Traveling to Cuba with a tourist card (the visa), one is rewarded with a consistently tropical climate. This is due to the geographical proximity to the equator. This peculiarity is one of the many charms of the islands. The climate is divided into a dry season and a rainy season. The dry season is more popular for tourists traveling to the country and is considered the best time to travel. It begins in November and lasts until April. The rainy months are in the rest of the year.

Between June and November, the weather can even become life-threatening. This is because it is hurricane season. The infamous tropical hurricanes with their breathtaking wind speeds form over the Atlantic off the Caribbean. The hurricanes often reach the islands and the mainland in the region. The country is frequently affected by the storms: in some years, several hurricanes even sweep across the islands.

Those interested in flora and fauna will fully enjoy Cuba outside of the storm season. The rainforest is teeming with numerous species. The state places great emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection. Accordingly, there are over 200 designated nature reserves on the islands in various categories. The national park "Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt" is the most famous protected area in Cuba. It was named after the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who worked on the islands during his lifetime.

Cuba is an archipelago in the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean. Besides the main island, there are other islands that belong to the state. The landscape is characterized by tropical rainforests, mountains up to 2,000 meters high, and coastal strips. The capital is Havana.

Cuba's history is marked by oppression, slavery, and wars. Since the first settlement about 10,000 years ago, a rich culture of the indigenous population developed throughout the island. With the arrival of Christopher Columbus, a new era began. The explorer claimed the land for Spain in 1492. In the following upheavals, most of the inhabitants of Cuba lost their lives, while the islands gained fame for the mining of gold and the cultivation of sugarcane and coffee. Slaves were used for the work.

Later, however, the island nation became independent from Spain again. This required a 30-year war, which made the country dependent on the USA. Since the Cuban Revolution, the state has been a socialist-oriented country. It later received public attention for the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War.

Today, Cuba is more stable and an exciting place for tourists with a tourist card, but it is not entirely free from dangers and risks. It is an authoritarian state without separation of powers and democratic participation. The human rights situation is difficult and the relationship with the great neighbor USA is tense. On the positive side, however, women can hold powerful positions in the state and the education system is one of the best in the region. In addition, all Cubans have the right to free medical care and they are relatively well protected by the state disaster protection.

Today, about eleven million people live on Cuba's islands, most of whom have settled in cities like Havana. They speak Cuban Spanish. Many people are atheists, Catholics, or belong to the mixed religion Santeria.

If you want to experience a holiday on the Cuban islands, you need money. In Cuba, there is the Cuban Peso (CUP, one peso equals 100 cents). The Cuban Peso currently has a value of approximately 0.04 EUR. The currency has been the only means of payment in the state since 2020. Until then, there was a second currency, the Convertible Peso (CUC), which has been completely abolished.

While staying in this country, you are not forced to exchange money. Alternatively, you can also simply pay with credit cards, with Visa and MasterCard being particularly welcome. Otherwise, you can exchange money at the airport, in hotels, or in banks if needed. There are also exchange offices in some places. If you want to withdraw money, you can also have it paid out in pesos on-site if you find a suitable ATM.

It is advisable to always carry some cash with you, as cards are sometimes rejected at Cuban cash registers. This is particularly common with cards associated with US institutions. However, you should not carry too much money around, as there is always the risk of losing it, either through loss or theft.

Although Cuba is not officially associated with strict dress codes, you should bear in mind that there are some limits. As liberally as some people walk around in Germany, you should not necessarily do the same in Caribbean countries. This applies to both women and men. Although inappropriate clothing is rarely punished, you may be denied access to banks or churches if you wear open shoes or an outfit that is too revealing, among other things. Nevertheless, short skirts and casual looks can also be seen in the cities of the country.

A typical tourist garment, which will likely identify you as such, is the straw hat. Real Cubans rarely wear this, so it can make you stand out as a traveler.

If you want to inform yourself about the current safety advice in the Republic of Cuba, it is best to visit the website of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. It is well connected with almost all countries in the world and knows the pitfalls and pitfalls that occur in holiday countries.

There are currently no special risks and Cuba is even considered the safest travel destination in Latin America. The risk of terrorism, for example, is considered rather low. However, political situations could become dangerous for you, so it is better to keep away from demonstrations. Please do not ask the polite and reserved Cubans about difficult political topics (for example about relations with the USA).

Crime exists in all countries, including this one. Therefore, take good care of your bags and valuables and do not forget yourself. Women should not be alone on the streets at night.

Cuban streets are considered poor, and many of the locals' vehicles are not roadworthy. Experience shows that many tourists have difficulty coping with the unclear appearing traffic rules. Alcohol should not be consumed in cars or carried - not even by passengers.

In the Republic of Cuba, Cuban Spanish or Castellano is the official language. However, those who have learned Spanish in Spain are rarely familiar with the Cuban dialect. On the islands, a unique way of speaking has formed with the Cuban dialect Cubañol. This is difficult to understand for many Spanish-speaking people and requires some acclimatization during the vacation.

You probably won't get very far with English during your stay. Due to the ongoing conflicts with the USA, the language almost plays no role on the islands anymore. Most Cubans do not even speak this language because there is no English education. Moreover, they love their Castellano, which they enjoy speaking very much.

If tourists adapt to this, they can easily win the hearts of the residents. Therefore, it may pay off to learn some Cuban Spanish before the trip. If you do not want to take on the effort, you can rely on a multilingual guide in your travel country.

The energy crisis also affects Cuba. This is expressed through frequent power outages, which mostly occur outside the tourist areas and are announced beforehand. In the event of a power grid failure, shops, restaurants, and gas stations may be closed, and telecommunications networks are often disrupted.

If you want to experience a vacation on the Caribbean islands, you should also be aware that German plugs will most likely not fit into Cuban sockets. Therefore, you need the appropriate adapters. It is best to bring several models that fit different Cuban sockets. Cuba's network voltage is 110 and 220 volts and the frequency is 60 Hertz. In some cases, you benefit from a voltage converter.

Unless the power is out due to a lack of fuel, Cuba offers a pleasantly good network for telecommunications. For mobile telephony, there are even two networks: TDMA and GSM. These cover almost the entire country with excellent connectivity. Only remote locations are still not well connected.

Thanks to successful collaborations, you can use the SIM cards of most European mobile service providers to access the Cuban network without any difficulties. Check with your provider before your trip to learn more about your options. However, the costs for phone calls to Europe can be very high for both incoming and outgoing calls on mobile phones. Therefore, communication via the internet is recommended.

Cuba has a reputation for not offering much in terms of the internet. This is because the state has indeed neglected this area until a few years ago. But that has changed: In public spaces, Wi-Fi hotspots (ETECSA) are widely available. In 2022, locals and tourists could rely on more than 1,000 such public Wi-Fi networks, mostly available at busy locations.

The costs for using them appear affordable after the more expensive introductory phase. You have to pay one peso per hour. Note that you cannot simply log in, but must pay with a prepaid card, which is however easy to find. Otherwise, you can access the in-house Wi-Fi in most hotels. Before using the internet, however, you should be aware that the internet in Cuba is censored.

The Cuban healthcare system is truly impressive, at least in urban areas. This is mainly because all Cubans can receive treatment in hospitals and other healthcare facilities without charge. Consequently, the life expectancy of Cubans has nearly reached the level of Western countries. However, what can tourists expect when they fall ill or get injured while traveling?

For foreigners, there are usually special departments or even separate hospitals in Cuban health facilities. The quality is impeccable. However, tourists unfortunately do not enjoy the benefit of free treatments. Instead, they often have to pay more than they would for treatment in Europe. If you need the help of local doctors, you should therefore inform yourself about the costs in advance. Moreover, you should only enter the country with international health insurance.

Do not do without good health insurance for traveling abroad if you are flying to Cuba. This will cover the costs in case of illness or accident. Also advantageous is insurance with repatriation. If you can no longer continue traveling because you are ill, this pays for the transport back to your home. However, before concluding a contract, you should inform yourself in detail about the specific services. They can't always convince.

Make sure, among other things, that you don't have to pay a deductible in the event of illness. Contracts in which you take on a deductible may be cheaper, but the costs can quickly add up. By the way: When entering Cuba, you must be able to show valid international health insurance. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to enter.

Many holidays and festive days make life on the Cuban islands more beautiful. However, these are rarely statutory. Therefore, shops usually remain open. Cuban holidays that you may also know from Germany are the following:

• Christmas on December 25
• Good Friday on the Friday before Easter
• Labor Day on May 1

The other holidays are specific to the state and closely linked to its history. On January 1, when it is New Year's Day in Europe, the Day of Liberation takes place among the Cubans. On July 26 is the anniversary of the attack on the Moncada Barracks (Santiago de Cuba) and on October 10 the anniversary of the start of the second war of independence.

If you travel to Cuba, you should visit as many interesting places as possible. The country has a lot to offer: attractions and beaches for example. One of the most important attractions is the capital Havana, where especially the iconic old town is a unique experience. However, Havana is not the only place you should visit. Also consider Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad or Cienfuegos.

The Cuban beaches invite you to swim and bathe. The most beautiful is probably at Cayo Coco, closely followed by Playa Pilar and Playa Ancón. Besides these tropical beach paradises, you will of course find many other charming beach sections worth visiting. To experience as much of Cuba as possible, round trips are recommended. These trips have a lot of sights already planned, so that one vacation dream follows another.

Whether paella or churros, Cuba Libre or Mojito: The Cuban cuisine is characterized by all kinds of delicacies. Some of them are also well-known in Germany, so you hardly have to expect a culture shock. The influences of Cuban history are clearly felt: Caribbean basics mix with Spanish vibes and African nuances.

Typical dishes of Cuba consist of ingredients such as rice, pork, beans, egg, bananas, seafood or plant leaves. Overall, you can eat a healthy and balanced diet. The national dish is Congris. It is a one-pot rice dish with beans. In addition, vegetables, spices (salt, pepper, and cumin) and optionally a piece of pork. There is also a national drink, which, however, has many turns: Cuban rum.

If you want to refresh yourself, you can also buy drinks from the internationally known brand Coca-Cola. According to a rumor, the soft drinks should not exist on the islands, which is supposed to be due to tensions with the USA. However, this is false, as Coke is also available in Cuba.

If you come to the Republic of Cuba to spend some Cuban pesos among the people or enjoy the benefits of the tourist card, you may experience a slight jet lag. German clocks are indeed six hours ahead of Cuban ones. For example, when it is twelve noon in Berlin and time for lunch, some people in Havana are still dreaming in their beds: Because in the Caribbean it is only six o'clock in the morning.

To skillfully counteract jet lag, you should adjust to the new time before the trip and initially not put yourself under unnecessary stress. Also enjoy plenty of fresh air and enjoy your travel country Cuba.