travel information general information

walking tree travel
CUBA
general information
Capital
Havana (La Habana)
Location
Caribbean Ocean: Cuba is located just south of Florida,
just east of Mexico, and north of Central America
(Nicaragua-Panama).
National Language
Spanish (However, many Cubans know English)
Population
11.27 million
Structure
Cuba is currently divided into 14 provinces and 169
municipalities, one of them with special characteristics
and status. From west to east, the provinces are named
as follows Pinar del Río, La Habana, Ciudad de La
Habana, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti
Spíritus, Ciego de Avila, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Holguín,
Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo. The
special municipality known as the Isle of Youth is located
on the south coast of the Havana Provinces.
General Climate
The Cuba climate is mild subtropical, thanks to
its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, its narrow
configuration, east to west oriented receives the
refreshing action of trade winds and marine breezes.
During the short winter are influences of cold air masses
coming from the North, but they are of short duration.
The average temperature throughout the year oscillates
between the 20 and 35ºC, lowering sometimes to 10°C.
Size (area)
42,426 mi2
travel information
CURRENCY: Cuba has a convertible peso (CUC) that is more common for local, tourist expenses. This
currency is held at a 1 to 1 ratio with the US Dollar. HOWEVER, there is also a national currency called
the Cuban Peso (CUP) = Approximately 26.5 Cuban Pesos to the Dollar. There are many things that you
cannot purchase with this currency, however carrying it oftentimes means you will be able to partake in
“authentic” Cuba (or at least more so than with the convertible currency). Program leaders will be able to
clarify this possible confusion with travelers before departing, so be sure to ask if you have any issues! If
you are wishing to exchange currencies while in Cuba, it is possible that you may wish to convert any US
dollars to euros before entering the country. Exchanging US dollars within Cuba carries a 10% fee.
VOLTAGE: It is recommended that travelers bring a power converter due to recent changes in hotel
voltages. While most of the country runs on 110V (compatible with US devices), newer hotels have
changed to a 220V format in bedroom sockets, and it is always better to travel on the safe side. While
hotel bathrooms often feature an 110V socket, which can be used to charge most devices, this converter is
a must-have on our list.
INTERNET: Internet access in Cuba is a bit limited, and the company Etecsa has a monopoly as the only
national internet service provider. Thus, to access the internet, the most common method is to buy a user
card for the Etecsa telepuntos, which are usually sold for an hour of use. Most hotels 3-5 Stars feature
their own internet terminals due to this monopoly, but the fees for these terminals are usually at least
double that at Etecsa telepuntos. Wi-Fi is catching on in the larger cities of the country, such as Havana or
Trinidad. However, these connections are often slow and temperamental.
TELEPHONE: Cubacel is the cell-phone company for Cuba. GSM or TDMA phones are useable in Cuba,
however an activation fee of CUC$30 is to be expected. This can be performed at a Cubacel office, which
are located throughout the country. To call Cuba from another country, dial your international access code,
Cuba’s country code (53), and then the rest of the local number. To call another country from Cuba, dial
Cuba’s international access code (119) and then the receiving country’s code (1 for the US), and the rest of
the phone number.
ATM, CASH AND CREDIT CARDS: It is heavily advisable that travelers come with cash when traveling
from the United States. First of all, withdrawing money from a debit or credit card is often difficult or
impossible with cards issued by a US bank. Secondly, fees up to 12.5% can be administered no matter
the country of origin, causing huge and unnecessary fees. Credit cards issued by US banks are widely
unaccepted by shops and restaurants throughout the island, making it tough to pay for much without
cash. If you think that you may be exceptional to these rules, check with your bank before traveling in
order to determine whether or not you will be able to access your funds or pay with a card. Furthermore,
for more remote regions of the country, it is recommended that travelers come prepared with cash,
anyways. Program leaders will help students find the right balance in how to handle spending money.
LAUNDRY: Where most tourists stay in Cuba, either the casas or the hotels, usually offer laundry services.
These can be quite expensive depending on the place and the area, but most will offer cheaper services.
It is advisable to bring enough clothing to last the entire trip or types of clothing that can be washed in
the evening and dried by the morning yourself. However, in the event that a load needs to be completed,
it is best to use these locations, as public laundry services are not exactly common in Cuba.
LUGGAGE: Cuba features a variety of landscapes, even within developed cities. Remember, you’ll be
responsible for carrying everything you bring with you. In some cases large rolling suitcases are not ideal;
a better option is traveling with two backpacks, one large for the majority of your belonging and the other
a smaller size for use during day trips. But if new luggage is not in your budget no worries; a traditional
suitcase works fine.
VISA CONCERNS: For entry into Cuba, it is required that travelers have a passport that was valid at least
a month before your departure date, the provided tourist card (filled out correctly), proof of travel medical
insurance, evidence of sufficient funds for your stay, and a return air ticket. These may be uncommon
checks to travelers, however Cuba likes to ensure the safety and ability of its foreign visitors before
admitting them into the country. It is important that you keep your Cuban tourist card as safe as your
passport, as it can be checked throughout the trip and is necessary to leave the country. As Visa concerns
with the US have changed rapidly over the past year, it is important that visitors of US citizenship check
their eligibility with Walking Tree and the US before departure. For more information check here: http://
travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/cuba.html
fiction reading
• Havana Red by Leonardo Padura
Fuentes
• The Man Who Loved Dogs by
Leonardo Padura Fuentes
• Vital Signs by Pedro de Jesus
• New Short Fiction from Cuba (ed. M.
Berg, P. Carmell, & A. Fountain, CCC
Press, 2007)
informational
reading
• The History of Havana by D.Cluster
& R. Hernandez
• Cuban Economic and Social
Development: Policy Reforms and
Challenges in the 21st Century
(Harvard University Press)
• Cuba: What Everyone Needs to
Know (Oxford University Press)
cuba
feature films
• Nothing More / Nada+ (2001)
• Viva Cuba (2004)
• Personal Belongings (2008)
documentary films
• Havana Suite/Suite Habana (2003)
• Maestra (2012)
• Cuba: The Forgotten Revolution (2015)
fun facts
• Government vehicles in
Cuba are legally required
to pick up any hitchikers.
• Cuba has one of the
highest literacy rates in the
world: 99.8%.
• A man left Havana in a hot
air balloon in 1856 and has
been missing ever since.
• There is one kosher
butcher in Cuba. Fidel
Castro personally allowed
him to stay and serve 1,500
people practicing Judaism
in the country.
• There are so many doctors
in Cuba that they are often
sent to other countries that
have a shortage.
• In 2000, Fidel Castro
unveiled a John Lennon
Statue in John Lennon Park
and declared the musician
a “true revolutionary”.
websites
News: Miami Herald: www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/
Current Events: The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/
centralamericaandcaribbean/cuba/
Environmental Issues: Cuba Transition Project: http://ctp.iccas.miami.edu/Research_Studies/ECepero.pdf
Gender Issues: WikiGender: http://wikigender.org/index.php/Gender_Equality_in_Cuba
Health Issues: CDC: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/cuba
www.walkingtree.org