Cuba

Time & Date: GMT -5

Currency:
The peso (ISO 4217 code: CUP, sometimes called the “national currency” or in Spanish moneda nacional) is one of two official currencies in use in Cuba, the other being the convertible peso (ISO 4217 code: CUC, occasionally called “dollar” in the spoken language). There are currently 25 CUP per CUC.
Most Cuban state workers receive their wages in national pesos, but some receive a portion of their salary in convertible pesos. Shops that sell basics like fruit and vegetables generally accept only the normal peso. “Dollar shops” sell the rest. The word “pesos” may refer to both types of money.
Cuban convertible pesos are 25 times more valuable, but that does not completely eliminate the confusion for tourists. Since goods bought in national pesos have government-controlled prices, tourists are sometimes confused by prices that look “too cheap.” The hard (CUC) pesos are easy to tell apart from the national (CUP) ones, as CUC coins have an octagonal shape within the outer round rim. The only exception to this is the most common CUP coin, the 1 peso,[3] also has this octagonal shape. Also, CUC currency shows monuments, and CUP bills have portraits.

Languages:
The official language of Cuba is Spanish and the vast majority of Cubans speak it. Spanish as spoken in Cuba is known as Cuban Spanish and is a form of Caribbean Spanish. Lucumí, a dialect of the West African language Yoruba, is also used as a liturgical language by practitioners of Santería,[265] and so only as a second language.[266] Haitian Creole is the second most spoken language in Cuba, and is spoken by Haitian immigrants and their descendants.[267] Other languages spoken by immigrants include Galician and Corsican

Travel Insurance:
When buying your travel insurance, always check the small print – some policies specifically exclude ‘dangerous activities’, which could be anything from scuba diving to horse riding. You should check whether the medical coverage is on a pay first, claim later basis and, more importantly, ensure that your medical coverage includes the cost of medical evacuation.

Visa:
Regular tourists who plan to spend up to two months in Cuba do not need visas. Instead, you get a tarjeta de turista (tourist card) valid for 30 days, which can be extended once you’re in Cuba (Canadians get 90 days plus the option of a 90-day extension).
Package tourists receive their card with their other travel documents. Those going ‘air only’ usually buy the tourist card from the travel agency or airline office that sells them the plane ticket, but policies vary (eg Canadian airlines give out tourist cards on their airplanes), so you’ll need to check ahead with the airline office via phone or email.

In some cases you may be required to buy and/or pick up the card at your departure airport, sometimes at the flight gate itself some minutes before departure. Some independent travelers have been denied access to Cuba flights because they inadvertently haven’t obtained a tourist card.
Once in Havana, tourist-card extensions or replacements cost another CUC$25. You cannot leave Cuba without presenting your tourist card. If you lose it, you can expect to face at least a day of frustrating Cuba-style bureaucracy to get it replaced.You are not permitted entry to Cuba without an onward ticket.Fill the tourist card out clearly and carefully, as Cuban customs are particularly fussy about crossings out and illegibility.
Visitors with visas or anyone who has stayed in Cuba longer than 90 days must apply for an exit permit from an immigration office. The Cuban consulate in London issues official visas (£22 plus two photos; £47 by mail). They take two weeks to process, and the name of an official contact in Cuba is necessary.

International Airports:
José Martí International Airport
Frank Pais International Airport