Cuba
Severe disruption makes offline preparation and flexible exit plans essential
Several governments currently advise against non-essential travel to Cuba.
The essentials
What to know before you go to Cuba
On 14 July 2026 the national power grid collapsed for the third time in one week, and fuel shortages are severely disrupting transport, medical care, communications, water, food supply, and tourism. International Visa and Mastercard transactions stopped on 6 June 2026, so travelers should not expect foreign cards or ATMs to work. Bring enough eligible foreign cash for the entire trip plus an emergency reserve, split it securely, and exchange only at official CADECA offices or banks. Airlines and airport operations remain unstable, so confirm every flight directly and keep an exit alternative.
Complete D’Viajeros within 72 hours before arrival and check whether an eVisa is required for the passport and itinerary. U.S. persons face separate OFAC restrictions, and visiting Cuba after 12 January 2021 generally affects future Visa Waiver Program eligibility. Download maps, documents, Spanish, contacts, and any needed security tools before departure because power cuts can also disable mobile service.
Ride Hailing
La Nave
Cuba's main passenger ride app, with cash fares, estimates, driver details, tracking, and chat, mainly useful in Havana.
Food Delivery
Mandao
A Cuban delivery marketplace for restaurant meals, groceries, and other goods in selected cities, with cash or card payment.
Messaging
WhatsAppEssential
The most useful channel for coordinating with Cuban accommodation, drivers, guides, restaurants, and tour operators.
Navigation
Organic MapsEssential
Free, ad-free maps with offline search and routing, useful when Cuban mobile data and power are unavailable.
Google Maps
A useful second reference for saved pins, place details, location sharing, and checking routes when data is available.
Language
Google TranslateEssential
Offline Spanish text, camera, and phrase translation for signs, menus, addresses, and routine conversations.
Restaurants
AlaMesa
An offline directory of Cuban restaurants, cafes, bars, menus, prices, maps, and contact details across major destinations.
Also covered
Internet in Cuba
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- A passport is required to buy a tourist SIM, with registration handled at the ETECSA counter. There is no nationality restriction, so Americans can buy one in Cuba; buyers must be 18 or over, a maximum of three Cubacel Tur lines can be registered per passport, and people of Cuban origin must use their foreign passport details.
- The normal route is to pre-order online before you fly and collect on arrival: you present the emailed code at an ETECSA/Cubacel Tur stand and staff install the SIM for you. Stands are reported at Havana's Jose Marti airport near baggage collection and at Varadero, Cayo Coco, Camaguey, Holguin and Santiago de Cuba airports, plus ETECSA offices nationwide. Buying at the airport without a pre-order is possible but means paying in foreign currency, and not everyone's cards work. Nauta cards for ETECSA's public WiFi hotspots are most reliably bought at ETECSA offices; informal vendors at hotspot parks may sell expired or already-used cards.
- eSIM exists but is limited: not every travel eSIM provider covers Cuba (GigSky is one that does), and ETECSA resellers advertise eSIM versions of Cubacel Tur. Either way the eSIM still rides ETECSA's network, so it avoids the counter queue but not Cuba's internet restrictions.
Order online before you fly: every route into a Cuban tourist SIM runs through an online purchase, because foreign card payments inside Cuba are unreliable. Validity starts when you activate with *666, not when you buy, and the rules on extending a Tur SIM are inconsistent enough that you should not build a long trip around any answer without checking. You cannot cancel the product at an ETECSA office once purchased. Cuba's internet is restricted, so set up any tools you need before arrival, and carry cash: US-issued cards generally do not work.
Local carriers
ETECSA (Cubacel)
The state monopoly and the only mobile network in Cuba: 3G in urban areas, workable 4G in Havana and the main tourist zones, limited coverage in rural areas. Visitors can no longer use ordinary local SIMs and are channelled into the dedicated Cubacel Tur tourist product.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in Cuba?
The essential apps for Cuba are WhatsApp, Organic Maps, Google Translate.
How many travel apps does Cuba have?
We've curated 7 apps across 7 categories for traveling in Cuba, including 3 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in Cuba?
La Nave. Cuba's main passenger ride app, with cash fares, estimates, driver details, tracking, and chat, mainly useful in Havana.
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