Fast Facts

Area Codes -- Cuba has a somewhat arcane system of area codes. Area codes around the country range from 1- to 4-digits. To make a call within Cuba, you do not need to dial the area code if you are a calling a number within the same area code. However, if dialing another area code, you must first dial "0" then the area code.

Business Hours -- There are no hard and fast rules, but most businesses and banks are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. Some businesses and banks close for an hour for lunch. Shops and department stores, especially those that cater to tourists, tend to have slightly more extended hours, and are usually open on Saturday and Sunday.

Cameras & Film -- Never pack film -- exposed or unexposed -- in checked bags, because the new, more powerful scanners in most airports can fog film. The film you carry with you can be damaged by scanners as well. X-ray damage is cumulative; the faster the film, and the more times you put it through a scanner, the more likely the damage. Film under 800 ASA is usually safe for up to five scans. If you're taking your film through additional scans, U.S. regulations permit you to demand hand inspections. In international airports, you're at the mercy of airport officials. On international flights, store your film in transparent baggies, so you can remove it easily before you go through scanners. Keep in mind that airports are not the only places where your camera may be scanned: Highly trafficked attractions are X-raying visitors' bags with increasing frequency.

Most photo supply stores sell protective pouches designed to block damaging X-rays. The pouches fit both film and loaded cameras. They should protect your film in checked baggage, but they also may raise alarms and result in a hand inspection.

You'll have little to worry about if you are traveling with digital cameras. Unlike film, which is sensitive to light, the digital camera and storage cards are not affected by airport X-rays, according to Nikon. Still, if you plan to travel extensively, you may want to play it safe and hand-carry your digital equipment or ask that it be inspected by hand.

Carry-on scanners will not damage videotape in video cameras, but the magnetic fields emitted by the walk-through security gateways and hand-held inspection wands will. Always place your loaded camcorder on the screening conveyor belt or have it hand-inspected. Be sure your batteries are charged as you may be required to turn the device on to ensure that it's what it appears to be.

Drugstores -- Called farmacias in Spanish, drugstores are relatively common throughout the country, although not necessarily well stocked. Those at hospitals and major clinics are often open 24 hours. Many hotels, particularly the larger ones, have either a small pharmacy or basic medical clinic on-site. There's a 24-hour pharmacy at the international terminal of the José Martí International Airport in Havana.

Electricity -- You will find a mix of electrical currents and plug types in use in Cuba. Around 90% of the hotels and casas particulares use 110 volts current with standard U.S.-style two- or three-prong outlets. However, some outlets I found are rated 220 volts, particularly in hotels that cater to European clientele. These are usually marked and sometimes accept only two-prong round plugs. For all intents and purposes you should have personal appliances rated for 110-volt current, with U.S.-style prongs, or the appropriate converters. It is also a good idea to carry a three-to-two prong adapter for any appliance you have that has a three-prong plug.

Embassies & Consulates -- All major consulates and embassies, where present, are in Havana. Canada: Calle 30 no. 518, at the corner of Avenida 7, Miramar (tel. 7/204-2517; fax 7/204-2044). United Kingdom: Calle 34 no. 702, Miramar (tel. 7/204-1771; fax 7/204-8104). Though neither an embassy nor consulate, the United States Interests Section, Calle Calzada between Calles L and M, Vedado (tel. 7/833-3551; fax 7/833-1084), is the official U.S. government representation on the island.

Emergencies -- In most cases, you will want to dial tel. 116 for any emergency. This is technically the number for the police, but it seems to be gaining acceptance as a national number for any type of emergency. Alternately, you can dial tel. 114 for an ambulance, and tel. 115 for the fire department. The three-digit emergency numbers are part of an ongoing effort to institute a national program for emergency response. However, in some areas of the country it is still not fully functional. At none of these numbers can you assume you will find an English-speaking person on the other end.

Etiquette & Customs -- Cubans are a friendly, open, and physically expressive people. They strike up conversations easily and seldom use the formal terms of address in Spanish. However, be aware that as a foreigner, many Cubans who start a conversation with you are hoping in some way to get some economic gain out of the relationship. Jineterismo, or jockeying, is a way of life in Cuba. This may involve anything from offers to take you to a specific restaurant or hotel (for a commission) to direct appeals for money or goods.

Dress is generally very informal, in large part due to the tough economic times faced by the broad population. Suits are sometimes used in business and governmental meetings, although a simple light, short-sleeved cotton shirt with tie, or a guayabera, are more common. The guayabera is a loose-fitting shirt with two or four outer pockets on the front and usually a few vertical bands of pleats or embroidery. The guayabera is worn untucked, and is quite acceptable at even the most formal of occasions.

Perhaps the greatest etiquette concern is about what you say. Open criticism of the government or Fidel Castro is a major taboo. Don't do it -- especially in open public places. Thought police, community revolutionary brigades, and reprisals for vocal dissent are an ongoing legacy of Cuba's political reality. One effect of this is that while Cubans you meet will often be very open and expressive with you, they tend to immediately clam up the minute another Cuban unknown to them enters the equation.

Internet Access -- Internet access is becoming more and more common and available in Cuba. However, it is still in the early stages and most of your options will be confined to the business centers of higher-end hotels, particularly in Havana, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba. Rates at hotel business centers range from CUC$5 to CUC$10 per hour. An alternative to hotel business centers are certain Etecsa offices equipped with computers and Internet access. In order to use these, you must purchase a CUC$6 card good for 1 hour of usage. A scratch-off login number and password on the back is good for use on any Etecsa computer around the country.

Language -- Spanish is the official language of Cuba. English is spoken at most tourist hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Outside of the tourist orbit, English is not widely spoken, and some rudimentary Spanish will go a long way.

Indigenous and African languages have had a profound and lasting influence, and you will find many words -- like cigar, barbacoa, and conga -- tracing their origin to indigenous and African sources used widely across the island. Various African dialects are still widely used in the songs and ceremonies of Santería and other syncretic religions, although almost no one speaks them conversationally.

Laundry -- Dry cleaners and laundromats -- be they full-service or self-serve -- are few and far between in Cuba. Hotel laundry services, which can sometimes be expensive, are far more common.

Liquor Laws -- Cuba has no firm or clear liquor laws. Beer, wine, and liquor are served at most restaurants and are available at most gift shops and hard-currency stores.

Mail -- A post office is called a correo in Spanish. You can get stamps at the post office and gift shops or the front desk in most hotels. The Cuban postal system is extremely slow and untrustworthy. You can count on every parcel and piece of mail being opened and inspected. The price is CUC50¢ for a postcard to anywhere in the world. For a letter, the cost is CUC80¢. A package of up to 1 kilogram (2.2 lb.) will cost CUC$10 to CUC$20 to ship depending upon your destination country.

However, it is best to send anything of any value via an established international courier service. DHL, Calle 26 and Avenida 1, Miramar, Havana (tel. 7/204-1578; www.dhl.com), provides broad coverage to most of Cuba. EMS Cubapost, Calle 21 no. 1009, between Calles 10 and 12, Vedado, Havana (tel. 7/831-3328), is Cuba's state-run express-mail service, with desks at most post offices. Beware: Despite what you may be told, packages sent overnight to U.S. addresses tend to take 3 to 4 days to reach their destination.

Maps -- Most car-rental agencies and many hotels will give you a copy of basic nationwide and Havana road maps. The Cuban Geographic and Cartographic Institute publishes a couple of much more detailed maps; most tourist gift shops and Infotur kiosks carry these maps. If you're buying a map before your trip, try to get the International Travel Map: Cuba (ITMB Publishing; www.itmb.com). You'll also find good maps online at www.cubaroutes.com and www.cubamapa.com.

Newspapers & Magazines -- The nationwide Spanish-language daily, Granma, is a thin paper with sparse coverage of local and international news, and a strong party-line editorial bias. The paper is not nearly as widely available as daily papers in most other countries, although there are some street vendors, and many hotels do get copies each morning. English digest versions of Granma come out every few days and are available at many hotels. A handful of other daily and weekly newspapers are published, and usually even harder to find than Granma. These include Trabajadores, Juventud Rebelede, and a host of regional rags.

Probably the most useful newspaper for travelers is the bilingual cultural publication Cartelera, which is available at the front desks of most hotels in Havana. There are also several periodic glossy magazines, some of which are bilingual; of these, Prisma and Business Tips on Cuba are of most interest to foreign visitors.

Passports -- For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; http://foreignaffairs.gov.ie). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

Pets -- Pets can be brought into Cuba with proper documentation and vaccinations. Definitely contact your closest Cuban consulate or embassy before attempting to bring your pet with you.

Police -- Nationwide, you can dial tel. 116 for police, although you shouldn't expect to find an English-speaking person on the other end of the line. In general, the police are quite helpful and not to be feared. Bribery and graft are not an issue. In the event of robbery, the police are your best bet, but for physical emergencies or other threats of serious danger, you are probably best off contacting your embassy.

Smoking -- Although Fidel gave up smoking years ago, Cuba remains a major producer of tobacco and tobacco products. Many Cubans smoke. Antismoking campaigns are just beginning in Cuba. A few hotels and restaurants have created nonsmoking rooms and areas, although given the local environment and the fact that a majority of the tourism here is European, this remains the exception, not the rule.

Taxes -- There are no direct or specific taxes on goods or services in Cuba. However, tourist restaurants have begun adding a 10% service charge on to their bills, so be sure to check before calculating any tip -- although it's doubtful that the 10% goes to your server. There is a CUC$25 departure tax that must be paid in cash upon leaving the country.

Telephones -- The phone numbering system inside Cuba is being modernized, but it remains quite confusing. City and area codes can range from 1 to 4 digits, and individual phone numbers can range from 4 to 7 digits. You do not need to use the city or area code for local calls, but you must dial 0 followed by the city or area code for any long-distance call within Cuba, or to a cellphone.

To call Cuba: If you're calling Cuba from the United States:

1. Dial the international access code: 011

2. Dial the country code: 53

3. Dial the area code and then the number. The whole number you'd dial for a number in Havana (area code 7) would be 011-53-7-000-0000.

To make international calls: To make international calls from Cuba, first dial 119 and then the country code (U.S. or Canada 1, U.K. 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New Zealand 64). Next you dial the area code and number. For example, if you wanted to call the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., you would dial 00-1-202-588-7800.

For directory assistance: Dial 113 if you're looking for a number inside Cuba, and dial 180 for numbers to all other countries.

For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial 00 if you're trying to make an international call and 0 if you want to call a number in Cuba.

Toll-free numbers: Numbers beginning with 0800 within Cuba are toll-free, but calling a 1-800 number in the States from Cuba is not toll-free. In fact, it costs the same as an overseas call.

Time Zone -- Havana is 5 hours behind GMT, or on par with Eastern Standard Time in the United States and Canada. Daylight saving time is observed by setting clocks ahead 1 hour from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

Tipping -- Most Cuban workers earn incredibly low salaries in dollar terms, so tips are an extremely important and coveted source of supplemental income. With the rise in tourism, all sorts of workers now expect and work for tips, including taxi drivers, porters, waiters, guides, and restaurant musicians. Taxi drivers in particular are loath to give any small change on a fare. So if the meter reads CUC$2.05, you are expected to pay CUC$3, although you are certainly within your rights to ask for CUC50¢ or so change. Porters should be tipped between CUC50¢ and CUC$1 per bag. Some restaurants include a 10% service charge, although you should probably tip the waiter an additional 5% to 10% depending upon the quality of service, or even more, as it's very doubtful they see much of that 10% service charge.

Toilets -- Public restrooms are hard to come by. You must usually count on the generosity of some hotel or restaurant, or duck into a museum or other attraction. Although it's rare that a tourist would be denied the use of the facilities, you should always ask first. In broad terms, the sanitary conditions of public restrooms in Cuba is much higher than those found throughout the developing world, although at gas stations and less affluent establishments, toilet seats are sometimes missing.

Many restrooms have an attendant, who is sometimes responsible for dispensing toilet paper. Upon exiting, you are expected to either leave a tip, or pay a specified fee, between CUC5¢ and CUC20¢.

Water -- Water is generally safe to drink throughout the country. However, since many travelers have tender digestive tracts, I recommend playing it safe and sticking to bottled water, sold as agua mineral sin gas.