Travelling to cuba what should i bring

You may be subjected to a medical examination when you enter or exit Cuba, or when reporting for domestic flights. You may be subject to a mandatory quarantine for medical observation for up to 7 days if local authorities believe that:.

Special procedures regarding letters of consent may apply to Canadian minors travelling to Cuba without their parents. Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever vaccines section.

Be sure that your routine vaccines , as per your province or territory, are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination. Some of these vaccines include: measles-mumps-rubella MMR , diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella chickenpox , influenza and others.

You may be at risk for these vaccine-preventable diseases while travelling in this country. Talk to your travel health professional about which ones are right for you. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID Hepatitis A is a disease of the liver spread through contaminated food and water or contact with an infected person. All those travelling to regions with a risk of hepatitis A infection should get vaccinated.

Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver spread through blood or other bodily fluids. Travellers who may be exposed e. Seasonal influenza occurs worldwide.

The flu season usually runs from November to April in the northern hemisphere, between April and October in the southern hemisphere and year round in the tropics. Influenza flu is caused by a virus spread from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus.

Get the flu shot. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air. Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Rabies is a deadly illness spread to humans through a bite, scratch or lick from an infected animal. Vaccination should be considered for travellers going to areas where rabies exists and who have a high risk of exposure e. Yellow fever is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito. Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

About Yellow Fever. It is recommended that you contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the destination s you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements. Travellers to any destination in the world can develop travellers' diarrhea from consuming contaminated water or food.

In some areas in the Caribbean, food and water can also carry diseases like cholera , hepatitis A , schistosomiasis and typhoid. Practise safe food and water precautions while travelling in the Caribbean. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!

Cholera is a risk in parts of this country. Most travellers are at very low risk. To protect against cholera, all travellers should practise safe food and water precautions.

Vaccination may be recommended for high-risk travellers, and should be discussed with a health care professional. Typhoid is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation should speak to a health care professional about vaccination. In some areas in the Caribbean, certain insects carry and spread diseases like chikungunya , dengue fever , malaria , West Nile virus and Zika virus. Travellers are advised to take precautions against bites. There is currently a risk of chikungunya in this country. Chikungunya is a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Chikungunya can cause a viral disease that typically causes fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years. Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times. There is no vaccine available for chikungunya. Zika virus is a risk in this country.

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be sexually transmitted. Zika virus can cause serious birth defects. Pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy should visit a health care professional before travelling to discuss the potential risks of travelling to this country. Pregnant women may choose to avoid or postpone travel to this country.

For more travel recommendations, see the travel health notice: Zika virus: Advice for travellers. Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats. Some infections found in some areas in the Caribbean, like rabies , can be shared between humans and animals.

Crowded conditions can increase your risk of certain illnesses. Remember to wash your hands often and practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette to avoid colds, the flu and other illnesses. Medical professionals are generally competent. However, facilities may be in modest condition and may lack basic drugs and equipment.

Hygiene practices may be different than those in Canada. Emergency and ambulance services are very limited and response times are slow, especially in rural areas. Psychiatric care facilities are extremely limited and there are no hotlines available for this type of care.

Physicians are available at most hotels and at international clinics located in tourist areas. They provide initial emergency medical care reserved for foreigners.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays. As pharmacies sometimes run out of stock, you should also bring basic medicine, particularly if travelling to outlying areas. Canadian citizens have had serious health complications following cosmetic or other elective surgeries abroad. Receiving medical care outside Canada. Cuban public health authorities continue to implement insect control measures, including fumigation and aerial spraying.

The toxic fumigants can cause discomfort if inhaled. Stay indoors if fumigation is being carried out nearby. Standards of mortuary services in Cuba differ from those in Canada. Cultural and religious beliefs are not taken into consideration. There is one funeral home and one morgue in the country. Both are located in Havana. Only these facilities have the authorization to issue appropriate documentation to accompany human remains.

Timelines for the repatriation of human remains are long and costly. The capacity for refrigeration is limited, so is the availability and quality of coffins, metal caskets and wooden crates. Embalming materials and techniques are unlike those in Canada. Embalming may not be an option in some circumstances. Death Abroad Factsheet.

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres. Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad.

The criminal justice system in Cuba differs significantly from that in Canada. If not, What are you waiting for? Book your flight to Cuba now. There is always some questioning about giving away things as a traveler. Is it ok to hand out t-shirts to random people on the street or to visit a school in school hours to give out pencils and books?

Absolutely not. But why? When people get used to that, you might find yourself being attacked by people wanting you to take off your t-shirt to give it to them the next time you travel to Cuba. In fact, while in Trinidad, I experienced various people sitting by the street begging for clothes. If that person has kids, then give her some children clothes if you have some in your bag.

If you see that the guy you are talking to has an old t-shirt, give him a new one. When I visited Cuba, I was encouraged by locals to visit schools and give pens, books, etc. Would you like your kids to be disrupted in class by someone visiting?

It takes a long time to get back your concentration again after being interrupted. This goes both for the teachers and the students. The children need to concentrate on the topic while in class. Therefore, if you want to visit a school, try to organize a visit after school hours. However, it is probably best to give away those school utensils to someone you get to know that have kids at school.

Suggested reading: A complete guide to unique things to do in Cuba. Altogether, the main rule to make sure the locals get any benefit from your stay is to only use privately owned businesses when you travel in Cuba. These businesses have to pay high taxes to the government, but at least they get some of it and you help them improve their way of living.

Casas Particulares are privately owned rooms or apartments for rent, usually in the same house as the owner lives.

They often help with booking tours in the city and surroundings and you will always get help to find a taxi when you need one. Most Casas Particulares include a private bathroom, though you have the odd place that offers dorm rooms with a shared bathroom for a cheaper price.

Staying in Casas Particulares is a great way to connect with the locals and learn about the Cuban culture and way of living. It is extremely expensive to run a Casa Particular. A large percentage of what you pay for the night go straight to pay taxes. Often, I looked at the house and thought they were quite wealthy for Cubans. Then I got to talk to them and learned all the years of hard work behind every little detail they had bought and all the personal offerings they had had to make to get there.

I spoke to one couple that had got a divorce on paper to be able to build an extra room to rent out. It had taken them 12 years from they started to build the first room. I asked how long that would normally take. Book your Casa Particular now. When you take a taxi somewhere, make sure it is a private one. You distinguish them by not having the taxi sign on the car.

They are usually just regular, old cars with a taxi sticker in the front window. Also, they are the only ones you can bargain on the price. If you ask in your Casa Particular to call for a private taxi, they usually have a friend that drives a taxi that they can call. For any longer distances, especially if you travel solo, you should get a private shared taxi. This way you pay for a seat, but there are more people in the car, usually going to the same place or somewhere on the way. Note: The bus service in Cuba is government-owned.

The vintage cars in Havana are all privately owned. They are inherited from generation to generation. Those lucky enough to have one in their family are now taking advantage of doing tours of Havana for tourists. The owners pay a license to drive a taxi as well as high taxes on their income. However, it is a good way to support Cuban families in the capital city.

The drivers are usually more than happy to explain everything about the attractions you drive to. Booking a private local guide that can teach you about the local culture and way of living as well as giving a deeper insight into the destination is a positive thing for both you and the guide. Cases have been reported in a number of other countries.

There have been no confirmed cases in Cuba. World Health Organisation. The Atlantic hurricane season generally runs from June to November each year and can also affect the eastern and southern USA with heavy rain, flooding and extremely high winds.

Citizens with plans to be in the affected region during this period should consider the need to travel based on information relating to extreme weather projections. Cuba may have a risk of Dengue and Zika Virus a dengue-like mosquito-borne disease transmission. You will have to present a copy of your insurance on arrival there.

Because there is no Irish Embassy or Consulate in the Cuba, we are limited in the help we can offer you in an emergency situation.

Up to date information on travelling to Ireland can be found on gov. Theft from luggage during baggage handling at airports can occur both on arrival and departure. You should remove all valuables, lock suitcases and consider having them shrink-wrapped before check-in.

Petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag snatching occurs, particularly on public transport, intercity buses and at major tourist areas including in Old Havana, El Centro, Vedado and the Malecon, as well as on the beaches of Playa del Este and Varedero. You should take all necessary precautions if you are in Centro Havana at night and take a taxi to your accommodation rather than walk, even if your accommodation is only a few blocks away.

Thefts from hotel and guesthouse accommodation occur. Car-related crime and muggings can occur from time to time in areas including Havana, Santiago and other areas less frequented by tourists. There have been attacks on foreigners using hire cars after staged punctures and by bogus hitch-hikers. If you get a puncture in a lonely spot, drive on several kilometres, preferably to a town, before stopping.

If your passport is lost or stolen, getting a replacement can take up to two weeks so keep your travel documents secure at all times. Getting a replacement passport will be easier if you are able to provide a copy of the lost or stolen one, so keep photocopies of your passport.

And you can contact us at the Irish Embassy in Mexico City. Many vehicles, including public transport, suffer from lack of maintenance and roads are poorly lit and sign-posted.

If you want to drive:. If involved in an accident, you are likely to be detained, regardless of who is at fault. If you have a traffic accident where someone is killed or injured, the police investigation may take several months during which time the driver will normally not be allowed to leave Cuba.

In some cases the driver may be imprisoned during this delay. Check that you have adequate insurance and read the small print of the vehicle hire contract particularly any waiver that will come into effect if the vehicle is damaged. The hurricane season in Cuba extends from June to the end of November. Always monitor local and international weather updates for the region by accessing, for example, the Weather Channel , or the US National Hurricane Centre website.

In some areas, adequate shelter from a severe hurricane may not be available to all who may choose to stay.

You should familiarise yourself with your hotel or cruise ship evacuation plans and identify your local shelter. Carry your travel documents at all times ie passport, picture IDs or secure them in a safe, waterproof location.

Remember, the local laws apply to you as a visitor and it is your responsibility to follow them. Be sensitive to local customs, traditions and practices as your behaviour may be seen as improper, hostile or may even be illegal. We advise you to carry a photocopy of the relevant page of your passport and keep the original in a safe place.