Back from my first trip to Cuba

Hi everyone,

I’ve just returned from 15 days in Cuba and wanted to share my experience along with some practical tips for those planning a trip there.

1. Formalities:

- Passport valid for at least 6 months after your return. - E-visa: apply online (payment by bank transfer only via the embassy of your choice): evisacuba.cu or through an agency novelacuba.com (card payment on their site—I had to go with this option and recommend it because the Cuban embassy in Brussels apparently never received my transfer...) - Digital D’Viajeros form to fill out a few days before departure - Mandatory health insurance

2. Currency/budget - Plan your entire budget in cash; card payments are rare, and withdrawals at the official rate aren’t great. Local currency: CUP (Cuban Peso)

Official rate: ~1 € = 120 CUP → state-run restaurants and shops.

Current unofficial rate: ~1 € = 490 CUP → private restaurants, local bars, Cuban-owned shops.

For exchanging money: The easiest way: ask at your *casa particular* or a local restaurant.

3. My itinerary (15 days)

Havana: 3 nights Viñales: 3 nights Cienfuegos: 1 night Trinidad: 3 nights Varadero: 3 nights Havana: 1 night

Flights: Air Europa from Brussels, with a layover in Madrid. Smooth and pleasant service. Accommodations: *casas particulares* booked on Airbnb except for Varadero (Iberostar Playa Alameda hotel).

Practical tips

Install a VPN before departure (many blocked sites like Instagram and Airbnb).

Download the El Toque app to check the updated CUP exchange rate.

Internet via ETECSA SIM card (~30 € for 10 GB) or Wi-Fi in hotels/*casas*.

Download Maps.me for offline maps.

Intercity travel: shared taxi, Viazul bus, or private transfer through your *casa*.

Electricity: 110 V, sometimes 220 V.

Bring basic supplies and medications—hard to find there.

Cuba requires flexibility and openness: regular power outages, unstable internet (especially in Trinidad).

Finally, my personal take:

I loved my trip to Cuba! It’s a disorienting yet deeply charming country. Poverty is visible, especially in Havana: crumbling buildings, many people asking for help (but no safety concerns!). Bringing some essentials for locals is a good idea (soap, toothpaste, medications, clothes...). Cubans are incredibly welcoming and friendly. A few basics in Spanish help a lot! The vibe is unique: music in every street, musicians everywhere, salsa all around. The variety of landscapes is amazing: colonial architecture, paradise beaches, mountains, waterfalls, lush valleys—you’ll never get bored. Only downside: Varadero, less authentic than the rest of the country, but I expected that! Overall, it was a wonderful trip, and I’d love to go back!

Don’t hesitate if you have any questions! 😉

hey, 3 days in Varadero must’ve been rough 🤪

It wasn’t easy, but I survived... 😄

Hi there,

How did you all get around? Some friends would like to go and travel by bus like I did a few years ago, but I think it’s tricky right now with the fuel shortage.

Otherwise, in Varadero, it’s not just all-inclusive resorts—you can also stay in *casas particulares*. That’s what I did, and sure, like some Cubans told me, Varadero isn’t the "real" Cuba, but the beach is absolutely gorgeous.

Hi there,

We used shared taxis, but the Viazul buses were also running. I wanted to try an all-inclusive hotel because I work in a travel agency and a lot of clients love staying at this kind of hotel 🤪 so it was a chance to give them my personal feedback. The beach in Varadero is really beautiful, but personally, I think the beach in Ancón (Trinidad) and Cayo Jutías, near Viñales, are just as lovely.