Visa, formulaire et devise à Cuba

Hi, I tried last night—so the 21st—for a departure on the 28th, but it wasn’t possible. The date field stayed red, so I’ll wait 72 hours before trying again. Thanks anyway.

Hi Eric,
Did you get back from your trip to Cuba planned for January? How did it go?
My husband would like to return to Cuba, but doesn’t the country’s economic situation cause too many problems for tourists?
Like on our last trip, we’d rent a vehicle in Havana and stay in *casas particulares*, and do the same for restaurants.
Thanks in advance for your reply.

Hi Edith,To answer your question, no, the economic situation isn’t TOO much of a problem. The country remains diverse, warm, welcoming, and lively. My last visit was in 1999—since then, you can now dine in private restaurants (much nicer) and stay in *casas* instead of state-run hotels, where the service leaves a lot to be desired. Otherwise, things have deteriorated a lot in recent years, according to locals and tourists, with shortages worsening due to embargos against Cuban leaders and local agricultural policies.
Protests are reportedly severely repressed.
Havana is less affected, while the eastern part of the island is hit harder.
The fuel shortage leads to frequent power outages—beyond the 1- to 3-day blackouts reported in the media, there are also very frequent but shorter local outages. In big cities, try to book *casas* near public buildings, especially hospitals, which are spared. Otherwise, bring headlamps or flashlights for getting back after dark.
Plan to eat dinner with a light—cooking with charcoal takes longer (sometimes an hour for one dish), and since there are no fridges or cold storage, the menu is very limited. You’ll adjust quickly, though—chicken, pork, and fish (PPP) are still available. No fuel also means no garbage trucks. Be prepared, as this also means fewer gas stations or 3- to 4-hour waits for a fill-up. No ATMs either, so bring euros in small bills (5, 10, 20) and some USD. Banks have long lines because, to cope with shortages, an underground private economy has emerged, and it runs on cash—so banks are short on bills. On top of that, the official exchange rate is 1 € = 120 pesos, but in your *casa*, it’s 1 € = 320/330 pesos.
Shortages to anticipate: medication (bring your prescription with extra and a first-aid kit).
In the provinces, especially in the eastern part, bottled water can be scarce—keep a reserve of a 6-pack of 1.5L bottles in the car. It’s all manageable, though.
Nothing is too much of a hassle if you adapt—if one dish isn’t available, you pick another. Yes, sometimes prep time is very long (charcoal) because gas is also scarce.
If you’re driving on your own, I’d be wary of fill-ups. We opted for a car with a driver because these companies are army-owned, and you can guess the perks… priority access.
You can look up "shortages in Cuba" online, but the country’s beauty and the warmth of its people (you know this already) make you forget the minor inconveniences, which you can ease by planning ahead a little.
The current political regime seems less economically effective than the Castro brothers’ even at their worst. Fortunately, it turns a blind eye to the underground economy—as long as it stays underground.
Have a great trip and enjoy it to the fullest. Such a beautiful island, and it remains a wonderful memory.
Eric

Hi Eric,A huge thank you for your quick and thorough response!
During our last trip in January 2015, we did a tour of the island, and that’s what we’d have loved to do again, especially the Baracoa region, which we really enjoyed. But given the fuel supply issues, it might be very tricky, so we’ll wait for the situation to improve before going back...
Have a great evening.

Hi,
I’m thinking of going to Cuba in mid-November for three weeks (if I can find a reasonably priced flight), which probably means visiting the Oriente region a bit (unless I’m mistaken, two weeks should be enough for the rest?). But I’d be without a driver, so only public transport—buses or shared taxis.
Do you think that would be complicated?
Same question for everything else: restaurants, booking casas online (Wi-Fi)...
Water shortages—this seems really serious to me! Have any of you visited the island more recently and noticed the same issues?For cash, if you pay with a large euro bill, do they give change in pesos at the unofficial rate? At the current rate (520), how much do you actually get?Thanks.

Hello!
For public transport, I haven’t tried it—the fuel shortage means it’s rare, and hitchhiking is more common outside the cities. In towns, shared taxis are the main option. If you speak Spanish, they’ll understand you, even if it’s Cubañol (Cuban Spanish).I never had major issues with water, except for 24 hours when we had to pay more due to a shortage of bottled water for sale. The real hassle is the frequent power outages—be prepared. Bring a flashlight for restaurants, as what you end up eating might not be what you ordered (cooking is done over wood fires if there’s no gas or power), so allow extra time. This is especially true in the eastern part of the island.It’s best to bring small bills like 5, 10, or 20 euros and 1 USD notes since we don’t have 1 € coins. There’s also a shortage of bills (long lines at ATMs when the power’s on!), so having exact change is ideal—otherwise, the exchange rate won’t be as good.In February 2025, the official rate was 1 € = 100 pesos, while the black-market rate was 1 € = 300 pesos in Havana and 320–330 pesos in the provinces. Note that some state-run hotels or restaurants only accept cards, so you’ll get the official rate. But everything happens with good humor and singing! I spent 30 days traveling around the island at the start of the year without rushing.Have a great trip!
Eric