I want to go to Cuba for vacation this summer

[ponyo]

what's the best way to take my family there? We don't really fit the 12 categories for legal travel to Cuba but most people going there now probably don't either. So what's the easiest way to travel there and back without getting into legal trouble? Which of the 12 categories are the easiest to fake? Or is it just easier to travel to Mexico and fly to Cuba and back from there?

 

[Grooveriding]

You can fly out of Toronto to Cuba.

 

[ponyo]

You can fly out of Toronto to Cuba.

I can easily fly out of US into Cuba as well. It's only about an hour and half flight from where I am. Cuba wants my dollar. And I'm more than happy to give some if I can visit. It's the coming back to the US and clearing custom that worries me. If it was just me, I wouldn't worry and would just go. But BSing through immigration and custom is probably lot more complicated if you're traveling with wife and children.

 

[SKORPI0]

http://www.ibtimes.com/how-can-americans-visit-cuba-2017-rules-regulations-traveling-havana-2467025

Tourist visas are only available for people visiting Cuba for one of 12 reasons, including visiting family members, academic programs, professional research and meetings, journalistic or religious activities, humanitarian projects, support for the Cuban people, activities pertaining to private foundations or research for educational institutions, public performances, sports activities, games and competitions, or to produce art, films, movies or music.

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-cuba/cuba/american-travel-to-cuba-2017
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2017/...ite-easier-but-still-challenging-journey.html

 

[ponyo]

I think I can use the "people to people" reason by booking AirBnB for part of my stay and qualify under the grey area. I really do want to explore the island and interact with the locals there. So it looks like no US members here have made the trip.

 

[Darwin333]

Religious activities seems pretty easy to bullshit your way through regardless of your actual religious convictions.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Fly to Cancun, Cancun to Cuba - your passport will never be stamped in Cuba.

From folks who have recently gone and were there 10yrs ago - things are changing quickly as dollars flow into the island.

Food is pretty terrible, lodging is pretty terrible, transportation is pretty terrible. people are great as they want your money. It's a total throwback to a different time.

 

[Jeeebus]

cruise from miami?

 

[Mayne]

My brother stayed at a little island off Cuba...less bullshit vacationers and nicer scenery. I forget the name of the island though.

 

[sdifox]

err don't go to Cuba. Mexico >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cuba.

<--- was in Cuba mid Dec 2016

 

[Imported]

I went in December with a group of people. We flew American Airlines from SFO > MIA > HAV. Used the "People to People" option for the Visa. Pretty straightforward getting there. Unfortunately I don't know much about accommodation details because I didn't organize it, but we stayed at some pretty nice hotels in Havana and Vinales. Stayed at a casa in Baracoa. The casa was nice cause they provide breakfast every morning and by law, the rooms needed to have AC and their own bathroom.

For currency, everything was paid with CUCs. Roughly 1:1 exchange with the USD, but due to an additional fee, it's like $87CUC per $100USD. Exchanging EUR was about $101CUC per $100EUR. Did not use credit cards the entire trip. WiFi requires purchasing cards.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Album: http://imgur.com/a/S1KRI

 

[ponyo]

Fly to Cancun, Cancun to Cuba - your passport will never be stamped in Cuba.

From folks who have recently gone and were there 10yrs ago - things are changing quickly as dollars flow into the island.

Food is pretty terrible, lodging is pretty terrible, transportation is pretty terrible. people are great as they want your money. It's a total throwback to a different time.

I've researched the past hour and I think I have the flight, entry, and exit figured out. From reading, it seems it's wink-wink system and no one really asks for actual proof. They just want your $50-100 for the visa and you just need to check one of the 12 boxes. That seems simple enough. But decent hotel and rental car are still a problem. AirBnB don't have much listings and hotel prices are $300-500 for what are basically $30 roach motels. And rental car is over $100 a day.

 

[ponyo]

I went in December with a group of people. We flew American Airlines from SFO > MIA > HAV. Used the "People to People" option for the Visa. Pretty straightforward getting there. Unfortunately I don't know much about accommodation details because I didn't organize it, but we stayed at some pretty nice hotels in Havana and Vinales. Stayed at a casa in Baracoa. The casa was nice cause they provide breakfast every morning and by law, the rooms needed to have AC and their own bathroom.

For currency, everything was paid with CUCs. Roughly 1:1 exchange with the USD, but due to an additional fee, it's like $87CUC per $100USD. Exchanging EUR was about $101CUC per $100EUR. Did not use credit cards the entire trip. WiFi requires purchasing cards.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Album: http://imgur.com/a/S1KRI

Those are some gorgeous pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Capt Caveman]

A bunch of running friends and I are thinking of going down there for a race-cation and running the Havana Marathon. I think there's a time limit of five hours to finish the marathon. I don't know if they shoot you if you don't finish.

 

[Darwin333]

I've researched the past hour and I think I have the flight, entry, and exit figured out. From reading, it seems it's wink-wink system and no one really asks for actual proof. They just want your $50-100 for the visa and you just need to check one of the 12 boxes. That seems simple enough. But decent hotel and rental car are still a problem. AirBnB don't have much listings and hotel prices are $300-500 for what are basically $30 roach motels. And rental car is over $100 a day.

Holy crap, I would have thought that a dollar went a decent ways in Cuba. Maybe it's the influx of people since the travel ban has been lifted?

 

[sdifox]

Holy crap, I would have thought that a dollar went a decent ways in Cuba. Maybe it's the influx of people since the travel ban has been lifted?

No. Everything is expensive there because of the embargo.

 

[Darwin333]

No. Everything is expensive there because of the embargo.

Dang, so even a midrange hooker and a little bit of blow is gonna run north of $1K? Fuuuck that shit, you can get 4 hookers of the same class and a whole lot of blow in Mexico for the same price.

 

[John Connor]

https://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Para...&ie=UTF8&qid=1493527348&sr=1-24&keywords=raft

 

[boomerang]

https://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Para...&ie=UTF8&qid=1493527348&sr=1-24&keywords=raft

Agree totally. Vacations are so yesterday, adventure's are where it's at.

 

[sdifox]

Dang, so even a midrange hooker and a little bit of blow is gonna run north of $1K? Fuuuck that shit, you can get 4 hookers of the same class and a whole lot of blow in Mexico for the same price.

That is why I said Mexico and not Cuba.

 

[John Connor]

You couldn't PAY ME! to go to Mexihell. Not even a beach resort town. I'd rather kick it in Costa Rica or Belize.

Quba? Da fuck?

 

[ponyo]

That is why I said Mexico and not Cuba.

I've traveled to Mexico for family vacations the last three years. Last year we went twice. We might still go again this year since it's cheap but only as last resort. Mexico is nice and you can stay in really nice oceanfront 4-5 star hotel/resorts for like $400 a night but we need a change of scenery. I'm looking at Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, along with Cuba as potential vacation destination. I found decent number of Cuba hotels on Tripadvisor in the $200-300 range last night so it's not as bad as I thought. Kayak only had few overpriced listings.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

OP wants to imagine he is in a time machine and going back in time apparently.

 

[sdifox]

I've traveled to Mexico for family vacations the last three years. Last year we went twice. We might still go again this year since it's cheap but only as last resort. Mexico is nice and you can stay in really nice oceanfront 4-5 star hotel/resorts for like $400 a night but we need a change of scenery. I'm looking at Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, along with Cuba as potential vacation destination. I found decent number of Cuba hotels on Tripadvisor in the $200-300 range last night so it's not as bad as I thought. Kayak only had few overpriced listings.

St. Lucia.

 

[dullard]

You couldn't PAY ME! to go to Mexihell.

You are missing out on quite a lot then. Oh well, more peace and quiet for me when I go.