Cuba Traveler's Information for US Citizens

Americans are for all intents and purposes, not allowed to travel to Cuba.

Heavy fines are being imposed and at a much greater frequency under the Bush administration. If you yet didn't, please check out the OFAC website  OFAC Website

OK fine ... how do I go to Cuba? (for US citizens)

"When unlicensed travelers go to Cuba from the US they normally have to go through a third country. You will frequently see this referred to as the "Gateway" on various boards. The most common gateways to Cuba for unlicensed US travelers are Toronto, Montreal, Nassau (Bahamas), Cancun and Mexico City, and less frequently used Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Montego Bay. In my opinion Mexico and in particular Cancun are the gateways that offer the least risk of detection I say that because:

** Unlike Canada and the Bahamas, a traveller leaving from Mexico does not pre-clear US Customs and Immigration. You will not clear Customs/Immigration until you arrive back in the US. In Canada and the Bahamas you will go through US Customs and Immigration at the airport in Toronto, Montreal or Nassau.

Cancun is the most popular destination for US tourists in the Caribbean. There is absolutely no reason why US Customs/Immigration would suspect you have been anywhere else but Cancun.

You can book your hotel and flight in/to Cuba through the Junky websites with your US credit card without any risk. 
Your credit card receipt will state nothing about Cuba or whatever.

You should take the following steps in traveling back/forth:

- Enter Mexico from the US

- Mexico does not stamp passports on exit, although you will need a passport to enter Cuba.

- Cuban Immigration does not stamp the passport at the present time, so do not worry about a Cuban stamp.

- When you arrive back in Mexico from Cuba you will probably have to present your passport. The entry stamp that is placed there should be the only stamp you receive on your trip. Some people recommend presenting the passport with a $10 bill inside to avoid the Mexican entry stamp.

- After you arrive in Mexico make sure you strip all HAV luggage tags from you checked baggage.

- Throw away your Cuban tickets, boarding passes and any other paper evidence of your Cuban trip.

- Do not list Cuba as a Country visited on the Customs Declaration form.

- Do not bring back any high profile Cuban souvenirs like cigars, rum, t-shirts.

The fine by the way if you are unlucky or careless enough to get caught can be negotiated down to $1000 or less.

Travel Documents For a US citizen

Passport (US related)
Make no mistake about it ... you need a "valid" passport to get into Cuba. Whereas in some countries you can get in with a US birth certificate (Mexico, Canada) or even an expired passport (Bahamas), you will NOT be admitted into Cuba with these credentials. Make sure its valid and current.
Passport Stamping - Fortunately, the Cubans know that returning to the US with a Cuba stamp can be trouble if you're not there with a General or Specific License from OFAC. It used to be that if you slipped the immigration official a $5 or $10 with your passport, it was no problem. However, now there are posted signs in the Immigration Department discouraging such practices. 
Either way, the best thing to do is smile, say something nice then ask them in Spanish to please not stamp your passport. "Por favor, no empuje mi pasaporte" should do fine. This is still no guarantee that they won't however.

Holy crap ... they stamped my passport! (US related) 
Immediately wire home and have them send you enough money to hide out in Cuba for the rest of your life!! You will need to ... just kidding.
If you check the OFAC papers (see link on navigation panel), I'm sure you'll probably find a sanctioned way to go and not have to worry about it. If not, the chances of actually being assessed a fine are pretty remote anyway. 

If you feel the need to bypass the system and go anyway, well ...
CAREFUL: Lying to an Immigration Official is a Federal Offense. If you lie, you'll probably get through. Then again, if they decide to question you, well ...
If you tell them the truth, they'll probably just wave you on through. However, if not, read the above OFAC section.
If you get through, there's always that stamped passport you have to contend with. Again, the absolute best way to go about it is under the OFAC guidelines. A little reading can go a long way.

Cienfuegos City

Cienfuegos City is called "The Pearl of the South" because of the impressive beauty of its bay; because of its seductive city which provokes the wonder of all who know it, and because of that innate nobility which characterizes those born in Cienfuegos. The history of Cienfuegos possesses interesting antecedents and is rich in aborigine and Hispanic legends. Before the Spanish came to America, the zone was settled by indigenous people and was known as the Cacicazgo de Jagua

Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa

Santiago de Cuba
Nestled alongside a sweeping bay at the foothills of the Sierra Maestra mountains, Santiago is Cuba's most exotic and ethnically diverse city. Santiago is renowned for producing much of Cuba's most important music, and this rich musical tradition, mingled with the remnants of French customs, gives the city a sensual, even sleazy, New Orleans-like atmosphere.

Baracoa is a land of great rainfall and many rivers. The lush vegetation, the high mountains covered with long-lived forest, the customs that have been handed down from one generation to another and the appearance of a town that has remained unchanged over a long time are, undoubtly, key ingredients in the special attraction of this tiny city on the shores of Miel (Honey) Bay

Far away for the hotels in Cuba.

Most visitors to Cuba, wishing to escape the dark and long winters in their own countries, book into all-inclusive beach resorts promising sun, sea, and cheap mojitos, far away from where real Cuban life enfolds. At best, they may sign up for an escorted daytrip to Cuba’s capital Havana, to stroll through the touristy and spruced up part of the historic center, and ride along the 8km (5-mile) long Malecón esplanade in a classic American car from the 50’s.

 

There are, however, a growing number of travelers discovering there is much more to Cuba than beautiful beaches alone: picturesque colonial towns like Trinidad, Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba. The adventurous traveler can enjoy hiking, rock climbing, bird watching in National Parks and the Viñales Valley, white-water rafting, scuba diving or snorkeling, and not to forget, the intoxicating rhythms of Cuban music one can find on street corners, in dance clubs, or at other music venues. However, the biggest draw of all is undoubtedly the Cubans themselves, who are trying to play the limited cards they are dealt with an admirable resourcefulness, perseverance, and zest for life.

 

Traveling along Cuba’s casas particulares is an ideal, affordable way to meet ordinary Cubans and get more insight into their daily lives. Privately owned single family residences, but strictly licensed and regulated by the government, the casas are the Cuban version of our bed and breakfasts and one of the few ways Cubans can make a couple of extra bucks to supplement their minimal incomes. Although simple, the rooms are clean and air-conditioned, have an annex private bathroom with shower. Often there is a fridge in the room as well. Best of all, you get this great sense of being part of their family, since the slogan "mi casa es su casa" invariably reigns. Once tapped into their network, you’ll be free of accommodation and transport problems for the rest of your travel in Cuba: casa owners, happy to help you out, will simply refer you to family members, friends, or contacts of contacts all over the island.

 

Article by Lies Ouwerkerk. Independent Travel Columnist

 

Info Fishing. Las Salinas de Brito in the Peninsule of Zapata.

Las Salinas de Brito, is a gem in the Caribbean Sea which stretches for 4,250 square meters to the south of the Bay of Pigs, in the Peninsula de Zapata National Park: the largest park in Cuba to live in harmony many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and fishes.The water ... of crystal clear .. hide the real curiosity of nature as the manjuaris: living fossil fish of the Cretaceous-Tertiary half-fish, halfsnake.

 

Flats in Las Salinas you may encounter many species of aquatic birds: imagine fishing "Bonefish" in the midst of the colonies "Flamingos". Numerous red mangrove lagoons, where you can walk with water (at 28 ° temperature) that comes just to the knee, home to the largest amount of Bonefish and Permits throughout Cuba. due to the fact that for a long time in this area has been banned commercial fishing and Sport fishing is practiced with particular attention to the protection of the natural environment and nature conservation methods like Catch and Release.

 

Without a doubt we can say that Las Salinas de Brito is a paradise for fly fishing for its natural beauty and its protection techniques: in fact fishing for Bonefish is organized so as not to exert strong pressure in the Flats is authorized fishing for only 4 days a week and for groups of up to six fishermen at day. That means that the fisherman who decides to fish for 4 days in a row can go every day in a different place: La laguna de las Piedras, the Sevilla etc.. to easily catch large quantities of Bonefish, Permits, and often Barracuda. You can switch to the Flats fishing in the Rio Hatiguanico: river of brackish water that extends for 45 km in a natural environment of incomparable beauty. The Tarpon fishing is the main in this wonderful place ... tarpons baby in its three sizes, small, and big.

 

You can also catch Snooks large and also Pargos and Cuberas in quantity.The fishing guides are  exceptional in their work thanks to the deep knowledge that all the corners and crevices of this river also provide fishermen catch with litle practice.One experience that you can do is fishing in fresh waters of the internal lagoon Guamá blackbass small and medium sized.

Nature of Cuba

Zapata Peninsula
The best-known of Cuba's wildlife havens, the Zapata Peninsula, 156 km southeast of Havana, is a refuge for many bird and animal species. The scenery is spectacular: flamingos swoop across the milky lagoons, and crocodiles meander out across the dirt roads. The entire region is now a nature reserve.

Sierra Del Escambray
The majestic Sierra del Escambray is Cuba's second most famous mountain range after the Sierra Maestra in the Oriente, with its highest peak - the Pico San Juan - topping 1,100 metres. Some of the heaviest rainfall in Cuba feeds the Escambray's lush jungle, where trees are laden with bromeliads and delicate waterfalls greet you at every turn; look out for the giant umbrella-like ferns, a prehistoric species.

Sierra Maestra Mountains
To experience fully the rugged beauty of the outheastern mountains, the best base is the Villa Santo Domingo, in the hills south of the road linking Bayamo and Manzanillo on the coast. Guides accompany visitors to the area through the wilderness and lead hikes up Cuba's highest mountain, Pico Turquino (1,970 metres), 16 km away. The trail is exciting and beautiful: between outcroppings of mineral and volcanic rocks, deep green conifers stand alongside precious cedar, mahogany and trumpet wood trees.

Escambray Mountains
... or massif of Guamuhaya: mountain range that is characterized by steep peaks and deep valleys, the exuberance of vegetation, endemism of species of flora and fauna, cave systems, beautiful landscapes, pure and transparent rives and streams that make up picturesque waterfalss and crystalline ponds. The visit to this mountains also allow to know about the rural life associated to the growing of coffee and other agricultural activities.

Havana City

Havana is probably the most splendid example of Spanish colonial architecture in Latin America. Much of the historic centre has been carefully restored. The absence of the outward manifestations of international commerce - advertising billboards, burger chains, neon lights - helps create a subtle and haunting atmosphere missing in the other capitals of the Spanish colonial domain. Museums, forts and lively squares add to the attraction Havana City

Trinidad de Cuba

Trinidad is a small and peaceful city located between the sea and a range of rolling verdant hills. It pays homage to an illustrious past by remaining perfectly preserved since colonial times. There are fine churches and red-tiled mansions lining the cobbled streets, many of which are open to visitors. To savour the richness of this culture, visit the half-dozen museums or music clubs (casas de la trova), or a cigar factory whilst staying at nearby Playa Ancón.

Viñales

Around Viñales, in the western province of Pinar del Rio, are a unique string of rounded limestone mountains called mogotes; in their shadows are the lush green fields that produce the world's finest tobacco leaves, the dream of cigar connoisseurs from Paris to New York.