Last Updated: 29 November 2000
Still Current at: 06 January 2001

MOST VISITS TO CUBA ARE TROUBLE FREE, BUT VISITORS SHOULD, HOWEVER, BE ON THE ALERT FOR BAG SNATCHERS AND OTHER STREET THEFT, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF OLD HAVANA AND MAJOR TOURIST SITES.

SAFETY & SECURITY

Visitors should be aware of a small number of bogus tour agents/taxis operating at the airports and should not be tempted to travel with anyone other than their recognised tour operator. If you need to take a taxi, ensure it is a registered one and not a private vehicle.

Do not carry large amounts of cash when away from your hotel. If you need to wear jewellery, keep it plain, simple and inexpensive.

Traveller's cheques, credit cards, passports and other important documents are best left in a safe deposit or similar at the hotel.

Beware of pickpockets on buses, trains and at train stations.

Visitors should avoid military zones and other restricted areas, which are not always well signposted. Be particularly careful when taking photographs.

Due to a continuing spate of thefts from suitcases, we recommend that all valuables are removed from suitcases (and suitcases locked) prior to submitting them at the check-in desks at Havana airport. We further recommend that visitors take advantage of the airport shrink-wrap facilities (costing USD $4) to reduce the possibility of tampering with the contents once the baggage is out of your control.

LOCAL TRAVEL

In line with the major tour operators, and in view of serious accidents (some fatal) that have involved tourists, we advise against the use of mopeds for travel in and around Cuba. Visitors should also be aware that traffic accidents, which result in injuries to third parties, are considered to be a crime until they have been cleared by police investigations. Recent experience has shown that this may take up to several months, during which time the driver may not be allowed to leave the country. Be particularly careful when travelling on unlit motorways at night, as cattle (which graze at the roadside and roam onto the motorway at night) have been known to cause fatal accidents.

LOCAL LAW & CUSTOMS

Ensure your luggage does not contain any items, which could be considered offensive as these may be confiscated on arrival. Cuba is increasingly used as a transit country for drugs destined to Europe. Cuban law allows for the death penalty and courts are handing out severe penalties for all drugs related offences. Pack all your luggage yourself and do not carry any items that do not belong to you. We do not recommend Cuba as a holiday destination for registered drug users who need to have a constant supply of drugs or drugs substitutes.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

British citizens require a visa to enter Cuba. For further information on entry requirements, visitors are advised to check with the Cuban Embassy in London tel: 020 7240 2488; fax: 020 7836 2602).

GENERAL

All visitors to Cuba should have adequate travel and medical insurance.

Visitors should note there is a USD $20 airport departure tax (per person) to be paid on departure from Cuba.

American Express traveller's cheques/credit cards and those of other similar US banks are not valid in Cuba.

Keep a copy of the photo page of your passport in case your documents are stolen.

There were two crashes in December 1999 involving ex-Soviet aircraft operated on regional flights by the national airline, Cubana. Most transatlantic routes and some regional and domestic routes are now operated using more modern aircraft leased from foreign airlines. If you plan to fly Cubana, it is worth checking which aircraft they use on the relevant route.

CONTACT DETAILS

British Embassy Havana, 702-704 34 St, Miramar (tel: +537 24 1771/2; fax: +537 24 8104; e-mail: .

Office hours (GMT): Summer: 1200-1930; Winter: 1300-2030.

British Diplomatic Missions in Cuba: contact details

For medical and inoculations advice, contact your GP. The Department of Health's Health Advice for Travellers website provides travel health information for people travelling abroad from the UK. The site advises on health risks around the world and how to avoid them, a country-by-country immunisation checklist and how to obtain medical treatment abroad.
Visa information is available from the relevant Embassy/Consulate in London.
FCO Travel Advice is also displayed on BBC2 CEEFAX (see p470 for details). NB: While every care has been taken in preparing these notes, neither Her Majesty's Government nor any member of the British Consular Staff abroad can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.

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