Note to the traveler
Important! From 01/10/2021, to visit Cuba, it is mandatory to have a negative PCR test for COVID-19, made no more than 72 hours before departure in an official certified laboratory.
▪️The certificate must be in paper format with original print in Russian and English.
▪️The test is required for all travelers to Cuba, including children.
▪️The results of this test do not cancel the retest procedure at Cayo Coco Airport.
▪️Passengers without a negative test result will not be allowed on the flight.
Passport control
Citizens of Russia do not need a visa to Cuba for up to one month of stay in the country. Permission to enter and stay in the country is one of the copies of the immigration card that you fill out on the plane before boarding (in Latin letters). This document must be kept before leaving the country. The tourist passport must be valid for the entire stay in the country. There is no consular fee when entering Cuba and no marks are put in the passport.
Customs control
Tourists do not have to fill out a customs declaration. Allowed to carry no more than 2 bottles of spirits and 200 pcs. cigarettes; audio, video and photographic equipment – one item for each person. It is forbidden to import: computers (except laptops) and spare parts for them, products of a pornographic nature, medicines without indicating the brand of the manufacturer, some food products (fruits, meat and dairy products produced in European countries), it is also forbidden to import drugs, firearms, for with the exception of sport hunting rifles owned by tourists who come to the country for this purpose and who have the appropriate permit issued in Cuba upon arrival. It is forbidden to export song and exotic birds and animals (live and dissected), sea shells, cultural values.
Transfer
After passing through passport control and collecting your luggage, you need to approach the representative of the company, who is waiting for you in the arrivals hall.
During the journey from the airport to the hotel, you will receive all the information about the resort, country features, sightseeing routes. If your trip begins with accommodation in a hotel in Havana, you will receive information about the transfer time to Varadero or to the airport for departure to the islands (together with vouchers for domestic flight) from the representative on the day of arrival.
Hotel accommodation
For accommodation, you must give the tourist voucher to the hotel reception and fill out the proposed form in Latin letters. Please note that “check-in” in hotels takes place at 15.00.
Attention!!! All outgoing calls from the hotel are chargeable.
Meeting with a representative at the hotel
During informational meetings with a representative of the company, you will be able to
- ask all your questions about the infrastructure of the hotel and resort
- order excursions, both group and individual
- Rent a car and plan unique routes for your holiday
Departure day
Information about the transfer time to the airport will be in the DAIQUIRI TOURS information folder at the hotel no later than one day before departure. The voucher for the return transfer will be collected from you by the representative of the company before boarding the transport.
ATTENTION!!! Check-out time at the hotel on the day of departure – no later than 12:00. Please pay bills for additional services in advance.
On the day of departure at the airport, you will need to pay an airport tax – 25 convertible Cuban pesos for each ticket. Don’t forget to set aside the required amount!!!
General information about the country
Time is 8 hours behind Moscow time.
Geography, population
The capital is the city of Havana with a population of 2.3 million people, the population of the country is 11.2 million people. The total area is over 110.86 thousand square meters. km. The highest point is Mount Pico Real del Turquino (1974 m). The longest river is Cauto (370 km)
Local currency
According to a2zgov, the national currency of Cuba is the Cuban peso. Please note that there are two currencies in circulation in Cuba – the Cuban peso and the convertible Cuban peso (CUC or cuk). This is a new Cuban banknote that has nothing to do with the old Cuban peso. In order not to get into trouble: the convertible peso must be written “convertible” (convertible). As a rule, they are given in small denominations of 1, 5, 10 pesos. It is IMPOSSIBLE to pay in cash in dollars and euros, so be sure to change the currency.
Note! With the official dollar to CUC exchange rate of 1 to 0.9, a 10% commission is charged for the exchange of dollars, so the real exchange rate of the dollar to CUC is 1 to 0.8 (for 100 dollars you get 80 CUC). No commission is charged for euro exchange. For 100 euros you will get about 110 CUC.
VISA, MASTERCARD credit cards are in use. Cards issued by American banks are not accepted, for example, American Express, CITY BANK.
Phone
You can call any country in the world from a hotel or public phone. To call to Russia, you need to dial: from the number – 88 + 7 + area code + subscriber number; from a pay phone – 119 +7 + area code + subscriber number.
Roaming for Russians is very expensive (up to $5 per minute), as well as calls from hotels (up to $10 per minute). Renting or buying a local SIM card does not change the situation. Communication in Cuba is very expensive. It’s a little cheaper to make card calls from pay phones.
Internet
There are very few access points, usually in the lobbies of expensive hotels. You can buy an express card (for an hour – 6 kkp), but the speed of the Internet will upset even the most patient user.
The shops
Shops, even souvenir shops in tourist centers, are open until 18-00. Evening shopping after dinner can only be done in hotels. As souvenirs and gifts, you can buy black coral and various decorations from it. In combination with silver, it looks much better. Also good products made from tortoise shell, especially bracelets and hairpins. When buying products made of crocodile skin, ask the seller for an export license, otherwise this souvenir will be confiscated during customs control. These licenses are issued, as a rule, only in stores, in the markets crocodile leather products cost 3-5 times cheaper, but export licenses are not issued. We recommend buying food in stores, and even better in supermarkets. Almost no one leaves without buying a bottle or two of Cuban rum and real Cuban cigars.
Health care
In the event of an insured event, it is necessary to contact the office of the insurance company, the phone number of which is indicated in the insurance policy, or contact the guide. We recommend that you take the most necessary medicines from Russia with you. The polyclinic for foreign tourists is open 24 hours a day – tel: 6-21-22. Pharmacy – tel: 6-27-72, 6-26-36. Dental clinic – tel: 6-27-67.
Water
Tap water is not drinkable unless specifically directed by the hotel.
Car rental and other transportation
Tour buses are the best way to get around outside the resort. A Beach service bus runs along Varadero, for which you can buy a ticket – 5 kkp per day. Regularity – once every 40 minutes.
Renting a car – costs from 60 kkp per day, gasoline is about 1 kkp per liter. The central roads are in good condition, but there are many dirt roads around the country, and driving on them risks turning into a real Camel Trophy. Pointers – a minimum, they are all in Spanish. Penalties are almost European – for example, the minimum fine for speeding is 30 kkp. One thing pleases – there are no traffic jams as a class. Renting a moped is a good solution for those who like to travel short distances. The rental price is about 9 kkp per hour.
Religion
Religion – Catholic, but many Cubans are followers of the Afro-Cuban “santeria” cults
Values
In general, you can be calm about the things you leave in the room (but do not forget to close the doors and windows). However, we strongly recommend keeping valuable items, documents and money in a safe (in the room or at the reception). This service is free in most hotels. In addition, please note that the hotel is not responsible for your belongings if you escort strangers to the room.
Tips
It is customary in restaurants to tip about 10% of your order.
A $1 tip is usually given for small favors.
Language
Official language – Spanish
Electricity
The mains voltage is 110 volts. Plugs and sockets do not comply with European standards (flat plug) – an adapter is required, which can be purchased from the store or asked at the reception. Many modern hotels have 220 volts.
Important: All airports in the 27 countries of the European Union must check passengers’ hand luggage and not allow liquids in excess of 100 milliliters, with a total volume of no more than 1 liter, to be carried on board aircraft. Medicines and baby food are checked separately and are not limited in volume. Perfumes, drinks, alcohol and aerosols purchased from duty-free shops at the airport and packed in sealed plastic bags can also be carried in hand luggage. BUT!!! If a passenger has a flight with a transfer, liquids purchased at the airport of departure will not be allowed on board, they can only be purchased at the transfer airport.
