Getting There

By Plane

Cuba has 12 international airports. Havana is by far the principal gateway, although there are numerous regularly scheduled and charter flights to Varadero and Santiago de Cuba as well. To a lesser extent, international charter flights from Canada and Europe service Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, Camagüey, Ciego de Avila, Holguín, and Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo.

It's roughly a 70-minute flight from Miami to Havana; 3 hours and 30 minutes from New York to Havana; 4 hours and 30 minutes from Toronto or Montreal to Havana; and 10 hours from London to Havana. Most of the principal Caribbean basin gateway cities -- Cancún, Gran Cayman, Kingston, Nassau, and Santo Domingo -- are between 30 and 90 minutes to Havana by air.

Airfares vary widely, depending on the season, demand, and certain ticketing restrictions. But given the high number of charter flights and package tours to Cuba, combined with the stiff competition for vacation travel throughout the Caribbean, airfares are relatively cheap, and bargains abound. It really pays to shop around.

Cubana (tel. 7/834-4446; www.cubana.cu) is Cuba's national airline and the principal carrier to the island, with regularly scheduled flights to a score of cities throughout the Americas, Europe, and Canada. Other carriers with regularly scheduled or charter service to Cuba include: Air Jamaica (tel. 800/523-5585 in North America, or 0207/962-9934 in the U.K.; www.airjamaica.com), Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262 in North America, or 0871/220-1111 in the U.K.; www.aircanada.com), Air Europa (tel. 0870/777-7709; www.air-europa.com), Air Transat (tel. 866/847-1112; www.airtransat.com), British Airways (tel. 800/247-9297, or 0870/850-9850 in the U.K.; www.britishairways.com), Condor Airways (tel. 800/364-1667 in North America; www3.condor.com), Grupo Taca (tel. 800/722-8222 in the U.S. or Canada, or 0870/241-0340 in the U.K.; www.grupotaca.com), Iberia (tel. 0870/609-0500 in the U.K.; www.iberia.com), Martinair (tel. 416/364-3672 in Canada; www.martinair.com), Mexicana (tel. 800/531-3585 in North America; www.mexicana.com), and Virgin Atlantic (tel. 800/821-5438 in the U.S. or Canada, or 0870/574-7747 in the U.K.; www.virgin-atlantic.com).

There is no regularly scheduled service between the United States and Cuba, although there are numerous charter flights from Miami, and to a lesser extent from New York and Los Angeles. Licensed U.S. travelers are eligible to use these flights.

By Boat

When arriving by sea, contact the port authorities before entering Cuban waters 19km (12 miles) offshore on VHF channels 16, 19, or 68, or HF channel 2760. Skippers do not need to give advance notice or have a prior visa. If you plan on staying in the country for more than 72 hours, each crew member must apply for a tourist visa, which can be arranged by the harbormaster. All crew members must have current passports, and United States Treasury Department restrictions apply to all U.S. citizens. Skippers will also need to register their vessel upon arrival. A special permit, or permiso especial de navigación, is issued. This permit costs around CUC$50 depending on the length of the vessel.

Cuba has a network of state-run, full-service marinas. Those that function as official points of entry and exit include their marinas in Jardines del Rey, María la Gorda, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba, as well as the Marina Hemingway in Havana and Marina Dársena in Varadero. For more information on the specific marinas, see the respective destination chapters.

Good resources for any sailor planning to visit Cuba are Simon Charles's The Cruising Guide To Cuba (Cruising Guide Publications, 1997) and Nigel Calder's Cuba: A Cruising Guide (Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson, 1999). While a little dated, both books are full of invaluable information, tips, and firsthand experiences aimed at cruising sailors.