Kayak Revolutionary Cuba

Cuba has good structure in place for visitors coming to see the island. Although relations with the United States are changing quite rapidly at the moment, and Americans might view Cuba as a country in transition, the political climate inside Cuba is stable. Additionally, its people are friendly and there is a remarkably low crime rate in comparison to other relatively poor countries. Travel to Cuba does require a flexible attitude as there may be a lack of hot water at your hotel, schedules may not run exactly on time, and finding many things we take for granted (soap, toothpaste, snack foods) can be a challenge. That said, the people of Cuba are kind and welcoming, and they want us to get to know their people, culture and island! Because our tour is an active tour with sea kayaking, hiking and transport, there are inherent risks which would be the same regardless of where you are traveling. Several people on our staff have visited Cuba recently so feel welcome to contact us with any concerns or questions.

You bet! As of September, 2015, you still can't embark on a self-guided vacation, or spend days at a beach resort drinking your favorite adult beverages all day, but you can travel to Cuba under an approved itinerary. There is a general license procedure to travel to Cuba independently or as a tour group, but if you travel with SKA we take care of this for you! 

U.S. travelers can still go to Cuba legally!  We've been taking Americans to Cuba since 2015 and operate most of our tours under two categories of legal travel for persons of U.S. jurisdiction. These are specifically Support for the Cuban People and for some tours,  People-to-People Educational Travel.  We operate these tours under an OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets Control) general license, under section 31 CFR § 515.572(a)(1) to provide travel services to U.S. travelers to Cuba.  

To learn more about travel to Cuba, start here to visit our website dedicated only to Cuban travel.

For more information on Cuba travel entry requirements, please see here. 

Our favorite time to visit Cuba is the dry season, between November and April, when the high temperatures are generally between 75 and 80 degrees F, lows generally in the 60's F, and the average rainfall is at its lowest. This is also the time of year when you will avoid the summer crowds and the worst of the Caribbean humidity. For detailed weather information, visit Cuba Weather.

You might hear it called a visa, but Cubans call it a tourist card (tarjeta de tourista)...so to keep things straight and cover all bases, we'll call it a Cuban Tourist Visa card. And yes, you will need this to travel to Cuba.  It is just as important as your passport. Most commercial airlines will provide it for you when you check-in at the airport the day of your departure. If you are wanting to purchase the Cuban Tourist Visa Card ahead of your departure youc can do so through Cuba Travel Services. We always recommend checkng with your airline about the Cuban Tourist Visa first because  you get it for a lower price.

There are now many options for commercial flights between the US and Cuba! While the vast majority of travelers will fly in and out of Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport, there are ten cities with international airports on the island, so there are many possibilities. Airlines with direct flights from the US include American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Alaska. American Airlines in general offers some of the best flights for our 2017/18 itineraries, but the right airline will depend on your home location and preference. It's also possible to fly to Cuba from Mexico or Canada, or other countries.

f you are a U.S. citizen, any additional travel must meet the requirements of one of the approved travel categories for U.S. travelers.  In the case of your tour, that category is "People to People Travel".  As of June 16, 2017, individual travel under the People-to-People category is not allowed.  However, we can arrange a custom, guided extension as a private group tour should you wish, or you can choose from one of our standard tour extensions.   Please contact one of our Adventure Consultants if you want us to plan these extra days for you.

It is always best to check with the airline(s) that you will be traveling with for specific luggage allowance policies, particularly if you are traveling directly to Cuba from outside the United States. Most airlines charge for checked bags, and we highly recommend NOT checking bags to Havana. The airport is often very busy, with multiple flights coming in at once and limited baggage carousels in some terminals. 

One thing that still might make carrying on all luggage difficult: the standard TSA limitations on liquids and gels.  As many of these items are not so readily available in Cuba, if you need larger volumes of any such items, one idea is to purchase them at the your departure airport after you pass through security.

All travelers to Cuba must have health insurance as required by law in Cuba, and the company providing your insurance plan must have the ability to make payments from a non-U.S. banking institution. If you are a Canadian or UK traveler, buying additional coverage may not apply to you. The mandatory level of insurance required to travel to Cuba may be included in the cost of your commercial flight to and from Cuba. Guests may purchase supplemental coverage at their discretion and we highly recommend it, as the mandatory level of coverage included with your ticket is quite low, both for medical coverage in case of illness/injury while on your trip, as well as for emergency evacuation or repatriation. We have partnered with Travel Insured International, who does have a health insurance rider for Cuba travel, for this supplemental coverage. The cost of this additional coverage will vary based on coverage amount, age of traveler, and length of travel.

The short answer is probably not. However, this is another travel detail that is rapidly changing and will likely continue to change in the coming months. For now, it is best NOT to count on debit and/or credit cards working in Cuba. Most U.S. banks are not set up in Cuba due to the trade embargo as well as lack of infrastructure. However, you may want to check with your bank to find out if your card might work while in Cuba as some banks and credit card companies are slowly establishing agreements and infrastructure to allow use of their cards in Cuba. If that is true of your card, we recommended asking what the foreign transaction fee will be (it is likely to be higher than fees assessed in other countries). If your card will work there, taking it as a backup to cash as well as for any unexpected emergencies might be reassuring for you. Even if you have a card issued by a non-U.S. bank, many establishments do not accept them, and technical issues with credit and ATM/debit cards are frequent in Cuba. Furthermore, if they do work, purchases, withdrawals, and especially cash advances can be slow to process, and all transactions are likely to come with exceptionally high foreign transaction fees.

This is something you'll hear in Cuba a lot. A casa particular is a private accommodation or private homestay in Cuba, very similar to a bed and breakfast, although it can also take the form of vacation rental. On ROW's Cuba tour, you can expect to stay in a mix of traditional hotels and casas particulares, making for a full and authentic visit to Cuba. For more information on casa particulares, read our blog post here.

Cuba's food has not been its strongest attraction, as trade embargoes and the general economic situation has limited access to ingredients over the past few decades. However, things are rapidly improving as the political situation changes and restrictions ease. Traditional Cuban cuisine is a unique and interesting blend of African, Caribbean, Spanish, and Native American food, with a variety of dishes served. We have carefully selected unique and authentic restaurants that will give you a taste of this varied and authentic cuisine. However, you may encounter very simple meals along the way as well. Rice, beans, and local fruits are likely to be common items on your plate. For vegetarians and those with gluten-free dietary needs: while we believe there will always be something for you to eat, you may find more limited options in Cuban restaurants and hotels than you are used to. You man consider bringing some of your favorite packaged snacks (ideally small items, and total volume within reason). There are also small neighborhood markets throughout Cuba, where yogurt is a common staple and may be a good protein substitute. In general, and with all things Cuba, we encourage a flexible attitude. Having said that, we understand that sustenance and dietary needs are critical to an enjoyable trip, and our guides will do everything they can to accommodate you within the limits of our tour.

The electrical current in Cuba is 110V with a current of 220v (same as the U.S. and Canada). Therefore, you should not need a converter. However, while most outlets are of the same type as those in the U.S. and Canada, there are a variety of outlet types in certain parts of Cuba, so to be safe we recommend bringing a plug adapter.

US Travelers: As of September 2020 it is not permitted to bring Cuban cigars or rum back to the United States.  This may change in the future, so check the U.S. State Department website for updates.

We strongly advise you to approach your Cuba Unbound Tour as an opportunity to completely unplug for 8 days. If you embrace that attitude, we believe you will have a most authentic Cuban travel experience. While cell phones are not uncommon in Cuba, there are almost no U.S. cellular companies with service and infrastructure in Cuba. Likewise, internet service is very limited and spotty at best in most locations. There may be WiFi in some of your tour hotel lobbies, however you will likely need to buy an Internet card to access WiFi, hotels often limit how many cards they sell (or they run out), speeds are slow, and access is generally unreliable. There are increasing numbers of internet cafes, and other locations with service, however considering your full itinerary, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to be disconnected from the digital world during your time in Cuba. If there is an emergency, our guides are equipped to communicate using phones and internet as needed. Having said that, you may want to check with your specific cellular service provider and ask if they have coverage in Cuba. And if you must have cellular access, an unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone will work in Cuba. You will need to buy a SIM card as well however. Cell phones can also be rented in Cuba but are in very short supply.

Yes! The new policies did change some aspects of travel to Cuba. Most notably, individuals may no longer travel under the category of educational "People-to-People" travel on their own. This category is reserved for travel within a group tour, such as the tours Cuba Unbound offers.

The new rules prohibit direct commercial dealings with the Cuban military or security services. The Cuban military has a large branch involved in tourism and owns and manages some of the country's hotels. Thus, once the new regulations are enacted, it's possible that our tours will no longer be able to stay in hotels owned or managed by the military. Since we used very few of these in the past, this isn't a very big issue.

Please see our full Terms & Conditions HERE.

Generally it's best to drink filtered tap water or bottled water.  In an effort to reduce the use of single-use plastic, we encourage you to pack a wide-mouth water bottle with a filter built in.  There are many brands available.

If you are getting a drink at a hotel bar, or other bar establishment, the ice is most likely made with filtered or bottled water, so should not cause any issues.

Cubans pride themselves on proper hygiene and food handling.  The restaurants we use on our tours are very good and eating any salads or raw vegetables that are served is fine.