Safety in Cuba

Serious crime: Cuba is safe on that front. Violent incidents against visitors are genuinely rare, and walking at night in the cities is not a problem.

Jineteros: The real nuisance is street hustlers pushing "the best restaurant" or "a cigar festival on today only". Say "No, gracias" and keep walking without breaking stride.

Bar invitations: If new friends invite you for a drink, expect to be handed the bill for the entire table at the end of the evening.

Beaches: Do not leave bags unattended on the sand while you swim.

Medicine: Pharmacies here are chronically empty. Bring everything with you: antibiotics, plasters, antihistamines, rehydration salts and anything you take regularly.

Sun: The Cuban sun is vicious and you can burn through cloud cover. SPF 50 is a necessity, not a precaution.

Before you go: Check your own government's travel advisory, particularly for anything about entry categories and insurance requirements.

Cuba has very low violent crime and very high inventiveness in extracting money from visitors. There is a local word for the people who do it: jineteros.

The exchange rate is the trip's central financial question. The official bank rate and the rate at which Cubans actually change money differ several-fold. This breeds endless schemes at bureaux and in the street: short change, swapped notes, "a special rate for a friend". Change money only where your casa or hotel recommends, and count it on the spot.

Cards do not work. Cards issued by US banks are not accepted in Cuba at all, and connectivity for others is unreliable. You must bring sufficient cash — this is the key difference between Cuba and any other destination.

Cigars. "My brother works at the factory and brought out a box." It is counterfeit in one hundred percent of cases, and exporting cigars without a receipt from a state shop is prohibited anyway: boxes are confiscated on departure.

Restaurants. Bills with added items and "service" beyond the menu occur regularly. Always check.

"Milk for the baby." A woman asks not for money but for you to buy powdered milk at an inflated price. The goods return to the shelf once you leave.

Taxis. Agree the price before getting in. State taxis and the old American cars run on different tariffs.

Medical insurance is compulsory for entry. Cuba requires a policy covering medical costs and may check it at the border. Without one, you will buy it at the airport.

Drugs. Among the harshest laws in the region. Sentences are long and foreigners are treated no more gently. No leniency exists.

Drones are banned from import. They are confiscated at customs on arrival. Recovering them on departure sometimes works and sometimes does not.

Photography. Military installations, police officers, ports and airports are off limits. Photographing queues outside shops and everyday hardship is received badly.

Politics. Publicly criticising the government, joining any street action or distributing material is a criminal offence. Foreigners have been detained and deported. Political conversations with locals can create problems for them rather than for you.

Internet. Access runs through ETECSA cards at Wi-Fi points and mobile packages. Some services are unavailable, speeds are low, and during protests the internet is switched off. Plan your trip on the assumption that you may have no connection.

Imports. Limits apply to the quantity of electronics and goods you may bring. Medicines can and should be brought — they are in short supply here.

Vaccinations. None mandatory. A yellow fever certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries.

Bring your own medical kit — this is the main thing about Cuba. The country has an acute shortage of medicines, and even basics — painkillers, a prescribed antibiotic, anti-diarrhoeals, antihistamines, plasters — may simply be absent from pharmacies. Assemble a proper kit at home with a surplus. Cubans will be sincerely grateful for whatever you leave behind.

Water. Not from the tap. Bottled water exists but can vanish from shops during shortages — buy it when you see it.

Dengue and Oropouche. Mosquito-borne infections occur in Cuba and outbreaks happen. Repellent is needed, and the mosquito bites by day.

Healthcare. Cuban medicine has a good reputation for the quality of its doctors but suffers from shortages of equipment and consumables. Separate facilities serve foreigners — in Havana this is the Cira García clinic. Treatment is paid, requiring cash or working insurance.

Sun and heat. A humid tropical climate with a rainy season from May to October. Hurricane season runs June to November, peaking in September.

Food. Variety is limited, and private paladares feed you noticeably better and more safely than state establishments.

Violent crime against tourists in Cuba is very rare, and that is no accident: police presence on the streets is heavy, and crimes against foreigners are punished severely — hard-currency visitors matter greatly to the country.

Police are constantly visible, especially in Old Havana and the tourist quarters. Foreigners are treated correctly and extortion is uncommon.

What is genuinely worth guarding against is not robbery but petty fraud and theft in crowded places: markets, buses, and the Malecón in the evening.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken and certificates for insurers issued, though it can take several hours. Havana has stations oriented toward working with foreigners.

Dealing with locals. Cuban friendliness is genuine, but bear in mind that invitations home, joint shopping trips and requests for help are a common part of daily life. Saying no is fine.

Political situations. If any street protest occurs, a foreigner should leave. Filming such events has led to detentions and deportations.

Emergency numbers: 106 police, 104 ambulance, 105 fire.