Useful Information
Language -Spanish is the official language.
Currency - Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC; symbol CUC$)
Notes are in Multi-coloured bills: $1, $3, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100
Coins are in denominations of 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢ and $1
Emergencies - Dial 106 for the Police (Policia), Dial 105 for Fire emergency (Bomberos), Dial 104 for medical emergencies (Ambulancia)
Local Customs - Casual is the way the Cubans do it. However, visitors who enjoy elegant dining, theatre and other sophisticated entertainment tend to dress more formally for those occasions.
Social conventions - While handshakes are used in more formal settings, in almost all other situations, the typical greeting in Cuba is one kiss on the right cheek. So don’t be alarmed when the locals pull you in for a quick peck.
Tipping - The typical tip is 10%, but in many cases it is less.
Voltage - 110v and 220v with various style outlets
Time Difference - GMT -4 hours
Country dialling code is +53
Departure tax - approx. £15 - per person will be payable locally in local currency. However nowadays departure tax is now mostly included in your airfare.
Security in Cuba – Cuba generally has a reputation as a safe location for tourists and there are usually police on every block. However, in the past several years, increasing economic and social hardships on the Cuban people have made it more dangerous to walk the streets, but the most any traveller in Havana will have to worry about is pickpockets. We recommend that you do not walk about in downtown Kingston at night and exercise extreme caution at all times.
Other Risks – It is against the law in Cuba to take photographs of military, police, airport or other transportation facilities, although enforcement of this law is understandably erratic. If you do not wish to draw unpleasant government attention to yourself, avoid taking photographs in any of these locations!
Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor (ideally, 4-6 weeks) before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot. Travellers are also advised to bring prescription medicines sufficient for their length of stay.