Facts on Cuba:
CUBA FACTS: ENVIRONMENT
Location
Cuba's main island is the 15th largest island in the world, measuring
104,945 sq km, 1250km long and 191km wide at its widest point. Cuba also
lays claim to the 220-sq-km Isla de la Juventud and a further 4200-odd coral
cays and islets, most of which are low lying and uninhabited.
Cuba is part of the West Indies and is situated within the Antilles
Archipelago. Havana is a mere 170km from Florida's Key West, in the USA, and
Pinar del Río Province is 210km from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Cuba's
other close neighbors are Jamaica, the Bahamas
Climate
There are no great differences in seasonal temperature in Cuba, its pleasant
subtropical climate being augmented by the gentle northeasterly trade winds.
The wet summer season is between May and October, and the drier winter
season runs from November through April. The average temperature reaches
27°C (81°F) in July and August and 22°C (72°F) in February. An average of
80% humidity exists all year round, with things just a little more sticky in
the wet season.and Haiti, 77km away across the Windward Passage.
Flora & Fauna
Cuba's most abundant land fauna is reptilian and includes crocodiles,
iguanas, lizards, salamanders, turtles and 15 species of nonpoisonous
snakes. The largest land mammal is the jutía (Capromys), a tree rat which
grows to about 60cm in length. The world's smallest bird comes from Cuba:
the bee hummingbird, or zunzuncito (Mellisuga helenae), is just bigger than
a grasshopper and weighs only two grams. The tocororo (Priotelus temnuros)
is dubbed Cuba's national bird due to its red, white and blue plumage - the
colors of the Cuban flag.
There are more than 6000 plant species in Cuba, around half of which are
endemic. The ever-present royal palm (Reistonea regia) is represented on the
country's coat of arms; there are said to be 20 million palms in Cuba.
Cuba's other flora includes the rare and prehistoric cork palm (Microcycas
calocoma), a throwback to the Cretaceous Period; the jagüey, a fig with
aerial roots; the palma barrigona (big belly palm); the ceiba, the sacred
silk-cotton tree, and the mariposa (butterfly jasmine), the white national
flower. Much of the southern coast has mangrove swamps that support small
fish and birdlife while the majority of the northern coast is bordered by
rugged beaches.
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CUBA FACTS: HISTORY
It's thought that humans first cruised from South America to Cuba
around 3500 BC. Primarily fishers and hunter-gatherers, these original
inhabitants were later joined by the agriculturalist Taino, a branch of the
Arawak Indians. Christopher Columbus sighted Cuba on 27 October 1492, and by
1514, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar had conquered the island for the Spanish
crown and founded seven settlements. When captured Taino chief and
resistance fighter Hatuey was condemned to die at the stake, he refused
baptism, saying that he never wanted to see another Spaniard again, not even
in heaven.
Cattle ranching quickly became the mainstay of the Cuban economy. Large
estates were established on the island under the encomienda system,
enslaving the Indians under the pretext of offering instruction in
Christianity. By 1542, when the system was abolished, only around 5000
Indians (of an estimated 100,000 half a century before) survived. Undaunted,
the Spanish imported African slaves as replacements. Unlike in the North
American slave trade, Cuba's African slaves retained their tribal groupings,
and certain aspects of their culture endure.
By the 17th century, other European powers were beginning to challenge
Spain's grip on the Caribbean: The British took Jamaica in 1655 and Haiti
fell to the French in 1697. British troops invaded Cuba in June 1762 and
occupied Havana for 11 months, importing more slaves and vastly expanding
Cuba's trade links. In 1817, Spain's long-standing monopoly on tobacco
ended, which raised prices, encouraging the crop's expansion. Tobacco
quickly became one of the islands most imoprtant products. Sugar had also
become a major industry, as American independence in 1783 created new
markets, and the 1791 slave uprising in Haiti eliminated Cuba's biggest
sugar-producing competitor. By 1820 Cuba was the world's largest sugar
producer.
After the great liberator, Simón Bolivár, led Mexico and South America to
independence, Cuba and Puerto Rico were the only remaining Spanish holdings
in the Western Hemisphere. Spanish loyalists fled the former colonies and
arrived in Cuba in droves. Even they, however, began demanding home rule for
the island, albeit under the Spanish flag.
In October 1868, planter Carlos Manuel de Céspedes launched Cuba's First War
of Independence. After 10 years and 200,000 deaths, the rebels were spent
and a pact was signed granting them amnesty. Meanwhile, a group of Cuban
rebels exiled to the USA began plotting the overthrow of the Spanish
colonial government. Among their ranks was José Martí, a respected
journalist and critic of US policy, as well as an important poet and the
author of the best-known Cuban song of all time, Guajira guantanamera. Martí
and his military commander, General Máximo Gómez, landed on eastern Cuba in
1895; within days Martí, conspicuous on his white horse, was shot and killed
in a skirmish with Spanish soldiers. His martyrdom earned him the permanent
position of Cuba's national hero.
Gómez and rebel leader Antonio Maceo pushed westward, burning everything in
their path. Spain came down hard, forcing civilians into reconcentración
camps and publicly executing rebel sympathizers. These methods effectively
reestablished Spanish control, but Cuba's agriculture-based economy was in
ruins. The Spaniards adopted a more conciliatory approach, offering Cuba
home rule, but the embittered populace would agree to nothing short of full
independence.
José Martí had long warned of US interest in Cuba, and in 1898 he was proved
right. After years of reading lurid (and often inaccurate) tabloids tales
about Cuba's Second War for Independence, the American public was fascinated
with the island. Although everything was quiet, newspaper magnate William
Randolph Hearst told his illustrator not to come home just yet: 'You furnish
the pictures and I'll furnish the war.' In January 1898 the US warship
Maine, anchored outside Havana harbor, exploded mysteriously. All but two of
its officers were off the ship at the time. The Spanish-American war had
begun.
Spain, weakened by conflict elsewhere, limped to battle, trying to preserve
some dignity in the Caribbean. They nearly beat future US president Teddy
Roosevelt and his Rough Riders (though they'd had to leave their horses on
the mainland) in the Battle of San Juan Hill. The USA's vastly superior
forces eventually prevailed, however, and on December 12, 1898, a peace
treaty ending the war was signed. The Cubans, including General Calixto
García, whose largely black army had inflicted dozens of defeats on the
Spanish, were not invited.
The USA, hobbled by a law requiring its own government to respect Cuban
self-determination, could not annex Cuba outright, as it did Puerto Rico,
Guam and the Philippines. Instead, they installed a governor, General John
Brooke, and began a series of public works projects, building schools and
improving public health, that further tied Cuba to the USA. US leaders did
retain the legal right to intervene militarily in Cuba's domestic affairs:
In 1903, the USA built a naval base at Guantánamo Bay that is still in
operation today.
By the 1920s US companies owned two-thirds of Cuba's farmland, imposing
tariffs that crippled Cuba's own manufacturing industries. Discrimination
against blacks was institutionalized. Tourism based on drinking, gambling
and prostitution flourished. The hardships of the Great Depression led to
civil unrest, which was violently quelled by President Gerado Machado y
Morales. In 1933 Morales was overthrown in a coup, and army sergeant
Fulgencio Batista seized power. Over the next 20 years Cuba crumbled, and
its assets were increasingly placed into foreign hands. On January 1, 1959,
Batista's dictatorship was overthrown after a three-year guerilla campaign
led by young lawyer Fidel Castro. Batista fled Cuba for the Dominican
Republic, taking with him US$40 million of government funds.
Castro was named prime minister and began reforming the nation's economy,
cutting rents and nationalizing landholdings larger than 400 hectares.
Relations with the USA, already shaky, deteriorated when he nationalized
US-owned petroleum refineries that had refused to process Venezuelan oil.
The Americans retaliated by cutting Cuban sugar imports, crippling the Cuban
economy, and the CIA began plotting devious ways to overthrow the
revolutionary government. Desperate for cash, Castro turned to the Soviet
Union, which promptly paid top dollar for Cuba's sugar surplus.
In 1961, 1400 CIA-trained Cuban expats, mainly upper-middle-class Batista
supporters who had fled to Miami after the revolution, attacked the island
at the Bay of Pigs. They were promptly captured and ransomed back to the US
for medical supplies. The following week, Castro announced the 'socialist
nature' of the revolutionary government, something he'd always denied. The
Soviet Union, always eager to help a struggling socialist nation
(particularly one so strategically located) sent much-needed food, technical
support and, of course, nuclear weapons. The October 1962 Cuban Missile
Crisis is said to be the closest the world has ever come to nuclear
conflict.
The missiles were shipped back to the USSR, and the USA declared an embargo
on Cuba. Castro and his Minister of Economics, Che Guevara, began actively
supporting guerilla groups in South America and Africa, sending troops and
advisers to assist socialist insurgencies in Zaire, Angola, Mozambique,
Bolivia (where Guevara was killed) and Ethiopia. The US response was to
support dictators in many of those countries. By the 1970s, Cuba had limited
itself to sending doctors and technicians abroad; there were problems enough
at home. Despite massive Soviet aid, the Cuban command economy was in ruins,
and the country's plight worsened in 1989 when Russia withdrew its aid as
Eastern Europe collapsed.
In December 1991, the Cuban Constitution was amended to remove all
references to Marxism-Leninism, and economic reforms began. In 1993, laws
passed allowing Cubans to own and use US dollars, be self-employed and open
farmers' markets. Taxes on dollar incomes and profits were levied in 1994,
and in September 1996 foreign companies were allowed to wholly own and
operate businesses and purchase real estate. These measures gradually
brought the economy out of its post-Soviet tailspin. The US responded by
stiffening its embargo with the Helms-Burton Act, ironically solidifying
Castro's position as defender of Cuba against the evil empire.
The Cuban government has long been criticized for its human rights record;
at least 500 people are 'prisoners of conscience' for criticizing Cuba's
present leadership or for attempting to organize political opposition. When
Pope John Paul II visited the island in January 1998, he condemned both the
Cuban government's heavy hand and the US government's embargo. Each year,
hundreds of Cubans brave the shark-infested waters separating Cuba from the
USA, hoping to make a landfall that guarantees US citizenship and support
from the wealthy Cuban exile community in Miami, Florida.
In November 1999, six-year-old Elián González, whose mother died during that
dangerous trip, made it to Miami by clinging to an innertube. This prompted
an unusual custody battle between the boy's great uncle, a Cuban exile
living in the US, and Elián's father, a Communist Party member who wanted
his son returned to Cuba. Surprisingly, US officials enforced a court order
returning Elián to his father. In addition, bills that would relax the
embargo, particularly food and medicine, as well as travel restrictions
between the countries have a great deal of support in the US congress. While
no one expects US-Cuba relations to normalize anytime soon, these events may
well be a step toward reconciliation, something that might make the
day-to-day life of the average Cuban a little bit easier.
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CUBA FACTS: ECONOMY
The Cuban gross domestic product (GDP) decreased by 34,8% between 1989 and
1993. In 1994 the country managed to slow down this process. After the said
crisis, the economic recovery reached its peak in 1996 with a growth of
7,8%. However, though the tendency to grow continues, in 1997 the economy
grew by just 2,5%, much less than expected.
The major component of the Cuban economy is sugar cane; the national
production of Sugar Cane has decreased due to lack of materials, fertilizer
and spare parts for the industry.
More recently, tourism is becoming the main source of hard currency for the
country. Between 1990 and 1997 an average annual increase of 19,3% of
overall visitors and 11,4% new visitors for tourists. To this date, there
are 65 joint venture firms operating at the island in the tourism sector,
with a capital above 2.5 billion dollars involved.
For the year 2001, with an availability of 37,000 rooms, over 2,2 million
tourists are expected to arrive. Foreign investments in different businesses
have increased to more than 340 enterprises. According to official figures,
capital involved in these associations rises to 2,5 billion dollars.
The more attractive businesses for foreign investors are: tourism, nickel
and other minerals, communications, construction, real estate and
exploitation of oil fields. Last year production of crude oil was over 1 678
000 tons. Production arrangements have also been favoured by the Free Zones
opened at Wajay, Havana, Berroa and Mariel, where more than 70% of the area
is used for commercial activities.
Tobacco, another important product of international good standing, yielded
150 000 quintals in 1998. Other important products with improved profits
are; coffee, rum, citrus fruits, cocoa and agriculture as a whole.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries are also developing. Best
commercial partners for the island are; Europe, Latin America, Canada,
Russia and China. Over the year 2000 the losses incurred by the economic and
commercial embargo imposed by the United States exceeded 2 billion dollars.
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CUBA FACTS: GOVERNMENT
Cuba is governed under a constitution adopted in 1976, as subsequently
amended. It defines the country as a socialist state in which all power
belongs to the working people. The Communist Party is Cuba's only legal
political party.
The central legislature of Cuba is the National Assembly of People's Power,
whose 510 members are elected to five-year terms by direct universal voting.
The National Assembly, which regularly meets twice during the year, elects a
Council of State of about 30 members to carry out its functions when it is
not in session. The Council of State includes a president, who is the
country's head of state; a first vice president; and five other vice
presidents. The National Assembly also chooses a Council of Ministers, which
is Cuba's chief administrative body. The council is headed by the president.
Cuba is divided into 169 municipalities and 14 provinces; the Isla de la
Juventud municipality is not part of any province, and its affairs are
overseen directly by the central government. Each municipality has an
assembly composed of delegates elected to terms of two and one-half years.
The municipal assemblies choose executive committees, the members of which
make up five regional assemblies for each province. These regional bodies
also have executive committees, which together form the membership of the
provincial assembly (in turn, headed by an executive committee). At each
level the executive committee oversees the day-to-day administrative
functions of its assembly.
Judicial power is exercised by the People's Supreme Court on the national
level, by courts of justice in cases that are provincial or regional in
nature, and by the municipal courts. Revolutionary tribunals are convened to
deal with crimes against the state.
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CUBA FACTS: POPULATION
The 1997 estimated population of Cuba was 10,999,039, giving the country an
average population density of 96 persons per sq km (249 per sq mi).
Professed Roman Catholics have declined from more than 70 percent of the
population in 1957 to about 33 percent today. Among Protestants, who account
for 1 percent of Cubans, Pentecostalism is the predominant tradition. About
50 percent of Cubans consider themselves nonreligious. Spanish is the
official language of Cuba.
The Cuban population is made up mainly of three groups. Approximately 66
percent of the population is white and mainly of Spanish descent, 22 percent
is of mixed racial heritage, and 12 percent is black. Almost all of the
people are native born. Some 76 percent of the population is classified as
urban.
Resent researches prove that an undefined number of people show
characteristics of native ancestors. There is no racial discrimination in
Cuba. Cuban people are friendly, talkative and great hosts; they are also
joyful and good-humored.
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CUBA FACTS: CULTURE
Literature
The country's most famous literary figure is José Martí, whose life, ideas
and martyr's death confirmed him as a national hero, but other Cuban
literary greats include Cirilo Villaverde y de la Paz (1812-94), Alejo
Carpentier (1904-80), Nicolás Guillén (1902-89) and Guillermo Cabrera
Infante (1929-).
Visual Arts
Cuba's filmmakers include Tomás Gutiérrez Alea (1928-96), whose Strawberry
and Chocolate was highly lauded, and Humberto Solás, whose works also
received much international acclaim. Painters Wilfredo Lam (1902-82) and
Marianao Rodríguez (1912-90) are amongst the most important the country has
produced, and Manuel Mendive (1944-) is regarded as Cuba's foremost living
painter.
Cuisine
Cuban cuisine is a mix of Spanish and African techniques, using local
produce. Dishes like Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christian; black beans
and rice), arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) and picadillo (minced beef and
rice) are common, as are soups made with plantains, chick-peas or beans.
There are, however, food shortages in Cuba and eating out can mean long
waits at state-run restaurants or hotel dining rooms. Cuban beer (cerveza)
is excellent and the cocktails are legendary.
Music
African slaves brought rhythms and ritual dances to Cuba, where they were
blended with Spanish guitars and melodies and then appropriated and
developed throughout the Americas (the USA in the 1920s jumped to rumba
rhythms, and these, fused with jazzy horn sections and drums, became the
big-band sound).
Dance
The conga-line dance was developed by slaves shackled together, while much
of contemporary Cuban dance has important associations with Afro-Cuban
Santería religion. The most popular Cuban music today is son, which
developed in the hills of the Oriente before the turn of the century and
incorporates guitars, tres (a small Cuban stringed instrument with three
pairs of strings), double bass, bongos, claves, maracas and voice. Mambo,
bolero, salsa and chachachá music also derived from this form. The most
famous exponents of Cuban music were Pérez Prado and Benny Moré, but Cuban
music continues to evolve and there are a great many artists still making
great music.
Government Stance
After the revolution the arts were actively supported by the government:
many theatres, museums and arts schools were founded, musicians were
guaranteed a salary and a national film industry was established. The
government has sought to redress the influence of North American mass
culture by subsidizing Afro-Cuban cultural groups and performing ensembles.
Religion
Historically, Roman Catholicism has been the dominant religion in Cuba and
it remains so, with around 40% of Cubans at least nominally Catholic and
some 4% of the population Protestant. The loose institutional organization
of Santería, an afro-Cuban religion, hides the fact that a majority of
Cubans are affiliated with this Afro-Catholic religious fusion in one way or
another, and their numbers have grown since the government ended its
official atheism in 1992. True to the country's mestizo culture, Cubans
grafted Catholicism onto African religions brought over by slaves, resulting
in Afro-Cuban equivalent gods for the major Catholic saints - and the
occasional animal sacrifice. When Pope John Paul II crowned Nuestra Señora
de la Caridad del Cobre, Cuba's patroness, devotes of Santería swelled with
pride, for they identify the Virgin of Cobre with their very own Ochun,
goddess of love and abundance.
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CUBA FACTS: SPORTS
Baseball is considered the national sport of Cuba. It was first played on
the island around 1865-1866. According to some information gathered, the
first Baseball Championship in Cuba was held in 1878 and it was organised by
Emilio Saborit, who was the manager of Havana's team. Sometime earlier, in
1874, the first two teams were formed.
On December 27, of that same year, a team played the first baseball game
from Matanzas against Havana. This game took place in the historic Palmar de
Junco Stadium, in the province of Matanzas. The Almendares Park baseball
stadium was opened in 1881 on Carlos III Avenue and Ayestaran.
By the end of the 19th century and beginnings of the 20th other countries in
the American continent began to play baseball. The 1st Amateur Baseball
Championship was held in Havana in 1905. Later, Cuba's National Baseball
Amateur League was founded in 1914. This League continued its championships
for more than 45 continuous years. Other minor leagues were also created in
the rest of the island.
Boxing is the sport in which Cuba has received the most world titles. A
total of 23 medals have been won for world titles and Olympics events. All
sports in Cuba are considered as amateur league and thus Cuban boxers do not
challenge widely publicised professional "world titles". Titles are as
follows: 23 gold medals, 12 silver medals and 5 bronzes for the Olympic
games.
Alcides Sagarra, founder since 1960, of the Cuban boxing Association has
trained some redoubtable boxers for the Cuban teams.He also considered as
the best trainer on the island by aficionados. Within his portfolio of
boxers you can find names such as, Teófilo Stevenson, Félix Savón and Maikro
Romero who have achieved apparelled results in the sport of punching and
defence world-wide.
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CUBA FACTS: EVENTS & HOLIDAYS
Havana Carnival - In late February and early March features parades
in front of the Capitolio or along the Malecón on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday evenings.
Jornadas de la Cultura Camagüeyana - scheduled for the first two
weeks of February.
Havana International Jazz Festival - happens every second year in
February.
Semana de la Cultura celebrated in April in Baracoa.
Electroacoustic Music Festival in April in Varadero.
Romería de Mayo - during the first week of May in Holguin.
Fiestas Sanjuaneras - at the end of June in Trinidad.
Carnival is celebrated in Santiago de Cuba during the last two weeks of July
and the first week of August to coincide with the holidays around July 26.
Carnival marks the end of the sugar harvest and originated as a period in
which the slaves were allowed to celebrate. For those 10 days the drum is
king.
Festival of Caribbean Culture is celebrated in June or July in cities
across Cuba.
Havana Festival of Contemporary Music - a ten day event in October.
Semana de la Cultura Trinitaria happens in Trinidad in late November.
International Festival of Latin American Film is held in Havana in
December of each year.
Public Holidays
1 January - Liberation Day
1 May - Labor Day
25-27 July - Celebration of the National Rebellion
10 October - Day of Cuban Culture
Note that Christmas Day has been observed as a public holiday since the
Pope's visit in 1997
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CUBA FACTS: ACTIVITIES
Hiking & Trekking Cuba offers terrific hiking and trekking
possibilities. Imagine following in the footsteps of Fidel and his rebels
band in a three-day trek over the Sierra Maestra mountain range, crossing
Pico Turquino, Cuba's highest mountain. Marked walking trails, maps and
professional guides are almost non-existent but local residents will usually
guide you for just a few dollars.
Horseback riding Popular among visitors, and special tourist ranches
have been established at Baconao, Trinidad and Pinar del Rio in the west,
where you can ride through tobacco fields.
(Wind)Surfing The northeasterly tradewinds bring good swells between
December and April, but surfers will have to bring their own boards as none
are locally available for rent. Windsurf boards can be rented at most beach
resorts
ScubaDiving Cuba is endowed with wonderful areas for scuba diving and
the 30-odd dive centers across the country offer organized dives, courses
and equipment for hire.
Sky Diving Due to the recent increases in incentive travel, Cuba now
boasts state-of-the-art sky diving facilities. At Varadero airport you can
Deep-sea fishing is also popular in Cuba's waters. Boat-charters are
available from most beach resorts across the island. The Marina Hemingway in
the south of Havana hosts a yearly marlin fishing tournament which attracts
visitors from around the world.
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CUBA FACTS: FACTS FOR THE
TRAVELLER
Health risks: Cuba is a very healthy country. Hepatitis A is a common
problem among travellers drinking tap water in areas with poor sanitation.
Visas: Virtually all visitors require a Cuban visa or Tourist Card,
available from travel agencies, tour operators or a Cuban consulate for a
stay of one month. These can be extended in Cuba for 60 additional days. The
USA officially prohibits its citizens from travelling to Cuba unless they
obtain a special license from the Treasury Department.
Electricity: 110-230V, three phase 60 Hz
Time: USA Eastern Standard Time
Weights & measures: Metric with US and Spanish variations
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CUBA FACTS: GETTING AROUND
By car:
Cuba boasts Latin America's most extensive system of roads, and renting a
car is definitely the easiest, if not the cheapest, way to see the country.
Many Cubans hitchhike as a means of getting around and locally the activity
is known as hacer botella (literally 'to make a bottle' with the hand).
Government vehicles are legally required to pick up hitchhikers if they have
the room, and town exits and major crossroads often have yellow-clad
amarillo officials armed with clipboards to organize the Cubans waiting for
a ride
By plane:
AeroCaribbean and Cubana airlines have an extensive domestic air network
that services all of the regional centers, and flights within the country
are not expensive, but prices have been on the rise. Most domestic flights
are on smaller propeller aircraft, and they are 25% cheaper if booked in
conjunction with your international ticket.
By bus:
Asociaciones de Transportes por Omnibus (Astro) operates Cuba's national bus
service which links all the provincial capitals and many outlying towns once
or twice a day. Foreign tourists now enjoy some priority on Astro buses,
with four seats available for dollar sale on most departures. Apart from
Astro, there's a hard currency company called Viázul, which requires all
passengers to pay in dollars. Privately owned trucks (camiones particulares)
have taken over much of the passenger transportation business, especially in
eastern Cuba.
By train:
The train system has deteriorated rapidly over the past several years.
Although there are still some inexpensive, comfortable routes, particularly
between major cities, bus is now the way to go. A new luxury train,
rivalling the Orient Express it's owners say, is planned and will run across
the island.
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CUBA FACTS: GETTING THERE & AWAY
By air:
Almost all visitors to Cuba arrive by air, with scheduled flights arriving
from Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Europe. The main
gateways for US travelers continue to be Cancún, Nassau and Toronto. There
are direct flights available from the USA, but US citizens will need the
permission of the US Treasury Department, which restricts travel to Cuba to
journalists, researchers and a handful of other groups. There's a US$20
airport departure tax.
By boat:
Thanks to the US blockade of Cuba, very few cruise ships call into Cuban
ports, and there are no scheduled passenger ships that service the country.
Private yachts regularly call into Cuba's plentiful harbors and anchorages
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CUBA FACTS: MONEY & COSTS
Cash
Cash US dollars and 'convertible pesos' (equal to US greenbacks in Cuba;
worth the same as Monopoly money elsewhere) remain the currency of choice at
state-owned and licensed private hotels and restaurants; bus, train and
airline offices; and most other tourist-oriented enterprises. Cuban pesos,
or moneda nacional, can be used at local venta libre stores, cafeterias and
street stands, cinemas, and many other businesses away from popular tourist
destinations. Candeca, with kiosks throughout Cuba, changes currency at fair
rates.
Credit Cards
Credit cards issued by US companies may be accepted, but be aware that the
US could theoretically confiscate the entire transaction, leaving you high,
dry and further in debt. A Visa or MasterCard (or two) issued by a non-US
bank is the way to go. Traveler's checks denominated in US dollars, even
those issued by US banks (at last report, the Banco Financiero Internacional
was happily accepting American Express), can be cashed with a 2.5-4%
commission.
Living Costs
For a Caribbean destination, Cuba is still reasonably affordable, though not
cheap. A double room in a medium-priced beachside resort runs US$50, US$100
all-inclusive. The same room in a state-run hotel costs around US$35, and in
a private residence US$15-25. A meal in a state-run restaurant is US$10-15,
while dinner for one at a paladar (privately owned restaurant) averages
US$7. Taking the bus or train runs about US$4 for 100 miles (160km), while a
rental car could cost as much as US$100 a day, more than in neighboring
Florida.
Meals
Budget: US$5-10
Mid-range: US$10-20
Top-end: US$20 and upwards
Lodging
Budget: US$15-25
Mid-range: US$25-100
Top-end: US$100 and upwards
Tips
Cuban tourism workers rely on tips. People who deserve a US$1 tip include
museum staff who give you a complete tour, hotel guards who watch your
rental car all night, helpful bus drivers, attentive waitstaff or anyone in
the service industry who goes beyond the call of duty. Do not offer money to
officials to obtain preferential treatment; governmental corruption is rare
in Cuba and attempted bribery will only make things worse.
Paladars may or may not add 10-20% onto your bill as a 'tax' or 'service
charge.' If you suspect a scam, ask to keep the bill and see what happens.
All private businesses are heavily taxed to discourage competition with
state-run entities, and the added costs are, of course, passed on to you.
Avoid jineteros (touts) who offer to lead you to a room or restaurant,
unless you don't mind having an extra US$5 or so tacked onto your bill.
Refrain from handing out money or anything else to children or beggars on
the street. Cubans are not allowed to beg from tourists, and plainclothes
police are on duty in most places where tourists and Cubans mix. It may be
gratifying to hand out trinkets to people you view as needy, but these
people could be questioned as soon as you disappear from sight, and you may
be personally responsible for sending someone to prison.
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CUBA FACTS: WHEN TO GO
There isn't a bad time to visit Cuba. The hot, rainy season runs from May to
October but winter (December to April) is the island's peak tourist season,
when planeloads of Canadians and Europeans arrive in pursuit of the southern
sun. Cubans take their holidays in July and August, so this is when the
local beaches are most crowded. Christmas, Easter and the period around 26
July, when Cubans celebrate the anniversary of the revolution, are also very
busy.
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