I flew from Cancun to Havana as part of a trip to Mexico. When I first arrived in Cancun I went shopping. Almost every travel agent offers a Cuba package or flights alone.
It is worth looking around as I got prices ranging from $550 to $422 US for air, visa, transfer and first and last night hotel for single occupancy. I took the cheapest deal: it included a stay at the St John’s Hotel. The whole process of purchasing the ticket, getting the vouchers and visa took about an hour.
I was warned there was a 10% tax in Cuba when converting US dollars, so before leaving Mexico I changed $400 US and received 270 Euros. I then took a Cubana flight to Havana – about one hour away. Boarding the plane was crazy as people were carrying huge packages and bundles – gifts for their Cuban friends, I assume. At the Havana airport the exchange counter was mobbed, so I used the one upstairs in the departure area where there was no waiting. My 240 Euros bought 349 CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos), the tourist currency.
Then I spent another hour waiting for the transfer agent to round up the other passengers before being driven to the St. John’s, a decidedly dismal place for the price. It often lacked even hot water.
Next trip I would probably just buy the air and skip the transfer/hotel as I doubt it was any cheaper and it was certainly slower. That said it was certainly easier knowing that the first night was taken care of.
I was in Havana for 5 nights, 4 days. I spent my time walking, looking and talking. My thoughts and comments are with the photos.
Out of pure laziness the next day I moved just down the street to the Hotel Vedado, which is much the same as the St. John’s. It cost, as did the St. J, 56 CUC breakfast included – that is $64 US. The location was ok. The little yellow Lada taxis to Centro cost 3 CUC.
On my last day the transfer company insisted on picking me up at 9:00 although my flight wasn’t until 12:30, another disadvantage of the package. At the airport, before entering the secure area, I converted my unused CUCs to US dollars – there was no 10% tax on that transaction. After getting my boarding pass I paid the 25 CUC airport tax. I did not see an exchange counter inside the secure area. The flight back was crowded but uneventful.
I had a few more days in Cancun and one of the things I did was to clean my bag. I took out everything that could show I had been to Cuba, including my camera memory with my photos, and shipped what I wanted back home. It cost $30 US but at least I knew I would have nothing with me that could prove I had been to Cuba.
On my way into Mexico the first time I had asked the boarder agent not to stamp my passport on a blank page. He gave me a funny look but did so. I have a passport that is full of stamps and visas and that has had extra pages added. Returning for Cuba I asked that the stamp be put in the back which was done without question. That way there were many pages separating the two Mexican entry stamps.
Back in the US my first stop was Immigration. Here the agent closely scrutinized my passport. This, in my experience, is unusual. I tried chatting to distract her but she went through pretty much every page. She seemed interested in my other trips and thankfully didn’t notice my two Mexico entry stamps.
The next and final stop was customs where the agent was more interested in the very small bag I carry. How, she wondered, could I get along with so few clothes? We talked for a few moments and then she waved me through. “Welcome home,” were her final words.
I don’t believe the US agents are deliberately looking for U.S. travelers to Cuba. If you don’t do something obvious like have Cuban goods or tell them you visited Cuba you should be fine.
Imm Gonn
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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