Can You Fit An AC Unit In Your Carry On?

Cuba's General Customs Office has published a resolution, effective immediately, that lifts previous restrictions on the importation of high wattage appliances, reports Cuba Standard. In 2005, then-president Fidel Castro banned such imports as a part of the "energy revolution," a campaign targeted at reducing energy consumption, which also saw the replacement of old refrigerators and air conditioning units, and the introduction of energy-efficient light bulbs.

According to the new regulations, travelers may import appliances to Cuba as long as the imports are not commercial, and fall within new limits: each traveler may carry up to two AC units with a capacity under one ton; two electric stoves or ovens with a consumption of under 1,500 watts; two microwaves with consumption under 2,000 watts; and up to two electric water heaters, shower heads, deep fryers, irons and toasters.... more »

Granma Province trek

Last month I spent a week trekking almost exclusively around Granma Province and under immense pressure to tell my story (well truth be told, it was only one person) here is how it went......

I landed in Holguin (not Gramna) on an early morning flight from Montreal and after clearing the man in the booth and the x-ray machine, I was soon heading to the city of Bayamo in a taxi. After arriving in Bayamo and checking into the Hotel Royalton, I headed over to the bank to exchange my notes before having a sit-down with a brew 'n bite, waiting for Ginger to arrive from Santiago. She didn't arrive soon enough so I headed upstairs for some un-packing and possibly some shut-eye. After lying down for a bit, the phone rang and sure enough she was downstairs waiting. She was in a bit of a huff! Apparently she was told that the bus to Bayamo would be a few hours late, so she boarded a camión t... more »

Cubas tourism strategy

PROGRESO WEEKLY
Cuban tourism and its future challenges
Published on Wednesday, 22 May 2013 07:26

By Lenier González Mederos

HAVANA – The emblematic beach at Varadero, Cuba's premier resort, hosted the 33rd International Tourism Fair (FitCuba2013) May 7 to 11. The grand event, at the Plaza América Convention Center, featured Brazil as its guest country and invited representatives from 53 countries to its 40 display stands.

Present were tour operators, airline officials, and more than 100 journalists and tourism specialists, among them several tourism ministers. The presence of Brazil's Tourism Minister Gastão Vieira should be highlighted.

The event, more than just a routine annual event, has become a gauge that allows us to predict the future of Cuba's tourism sector, successfully managed during the 1990s after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and the arrival of th... more »

Roads - Pilon - Granma

TERRIBLE - BOTH PILON CITY AND AREA.

Day 1 - Havana or Matanzas

First time into Cuba with very limited Spanish. I'm trying to decide if I should head straight to Havana, spend a day or two at Matanzas on my way back to Varadero airport if I have time, or if I should make Matanzas my first stop. I figured there are two factors to consider (below), so any input or other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

1. Flight gets to Varadero at 2-ish pm. According to the Viazul schedules, I could catch the 4pm bus or the 6:30pm runs. I arrive on June 1. If I don't book ahead online, how likely am I to be able to get on the 4pm or the 6:30pm Viazul without an advance booking? If this doesn't work out, are there alternatives besides a cab ride (out of budget) or the Conectando (I think its last bus leaves at 2:50pm). Or would it be safer to book a casa particular in Matanzas? At least a cab ride there would be more affordable.

2. Snorkelling at [Pl... more »

The Sad State of the Hotel Riviera (and others)

Hello from Havana,

Over the weekend we had some clients who want us to help plan their wedding here for this fall. Their #1 choice was the famous Hotel Riviera - until they actually took a good look at the place.

The wedding theme they had hoped for was 1950's jet-aged retro-kitsch, with a wedding by the pool and their 40 or so invited guests all staying in the hotel. On the surface the hotel is certainly a well preserved historical site. (It was gangster Meyer Lansky's Xanadu and undoing - re-watch The Godfather Part II, you'll get the broad strokes of the story.) Once you scratch below the (filthy) surface, though, the place is a (filthy) dump. I live here full-time, and am probably too-accustomed to La Habana's grittiness, and the couple is very hip and has visited here several times as our clients, so no-one was expecting the Georges V in Paris, but what confronted us wa... more »

Transit countries

FYI and because I might forget in my upcoming trip report, as I was leaving Havana last week I ask both TACA and Cuban immigrations that if a Cuban had a visa to say, Guatemala or Colombia and was just connecting through El Sal if there would be a problem. In both cases the answer was no. El Sal is a hub for TACA and you can fly direct to many countries from there.