Cuba: Some Interesting Facts

Public Holidays

Date 2005 Occasion
January 1 National Liberation Day
January 2 Victory of the Armed Forces
May 1 International Labor Day
July 25 Eve of Revolution Day
July 26 Revolution Day
July 27 Revolution Day 2nd Day
October 10 Anniversary of the Beginning of the Wars of Independence

Major Festivals
January- February                Varadero Carnival
January or February             Havana, Jazz Festival
July                                      Santiago de Cuba and Havana Carnivals
November                              Varadero, International Music Festival Ballet Fest.
December                              Havana, Latin American Film Festival

Weekends- Saturday, Sunday

Weights & Measures

The metric system is most widely used but there might be American or Spanish variations in some places. 

Electricity

110 - 120 V AC at three-phase 60 Hz. Most sockets take American style flat 2-pin plugs but some hotels have round 2-pin sockets.

Customs & Duties

Those above 18 years can import the following into Cuba without attracting duties: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams if tobacco, 3 litres of alcohol, gifts up to a value of USD 100, 10 kg of medicine, camera film and perfumes of a reasonable quantity for personal use. All currency must be declared on arrival.

Prohibited items are vegetables and beans, raw fruits, milk and dairy products, pornographic material, arms and ammunition and narcotics.

Post & Communications

IDD services are available to and from Havana only. The country code for Cuba is 53; the outgoing international code from Cuba is 119. Sometimes international calls have to be routed through the operator and could be delayed. Telegrams can be sent from post offices in Havana and from RCA offices in other parts of the country. Letters to places outside the Americas can take several weeks. Airmail facilities are available. Fax facilities are also widely available. Public Internet offices are only in Havana hotels.

Tipping

A monetary token of appreciation is always welcome. Most Cubans don’t expect as much as 10% of the bill, especially not in smaller establishments. In the bigger hotels and restaurants customarily one would tip 10% of the tab. With cabbies too there isn’t a hard and fast rule on tipping. You needn’t tip if you’ve taken a short trip but if you’re hiring a car for a long distance or for the day, tip moderately.

English Language Media

Dailies are only in Spanish. The Communist Party official newspaper Granma has a weekly publication in English, Granma International. The fortnightly Prisma de Cuba y las Américas is published in English and Spanish. All media is state controlled.