Dear people on this website, I’m strongly considering going on a trip to Cuba soon alone. I’m a decent Spanish speaker and an American, wondering if anyone has any good tips or advice for the trip. I know I want to see that ice cream shop that fidel was obsessed with.
Thanks in advance!
Parque Coppelia
is the largest ice cream parlor in the world when serving about 35.000 customers per day, at the highest can serve 1.000 people at the same time. Built in 1966, Parque Coppelia is located in the Vedado district, Havana, is the largest ice cream parlor in the world, according to BBC
"I just really want people to enjoy good dairy. "
-Fidel Castro (probably)
Be prepared when you return from Cuba to be interrogated for possibly multiple hours by US border patrol. That’s what happened to me. If they ask you why you went, do not say “tourism.” You have to say, “support for the Cuban people.” Everything will be easier if you go through a travel agency, as they will understand all the rules regarding the sanctions. I believe travel one does trips to Cuba. As far as getting interrogated, things to remember: You have to give them your name, your ofac license, passport, where you stayed, and your bags. They are allowed to search all of your bags without warrants, so do not bring back contraband. Pretty much the only things you should bring back are books and art pieces (and they may take those). You don’t need to answer any questions being those that they ask, but they also do not need to provide you a lawyer and can detain you for almost as long as they want. HOWEVER, if they cause you to miss a connection, they are required to give you a new flight. I could talk more about my experience but don’t have time. DM me if your want to talk more.
Can you just say it was for a vaccine not offered in the US?
Can you just say you want a vaccine they have that’s not available in the US?
If they ask you why you went, do not say “tourism.” You have to say, “support for the Cuban people.”
This is really unexpected, why is that?
in the statute that restricts travel to Cuba, there is a list of purposes for which you’re allowed to visit. “support for the Cuban people” is one of them.
Can you link to a list in the statute?
Get vaccines that aren’t offered where you live. They have a lung cancer vaccine banned in the US.
Edit: Smallpox vaccine could be useful if Cuba gives them. With monkeypox, smallpox vaccines are the only existing vaccine that defends against it. I don’t think the US has smallpox vaccines available yet.
This is the biggest protip.
I didn’t think so at first while reading the comments, but the vaccines are one of them. We have the highest Covid death and infection rate and we need to save our immune system for all the times we catch Covid. (Plus other diseases that anti vaxxers increase the death/infection rates of.)
Americans are not permitted to stay in hotels owned by the Cuban government (most of them) you’ll get in trouble when you return home. You need to stay in an AirBnB or some other privately owned accommodation, otherwise you’ll be viewed as violating the yankee sanctions on the Cuban government.
As far as the actual trip is concerned, it’s a bit expensive and very touristy but Tropicana is an absolutely fucking amazing show and well worth the money if you can swing it. And, of course all the usual things like the Museum of the Revolution etc but I’m sure you were going to end up there at some point anyway.
How would anyone know that you’ve stayed at a government hotel, though?
