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Cuba Travel Tips 2026: What to Know Before You Go (Cash, Internet, Entry Rules)

By: Author Sunset Travellers

Posted on Last updated:

Categories Central America, Cuba, Travel, Travel Advice

⚠️ Cuba right now (updated October 2026)

  • The UK government advises against all but essential travel to Cuba because of repeated national power grid collapses and severe fuel, water and transport disruption. Check the latest advice from gov.uk or the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs before you book.
  • Visa and Mastercard no longer work in Cuba, either in shops or at ATMs. Bring all the cash you’ll need, in euros or US dollars, plus extra for emergencies.
  • Several airlines have suspended flights. Check yours is still operating and that your travel insurance covers disruption.

We travelled around Cuba for a few weeks in late 2017, flying in from Mexico. It was one of the most fascinating, frustrating and memorable trips we’ve ever done. A lot has changed since then, so we’ve updated this guide with the current official advice alongside our own tips that still hold true.

Before You Go

Jump to:

1. Entry requirements: tourist card (e-Visa) and the D’Viajeros form

  • Irish and UK citizens don’t need a full visa, but you do need a Cuban tourist card. Since 2025 it’s issued as an e-Visa you apply for online, or through the embassy or your airline or travel agent.
  • Complete the D’Viajeros online arrival form within 72 hours of arrival and keep the QR code it gives you.
  • Your passport needs at least 6 months’ validity, and you’ll need proof of an onward or return flight. We had to show our onward flight to Miami at check-in in Mexico, and you won’t be let board without one.

2. Going to the USA afterwards? Read this

Anyone who has been to Cuba since 12 January 2021 is (with limited exceptions) no longer eligible for the US ESTA. That’s not a ban. It means you’ll need to apply for a full US visa at an embassy instead, which takes much longer. An existing ESTA can be cancelled after a Cuba trip, so plan ahead if the US is next.

3. Get proper travel insurance

Cuba requires visitors to have travel medical insurance, and given the current situation, medical care and evacuation cover really matter. Make sure your policy covers Cuba and travel disruption. If you’re from Ireland, the UK or Europe, we use True Traveller. Carry proof of your policy with you.

4. Bring cash, and plenty of it

This was true in 2017 and it’s essential now that foreign cards don’t work. Bring euros or US dollars in clean notes, enough for your whole stay plus a buffer. Keep it split between bags.

  • The old CUC “tourist currency” we used is gone. Cuba now uses the Cuban peso (CUP), and the official and street exchange rates can be very different, so ask around before you change money.
  • You can’t leave Cuba with more than 5,000 CUP, so don’t change more than you need.
  • Euros, dollars and Cuban pesos are widely used in practice. Prices for tourists are often quoted in dollars or euros.

5. Book accommodation before you go

The best way to stay in Cuba is a casa particular: a room or apartment rented by a local family. They’re good value, and you get to meet Cubans properly. We rented a two-bedroom oceanfront apartment for about $35 a night. Many booking sites and apps don’t work from inside Cuba, so book your first nights before you leave, and ask your hosts to recommend the next casa (they all know each other).

6. Download everything before you land

Offline maps (Google Maps offline or Maps.me), music, podcasts, translation apps and copies of all your bookings. Many US websites and apps don’t work in Cuba, and the internet can be slow or cut by blackouts.

7. Pack a medicine kit

Bring your usual medication and a good basic kit: painkillers, rehydration salts, cold and flu tablets, antiseptic, plus anything you might need. One of us got flu during a public holiday and the only thing we could find was a jar of honey. Pharmacies were empty then, and shortages are worse now.

Internet and Phones in Cuba

When we visited, getting online meant queuing for an ETECSA scratch card and standing in a park with everyone else, hunting for the WiFi hotspot. Things have improved a lot since then:

  • Mobile data now works in Havana and the main tourist areas (Varadero, Trinidad, Viñales), on 3G/4G from the state provider ETECSA (Cubacel). Coverage is weak or missing in rural and mountain areas.
  • Tourist SIM: ETECSA sells prepaid “Cubacel Tur” tourist SIM packages with data, calls and texts. You can buy them at the airport and ETECSA offices.
  • International eSIM: some travel eSIMs work in Cuba by roaming on ETECSA’s network. Install it before you leave home, because Cuban WiFi is too slow to set one up after you arrive, and check the provider lists Cuba.
  • WiFi hotspots: public parks, plazas and hotels still have ETECSA “Nauta” WiFi. You log in with a prepaid Nauta card or account (ask for a “tarjeta de internet”). Log out when you finish or you’ll burn your time: type 1.1.1.1 in your browser and choose “cerrar sesión”.
  • Free WiFi? Don’t count on it. Even our all-inclusive resort in Varadero charged for it.
  • Blackouts take down mobile and WiFi too. Download offline maps and keep important information saved on your phone.

Our internet tips, which still work:

  • Write your emails and messages offline, then connect and send them all at once.
  • Make a list of what you need to do online so you don’t lose your time scrolling.
  • Edit your photos before you connect.

Getting Around

8. Getting from Havana airport

José Martí Airport is under 20 km from central Havana, about 20–30 minutes by taxi. Agree the price before you get in. Taxi prices have changed a lot with inflation, so ask your casa what a fair fare is now. Many casas will arrange a pickup for you.

9. Travelling between cities

Viazul is the main tourist bus company between cities, and colectivo (shared) taxis are often quicker. Fuel shortages mean services can be cancelled at short notice, so leave slack in your plans and get to the station early. Hotel tour desks can also book transfers. We took a bus from Havana to Varadero that way.

10. Walk

Havana and most Cuban towns are very walkable, and it’s the best way to see them. Read our best things to do in Havana.

Day to Day in Cuba

11. Be ready to queue

Changing money, buying a SIM, finding bottled water: nothing happens fast. Bring patience (and a book).

12. Don’t drink the tap water

Stick to bottled or properly filtered water. When it runs out in supermarkets, petrol station shops often still have some.

13. Food and shopping

Supermarkets were sparse when we visited and shortages are worse today. Don’t plan on self-catering. Privately run restaurants (paladares) are generally much better than state ones, and your casa host will often cook breakfast and dinner for a fair price.

14. Carry small change and coins

Public toilets in bars and restaurants usually have an attendant who expects a small tip.

15. Watch out for touts

Friendly “where are you from?” chats in Havana often end with a recommendation for a bar or restaurant that pays the person a commission. Be polite, but make your own choices.

16. Tip

Salaries are very low, and many Cubans rely on tips. A little goes a long way, so tip guides, drivers, casa hosts and restaurant staff.

17. Plugs and power

Cuba mostly uses 110V with American-style plugs, though many hotels also have 220V sockets. Bring an adapter. With the blackouts, a power bank and a torch are essential too.

18. Souvenirs

Buy your rum, cigars and souvenirs in town. Havana airport has very little, and food there is basic. Remember you’ll be paying in cash.

When to Go

December to April is the dry season and the most comfortable time to visit. May to October is hot, humid and rainy, and June to November is hurricane season. Mid-December to mid-March is the busiest and most expensive.

Should You Go to Cuba Right Now?

We loved Cuba. The people, the music, the cars and the feeling of stepping into another time. But the situation in 2026 is genuinely difficult for Cubans and visitors alike, with the official advice against all but essential travel. If you do go, go prepared: plenty of cash, good insurance, flexible plans and a lot of patience. And tip generously.

Planning Havana? Here are our best things to do in Havana.

Steve and Sabina

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Posting your Cuba photos? Grab one of our 100+ Cuba captions for Instagram.

Exploring Havana? Classic car rides, salsa classes and walking tours are easy to book ahead: browse tours in Havana.