Travel to Cuba 2023 What You Need to Know

There is a lot to know if you’re planning a trip to Cuba. To make things easier, here are the 10 most important things to need to know about your trip to Cuba.

If you’re looking for more detailed information on Cuba, read my Ultimate Travel Guide to Cuba. Now let’s get right to it. Here are the 10 most important things you need to know for your trip to Cuba.

Vintage car with a Cuban flag hanging on the side of a building in Havana, Cuba — Havana, Cuba

1. Visa/Entry Requirements. Make sure you have the appropriate visa/entry requirements to visit Cuba. For Americans interested in traveling to Cuba, read my post here that outlines the requirements in more detail. As an American, you will need a tourist card, travel insurance, and complete a form called “Advanced Traveler Information”. Don’t let these three things deter you from visiting Cuba. They are all very simple and fast to get. A tourist card is typically purchased through the airline, travel insurance is typically included in your airline ticket, and the Advanced Traveler Information form is a quick online form.

Variety of over-the-counter medicine to bring as supplies to bring to Cuba — Supplies to bring to Cuba

2. Bring supplies or clothing for the Cuban people. Basic necessities such as medicine, deodorant, toothpaste, and clothes are hard to come by in Cuba and is very much appreciated by locals.

Peach vintage car on the street of Havana, Cuba — Havana, Cuba

3. Bring enough US dollars with you. Bring enough US dollars to cover you for the duration of your stay. Know that you will not be able to use any US credit card or take out cash at an ATM or bank in Cuba. This means you need to bring enough cash to cover you for the entirety of your stay. Make sure your dollars are in good condition. Cuban businesses will not accept any dollar that is ripped, even in the slightest.

Another mode of transportation are bi-taxis in Havana, Cuba — Bici-taxi in Havana, Cuba

4. Bring over-the-counter medicine. Bring over the counter medicine for yourself in the event you might need it. Seeing bare shelves in pharmacies took a minute for me to process. Know that if you find a pharmacy, you will not find any over-the-counter medicine if you need it. While in other countries you could simply pop into a pharmacy and get what you need, you will not be able to do this in Cuba. Bring a variety of over the counter medicine, from antihistamine, stomach, pain medication, anti-itch, bug repellant, bandages, etc.

Man selling lettuce on the side of the street in Havana, Cuba — Vegetable stand in Havana, Cuba

5. Learn Spanish. Learn some Spanish or travel with someone who knows Spanish. While you can get by without knowing Spanish in Havana, if you plan to venture out of Havana, you will need to know some level of Spanish. The other reason why it’s important to know the language is to get more insight into the country, its current economic situation and hardships. It’s not really possible to do this without knowing Spanish unless you luck out and have a host that speaks very good English.

Sheets of toilet paper on a table in exchange for tips in Havana airport — Restroom in Havana Airport

6. Bring toilet paper. Bring toilet paper with you to Cuba. Toilet paper is expensive for the Cuban people to buy, so you will most often go to public restrooms where there is no toilet paper. If you’re lucky, you might find one where they have some sheets in exchange for a cost or tips. Be sure to carry around a few sheets while you are out.

ETECSA one hour internet card for access to the internet — Internet Card in Cuba

7. Internet is scarce. Internet is scarce in Cuba and be prepared to be off the grid for the most part. My friend and I were unsure how we were going to handle a week without internet, since we are always connected. Not having the internet available at all times ended up being a nice break away from our phones. However, you will not totally be off the grid in Cuba, and there will be opportunities to connect to the internet. Options to stay connected are a physical SIM card, internet cards, connecting to your casa’s internet, etc.

Breakfast on the rooftop with the sunrise in the background — Casa Particular in Viñales, Cuba

8. Stay in casa particulares. Legally, Americans cannot stay in most hotels in Cuba. More specifically, Americans cannot stay in any government owned hotel in Cuba. It’s best to stay in casa particulares, which are similar to Airbnbs. What makes casa particulares different than Airbnbs is that in many casa particulares, you might stay in the house (or extension of the home) of the casa host. Staying in a local’s home makes for a unique experience and opportunity to connect with locals.

Blue vintage colectivo, shared taxi, in Cayo Jutias, Cuba — Colectivo, Shared Taxi, in Cuba

9. Use shared taxis or buses to get around Cuba. The best way to get around in Cuba is through shared taxis or buses. While renting a car is possible in Cuba, it’s not recommended for several reasons. Renting a car in Cuba is expensive, cars are limited, cars are generally not in good condition, there is no internet for GPS, and most importantly, there is a current gas shortage in 2023. We opted for colectivos, shared taxis, and had a good experience. A couple of times the colectivos broke down on the road, but that’s all part of the experience of being in Cuba. Colectivos will make one rest stop on longer routes.

Variety of Cuban cigars from tobacco farms in Vinales, Cuba — Cuban Cigars

10. You can no longer bring back cigars or rum. Know that you can no longer legally bring back cigars or rum into the United States. In September 2020, a US regulation was imposed to prohibit travelers from bringing back tobacco and/or alcohol.

Enjoy your trip to Cuba!