Wrong information abounds in social media after Trumps latest restrictions on travel from the US. . Do not be misled. It is still perfectly legal to travel to Cuba as a U.S. citizen, with a U.S. passport, from the United States. In fact, it has never been easier. Airlines including American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United currently offer direct flights to Havana from southern Florida (and connecting flights from other U.S. cities) and almost all with provide you with the visa needed.

There are in total 12 visa categories including journalism, research and visits to close family. As a private individual wanting to go on vacation to Cuba, you simply choose the category “support for the Cuban people.” The thinking is that US visitors interact with and buy services from ordinary Cubans rather than from the Cuban state.

In the following I will tell you how to plan a Support for the Cuban people trip:

First of all, the previous people-to-people category does not exist anymore. It focused on fostering “meaningful interactions” between U.S. visitors and Cubans. The new category, support for the Cuban people, focuses on supporting the private sector in Cuba. In practical terms there is no great difference for you as a visitor. You are able to do all the normal things that tourists do, just as before.    

The support for the Cuban people visa requires (at least in theory) that you have a plan of how you are going to spend your time while in Cuba and that you keep records.  Most likely, no one is going to ask to see anything at U.S. Customs, but nevertheless it is the rule that each traveller should have it. Therefore, in preparation of your trip, type up a simple itinerary with casas, transport, paladares and activites you want to do in Cuba, During the trip you save receipts , business cards, etc.. This is how to make sure that what you choose to put on your itinerary complies with the Support for the Cuban people category:

Stay in Casas particulares

Most hotels in Cuba are owned by the government, which means you can’t stay in them on a support for the Cuban people trip. However, Cuba is full of rooms for rent in private homes, the casas particulares. As an added bonus you will have a much more fun and authentic experience at a far lower price, than staying in a hotel. Prebook through Airbnb or other sites while you are still in the US, but most casa hosts have contact with casas and can help you.

Eat in Paladares

In addition to casas particulares, many Cubans have received licenses to open paladares, or private restaurants, in recent years. The food at paladares is very good — better than at most state-owned restaurants — and they’re extremely popular. Here are a few suggestions of good paladares of different styles, price levels and locations (link)

Take part in activites offered by small private businesses

Whatever you would like to do there is likely someone offering that service. With an average salary of 24 CUC a month for state employees and 123 different types of small business licenses, it is easy to see why. Here is a selection of outtings, including some truly authentic ones. (link).

Cuba is notorious for queues. Luckily,  as a tourist you are not likely to want to buy chicken drumsticks, toilet paper or go to government offices. Those are easily, on any given day,  the longest queues in city. But there are still some typical tourists needs that can be dealt with efficiently if you know how. And the best way to deal with queues , is to avoid them. 

Avoiding exchange and ATM queues at the Airport

Since CUC cannot be bought outside of Cuba you need to get it upon arrival. If you are a US citizen you you need to exchange cash, but maybe you can avoid the queue, by asking your driver if you can pay in Euro or USD. Ask before accpting a ride and ask nicely. Then you can go to an exchange office in town instead. 

If you are NOT from the US, you can take out cash from on of the many ATMs,   If there is a queue at the airport ATM ask your drive to stop at one on the way into Havana instead. 

Avoiding queues at Concerts

The most obvious is of course tipping the doorman to let you past the queue. But it does not always work.  An entitled attitude and being badly dressed will not help. So be discreet and nice. At the big concerts there are sometimes hustlers working the queue, who will take you straight inside for an extra fee.  Another option, and the most economical, is to show up at the concert venue in advance and buy your tickets. Often it is even possible reserve a good table free of charge  at the same time. Whereas  the same table  comes with  a price tag if you turn up without reservation at the big concerts.   

Transport from town to town are queue free if you choose a colectivo. You are picked up at your casa and need no ticket. (read more about transport options here) With the Viazul bus you might have to spend a big portion of your limited time in Havana at the bus station queuing for a ticket. If you prefer using the Viazul buy the tickets online before you leave for your holiday. 

Online time 

Tarjetas (scratch cards) for the wifi spots in the streets and parks can be bought from one of the many vendors hanging around the place No need to queue up at the ETECSA office. Just be aware that these normally do not work in the hotel, who sell their own tarjetas. 

When you cannot avoide the queue

If for some reason you have to join a queue for a bank, ETECSA office or similar, you have three options: Find the stand-in-line guy (click here to find out how he operates), tip the doorman to let you in directly or just stand in line with everybody else. A couple of hours is normal so come armed with water and conversation skills and you might even have a good time.  And remember to ask “Ultimo”

Colectivo 

A colectivo is a taxi shared with other tourists, price charged per seat. Can be a classic car or an ordinary one, or even sometimes a van. You will be picked up at your casa and driven to your casa at the destination. Most good casas will work with a network of colectivo and will arrange it for you.  If the casa is good, so is usually the colectivo service. A good driver who knows the route and a car in good condition is key for a comfortable  and safe journey.  The colectivo is quicker than the Viazul bus and it also gives you more flexibility since it can be booked a day in advance.  The best solutions for shorter journeys  like Havana to Trinidad, Varadero, Viñales or Cienfuegos. 

Viazul bus

Takes longer than the colectivo, but is cheaper. But the fact that you need a taxi to get to the station (at least in Havana) needs to be addes to the total price. If you do not book it online in advance, you need another trip to the station to buy the ticket as it cannot be bought on the day of the departure. More money and time spent. However, it is more comfortable than colectivos for the longer journey. And if you prefer predictability over flexibility and like to have your whole holiday panned out in advance, just buy  all your Viazul tickets online before leaving home   

Private taxi

If you prefer a taxi to yourself, you simply buy the 4 seats in the colectivo and your have your own private taxi. If you want a driver/guide to accompany you on a roundtrip over a few days this can also be arranged.  Have a look here for  info on a day trip to Viñales. 

Rent a car to drive yourself

You imagine the sense of freedom, right? Driving around in your own car, being able to stop wherever you want? Well, think again. In Cuba you cannot just park your car wherever and go exploring.  For the insurance to be valid you need to park   in a car park with a guard. If not you risk having to cover the cost of whatever get stolen yourself. This limits your chance to be impulsive. Moreover, the roads in Cuba are in parts very bad. Likelihood of a puncture or other car problem is relatively high. You should be able to change a tire yourself Petrol can be scarce and there are almost no road signs so you will have to ask your way.  You might be perfectly happy with this and all will work out well, but for many visitors a a private car with a driver is a better option. Less hazzle, cheaper and the added benefit of having somebody look out for you and help you with whatever you need along the way. 

Domestic flights

Want to go East? All the way to Holguin, Santiago or Baracoa. Then flying is certainly an option. Cuba is big and the Viazul bus to Baracoa will be around 26 hours. That is not for everyboady. But be aware the the domestic flights are notorious for time changes and cancellations so do reconfirm the departure time a day in advance. 

Havana is surprisingly expensive if you are going to live the typical tourist life. But if you are willing to live a bit more like a local, you will be able to get away with spending far less. Your comfort level will decrease though, So you need to take that into account.  But you will also find yourself interacting more, getting a more authentic experience and having great fun. 

Transport – the price of crossing from Havana Vieja to Vedado in an Almendrone is 1 CuC. In a taxi around 10 (and they will try for 15). The almendrones operate almost like a bus service, in the sense that they have a set route,, just not set stops. People get on and off and on as they please provided it is along the route. 

Water – you can spend a lot of money on water in Havana. Buy the big 2,5 liter if you can find it and then transfer it to the 0,5 liter bottles for walking around. 

Eat in the casa particular – ask your casa hostess to cook for you,, agreeing a price in advance. It is likely to get you a big portion of rice, beans and chicken or pork. Consider negotiating a set price for having dinner at your casa your entire stay. 

Cheap paladares – there are big variations in prices at the paladares. Some of the reasonably priced once serve big portions and you can take the rest home with you and put in the fridge of your casa for later. Find some good budget options here. 

Transport costs – one of the biggest impacts on your budget  is likely to be transport around Cuba. Instead of visiting 5-6 different places opt for a couple. Getting to know fewer places more in depth is often also more enjoyable  than skimming through a lot superficially. 

Avoid staying in hotels and all inclusive resorts. They are very pricey and the cheaper once are really bad. A good Casa Particular gives you much more value for money. 

Nightlife and concerts. Matinees are cheaper than the night concerts. Sometimes there are free outside concerts  of top bands. Interact with people to know what is on. LA Fabrica still have an entrance fee of only 3 CUC and you can spend and entire evening there due to the size an variation. The salsa venues like El Chevere, where the whole of Havana come to dance still do reasonable prices. Spend an evening on the Malecon with a couple of beers. Stay in an authentic neighborhood like centro Habana and you might find yourself in a street party with your neighbors rather than at a club. 

Whatever you feel that you cannot live without, take it with you. Cuba is lacking in so many things, so if you forget something vital you are likely to be spending a lot of time hunting around before you find it. Not a nice way to spend hours of your holiday. Some of those things might be the following:

• Toiletries and medicines. Mosquito repellent, sunscreen, tampons, pain killers, shower gel, shampoo, whatever stuff you will be needing and in sufficient quantity to last you the trip.
• Electrical equipment and adapters. An USA type adapter works in Cuba. A hairdryer. Your casa might not have one to lend you. Your chargers for mobiles and tables.
• For rainy days: An umbrella and good shoes for walking. Rain-showers are common and the streets get dirty. Sneakers or other closed shoes are better than having for these days rather than having dirty rainwater seeping in and out of your sandals.
• The outdoors: If part of your trip is going to be spent being active outdoors, pack some long, lightweight sports trousers/tights. It is uncomfortable riding horses or trekking through bush in shorts.  A light rainjacket and extra sturdy shoes should also be considered.
• For the evenings:  Long trousers and one or two shirts for the men. Many places will not let you enter wearing shorts and flip flops (singlets in the evening is a definite no-no). For the ladies some nice dresses and maybe some heels, or at least dressy flat sandals. Cubans dress up when going out, not very formal, but nice and neat.
• Alternatives to handbags: Theft is common in Cuba. Not carrying a handbag in the evening gives you peace of mind. A small beltbag (from Zara and so on) that is cute enough to be worn with a dress or a pouch that can clasp to your bra (from travel shops)
• Stuff to give away: If you do not need all your baggage allowance for yourself do fill up the rest with used clothes, shoes, toiletries, vitamins, used reading glasses, toys or whatever you have lying around that can be given away. In Cuba, there is still a lack of almost everything. Cuba4Life, run by Norwegian Kristin Eriksen helps a lot of old people and children in Havana. You can leave your stuff at Casa Nini, (San Rafael 476, entre Campanario y Lealtad) 
• Foods: if you have gluten allergy do bring your bread with you. Do not expect to buy anything of the kind in Cuba. Also others who do not like having white bread all the time, might like to bring some crispbread or similar. A few energybars or similar back up food for long hours in buses or colectivos might also come in handy. A bottle to keep your water cold is something than many find useful in the hot summer months especially.
• For dancers: bring your favourite dance shoes if you like, but wet or dirty floors are common and changing shoes at the venue, not always practical because of the possibility of theft of shoes lying around. Only a few venues offer wardrobe service where you can safely put away your shoes. So bring some other danceable shoes too, that you can wear for the whole evening, including walking the streets.

Knowing what is on in Havana stays a challenge even for the most seasoned visitor. . Do NOT, like many visitors, walk around old Havana randomly, hoping to find the salsa,the concerts and the nightlife. Old Havana is pretty dead at night after the paladares close. At any time there is a huge offering of cultural events in Havana. So much to choose from, but the venues, clubs, theatres, bars etc are spread out all over the city. You will not be stumbling accross stuff, basically you need to know what is on where and on which night. 

A good source for what’s on in Havana is:  https://www.facebook.com/HavanaEdge/

Even if the internet situation has improved, the most common way of staying informed is still word of mounth. Get to know Cubans who are are part of the music and cultural life in Havana and you will always be informed.  Other Cubans, like your casa host for example, does not necessarily know what’s on Havana unless that have made a point of being informed in order to help their guests. 

Concerts and other events are also announced via flyers . They are mostly handed around at the tables in the respective venues. Go to a concert venue one night and you will  know the program for the entire week.

• Stay in Casa Particulares, not in Hotels. Look for Casas that have a reputation for interacting with their guests.
• Do not book too many tours. when your move around as part of a guided group you will miss out on real interaction with locals. Leave time for walking around exploring
• Download the maps.me before you go. It works well in Havana also when you are offline. Moving around on your own will feel  less intimidating  with a good map that behaves as if you are online.
• Prioritize concerts and cultural events where also Cuban people are part of the audience/participants, rather than performances like Buena Vista Social Cluba and Tropicana where there will be almost only tourists in the audience. 
• Take a few basic precautions in terms of  theft prevention. Not having to be constanttntly worried about your belongings,  you will find yourself relaxing and interacting more with people.
• In Cuba is normal to talk to everybody. An open and relaxed attitude on your part, will go a long way to open the door to great experiences. People might try and scam you, but it is extremely unlikely that you will end up in a dangerous situacion. Cuba is really a very safe country compared to most other places. 
• While in Havana, do venture out of Old Havana. Havana is so much more.
• Do go to Viñales and Trinidad, they are lovely. But do remember that they are the two most touristy places in Cuba (apart from the all inclusive resorts of course). Use them as a base for exploring the surrounding areas. Or include towns like Cienfuegos, Camaguy and Santa Clara in your plan. 
• Do go to beaches, but choose places like Playa d’Este, Playa Larga and Baracoa instead of the all-inclusive resorts.