Visiting Cuba is still not as common as you might think for Americans. In this post I am going to answer the most popular questions I’ve gotten about visiting Cuba.
Was Cuba safe?
I have heard this question from nearly every person who knew I went to Cuba. The answer is yes, it was completely safe. Everyone there was so nice and very welcoming to my friends and I during our time there. They seemed happy to have us and curious about what it’s like back home in the US.
Did you have any trouble in customs?
Absolutely not. Customs going in to Cuba, and coming back into the US was a breeze, just like any of the times I have visited anywhere else.
If you have to choose your purpose for visiting, what did you choose?
We chose visiting for educational purposes and took a tour to learn about Havana when we got there. You can also choose support for the Cuban people and I saw some Airbnb hosts saying they will write something for you verifying that. We had to select our purpose when purchasing our airline tickets so our AirBnb hadn’t been reserved yet. After purchasing the tickets we were never asked about it again.
Did you have a problem with the language barrier?
Not at all, most of the people we dealt with spoke English well or at least knew enough English that we could communicate with them.
How was the food?
AMAZING! If you visit Cuba you absolutely must make a reservation for dinner at La Guardia, you can thank me later.
What was the exchange rate?
Basically $1 USD for $1 Cuban peso. You will be charged a 10% fee for exchanging USD so if you can, try to get Canadian dollars or Euros from your bank before you go.
Could you use a debit/credit card?
No, cash only and you can’t use any ATM’s with an American bank card, so bring all the cash you need with you.
If you have any other questions, ask away! I’m happy to help! Havana was beautiful, the trip was amazing, and I would love to visit again for a longer time to explore more of the country. Do you have a trip planned to Cuba? Comment below and let me know what you are looking forward to the most about your trip!