Travel Questions and Advice

[TwoTimeTed]

I read yesterday that Cuba is extremely safe if you use some common sense. In the same chapter it emphasized how a tourist can be taken advantage of with most money transactionYou will be safe as they cheat every opportunity they have. Thoughts.

The big hotels and banks won't cheat you at all, very professional. Small stores might or cigar vendors might, but very unlikely. If a street vendor gives you the wrong change, and you call attention to it, they can be harassed by the police as street vendors / hustlers are illegal and so, they don't want to call attention to themselves. Just count your change as you would in the States or your own country.

If you go to Habana Vieja, I can see the potential for theft or cheats, but I never saw that in my escapades into that area. Man, those Cubans are really scared of the police. So very safe, I would say.

[Mr Gogo]

I read yesterday that Cuba is extremely safe if you use some common sense. In the same chapter it emphasized how a tourist can be taken advantage of with most money transactionYou will be safe as they cheat every opportunity they have. Thoughts.

This is true. You have to be paying attention always in Cuba regarding money. I've had people in stores try to be slick and slip me some of the local money and not Cuc money. Also pay attention to what money you hand the drivers of the old cars. These old car taxi usually have the Cuban guys with the tee shirts on and muscles, so they may try to intimidate the tourists. One time I caught one of the old car taxi and the fare was 5 cuc and I gave him a five but 20 seconds later when I was out the car he said I gave him a one and showed me one cuc. I said I gave him a five and he got upset, but my mind was on the girl I was going to meet. There was a cop 30 feet away and I could have protested to him but I wrote it off as a lesson and gave him four more. So in other words I payed 9 cuc for a 5 cuc ride, but they will never get me again. Now I make sure I'm telling them what I'm giving them and make sure they cut on the light and see it.

Another time I was leaving Dos Cardenas and the old cars were the only taxis there, so I got one. Two minutes after we left he ran out of gas. When this happened I wasn't going to sit there and wait so I got out and started walking. The guy got out and started flexing his muscles talking shit but I wasn't falling for that shit and kept walking.

Another time I'm at an outdoor bar and this girl sits down and starts talking to me. She asks what I'm drinking and would I buy her one, I said no. I noticed every ten minutes she would go inside to the bar and walk back to my table. I asked for my bill and instead of two Cuba libres it had four on it. See, the girl was going inside putting two drinks on my tab. I protested and the waiter said she was with me. I told him I was paying for two Cuba libres and paid and left. They were trying to be slick and the employees were in on it.

When you order drinks always ask how much they are before hand.

Have your money situated beforehand, meaning keep your small bills in one pocket and you big bills in another. You don't want to be pulling out a big wad of cash every time you pay for things, you never know who is watching.

Remember tourists are untouchable but that doesn't mean you can go around cheating people, be fair and responsible.

Ask for a receipt when you change money always, just to keep them honest. Check your bills always. Remember they think we are walking ATM machines.

[Fuddzie]

You can have fun in both places. Miramar is the "upscale" part of Havana therefore the chicas will cost you more money. Vedado will cost you less. You decide based on your cash-flow.

I read yesterday that Cuba is extremely safe if you use some common sense. In the same chapter it emphasized how a tourist can be taken advantage of with most money transactionYou will be safe as they cheat every opportunity they have. Thoughts.

[MrSoulo]

Hi MrSoulo,

I don't have the time to attend univ this time around (I think I'd need to commit to more than a few weeks). So I found a course based in Miramar and one in Vedado. Which location do you think w / be the best one to combine learning with some night time fun?

You can have fun in both places. Miramar is the "upscale" part of Havana therefore the chicas will cost you more money. Vedado will cost you less. You decide based on your cash-flow.

[JustTK]

... For example, the rent in Miramar will be more than the rent in Havana Vieja and the rent in Havana Vieja will be more than the rent in the Playa del Este area. ...Hope this helps.

Hi MrSoulo,

I don't have the time to attend univ this time around (I think I'd need to commit to more than a few weeks). So I found a course based in Miramar and one in Vedado. Which location do you think w / be the best one to combine learning with some night time fun?

[MrSoulo]

Sounds great except don't the owners pay a substantial tax / fee to the government. These are registered CASAS with the distinct government issued blue sign right!

Unless you are talking illegal casas! Or special casas for foreign students? If you meant the last one then pleaseducate me about that option.

I'm going to Cuba in less than 2 wks for TWO months for chicas and to learn dancing salsa cubana.

Almost all of the cases I've stayed at were not "official" and the ones that were "official" (with the little anchor logo) are negotiable as they do not declare everything to the government. They just chose to pay the fixed monthly rate and not declare a "profit".

Everyone's experience is different. This sometimes depends on your personality (if you're an arrogant asshole don't expect any deals). Also, if you walk in there like some "baller" with all kinds of money and you brag about your wealth then expect to get fleeced.

Additionally, it also depends on the casa owner. If his place is in demand and / or if he has money, then he won't want to negotiate cause he doesn't give a shit if you rent or not.

I've never rented a casa around the university, therefore I can't speak to you of my personal experience in that area. However, one of my lawyers went there to study spanish for 6 months and he rented an apartment around the university. He told me it was $300 per month. Please bare in mind that my lawyer is a millionaire with homes in Europe, North America and the Caribbean. So he definitely over paid in my opinion as $300 is a joke for him. He studied Spanish and Russian while there and the whole experience was just an adventure for him. He was in full on party mode.

Just like in any other city in the world, if you chose to live in the center of town then you will pay more for rent. If you are willing to stay a little farther out then the rent will decrease. Sometimes drastically. For example, the rent in Miramar will be more than the rent in Havana Vieja and the rent in Havana Vieja will be more than the rent in the Playa del Este area.

You will find deals in Guanabo, Boca Ciega, Alamar and Tarara but this will require a daily commute into the city. Depending on the type of transportation you choose this will cost you anywhere from $. 10 cents for the local bus (aka Wawa), $1 CUC for a local "collective" taxi, $3 for the air conditioned tourist bus and up to $15 CUC for an official government taxi.

If you go online and do some research you will find all inclusive packages to study spanish in Cuba, this would include enrolment and accommodations. This is convenient but will cost you more than if you did it all on your own instead of hiring an agency.

Here are some casas that you can try:

Hostal de Guanabo.

Calle 480 1 A04.

Guanabo, Playa del Este, Havana.

Tel: 011.537. 799.0004.

Casa de Alguiler (about 3 km from Hotel Tropicoco).

Calle Real #76 entrada Sanchez Gomez why Fina.

Barreras, Havana.

joseangelperez2003@yahoo.com

Casa: 796.9352.

Cell: 011.535. 284.9589.

Gina Diaz.

Calle 10, between Linea why Calzada, apt. 152.

Vedado, Ciudad de la Habana.

Tel: 011.535. 298.0768.

Mrs. Berta.

Calle 17, #5, Apato. 4, entre and why O.

Vedado, Havana.

Tel: 011.537. 831.2818.

Hope this helps.

[BrasilSoccer0]

Sounds great except don't the owners pay a substantial tax / fee to the government. These are registered CASAS with the distinct government issued blue sign right!

Unless you are talking illegal casas! Or special casas for foreign students? If you meant the last one then pleaseducate me about that option.

I'm going to Cuba in less than 2 wks for TWO months for chicas and to learn dancing salsa cubana.

That depends on where you plan to live. Can be anywhere from $100-$300 per month.

[MrSoulo]

How much for rent on monthly basis?

That depends on where you plan to live. Can be anywhere from $100-$300 per month.

[BrasilSoccer0]

How much for rent on monthly basis?

You can study Spanish at the university of Havana, they have programs for foreigners and it's not expensive.

There are casas around the university that you can rent monthly for a decent price (a lot less than paying rent at home).

The big bonus is that by studying at the university you will have access to all the glorious punanny from all over the island that's there to study. Many of which live at the university in it's residence. This is a golden opportunity because by living and going to school there you will meet lots of student chicas and you will not have to pay them for sex.most of the time. LOL.

Have fun!

[MrSoulo]

Hi folks,

I'm planning to visit Cuba in a few months time for a few weeks. I want to study Spanish at a language school while I'm there. Stay somewhere where I can study and sample some of the local delights (nightlife etc). (can be a couple of locations given that I will be there for a few weeks) .

Has anyone got any recommendations they can share?

Thanks so much guys.

You can study Spanish at the university of Havana, they have programs for foreigners and it's not expensive.

There are casas around the university that you can rent monthly for a decent price (a lot less than paying rent at home).

The big bonus is that by studying at the university you will have access to all the glorious punanny from all over the island that's there to study. Many of which live at the university in it's residence. This is a golden opportunity because by living and going to school there you will meet lots of student chicas and you will not have to pay them for sex.most of the time. LOL.

Have fun!

[JustTK]

Hi folks,

I'm planning to visit Cuba in a few months time for a few weeks. I want to study Spanish at a language school while I'm there. Stay somewhere where I can study and sample some of the local delights (nightlife etc). (can be a couple of locations given that I will be there for a few weeks) .

Has anyone got any recommendations they can share?

Thanks so much guys.

[Catbird]

They asked me the first time if I wanted to be stamped and I said now. On the way out, they didn't ask me and didn't stamp. But then they stamped my buddies US passport. So who knows what the deal is. All I know is that US immigration doesn't give two shits what you are doing when it comes to Cuba.

Thanks Tacoma! About what I expected. Sounds like a "don't ask, don't tell" situation.

[Tacoma101]

Thanks for that post Tacoma. Its been many years since I was In Cuba and thinking of going back. Even with the loose regs is everyone still doing the non stamp in the passport routine?

They asked me the first time if I wanted to be stamped and I said now. On the way out, they didn't ask me and didn't stamp. But then they stamped my buddies US passport. So who knows what the deal is. All I know is that US immigration doesn't give two shits what you are doing when it comes to Cuba.

[Catbird]

I was you, 4 months ago, and I now have 2 trips under my belt. Zero issues coming back into the states. Zero questions. They just assumed I was in Mexico and I didn't state otherwise. But. Due to limited flights back, I did stay in Cancun for a night each time before flying back to the states. That helps if they were to question me but I very very much doubt they would.

Thanks for that post Tacoma. Its been many years since I was In Cuba and thinking of going back. Even with the loose regs is everyone still doing the non stamp in the passport routine?

[Tacoma101]

Hello,

Am I reading the new regulations correctly for USA Citizens traveling to Cuba? From what I gather, as long as you say that you are going to Cuba for one of 12 reasons, you fall under the General License, and therefor you do not need to do anything. One easy way is to say "I am there to support the Cuban people", and you are okay.

"6. Do travelers who fall within the scope of a general license need to submit a written request to OFAC for permission to travel or conduct transactions?

No. No further permission from OFAC is required to engage in transactions by a person who meets all criteria in a general license. Individuals wishing to engage in activities that may fall within the scope of a general license should review the relevant general licenses contained in the CACR to determine whether their travel-related transactions are covered by such general licenses. Persons subject to USA Jurisdiction who wish to engage in any travel within the 12 categories of activities specified in the CACR that does not meet the requirements of a general license will need to apply for a specific license from OFAC."

I was you, 4 months ago, and I now have 2 trips under my belt. Zero issues coming back into the states. Zero questions. They just assumed I was in Mexico and I didn't state otherwise. But. Due to limited flights back, I did stay in Cancun for a night each time before flying back to the states. That helps if they were to question me but I very very much doubt they would.