Passport
Every tourist should have a valid passport issued on his or her name and a tourist card. It is important for you to know that the Passport should be valid for at least one month after the return date.

VISA - Tourist Card
Tourists do not need a visa for Cuba; just a Tourist Card is enough! You cannot board an airplane to Cuba without a Tourist Card. Tourists are supposed to acquire the Tourist Card in their homeland Cuban Embassy or Travel agency, however buy it before boarding the plane. The tourist card allows its holder to stay in Cuba for 30 days from the date of entry into the country, and is valid for 1 entry into Cuba. For a stay of more than 30 days, one can request an extension of another 30 days at any tourism migration office in Cuba. Children, regardless of their age, also require a tourist card, even if they are registered on their parents' passports. Entry in Cuba will be registered with a stamp on the Tourist Card, not on the passport. If you want to buy the Cuban Tourist Card from us, please fill in Cuban Tourist Card Application.

Clearing Customs
Tourists are allowed to take their personal effects which include the articles (new or used) that they reasonably need for their holidays (according the length and purpose of the trip), plus: sport equipment, jewels, photographic camera, camcorder, cellular phones, blackberries, laptops, IPods, MP3 players, video games, hair dryers, electric shavers, binoculars, one portable radio receiver, tape recorder, one portable music instrument and a sound recording device; (new) VCR and DVD players are now allowed into Cuba: Cuban customs has lifted the restrictions on the importation of VCR and DVD players into Cuba. Starting May 1st, 2007 travelers can bring them into the country regardless the type, brand or model, including the built-in ones in other equipments. It's prohibited to bring into the country: narcotics, explosives, pornography, any item (including literature) intended to be used against the national security, animals and plants regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, GPS, walkie-talkies, cordless phones (for the household) that operate in bands different than 40-49 MHz and 2,4 and 5 GHz and household appliances: freezers, air conditioners, electric kitchens and furnaces, electric ovens, electric showers, electric fryers, electric water heaters, irons (travel irons are allowed), toasters and any spare electrical parts for the above. For further information and complete list of the prohibited articles, please visit the website: Cuba Customs

Currency
All the goods and services in Cuba are priced in Cuban Convertible pesos only, (including transportation and the departure tax from Cuba are priced and payable in CUCs). The value of the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is no longer at par with US dollars. It is 8% higher than the US dollar. To exchange US dollars into the CUC there is a 10% surcharge, while exchanges from Canadian dollars, Euros, UK pounds and Swiss Francs will not incur a surcharge. To check the daily exchange rate please visit: http://www.bc.gov.cu/English/exchange_rate.asp Credit cards that are accepted are: Visa & MasterCard.

Language
Spanish is the natural language in Cuba, you will find English reasonably well spoken and understood in the resort areas.

Food:

drink and eating out Most of the hotels we feature offer a fair selection of international dishes. To savor the real influence and ethnic diversity of the country however, we recommend a foray into some of the smaller local restaurants. Specifically in Cuba there has been a rapid growth in private restaurants, known as paladars, which effectively are akin to eating in people’s houses and offer great value, particularly in seafood. Of course the best part of eating out comes with washing it down! Needless to say in the Caribbean rum is the foundation for a selection of cocktails and as Cuba is the original home of Bacardi, the Mojito, Cuba Libre, and the Daiquiri originated here and prevail today. Proceed, but proceed with caution! 'L`l1ere is also a good range of beers and local wines, especially from Latin America. On a more sober note, it is recommended that you buy bottled water.

Tipping
Tipping, especially at all inclusive hotels, will be greatly appreciated and (wrong though it may be) will probably result in better service. lf you are going to tip, we therefore recommend that you do it at the beginning of your holiday. In Cuba the state controlled monthly salary is very low, so even a dollar tip goes a long way.

Public Safety in Cuba
Travel throughout Cuba is devoid of the familiar street dangers encountered in other countries. 'havelers and Cubans alike walk through streets day and night without having to pay much concern to delinquency. Purse snatching and mugging are not unknown but are rare in the extreme and no problem for anyone with minimal street smarts. In major cities a friendly police officer is fairly quick to find, and in tourist areas they are on every corner. Care against pickpockets should be taken in crowded places like public buses, discus, bars and theaters. Still, few travelers to Cuba experience more than the nuisance of an occasional peddler of Cuban artifacts or a young hustler wanting to be your guide. In sum, Cuba is extremely safe by any world standards, and the average visitor has no reason to worry about personal safety in the streets, hotels, beaches and practically any other place he or she would visit. Outbound Travelers be sure to save 25 CUC (Cuban Convertible pesos) in cash for your departure tax at the airport. Visitors leaving Cuba can take out 23 cigars, and 1.14 liters of liquor (two regular-sized bottles of 750ml) without receipt. To export other items, such as art and antiques, obtain a permit from the National Registry of Cultural Objects. Most legitimate vendors have such permits, and can officially stamp your receipt. "