Safety: How dangerous is Cuba?

Loud music, dancing people, classic cars, colorful cities, and plenty of mojitos. Cuba is truly unique and a land of contrasts. A travel destination where everything is different from what we are used to. That's why I wrote this experience report to ease your uncertainties: How safe is a vacation in Cuba? We traveled for three weeks on a round trip in Cuba. This is what we experienced.

In this article, you'll find out:

I keep getting asked: Is Cuba safe? In short, yes, Cuba is a very safe travel destination, and I felt the same way. Of course, you still need to keep an eye on your valuables, as poverty is high. As a solo female traveler, I also found the country to be safe.

First, you need to know this: There are many political and social problems. The lack of economic policy and ineffective distribution of foreign exchange revenue lead to social inequalities and frustrations among people who can barely survive on their salaries. The average salary in Cuba is $15 a month, which often isn't enough for basic needs like shampoo or candy.

You can explore the cities on foot both during the day and at night. Since tourism is very important for Cuba, you will be valued everywhere. People know that you bring money into the country, and many benefit from it. Both Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and especially Viñales are very safe. When sightseeing in Cuba, you really don't need to worry at all.

Although the roads are often pothole-covered and not as well maintained as they are back home, it's still safe. If you take a taxi in Havana, you'll quickly notice that the driving style is different from what you're used to. I advise against riding in classic cars. This is not only because the brakes are often not working properly; we unfortunately experienced this ourselves. One travel companion convinced us to take a beautiful classic car from the fortress down to the old town in Havana. The brakes were nonexistent, and the handbrake didn't work either. We were lucky, as the driver couldn't stop at the red light (how could he, without brakes) and managed to roll the car all the way to the hotel on the Malecón.

Unlike other Latin American countries like Mexico, Guatemala, or Honduras, problems such as gang crime, robberies, or drug trafficking are very rare. This is because Cuba is still very much governed by communism. Overall, crime in Cuba is very low. Tourists may sometimes be taken advantage of. Fraud in the form of counterfeit money or theft occurs in Cuba like in any other country.

Only go to official exchange offices and don't let fraudsters trick you into accepting counterfeit money.

You'll have much more enjoyable experiences in Cuba if you stay in 'Casa Particulares' with local families rather than hotels, which are state-run and not very inviting. This way, you get to experience the daily life of a Cuban family, exchange stories, and especially enjoy the delicious Cuban food prepared by your hosts. We were welcomed with open arms and cooked with fresh ingredients. In contrast, hotels often only offer one type of cheese, simple main dishes, and clinical conditions.

By staying with host families, you'll get the best tips for excursions, help with booking bus tickets and tours, and they'll show you the most beautiful places. Therefore, you can really stay here without any worries. We loved it.

I found Cuba to be very safe as a solo female traveler. I often traveled separately from my companions and didn't have to worry about safety at all. The Cuban culture is such that women are treated very respectfully in Cuba. As a solo female traveler, you can rely on being treated with respect by the locals, which I found very pleasant.

What did tire me, however, was the fact that men often stared at you, whistled, or made comments. Cuban women feel flattered by this and are offended if no one whistles at them; for me, it was very unusual and eventually tiring. But this is part of the culture here, and you should be aware of it. You can read my entire experience report of the Cuba round trip here.

A few tips never hurt, so you can travel around Cuba with ease. Here are my recommendations.

In Cuba, you have many transportation options. You can either rent a car, hire a private taxi with a driver, or take a bus. Exploring the country on your own is best done with a rental car. This gives you maximum flexibility. You can determine your own route, stop wherever you like, and decide how much sightseeing in Cuba you want to do each day.

I really wanted to hike the trails of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro in the Sierra Maestra. This endeavor is not so easy to organize, so I joined friends on a group tour (the group was really cool). Here you can also book this route with G Adventures.

The hurricane season in Cuba runs from June to November and brings unpredictable weather. Be prepared for potential tropical storms and pay attention to current weather warnings. The greatest danger for you as a tourist is to experience a hurricane on-site. In the past, these storms have caused significant destruction. However, despite the season, you can safely enjoy the beauty of Cuba, as I was there during hurricane season and was lucky that a mild one hit only after I left. The weather was consistently beautiful the whole time.

Cuba has an exceptionally good healthcare system. However, you should have travel health insurance (I recommend HanseMerkur) and be aware of what you eat. Very fresh garlic did not sit well with us, and several people in my group had diarrhea. So I recommend you pack charcoal tablets and crackers.

Since you will also be bothered by mosquito bites in this tropical country and it's hard to get mosquito spray on-site, you should bring this from home. This will keep you safe from infections like dengue fever and the Zika virus.

Also, you should not drink tap water in Cuba. Buy bottled water in supermarkets or kiosks and ensure the bottle is still sealed.

Overall, Cuba is an extremely safe travel destination. As with all trips, you should take certain precautions to minimize the risk of health problems and crime. With my tips, you can enjoy your trip to Cuba worry-free.

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