Havana Guide : Travelling to Havana
The best time to visit Havana is from December till April May ,since this is the dry season with lower temperatures .The warm and humid season runs from May till November. You get the best prices for hotel accommodation and travel fares in the low season February till May . The highest prices are paid in July , August , December. Many airlines fly to Havana or Varadero.
Martinair ( from the Netherlands , Belgium ) There are no direct flights from the USA (United States of America ) . USA citizens are not allowed to travel to Cuba without a permission of the licensing division , department of the treasury in Washington DC . Some U.S.citizens ignore this law by travelling via Cancun-Mexico or Toronto-Canada , according to estimates this should be more than 100.000 persons a year. If requested the Cuban authorities do not stamp the USA passports .
WARNING USA Citizens can be severely fined , up to 1000,000 US Dollar and imprisoned up to 10 years or both if they break this law by travelling to Cuba . We strongly advice USA citizens to verify all the information on the government website : www.treas.gov Note : the import of Cuban goods such as a Cuban T-shirt , cigars , rum, etc. is strictly forbidden and any indication that a USA citizen has travelled to Cuba can lead to further investigations by the USA authorities .
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
For many countries a valid passport with a validity date of at least 6 months after the departure date and a tourist card or tourist visa ("tarjeta tourista") is needed. On the tourist card ("tarjeta turista") you are obliged to note your residence address in Cuba. If you dont have a fixed address in a (state) hotel or a casa particular ( this is a private room accommodation with an official licence ) the customs officer can order you to make a hotel reservation for a minimum of 3 days in a state hotel. A free stay at a Cuban home or with a Cuban family is strictly forbidden. The Cuban in question can be severely fined for this ( up to 1000 dollar a small fortune in Cuba The tourist card ("tarjeta turista") can be bought at the Cuban embassy or at the Cuban airports . Most tour operators deliver the tourist card in their travel package .
IMPORT - EXPORT
An extensive list of materials, devices, foods, animals can not be imported in Cuba . Check the complete list on the website of the Cuban embassy of your country . Pay special attention to : fresh food , fruits , computers , telephone sets , CD and DVD devices. For export of art items and paintings special permission is needed . The customs officer may ask : What the purpose of your voyage is? For a tourist,the answer is easy : vacation or a tourist trip . Business people , journalists , camera crews , students etc. need a special permit to do their job.
WHAT TO BRING IN ?Its permitted to bring in personal toiletries in acceptable quantities. Take with you materials or things difficult to find in Cuba such as : batteries, film, condoms, sanitary towels, paper handkerchiefs, shampoo. Medicines are hard to find , if you are under medical treatment take enough supply with you . A small supply of common medicines : aspirin , anti-diarrhoea , antibiotics , bandages a small first aid kit. A pocket flashlight can be very helpful in Havana , sometimes there are power-outages and in Havana are lots of sewers without covers. If you want to help a Cuban family, they will be grateful for soap , shampoo , toothpaste and toothbrushes .., medicines and clothing . The import of medicines in their original package is allowed up to 10 kg.
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