Cuba Scams: What to Expect When Travelling in Cuba

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cuba scams
Trinidad, Cuba.

Cuba is somewhere I had wanted to travel to for a long time and annoyingly, it ended up being one of those trips where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

One of them was getting food poisoning, which is certainly something I won’t hold against Cuba. It happens.

However, there were a few instances where I felt like we were taken advantage of for being tourists and not knowing how things worked in this country.

We weren’t relieved of vast amounts of money, by any means. That being said, it is never nice to find yourself on the end of a scam, particularly when you want to think the best of someone and they take advantage of that.

Cuba is a place I feel very conflicted about because I met some genuinely lovely people there – the type of people I won’t forget in a hurry and still think of often.

Yet, there were some situations we found ourselves in, which with a little warning, I would have handled much differently.

Ultimately, I wish that I had been a little more informed when I travelled to this country, so I could have avoided some of these Cuba scams.

A lot of this is on me, but we were travelling to Cuba in a time where few other tourists were and information was scant.

I’ve tried to be fair and balanced in writing this article – it’s not a slur on Cuba in general, which is one of the most interesting and beautiful countries I’ve ever visited.

Rather, these scams, or ‘watch outs’ are just things you should keep an eye out for.

If you’re looking for further information, be sure to check out these Cuba travel tips.

cuba scams
Sunset in ViĂąales.

Cuba scams we personally experienced

Things started going downhill fast when we arrived in Trinidad, after spending a few days in Havana.

My travel partner and I had both contracted gastro and it hit us hard (here’s at least one way you can avoid travel diarrhoea in Cuba). So, our time in Trinidad was mostly a write off.

Such a shame, as it was the city I’d been most looking forward to seeing.

We spent two days in the same casa – trying to sleep off whatever we’d caught, not to much avail. This casa owner was an absolute gem, one of the kindest people I’ve met while travelling.

Every few hours she’d knock on our door, armed with a tray of chicken soup. Exactly what you want when you’re ill and I consumed each bowl gratefully.

The third day in Trinidad saw us moving on. It was with a rather sad farewell that we hugged her goodbye and moved on to our next casa. This was around the time where things started really going downhill.

cuba scams
Playa Ancon near Trinidad, Cuba.

Watch out #1 – Inflated Taxi Prices

Sick of staring at the wall of our casa, I decided it was time to get to a beach.

If I’d been 100%, I probably would have gone outside and found a taxi to take us there, after bargaining a price with them. Too weak to do this, I asked our casa owner for some assistance and he called a car for us.

This is an obvious one for anyone who travels a lot, but duh – I should have asked for the price before getting in the car. It’s something I usually do and would have, had I been in my right mind.

As it were, I wish I had, because the journey out to the beach and back ended up costing us 20 Cuban Convertible Pesos (also known as CUC and are equivalent to 1 USD).

Keep in mind that it had cost us 25 CUC to take a five hour bus to the Trinidad the day before and we’d taken much cheaper taxi rides in Havanna.

This one is mostly on me, as it’s a rule of thumb that applies just about anywhere in the world.

Taxis in Cuba usually aren’t metered. As we’d learned, it’s best to negotiate the price before setting out. Whilst in Havana we found that prices should have been below 10 CUCs and even less for a short trip.

Taxis will sometimes try to overcharge, but are open to haggling – so you can settle on a fair price for all.

How to avoid this: Firstly, try not to poison your guts because it’s your second brain and can serious impede on your ability to think clearly. Always ask prices before getting into vehicles, so you’re not met with any unpleasant surprises at journey’s end.
cuba scams
Bikes may end up charging you more than you initially think they have.

Watch out #2 – Taxi Bike Ripoffs

After returning from Cuba, I learned that this is probably one of the most common scams out there.

We used a taxi bike once in Havana and it wasn’t the nicest experience.

We haggled with the driver and he quoted us 4 CUC at the time, (he’d wanted 8 CUCs to begin with). Joke was on us when he took us to our destination (a very short distance away!) and told us it was 4 CUCs each.

We only had a 10 CUC note, so he got the 8 CUCs and then some, as he told us he wasn’t carrying any change, which is apparently a common claim made.

How to avoid this Cuba scam: Always haggle for a fair price. Carry change, if possible in both pesos (the local Cuban currency) and CUCs. Or, pay the drivers at the beginning of the ride, once you’re in the car and are settled on a price. I did this a handful of times after growing wise to the “no change” scam and it worked a charm.
cuba scams
I still feel guilty about this horse ride.

watch out #3: The Horse Ride From Hell

I love riding horses and have done so in countries all over the world. So, when I heard that you could journey to a famous waterfall in Trinidad via horseback, I leapt at the chance.

This turned out to be one of the most upsetting Cuba scams.

Organised through our casa owner, we were taken to a house in Trinidad and mounted the sorriest looking pair of horses I’d seen in a long while.

From there, we began a long, bumpy journey out to the “waterfall” – what ended up being no more than a trickle into a tiny lagoon (to be fair, waterfalls are weather reliant, but still annoying when it was sold as this impressive great thing). There was a fee of 6 CUCs for someone to mind the horses while we checked out the waterfall, not too annoying but something it would’ve been good to know in advance.

Read more: The Horse Ride From Hell In Trinidad, Cuba

For the entire trip, my heart went out to the horses.

cuba scams
Not the healthiest of horses.

The Cuban horses were driven for hours without stopping and whipped although they were moving as fast as they were able to.

My horse was harassed by one of the tour operators when going uphill, despite the fact that there was no room for it to move past the horse in front. It stumbled so heavily that I nearly fell off it, which would have led to me being trampled by those behind me.

Keep in mind I wasn’t wearing a helmet as none had been provided.

By the time we arrived back in Trinidad, the creatures’ sides were streaked with sweat. They were exhausted. It was an awful feeling, leaving them there.

How to avoid this Cuba scam: Hard to pick, I’ve personally ridden horses across the world and have not had this issue before. There is something to be said about relying on your gut. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it and get out of the situation as fast as possible.
cuba scams
Colourful buildings in Havana.

Watch out #4: Charging for toilets and toilet paper

Like many public toilets around the world, Cuban ones often don’t feature toilet paper. I had read up about this in advance and packed my own rolls.

What I didn’t know was that many attendants on tourist routes charge you just to enter the toilet.

We experienced this a few times travelling around the country – I had first thought they were charging for toilet paper as the attendant was giving it out. When I indicated that I had my own, they still forced me to pay 1 CUC.

Okay, so there’s a toilet tax. I get it. Yet, it seemed to be one put in place purely for tourists travelling along that particularly path.

I know a lot of countries pay for toilet use, but this is a good one to know in advance. Bring your own toilet paper and if you’re travelling around the country on buses, it’s a good idea to have a few CUCs up your sleeve for toilet access.

How to avoid this Cuba scam: Pee on the side of the road? No, don’t do that. That’s icky. I guess it’s unavoidable and just make sure you have change on hand.
cuba scams
The streets of Havana.

watch out #5 – The Commission Network

This isn’t a phenomenon that is purely Cuban in origin, as many countries in the world operate on a commission basis, when recommending places to stay, eat or shop (India, I’m looking at you!).

The Cuban commission network is particularly prevalent in sourcing Casa Particulars. For those unfamiliar with the practice, Cubans open up their homes to foreigners, renting out rooms, much like a B&B.

It’s a particularly popular way to stay amongst backpackers and I do highly recommend it. You’re giving back directly to the community, for one thing. If you speak some Spanish you can converse with your casa owners and find out more about this country and their own lives.

Of course, you can still communicate without a shared language, which we ended up doing with one of our casa owners and learnt a lot from him.

There is a thing known as a “casa chain” where you get passed from house to house off recommendations, while some sort of commission is being unknowingly exchanged behind your back.

There’s nothing wrong with this really, unless it cuts other casa owners out of the loop, which is a thought I had while I was travelling from place to place.

As far as prices go, we found most Casa Particulars are priced at around $20-$25. If you’re travelling in pairs, a room can cost as little as $10 a night.

It’s an experience I highly recommend. You can even book them online now, which you couldn’t so much when we travelled there.

Check out prices for accommodation in Havana here.

One thing we were told by some locals was that it would be “extremely difficult” to find rooms of our own accord as it was peak season. There was one night where we headed back to Havana and didn’t have a room booked – we knocked around on doors and found a free space after ten minutes.

How to avoid this Cuba scam: Keep your wits about you. Be aware of the pricing system and be fair, but it’s always good to know how much the going rate is for any accommodation in a country.
cuba scams
Havana, Cuba.

Watch out #6 – Being told things are “closed” and being directed elsewhere

This happened on an organised tour! We were supposed to go to a rum factory and were told it was closed and were sent elsewhere… to a shop that sold rum, nonetheless.

I have heard of others being told attractions like museums are closed and being directed to bars or shops instead (to spend cash), with the directees being given a commission for their services.

How to avoid this Cuba scam: Be discerning and perhaps seek a second opinion? Or check out the place in question for yourself.
cuba scams
Wandering around Havana.

A few other Cuba scams to keep in mind

We were lucky enough not to encounter any of these issues, but they are just some things to be mindful of.

Cheap/worthless cigars

People will offer you boxes of cigars at a fraction of the price that stores sell them for. Seems like a bargain, hey?

Well, you pay the price. They’re usually lower quality tobacco, sometimes merely being banana leaves. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Or actually don’t.

It’s said that some of these cigars can’t be taken out of the country, as they don’t have official stamps on them. I don’t know if this is the case – we bought ours from a store – but it’s something to be mindful of.

cuba scams
Famous landmarks in Havana.

Wifi Cards

Similarly, be wary of vendors on the streets selling Wifi cards (which you need to access the Internet).

We bought us from a local shop in Trinidad and they cost 2 CUCs. We were offered them on the street for 6 CUCs – I understand that they should get a little something for their trouble but that may be taking the piss.

Money Exchange

There may be people on the street offering exchange rates which seem superior to those at the currency stores, but this can backfire.

They may give you Cuban Pesos instead of CUCs, which are worth sooooo much less. If you do choose to participate in this sort of exchange, always check that the cash is the right amount.

I would personally stick to the currency exchange stores. Definitely visit the ones in town, those at the airport will have upsetting rates, as with anywhere in the world.

cuba scams
The Cuban flag.

On Travelling Alone, As a Woman

Cuba scams aside, what it is like in general to travel there as a woman?

I travelled to Cuba with a male travel partner, but had a few moments where I did wonder about how comfortable I would have been on my own, having a very basic level of Spanish.

There was one moment in ViĂąales when I was walking down the road alone, possibly for the first time on my trip. A man reached out and grabbed my arm, trying to pull me into a nearby club. This was in broad daylight as well. I shook him off, yelled “NO” and marched on up the road. I was more annoyed than shaken and felt safe in a crowded street, but still. Grr.

Be Vigilant, But Be Fair

At the end of the day, there are scammy people all over the world. I’ve encountered similar scams in Morocco, France and India. It’s all part of the travel experience, as far as I’m concerned.

We were shown great kindness while in Cuba. I’ll never forget the concern on our casa owner’s face when we got sick or all the soup she gave us for free, refusing to accept extra money.

I met plenty of other interesting and passionate people, who opened up their homes and hearts. I’m grateful for this and Cuba is one destination that has stayed with me.

This post is intended to help those who are planning on travelling to Cuba, but sometimes you have to experience these sort of things yourself.

After all – the more you travel, the more you learn. If you end up being short only a few CUCs, then I guess you’re doing all right.

Have you encountered any of these Cuba scams, or others not on this list?

Pin this post for future reference.

Here are some #Cuba scams you should keep an eye out for, such as inflated taxi and room prices, cheap cigars and getting ripped off when exchanging money.

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10 Comments

  1. Can’t knock people trying to make a buck I suppose. Just a shame there is such disparity between those living in tourist areas who can charge visitors for services what locally is a fortune, whilst the rest of the country survives on a pittance.

    1. Yeah, would have been interesting to see those pockets of the country off the tourist trail that Jo was talking about…

  2. This makes me a little sad 🙁 I’m sorry you had a poor experience and gained knowledge in the process. And yes, there are worse things than losing a few CUCs. But I didn’t experience anything even close to this when I visited. My two cents I’m about to give isn’t aimed at your post, but to those who might be planning a trip to Cuba and are nervous:

    Naturally, there are inconveniences when traveling to many places in Latin America but this is something people need to be prepared for when stepping out into these countries. I coudn’t believe how many Americans I heard complaining about the holes in the sidewalk. It’s frickin’ Cuba, what did you expect! You’re leaving westernization to experience this new country for a reason, so don’t be shocked when there aren’t accommodating western conveniences. Simple courtesies toward the locals goes a LONG way in how you’re treated. I recommend always looking up the local manners before going anywhere. Learn common phrases in the local language and use them. No one there cares if you speak the language or not, just that you try to get on their level of communication. Always carry small coins and bills for bartering. Always observe before acting, as something we think is crazy may be the norm there. And always, alwaaayyyys, try to give back to a travel experience just as much as you take. In Cuba, I found this meant walking around Cuba letting locals practice their english with me and I in turn practiced my spanish. Great way to make friends and learn about another’s perspective.

    All in all, there’s more good in the world than bad. Never turn a blind eye to the bad, be smart, but at the same time never shut your mind off from the good.

    1. Hi Ashley, thanks for your comment, there’s a lot of great advice in it! I went to Cuba before the embargo lifted and there was minimal information floating around the interwebs at the time. How I wish we’d been a little bit more prepared and avoided that stomach bug somehow, as I think it would have been a different trip entirely. That being said when I think of those two weeks, the people I remember best are our casa mama who was so kind to us or Jo, a man we spent hours talking to despite us knowing minimal Spanish and he English, among many others. You’re right about the good outweighing the bad (although being animal mad, I still think a lot about those poor horses).

  3. I would agree I had non of the negative experiences LC had. I just came back Friday, as hurricane Irma cut out trip short and we got out on one of the last flights. Our Casa owner was so helpful and kind and offered any assistance we needed. The taxi driver that picked us up took us to a bank in the city to exchange or money so we could get a better rate. We also utilized him to do a day trip to Vinales. We booked a cooking experience on line and the chef spent more time with us then specified in the description and was extremely open in the conversations we had. I always want to understand the culture and what experiences people have where I visit. We hired a person to put an 8 hour walking tour together and he told us many stories that we wouldn’t of had with a general tour. We also heard his experiences and the details of people in Cuba receive from government, etc. very interesting. We did a lot of reasearch of the transportion options i.e. Bus, taxi, collectivo and am use to negotiating cost prior to getting in and going. I’m sorry you had such a negative experience… we were in Havana

    1. I am sorry too! It wasn’t wholly negative… we met some awesome people as well. 18 months on and when I look back on that trip, it’s them who I think of with a smile, which is nice. I’m sorry your trip got cut short but so glad you had a good time… you’ll have to go back and see the east end of the country!

  4. Saw your pin on Pinterest and since Cuba stole my heart when I visited in 2018 so your title caught my eye. I also did not experience any scams. Let me rephrase, I wouldn’t say they are scams. I went to Cuba knowing a bit of it’s political background. It’s sad that the typical Cuban makes around $18/hr USD. As an American I felt bad haggling over what to us is a couple of dollars. We spend more than that on fast food and coffee here. I didn’t fully understand the conversion rate between CUC and CUP so I mostly paid in CUC. It is the difference between a family getting something they typically wouldn’t have. There is a strong sense of community so I hesitate to consider wanting a bag of sugar to bake a birthday cake or buy new school shoes a scam. After seeing how Cubans live and knowing the restrictions placed on them I wish I could have done more. As I said, Cuba stole my heart so I have a lot of compassion for it’s people. As others said, use your wits and be discerning in your travel adventures. Also, bring more than you think you will need. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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