Prices in Cuba - 2021: food, housing, cars, excursions

How much is the newly discovered Cuba for the 2020-2021 season?

Once we wanted adventure, but not quite trashy. We chose Cuba - colorful and quite safe (in comparison with other Latin countries).

Considering that the architectural and historical heritage of the island is being destroyed more and more every year, we decided not to waste a minute and went to a distant country. In this article, I talk in detail about prices in Cuba and how to save money on such a trip.

Cuba is open to Russian tourists - tours are already on sale, since last year charters from Moscow have been flying to the island of Cayo Coco, and since April 2021 - and in Varadero. Prices for tours directly from tour operators, see aggregators: Travelata Level.Travel Onlinetours

The text was written from personal experience - and the prices on the spot (for food, travel, entertainment) remained the same. The cost of tours and conditions of entry have changed: there is a special section about this in the article.

When is it cheaper to relax: the season in Cuba

The season in Cuba defies clear definition. It cannot be said about it as about Asia: then it is warm and sunny here, and in such months it is cloudy and rainy.

More precisely, upon request, the search engine will inform you: drive in the winter, and do not go in the summer. But they won't warn you that from November to January:

• firstly, on the street it can drop to +15 - literally for a couple of days, but still,
• secondly, sunny days - less than half a month, the other half is cloudy, but not rainy,
• thirdly, the sun sets early - at 6 pm it is already dark.

The "golden mean" is felt from the end of February to June. A lot of sun, it gets dark later, temperatures are higher - with such introductory and short-term showers are not terrible (however, they begin only in May).

May and summer are the season of discount tours, when they finally cost less than 100 thousand rubles for two. Well, or slightly “for”, and not seriously “for” a hundred thousand. All because humidity, heat and rain come.

When to vacation in Cuba?

The average water temperature for the month is indicated.

Red is the season of hurricanes and rains

Yellow - like a high season, but it can be cloudy and windy, short daylight hours

Blue - hot and wet season

Green is the optimal period

Prices for tours to Cuba - 2020-2021

Cuba is quite a "package" destination. All inclusive here is not the same as in Turkey, of course. Prices are higher, service is lower. But the sea and landscapes are more beautiful.

In November 2020, tour operators returned tours to Cuba on sale, because Russia has resumed air traffic with the country. There are several conditions:

— vouchers with departure only from Moscow,
— of the resorts of Cuba, only Varadero and the two islands of Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo are open.

The tour operators Pegas Turistik, Anex Tour and Coral Travel still have permission to fly - respectively, and to sell tours. To compare who has what is cheaper and what departure dates are available, see the offers on the aggregators:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

Charters fly regularly, no cancellations. Cuba is one of those rare destinations now, where everything "settled down" both with flights and with the situation on the spot. Please note the conditions in italics, I update in a timely manner which resorts are allowed for foreigners.

What are the prices? As always, not on a budget. Tour cost for 7 nights for two - from 120,000 rubles (4 * hotel, all inclusive). Prices for tours to Cuba in 2021 to a hotel of a higher class and with good guest reviews - from 130,000 rubles. Tour to Cuba for 14 nights for two - from 190,000 rubles.

Entering Cuba now

The country is still visa-free for Russians, but in connection with the events of 2020, several conditions have been introduced for entry - both on a voucher and independently:

• 72 hours before departure, the tourist passes the PCR test - a certificate with the result must be in English and in paper form.
• On the plane or upon arrival, fills out a health questionnaire (grab a pen).
• Another virus testing is underway at the airport and it's free. The result is notified within 24 hours.
• The tourist expects the result of the test at his hotel. The mandatory 5-day quarantine for those arriving on tour does not apply.
• It is compulsory to have insurance that covers the treatment of the misfortune with the letter "k" - the one that is included in the tour is suitable. If in doubt, buy a policy at cherehapa.ru.

With regards to returning to Russia: within 3 days after arrival, you must pass the PCR test and upload the results to the State Services. You can take an express test at Moscow airports, or a regular test at private clinics.

10 good hotels in Cuba - open now

Pandemic restrictions in Cuban hotels are similar to Turkish ones - guests can be on site without a mask, it is required only for staff. Personal protective equipment is required on buses, shops and street cafes.

At the moment, two neighboring Cuban resorts are available for tourists: the islands of Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo, and the most popular is Varadero.

Rating and cost of popular hotels in the most tourist resort of Cuba - Varadero:

• 5 * Iberostar Varadero - with great beach, service and food
  Tour for two (all inclusive) - from 240,000 rubles
• 4 * Sol Palmeras - family hotel, many children, varied meals. Best of fours according to guests
  Tour for two (all inclusive) - from 140,000 rubles
• 4 * Melia Las Antillas - adults-only hotel, good animation
  Tour for two (all inclusive) - from 205,000 rubles
• 4 * Blau Varadero is an excellent hotel, which, according to vacationers, is in no way inferior to the local "five". Large green area
  Tour for two (all inclusive) - from 170,000 rubles
• 4 * Iberostar Tainos - well-groomed area, beautiful beach. Alcohol of good quality, there are complaints about food from tourists (monotonous)
  Tour for two (all inclusive) - from 185,000 rubles

Travel on your own: hotel prices in Cuba

Photo via pxhere.com

It is clear that the number of independent tourists in Cuba is several times less than those with a tour operator. When only one flight comes out at the price of a tour, no matter how independent we are, we will choose a tour :)

Nevertheless, there are many places where you can use good old Booking - for example, to spend the night in Havana.

You can rent a guest accommodation in Cuba on your own without any problems, even through Airbnb, even on the spot. All the houses where the rooms are rented (called casa particular) have signs with a blue badge in the shape of ... Anchors? Sandboxes? Eyes? .. However, it is often supplemented with quite an English inscription RENT ROOM. Price - from $ 10 per room per night.

There are also hostels in Cuba. They are not much different from kas: they are also private houses, only the room has not one or two beds, but five or six. Cost - from $ 8 per night.
Hotels of the 2 * -3 * level in Cuba have an ambiguous reputation. Their quality is often poor. Be sure to read the reviews before booking! Experienced tourists recommend booking this category of accommodation only in Havana, and in the provinces to live in ticket offices. Price per night - from $ 30.

If you are going to a hotel in Cuba, then you need to choose a good one, from 4 * and in a tourist area. Here's our selection of great hotels in Havana:

• 5 * Iberostar Parque Central - conveniently located, good rooms and a cool lookout on the roof
• 5 * Nacional De Cuba is a historical place, Churchill, Sinatra and others stayed here. There are even excursions to the hotel
• 4 * Gran Caribe Sevilla - located in the center, according to European standards - confident 3 stars
• 4 * Gaviota Telegrafo - located in the historical center, an old building, high ceilings, a beautiful hall
• 3 * Beltran De Santa Cruz Boutique is a colorful hotel in the Cuban style. You will have to pay for the color

Currency in Cuba

Photo via pxhere.com

There are two currencies reigning in Cuba:

• pesos (CUP) - for locals
• and cook (Cuban convertible peso, CUC) for tourists. In tourist zones, you can only pay with cookies.

1 euro ≈ 1.2 cuc and 30 cup
1 CUC ≈ 77 rubles or $ 1
1 CUP ≈ 3 rubles

It is better to take both euros and dollars with you. Dollars are often used to pay on the black market or in the tourist areas of Cuba, and it is more profitable than paying in cookies.But euros are needed to exchange them for cookies, because when exchanging dollars, Cubans take a 10% commission.

A bottle of water for tourists will cost 1.5 cookies (cookies? :)) - 115 rubles, while locals can buy it for only 10 pesos - 30 rubles. Here is such an injustice! But what to do: in socialist Cuba, the tourist is the main source of income.

Tourists can also buy pesos, but it makes sense to do this only if you are traveling on your own and visit places and shops for Cubans. In museums, car rental offices, tourist buses, excursion bureaus and taxis, you can only pay with cookies. From experience, how much should be changed (if necessary): 150 cookies were enough for us for the whole trip for two.

Food prices in Cuba: cafes and restaurants

Food prices in Cuba in 2021 are generally and on average low. Everything is delicious, and the portions are large - you can easily take one for two.

There are three types of catering in the country:

• state,
• private (paladar) - usually at kas (private houses),
• local fast food.

It is better not to enter the state ones: they look fashionable, they are often at hotels, but they do not have service from the word at all. Although this is not even the worst thing. There are no PRODUCTS! Once, very hungry, we went into one of these restaurants and saw: no one was there, not a single item from the menu, and the cook was rolling an egg on the table alone - the only thing he had from food. So we did not manage to eat in this place, but we remembered it for the rest of our lives.

In a paladar it is different: there is always delicious home-style. Prices in a cafe of a similar plan are also encouraging. Average bill is about 10 CUC for a large portion of food with a glass of wine.

With fast food, everything is fine here too. Burger King, McDonald's and other American labels did NOT get here, but local eateries with hot dogs, burgers or shawarma are on every corner. You can eat for as little as 5 CUC.

Prices in Cuba in 2021 in cafes and restaurants:

What to try in Cuba?

1. Mango. A must in Cuba. They are huge, fleshy and sweet, sweet. You can buy a kilogram for 20 pesos and eat only them! True, the mango season begins in April-May.
2. Lobsters and lobsters. There are many of them in Cuba. And you need to know the places, because not everyone knows how to cook them deliciously. We liked it in a small restaurant not filled with tourists on the beach in Varadero, but the name, alas, was not written ...
3. Cigars. Not entirely edible, but whatever one may say, it is difficult to visit Cuba and not try. I advise you to buy on the black market 😉 There they will cost 5 (!!!!!) times cheaper than in duty free. For example, a box of the famous Romeo & Julieta is about $ 10.

And from places to go:

• Café Paris and Nao Bar are two pleasant places in Havana.
• The Puerto de Sagua restaurant is also in Havana. It was built before the revolution. The prices are overpriced, but there is a special Cuban atmosphere of colonial times. The service in the establishment is at the highest level (and not only by local standards :)).

Food prices in Cuba in 2021

All ticket offices have kitchens, you can cook on your own. But it is worth remembering that Cuba is a socialist country, reminiscent of the Soviet Union in the era of Brezhnev's stagnation. And the shops there are appropriate. There is a shortage on the shelves, meat is expensive and stale, fruits are only seasonal (mango, guava, pineapple, bananas, citrus fruits). There are also cereals, pasta, canned food, bread, eggs and cigars.

Food prices in Cuba in 2021:

You can find a local market. It will be inexpensive to buy there, they accept pesos. They also accept pesos in shops for Cubans, but they are empty-oh-oh-oh, even with a ball. In a supermarket-type store, they pay with cookies (the situation is more fun, they are for tourists).

It would be strange to write about Cuba and not mention their famous rum. Most often, two types are sold:

• Havana club
• Legendario

They cost about the same: from 10 CUC. In my opinion (and taste), Legendario is significantly better. You can buy both in gift shops throughout Cuba and in duty free, the difference is small. Cubans are not particularly at risk of selling alcohol “under the counter”.

Beaches in Cuba

Holidays in Cuba can conditionally take place: on the island of Cuba itself, on the islands off the southern coast of Cuba (Cayo Largo) - where the Caribbean Sea, on the islands off the northern coast of Cuba (Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Santa Maria) - where is the Atlantic Ocean.

Great beaches are everywhere. Cuba's regulars think they are better on the islands. But this is rather due to their less popularity among tourists and, consequently, congestion.

Top 5 best beaches:

• The beach in the resort of Varadero is the most popular and longest beach in the country: 22 km. The resort itself is similar in form and content to the Hotelier's Zone in Cancun.
• Ancon (Playa Ancón) - located near the city of Trinidad, very clean, included in the UNESCO list.
• Santa Maria Del Mar (Santa Maria Del Mar) - located 25 km from Havana, around the mangroves, a hangout place.
• The beaches of the island of Cayo Largo (Paraiso, Sirena) - thanks to the coral reef located near the island, there is an interesting diving and snorkeling. The gentle entrance + the absence of waves make local resorts ideal for families with children.
• Pilar Beach on the island of Cayo Guillermo - the island itself is coral. Along the coast, Hemingway often sailed on the yacht after which the beach was named. There are sharp stones here, it is better to put on shoes.

All beaches on the island are free. For additional services such as equipment rental (umbrella, sun lounger), you will have to pay from 2 CUC to 5 CUC.

Prices for attractions and attractions

In Cuba, there is nothing better than walking, looking at its bright but decaying architecture over the years, swimming in the Caribbean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean, and in the evenings drinking a cocktail with Cuban rum in a bar and chatting with hospitable Cubans. But lovers of a more active cultural program also have a reason to go to the island of freedom;)

For example, Cuban national parks (some of which are included in the UNESCO heritage list):

+ Vinales Valley
+ Ciénaga de Zapata Nature Reserve
+ Alexander Humboldt National Park

The entrance to the park is usually free, tickets have to be bought to see certain attractions (caves - 5 CUC). It is most convenient to visit them as part of excursions. Independent trips also have a place to be, in this case it is better to book accommodation in the area of ​​the national park so that you have enough time to navigate the area and see everything.

It is EXACTLY worth seeing the historic center of Havana, with many beautiful fortresses, and the ancient city of Trinidad (an open-air city-museum with 18th century architecture). Free-independently or as part of an excursion.

Other entertainment in Cuba:

- Aquapark in Havana - 20 CUC (1600 rubles)
- Diving (it's not for nothing that Cuba is in the top 5 best places for diving) - 35 CUC (2700 rubles) + equipment 10 CUC (770 rubles)
- Snorkeling - free if you bring your equipment

How much do excursions in Cuba cost?

Prices for excursions in Cuba:

• Sightseeing group tours of Havana will cost about $ 60 per person
• Individual tours in Russian - about $ 80- $ 100
• Thematic, for example, in the places of Ernest Hemingway - $ 200

The optimal set of outbound excursions for a classic 10-day vacation:

1) Havana far and wide - individual sightseeing tour with a Russian-speaking guide.
Cost: € 80 + transport (per excursion)

2) Las Terrazas and Vinales Valley - a trip to the national park, zip-line, cigar production and authentic villages (in Russian).
Price: € 150 + transport (per excursion)

3) Catamaran cruise in Cayo Blanco - sea excursion to the reefs and snorkeling equipment + lunch (English, Spanish).
Price: € 165 per person

Simplified economy program:

- As a sightseeing option: a la hop-on hop-off in Havana (Havana Bus Tour) - see everything quickly. The truth does not work as punctually as in Europe :))
Price: 10 CUC

- Ambrosio Cave in Varadero: you can see bats, crabs, and, of course, stalactites and stalagmites.
Entrance: 5 CUC

- A visit to a crocodile farm is one of the most popular and fun activities in Cuba.
Price: 10 CUC

Transport

In Cuba, you can get around by: taxi, buses, your own rented car.

Taxi easy to catch at every corner. You can and SHOULD bargain with taxi drivers. A ride from the airport to Havana will ask for 25 CUC, but after some bickering, you can reach the center for only 20 CUC. Don't be surprised if our Soviet Lada turns out to be the car. There are a lot of them on the island. By the way, a taxi from Havana to the airport will cost less: 15 CUC.

Very popular in Cuba retro cars... You can have fun and use such a retro taxi. It's not cheap (about 10 CUC in 40 min), but very atmospheric! For example, I immediately introduced myself as a heroine from The Great Gatsby.

Buses - the best way to travel between cities. They are cheaper. So, getting from Havana to Varadero by taxi will cost about 60 cookies, and by bus - 10. Tourists move around Cuba in Viazul cars.

For locals there is transport by type minibuses... They cost quite a penny, but:

• Not very comfortable - the driver is waiting for a full cabin of people, the departure is not on time.
• They also do not have exact routes; on the way, there may suddenly be a break for lunch with the driver, or a loop to bring / pick up someone.
• Until recently, tourists were prohibited from using this type of transport. According to the latest reviews, a law was passed, according to which it was officially forbidden not to take foreigners "on board", but many drivers still refuse to board.
• Without knowledge of Spanish it is definitely better not to sit there - there is a chance to come there - I don't know where.

Rent a Car

I highly recommend renting a car in Cuba. This is freedom of movement and the opportunity to see the whole country, visit hard-to-reach beaches, and not just tourist reservations.

Car rental prices in Cuba in 2021 depend on the season and car class. The cheapest option is $ 45 per day. The average cost is $ 60 per day. In many rental offices in high season the minimum booking period is from 5 days.

Additional costs for car rental:

• insurance - $ 15 / day
• gasoline - $ 1.2 per liter
• parking - almost everywhere $ 1- $ 2

In total, renting a car for 10 days cost us about $ 900.

You need to book a car in Cuba either very much in advance on sites like cubacar.info, or rely on luck on the spot. At night, it is better to leave the car in the parking lot or pay the same to the local watchman - 2 CUC. Otherwise, in the morning you may find that there are not enough mirrors or something more serious.

My advice: how much money to take for Cuba?

So, the main thing to remember about Cuba holidays in 2021 is that you are traveling to a socialist country. The state is poor, and tourists are the main source of income. You won't be able to have a cheap rest. But you need to fly to the Caribbean not for cheapness, but for exoticism: live in an unusual way of life, admire the vibrant nature, and communicate.

A few tips from personal experience:

- When traveling to Cuba, forget about credit cards. Finding an ATM or terminal in the country is almost impossible. Only cash, only hardcore!
- To change currency you always need to have a PASSPORT with you !!! No other identity document will work.
- Buy some pesos (no more than 50-100 CUP). It is not always possible to pay with them, but if so, it is 5 times cheaper than paying in cookies.
- About the Internet. Mobile communication, with roaming enabled on Russian SIM cards, works quite well here at times. You shouldn't count on LTE, but you can post a photo. Wi-fi is "issued by cards". You can buy one or five hours of Internet for 1 CUC and 5 CUC, respectively, and look for points where the network catches. Usually they are very easy to recognize: in such places there are many people who are enthusiastically staring at the screens of their gadgets.
- Shopping and Cuba are mutually exclusive concepts. Clothing is definitely not included in the category of what is brought from the country. The optimal set of souvenirs: rum and cigars.
- Last tip: don't be afraid to bargain! Prices in Cuba are not always final. Bargaining with them is not considered shameful. If it is possible to drop the price, they will drop it for you, and if not, they will not be offended, but they will immediately tell you straight.

My experience of traveling to Cuba

When traveling, my friends and I love to merge with the local population to the maximum in order to feel the country. We organize all trips ourselves. We rent private apartments, rent a car and drive around cities. We get to know the "natives" and learn about life hacks that are not available during an "all inclusive" holiday.

Popular resorts we visited during our trip to Cuba:

• Havana
• Varadero
• Santiago
• Trinidad

We lived in Casa Particular (in private houses), ate in small cafes and fast foods. A couple of times we allowed ourselves to go to expensive restaurants. They almost did not take excursions, but they themselves visited many different museums.

Despite the fact that we were in a rather low season (May), the cost of a trip to Cuba was far from cheap. For 10 days on the island, excluding air tickets and accommodation, we spent about 90,000 rubles for two. They paid another 50,000 rubles for the air tickets. Apartments: 2,000 rubles per night ≈ 20,000 rubles for the entire time.
Total budget: 160,000 rubles.