" in the form of the Cuban-Americans in Florida, mainly.