General Questions about Cuba travels

• Is legal to rent a private house in Cuba? Is possible to rent in Varadero ?
  • From 1997 the Cuban permited to rent in a legal form your houses to the Cuban families, maybe to turists foreigners or to cuban people. It was possible in a lot of places of our country (with the exception of Varadero, Cayo Largo, Cayo Coco,..). For to do that, the owners must pay taxes monthly and anually. This is one of the few private bussissnes in a legal form in Cuba.
    
    In Varadero beach, is prohibited to the Cuban People to host in her houses to turists foreigners, for this reason in this case our recomendation for enjoy Varadero (one of the most beatiful beach in our country) is to rent in Cuban hotels.
• We need the private house address for Visa to obtain and fill the tourist Card when arrive at the airport. You will give me the private house address ?
  • Yes. when We confirm your reservation, We will send you via Email then confirmation, the complet address of the private house and the phone number of the house.
• I need pasaport to travel to Cuba ?
  • Yes, for all the nacionality, You need a passport that must be valid more then 6 months after the day of your Cuban arrive.
• We need visa ?
  • No, don't need properly a Visa, but You need a "Tourist Card" (Tarjeta de turista).
    If you is not United States resident, you need only to solicite a Tourist card in the Cuban Embassy of your country. If you are resident in United States, for come to Cuba trought of Canada, Mexico or Bahamas, the travel Agency in those country can give you Tourist card (if come hear Via Cancún, you can to solicite the Tourist Card for Cuba in the Cancún airport)
• The inmigration agent of Cuba stamp the passport to the EEUU turist ?
  • Generally, the inmigration oficial DON'T stamp the northamerican pasaport; in this case they must stamp another document separately, and you must keep with you this document all the time that you will bee in Cuba. Other option in to come to Cuba with the passport and your Certificate or Birthday. In the case (very little probable) that your passport was stamped, (if You come back via Mexico) Its possible to use your Certificate or Birthday for get back to United States.
• Is possible for E.U. people travel to Cuba ?
  • The short answer is that Americans on sanctioned humanitarian tours (bringing goods), educational tours, journalists and Cuban-Americans may apply for permission from the US Government. The long answer is: US Department of the Treasury or US State Department. (NOTE: There's a great article that ran in BusinessWeek Magazine on this very subject -- read it, and chances are you'll feel very comfortable about legally travelling to Cuba with an American passport.)
• We need hotel reservation for go to Cuba ?
  • Upon entering the country, Cuban officials will often ask at which hotel you're stay. If you don't have a voucher, email or some sort of printout with the hotel name and address (or name/address of the casa particular), they'll insist that you book a 3-night stay at the hotel of their picking (often moderate to expensive choices). The safest best is to have your accommodations arranged prior to your arrival.
• We must page taxes when We return from Cuba ?
  • Yes, be sure to save twenty five dollars, as everyone departing Cuba must pay this departure tax (US currency).
• What are my transportartion options once in Cuba ?
  • The transportation opotions are : Taxis (Statal) Can be cars, vagons or buses of diferent types (normal or luxuri, old car and others). You can do the reservation by phone and they will go for you in the place that you will be. They can be found in the hotels parking, or in the street. Cocotaxi (statal) Is a moto taxi, with capacity for 2 persons. Bicitaxi (particular) Bycicle where is possible to transport 2 persons. Coches de caballos (with horses) (particular), principally in Old Havana (Habana Vieja) or in interior provinces. Omnibus (statal) is the popular form for the cuban people, is cheap, maybe from 0.40 to 1 cuban peso, but the service is not very good. If comfort and timeliness don't matter, buses are extremely cheap, and a great way to travel the Cuban way. Taxis para cubanos (particular), this autos are traveling in the principal avenue, the price must be 10 or 20 cuban pesos in dependence of the distance. Ther are not authorizated for tourist transportation. For to go to another provinces the most economical options are the buses of Via Azul or the especial buses of the Terminal buses, or maybe by train reservated in the Train Terminal or by plain reservated in Cubana de Aviación, Aerogaviota, or anothers.
    The Rent a Car is a good option. In Cuba exists diferente agency of rent a car. (Micar, CubaCar, HabanaAutos, Rex,....) There are four international airports in Cuba: Havana, Varadero, Holguin and Camaguey. There are also many smaller airports. Departing from Havana, regularly scheduled are flights to Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Camaguey, Bayamo, Manzanillo, Guantanamo and Las Tunas.
    Some Airlines flying to Cuba are: Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Aeropostal, Condor, Cubana de Aviacion, Iberia, AirEuropa, LTU, Ladeco, Mexicana, Taag and Viasa. Also, there are charter airlines operated by tour operators.
• Is Cuba a safe place ?
  • Absolutely. In fact, violent crime is almost unheard of in Cuba, making Cuba by far the safest of the Caribbean islands. However, with any large city or foreign country, the obvious stands: don't be flashy with cash or jewelry, and generally be aware of your surroundings.
• May I drink the normal water ?
  • No. Care should also be taken with mojitos and other mixed drinks, as the ice cubes are generally frozen tap water. Bottled water is plentiful and cheap.
• What procent of Cubans speak in English or Italian ?
  • Most Cubans speak some English, but most not fluently. Brush up on your conversational Spanish on the flight to Cuba (generally those working in tourism and hospitality, such as hotels and restaurants, speak very good English).

General questions in relation with TRAVELCUBASITE.COM

• How may I to find a Particular House or appartment in this Web Site ?
  • You have diferent forms of select the desire house :
    1) In the right part of the Principal Page we show the Best Houses (5 houses) that you should to have in consideration in your selection; this houses shown economical and luxury houses, in residencial reparto or in beach, with different quantity of rooms.
    2) You can use the option to find easily the house that you need selecting the province or zona and the condicions that you need (for example, if you want swimingpool, how many rooms, and others). In this option we show the conditions and photos, and we permit the prereservation of the house or appartment that you like.
    3) In the left part of the Principal Page you have the possibility of Show all the Particular Houses (Directory in all Cuba), selecting if you want all the conditions in similar form at 2).
• How We can use the Critery of Order ?
  • This is the possibility of order in the form that you want the results of one search (of houses, photos or places) ever in alphabetic and ascendent form. For this You should stablih 3 Critery : The Main Criteria is wich one you will sort the results. The implicit criteria (by City or Zone) stablishment that all the houses of the first area will show, after will show the houses of the next area (by alphabetic order), and successively. The Critery 2 permit sort all the houses in the first area by this criteria, the implicit value (by House code) define that the houses will order in alphabetic and ascendent order by the House Code. You can change the implicit value and order, for example by number of rooms, in this case inside the first area you will order at the begining the houses with 1 room, after 2 rooms and sucesively. And continue in se same form for each zone. The Last Criteria permit order inside of each group obtain by Criteria 2. For example if we select the Criteria 2 the Number of rooms and Criteria 3 the House code, all the houses 1 room will be sort by House code in order alphabetic ascendent, after the houses of 2 rooms sort by House code in order alphabetic ascendent and sucesively.
• Must I to share lodging areas with other tourists ?
  • In some cases the owner that rent more than one room and the bathroom is independently, they can rent the empty room to other persons. If it is a problem for You, you must said us for coordinate with the owner about that.
• I can't find the place that I like, what I will do ?
  • If you can't find the lodging that you need in our directory, fill the General Formular of Reservations or simply Contact Us sending the condition that You need in your lodging. We have contacts with similar lodging that will serve you.
• How I will do the reservation ?
  • Is possible to reserve in 3 different form :
    1. Select the house or appartment that you need, and select "To Reserve".
    2. Clicking on Reservation and sending Us the House conditions that you need, rapidly we will send you Via E-Mail our propositions.
    3. Clicking on Reservation Tour and sending Us the cities that you like to visit, writing or no the Particular Houses that you like to rent, if you don't sent the houses we will send you Via E-Mail our propositions.
• How I will receive the confirmation of my reservation?
  • The confirmation will send You Via Email. Inmediately that We confirm your prereservation with the House owner, we will send You the Email with the confirmation including the address house.
• Why the prices of the rooms are hights in Cuba ?
  • The houses owners that rent in a legal form her houses, must pay taxes monthly at the Cuban Goverment. The taxes are hight and they must pay independently if the house is rented or no.
    The taxes are between 150 pesos convertibles montly for each room for ret, with tourist or no. Aditionaly they must pay the common areas with the tourist. At the end of the year, the must pay un procent (from 10 to 15 %) of the ganancy obtained.
    Each owner must fill a Guest Book, where they must put the name and surname, the birthday, nacionality and passport number of the guest and the accompanist, the period of rent and the accorded price.
    The houses prices are similar more or less in similar houses of the same area. However, the house prices, are more economical than the hotels.
    
• Should I pay for the TRAVELCUBASITE.COM reservation ?
  • No, You don't need to pay aditionaly for our reservation, moreover, when can give you special discount from 10 to 20% of the price for reservations of more than one month.
• Should I pay for my welcome in the airport ?
  • In the cases that You want (for a period of 7 days or superior) we can to meet You at the airport, however You must pay the taxi from airport to house reserved. In other case we will send You via email tha address of the house reserved and you must go alone to the house. The owner of the house will wait for you for show the house and explain to you all about the rent, and he will give you the keys of the house.
    
    Normally el taxi price (for normal taxi) is around $15.00 - $20.00 CUC from the airport from Havana to the Center of Havana.
• How I pay the reservation ? Whom I must pay ? I need to pay before to go ?
  • You should must pay directly to the house owner when you come to the house and confirm the conditions of the house reserved. The owner of the house is compromised with you with the days that you pay and no for more days.
    You don't need to pay anticipally.
• I can't find answer to my doubt ?
  • Please, Contact Us and write us your questions. Shure, we will contact you before 12 hours.
• How I can contact with TRAVELCUBASITE.COM ?
  • You can send us one Email for Contact Us
• How return to General Menu of TRAVELCUBASITE.COM ?
  • In all the page of this Web Site, You have the possibility of return to Web Site General Menu, clicking on the iconwhen is clicking.
• Cómo llegar Directamente al Tema o Servicio Deseado sin transitar ? Uso del Mapa del Sitio
  • Ud. puede hacer uso del Mapa del Sitio (que aparece con el Boton SITIO en el Menú superior de cada página (Encabezamiento) o en el extremo inferiior de estas (Pie de Página) ) para acceder directamente al lugar deseado. Por ejemplo, de esta forma Ud podria directamente ver las Casas en el Reparto MIramar o ver los Lugares en la Provincia Santi Spiriitus. También con la opción Buscador por palabras o por Directorios que se comenta mas adelante Ud. podrá acceder a las páginas donde aparece la Palabra o Categoría de Sitio buscada. Conocer del Buscador de Palabras o Directorio
• Cuáles son las Mejoras de la nueva Versión de TravelCubaSite ?
  • La Nueva Versión de TravelCubaSite es una Versión en ASP con el Uso de Bases de Datos que le brindan una mayor potencialidad y flexibilidad en las Búsquedas, las cuales permiten ordenar según el criterio seleccionado por el Usuario. Los correos que se le envian a los usuarios ya no dependen de Formularios, sino que son enviados por medio de un servidor de correo sin necesitar de una cuenta del usuario y se muestra una copia del contenido enviado. Esta Nueva Versión aparece con Nuevas Ofertas
• Cuáles son las Nuevas Ofertas de la nueva Versión de TravelCubaSite ?
  • Entre las Nuevas Ofertas que aparecen, tenemos :
    - El Buscador de Palabras y de Sitios - LlerySOFT Directorio
    - Las Permutas, Compras y Ventas de Casas
    - El Buscador de Música
    - La Compra o Descarga de Discos cubanos
    - La Compra de INFOCUBA por INTERNET
• Qué le permite El Buscador de Palabras y de Sitios - LlerySOFT Directorio.
  • Con esta Opción, que se accede a ella por el Borde inferior de la Página (Pie de Página), Ud. podrá ver la Páginas donde aparece la palabra buscada (que se entrega en la parte superior donde dice A Buscar y se da Clic en Buscar) o las Páginas donde aparece el Tema (Categoria) que Ud. seleccione moviendo el cursor con el ratón hasta ubicarlo sobre la Categoría que desee buscar, la cual se pondra en rojo y Ud deberá dar Clic Izquierdo para que se ejecute la Búsqueda. Una vez realizada la Búsqueda, Ud. deberá (con el ratón) mover el cursor, posicionándolo sobre la dirección donde se encuentra el Sitio seleccionado, el cual cambiará a color rojo, y entonces Ud. podra dar Click izquierdo para entrar al mismo. Ver Llery SOFT Directorio
• Las Permutas, Ventas y Compras de Casas en Cuba
  • La Palabra Permuta corresponde a la posibilidad de cambiar una(s) casa(s) por otra(s), ya que en Cuba no estaba permitida la compra-venta de casas, y esta era la opción que tenían. Esta Opción aparece dentro del Menú de Ofertas y la misma aparece subdividida en Ampliarse, Reducirse, Similar, Interprovincial, 1x2, 2x1 y otras. A partir de Diciembre del 2011, que se ha autorizado por el gobierno Comprar o Vender Casas, se incorporaron estas nuevas opciones. En el Sitio podrá Buscar o Insertar una Permutas, Compras o Ventas. En la Búsqueda o Inserción Ud. podrá seleccionar lo que necesita. Junto con los datos de la casa, se dá la posibilidad de incluir las fotos de la misma. Ver el Menú de Permutas, Compras o Ventas de Casas en Cuba
• El Buscador de Música
  • El acceso a esta opción aparece en la Pagina Principal y en el Mapa del Sitio dentro de las Facilidades. Esta opción le permite seleccionar lo que desea oir y ver, seleccionando el Intérprete y Tiipo de Música deseado y ordenarlo, si lo desea, por Tipo de Música, cancion, País, Interprete y Nombre del Disco. La Base de Datos cuenta con canciones, Videos Musicales, Infantiles y Cuentos de Humoristas cubanos. Ver el Buscador de Música
• Compra o Descarga de Discos Cubanos
  • El acceso a esta opción sólo aparece en la Pagina Principal y en el Mapa del Sitio dentro de las Facilidades. Esta opción le permite seleccionar EL o LOS DISCOS que desea oir del Tipo de Música e Intérprete (cubano) seleccionado. La Base de Datos cuenta con aproximadamente 200 Discos cubanos de todos los tiempos, permite seleccionar los discos deseados para ser comprados. Para el uso de esta Opción Ud. deberá estar Registrado o Asociado. Ver Compra y Descarga de Discos Cubanos
• Compra de INFOCUBA por INTERNET
  • Esta opción puede ser solicitada dentro de las Ofertas de la Página Principal y dentro de las Ofertas del Mapa del Sitio. Ud. podrá seleccionar la configuración (Mínima, Básica, Completa o Superior) que desea comprar, y/o los Complementos deseados y realizará la reserva del mismo. Pasará a pagarla por Transferencia Bancaria o por INTERNET con Paypal y una vez realizado el pago, recibirá un Correo con el Código de Descarga para que pueda recibir este Software Vía INTERNET. Ud. podrá obtener las Versiones actualizadas (que se realizará semestralmente) por la mitad de Precio Básico. Para el uso de esta Opción Ud. deberá estar Registrado o Asociado. Ud. también podrá adquirir directamente este Soft en nuestros establecimientos. Ver Compra de INFOCUBA por INTERNET