Off to Cuba tommorrow - what money to take ?
Discussion
I'm off to Cuba tommorrow and know I need to get some Cuban Convertibles (which i then can change into local money too) but any idea where I can get this changed up ?
Will I be ok taking UK Pounds and getting them changed up in Cuba ? Or am i best doing it here and if so where in London does this as having trouble finding somewhere.
Will I be ok taking UK Pounds and getting them changed up in Cuba ? Or am i best doing it here and if so where in London does this as having trouble finding somewhere.
Nothing American.
They wouldn't accept my American Express card obviously, but they also wouldn't take my Egg (Visa - American) or my HSBC debit card as it had Visa written on it.
Dollars may get you killed.
It's very difficult but I just took GBP and swapped it there for Cuban peso. As far as I remember you can't get the peso outside of Cuba and you're not allowed to take it back out again.
They wouldn't accept my American Express card obviously, but they also wouldn't take my Egg (Visa - American) or my HSBC debit card as it had Visa written on it.
Dollars may get you killed.
It's very difficult but I just took GBP and swapped it there for Cuban peso. As far as I remember you can't get the peso outside of Cuba and you're not allowed to take it back out again.
Puggit said:
Pounds or Euros - don't take dollars.
You'll need to change there - it's a fixed rate where ever you are, so you shouldn't get conned.
This is right, I went to Cuba last year and we just changed our money at the hotel. It's worth having a look at a travel guide-book for Cuba, the one we looked at said not to take portable games consoles or ipods and to make sure laptops and cameras had no mucky pictures on them or they'd be confiscated, although the customs officers didn't seem to be checking anyones hand luggage.You'll need to change there - it's a fixed rate where ever you are, so you shouldn't get conned.
Puggit said:
Shinobi said:
Hugely conflicting advice in this thread, im also looking to go to Cuba and from what ive read on travel guides best not to take dollars. Not accepted due to the embargo.
Only phumy agrees with you, and he's got it wrong!Scary peoples ability to read.
Shinobi said:
Puggit said:
Shinobi said:
Hugely conflicting advice in this thread, im also looking to go to Cuba and from what ive read on travel guides best not to take dollars. Not accepted due to the embargo.
Only phumy agrees with you, and he's got it wrong!Scary peoples ability to read.


rsole said:
We went to Cuba last month and they didn't want dollars. We took cash - sterling - and changed it into Cuban Converted Pesos (CUC) when we arrived. The exchange rates at the Hotel were no different to anywhere else (at least where we went)
From what i ahve read the exchange rates are the same all over the Island as they are controlled by the Government.Trip was fantastic, we got brilliant weather ranged from 27-32C.
Stayed 10 nights in Guardalavaca and had a lovely villa and surprisingly the food was brilliant.
Then flew for 3 nights in Havana the hotel there was s
tty but did'nt expect much and purely went there to experience city not the inside of my hotel room, and what a fantastic city would recommend it to all completely amazing city and never been any place like it.
All I can say is make sure you go to Havana and hang around the old town for a day or 2 , with Mojitos at 60p each you can't complain and what a brilliant place to absorb the Cuban culture.
Stayed 10 nights in Guardalavaca and had a lovely villa and surprisingly the food was brilliant.
Then flew for 3 nights in Havana the hotel there was s

All I can say is make sure you go to Havana and hang around the old town for a day or 2 , with Mojitos at 60p each you can't complain and what a brilliant place to absorb the Cuban culture.
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