Cuba
 

Since I'm leaving for Cuba soon I'm wondering if anyone recommends me hitting anywhere up? Where should I stay away from? Anyone?

I've been to Cuba and was in the Hoguin area. Where area are you in?

When you step outside the airport look out for the guys trying to carry your bags to the bus assuming your in Varadero and taking a bus to a resort. They'll just grab them so hang on to your bag and tell them to fuck off or if you want to be nice just say no I got it.

I really liked Cuba as far as a nice place but I hated the food so much that I will never ever go back. I am a picky eater (no seafood for me) so this effected what I could eat a lot. Havana is pretty cool to check out but the poverty in general is fairly depressing. If you do go to Havana go with a tour and do not venture off to far on your own. I know one of the groups I was in there was a guy who had his 3 year old son with him who wandered into the wrong store. They basically roughed him up and forced him to buy some counterfeit cigars before they would let him leave. That was a one off though I didn't really feel unsafe or anything on any part of my trip, the army and there machine guns are very visible.

Varadero for me. And it sounds like Mexico so yea. I can understand wher eyou're coming from here

Where you planning on staying? I stayed at Beaches which was pronounced [Bitches] by the locals which for some stupid reason made me laugh everytime. Welcome to bitches.

Varadero. I stayed at the Barcelo Solymar, all inclusive. Take a trip to Havana. It is a nice place where you can see Old Havana and New Havana. The cigars can be bought at your hotel. For foreign exchange, there should be foreign exchange place/store in your hotel. The hotel will also do foreign exchange but will charge a bit more.

Lastly, save 25 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) as you will need this to leave the country. Also, the airport has government Cigar stores and liquour stores.

Have a good time.

If you leave the resort, make sure you ASK FOR THE MENU BEFORE YOU ORDER ANYTHING. F*cking commies charged me and the gf 30 CUC for a shitty meal and 1 beer at a restaurant in Varadero city.

Take the bus from the airport to the hotel. Taxis will rip you off.

Make sure you bring all the cash you will need. There is no ATM or CC capacity anywhere in Cuba. And BTW, Cuba isn't cheap since they make foreigners use the CUC. Whatever you think you will spend, bring 2X that amount.

Bring CDN. The USD exchange rate is horrible and subject to a 10% penalty or something like that.

Damn, Varadero has one of the world's best beaches, but the country is definitely a POS. That's what they get after 50 years of unrepentant communism!

Can I use straight up CDN? Or do I have to exchange to CUC at a rate of 1 to 1.31CUC?

Even the Euro which is currently (approx) 1 to 1.6CND is 1 to 1.28CUC

I used USD the whole time I was there when I went about 4 years ago.

You have to exchange at the airport once you land.

This currency issue is the biggest joke ever. It's basically a foreign reserve money grab by the Cuban government. I not visiting Cuba again until they change the Castro's for someone else.

And the USD penalty was implemented recently re: Quasi's post above.