Is Cuba Safe to Travel to? [Cuba Safety Guide 2025]

Cuba is generally considered to be a safe country to travel to for citizens of all countries, including the USA.  Cuba has a relatively low crime rate compared to some of its neighbors, and the Cuban government sends out strong messages emphasizing tourist safety.   There are, however, some threats to travelers’ safety that should be considered.  These tend to be related to the infrastructure of the country and petty crimes.  Here’s our guide to safety in Cuba and considerations you should make to travel to Cuba safely.

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You can’t not have noticed that Cuba has been in both an economic and an energy crisis for some time now (my guide to fuel shortages explains more), and it is this that drives most of the safety concerns with visiting Cuba.  However, with a few extra planning steps and some backup plans, there’s nothing to say that you shouldn’t have an incident and accident-free visit to Cuba.

Is Cuba Safe to Travel to?

Generally.  Yes.  Cuba is safe to travel to.  The Cuban Government and Cuban law are protective of visitors.  Crimes against foreigners tend to be harshly punished, and they provide a big deterrent for crimes against visitors.

Scarcity of fuel, energy, and food is nothing new in Cuba; it’s been a situation that Cubans have dealt with since the US embargo began, but recent events (pandemic, increasing sanctions, Russia-Ukraine conflict, etc) have increased the challenges.  Fuel shortages and rolling energy blackouts are well documented, as is civil unrest that usually accompanies both.

Cuba is generally considered a medium-risk country to travel to.  However, you should ensure that you sign up to receive travel and risk alerts from your Government when planning a visit.

• UK Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – the FCO > details here
• US Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – the State Department > details here
• Australian Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – DFAT – the Smart Traveler > details here
• New Zealand Government Advice on Travel to Cuba > details here
• European Union – EU Advice on Travel to Cuba – details here
• Canada Government Advice on Travel to Cuba – details here

Is Cuba Safe for Visitors?

Generally yes.  Cuba is safe for visitors.  As I mentioned above, Cuban law tends to prosecute crimes against visitors strongly, and this provides a strong deterrent.  It doesn’t, however, stop petty crime or scams, which you should be on the lookout for in whatever country you travel to.

There’s a low level of terrorism risk, for instance, but a high level of pickpocketing risk, as public transport tends to be overcrowded and visitors will stick out like a sore thumb.  Take all the usual precautions that you would in this situation, anywhere around the world.

Is Cuba Safe for Americans?

Yes.   Americans traveling to Cuba must take a few extra steps before (and during their visit) – my guide to legal travel to Cuba for Americans is here.  Your visitor dollars and your spending with the local community are welcomed here, and generally, Cubans do not connect any political decisions of the government with visitors to Cuba.

Americans will need to bring enough Cash to cover their expenditure in Cuba, as US credit and debit cards won’t work in hotels, restaurants, or ATMs.  Using a VPN means that US-based cards may be able to be used for items such as booking the Viazul Bus, or booking transport or trips via Civitatis.  However, the US Government forbids those in its jurisdiction from visiting Cuba for the purposes of Tourism and requires that your trip should meet one of the 12 approved categories of visit.  I’ve covered this in my guide here.

Is Cuba Safe for Solo Travelers?

Yes.  Cuba is safe for solo travelers.   There are low levels of crime against visitors, but solo travellers should be on their guard in the same way that they are in any situation.

Is Cuba Safe for Female Travelers?

Generally, yes, Cuba is safe for female travellers.  The most likely risk is street harassment and attention, which is unwelcome and can feel uncomfortable.  It’s best to avoid walking alone, especially at night.  Violet assault is very rare.

Crime in Cuba

The Cuban Government doesn’t release detailed crime statistics, and even when it does, there are questions over the transparency and accuracy of the stats.   You might have read reports stating that crime has increased in Cuba year on year from 2023 to 2024; however, it remains low in comparison to other countries.   Cuba is generally considered one of the safest countries in Latin America, and gun crime is virtually non-existent. 

The most common crime against tourists tends to be pickpocketing.  It is common knowledge that visitors to Cuba are now tending to carry more cash – read my guide to currency in Cuba to understand why – and thus pick-pocketing has risen.  You can protect yourself against this with a few of our Cuban safety tips.

You can reduce the amount of cash that you carry by prebooking and prepaying transfers, activities, and trips with Civitiatis.

Cuba Travel Safety Tips

I’ve travelled to more than 120 countries in the last 11 years, and I employ these safety tips everywhere.  I don’t just do this in Cuba.  It becomes second nature, especially when you’re constantly traveling.  Believe me, losing a passport or having a credit card lost or stolen is a major issue, especially if you plan to move to other countries other than your home country.

Replace your Wallet as soon as you pay

Paying for things with cash? Or a card?  Taking money out of an ATM.  STOP.  Don’t move an INCH.  Put that cash, that card, that wallet right back where it belongs BEFORE you move away.  Better still, zip it into a compartment in your pants (not the back pocket) or your bag.  Even better, get yourself a secure cross-body bag. 

I am a BIG pacsafe fan.  I use their cross body bags, their portable travel safes, their backpack nets, and so on.   

Change smaller amounts of foreign currency.

If you are (and you will be, trust me) changing foreign currency in Cuba to get hold of Cuban pesos, then change a small amount at a time.  Do NOT take more than you plan to change and leave the rest of your foreign currency in either your portable travel safe, or the safe at your hotel or casa particular.

Don’t wear Conspicuous Jewelry.

Nothing says rob me (anywhere in the world) like wearing a lot of bling.  Obviously.  So dial it down.  Leave your expensive jewelry at home.  My wedding ring is made of stainless steel.  My original one was platinum, but when we began our travel life, I traded it in for a stainless steel one that cost me US$20.

Watch your Gear in Crowded Areas

Most of these tips are about self-awareness.  Know when someone gets too close.  Sometimes you can’t avoid it (like crowded buses, for instance).  Always, always wear bags on your front in crowded situations.  Never let anyone look after bags for you, unless you trust them implicitly.  Never leave your bags in the crowd at a café or restaurant.  Always “tie them on”.  I have carabiners on all my bags, and handbags for this reason alone.   It is always attached to me or a heavy object.

Be Aware of People trying to lead you off somewhere

Most of the people you’ll meet on the streets in Cuba are just trying to make a living.  So you’ll often hear refrains of “there’s a better bar down here”, or “I’ve got a friend who can sell you cigars cheaper”.  It can just be a sales pitch.  But then again, it might not be.  If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. 

If you feel uncomfortable, start shouting.

If you feel uncomfortable in a situation, then start telling the person that you’re feeling that way.  That you want them to leave you alone.  Do it loudly.  99% of the time, someone else will intervene and help you.

The only place that didn’t work for us was in Durban, South Africa, where two men tried to steal my husband’s wallet, which was in his front pants pocket.  We both started yelling, but no one helped.  In the end, it took a combined effort of jumping on both guys and bashing them with fists and our bags to get out of the situation.  Lucky for us, there were no knives or guns involved.

Stick to Populated Areas

No matter what time of the day or night it is, it’s always a good practice to stick to populated areas where there are more people, especially if you’re traveling solo.  If you plan on visiting some of Cuba’s beaches where there are few people, try and go with a group.

Don’t Walk Alone at Night

Again, this isn’t specifically targeted at Cuba, but it’s a general good practice to not walk alone at night.

Use a Portable Travel Safe

My life is on my laptop, my phone, and my Kindle.  My husband and I are nomadic.  And have been since 2014.  And so we lock our valuables in a portable travel safe whenever we’re not with them, because losing them causes a whole heap of pain.   It doesn’t matter that we always have travel insurance and medical insurance; it’s the hassle of replacing things (I mean, face it, it’s bad enough building a new laptop every few years when it needs replacing!). 

We use our portable travel safe, we lock it to beds, toilets, trees, and inside the trunks of cars.  We use it when we go snorkeling and diving from the shore.  Read how we use it here.

Travel Safety Gear, we never leave home without

Now that I’ve told you that we don’t really have a home, you’ll understand that this gear is in my bag all the time.  We travel light and have just got used to having all these items as part of our daily life.

Travel and Medical Insurance

Medical insurance is a requirement when you travel to Cuba.  If you’re traveling on a US airline, it’s included – the medical part – but the insurance that covers you for loss and theft isn’t.  I wouldn’t dream of traveling without travel insurance.  We’ve had two claims in the last 11 years, both pretty huge, as we had to return home, once from Guatemala to the UK and then secondly from Turkmenistan again back to the UK, both for family reasons.  We’d have lost out by nearly US$10,000 in total if we hadn’t had travel insurance. My guide to travel insurance for Cuba is here.

eSim

I’ve trekked around China, traversed Mongolia, and been overland across Turkmenistan.  And picking up a  SIM card for internet access in each country is a pain in the proverbial.  Do yourself a favour, get an eSim for your phone and get internet access for Cuba easily.  (Not all providers work here, so go for Gigsky, which does.)

A VPN

I spent 20 years working in IT security.  I’ve spent 11 years wandering the world.  I use a VPN.  I use to to protect myself and my data.  I use it to spoof my location.   In Cuba, I use it for booking Viazul Bus Tickets, accessing my PayPal account, and everything else that’s important to me.  My guide to VPNs for Cuba is here.

And this link gives you a discount – up to 3 months for free – off the best VPN that I’ve found in all those years of work and travel.

Portable Travel Safe

I think you’ve got the message on portable travel safes by now. They’re not heavy, but for me they’re invaluable.  And they will put off all but the most determined thief.  Get yours here.

A Filter Water Bottle

My guide to drinking water in Cuba is here. I’ll give you the short version.  Don’t drink tap water in Cuba – unless you have a filter water bottle.  Of course, you can get hold of bottled water in Cuba.  But that doesn’t mean you should.  The last thing Cuba needs is more plastic waste to deal with.  Get yourself a filter water bottle and you can drink tap water safely.

A Steripen

We also travel with a steripen, and use Ultraviolet light to destroy 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in water. UV radiation damages pathogens’ DNA so they’re unable to reproduce and cause illness.  It might be a little of a belt and braces approach (Filter water bottles take care of this), but after I got sick in Nepal after trusting someone else to sort my water out and wasn’t well for nearly 9 weeks, I don’t take any chances.

A Headlamp / Torch

Power outages are a common occurrence in Cuba.  Get yourself a rechargeable headlamp and put yourself in charge.  Even if it’s just so you can get up in the middle of the night and go to the toilet, at least you can see where you’re going!

A First Aid Kit

Whether it’s headache pills, bandages, or sticking plasters, it’s best – especially in Cuba – to bring what you might need.  I’m allergic to sticking plaster, so I have to use a specific type; otherwise, I generally end up with a worse reaction than the reason for applying the sticking plaster.  Get yourself a small first aid kit, and you can take care of small issues yourself.  If you don’t need it when you return home, then gift it to someone.

Luggage Locks

I lock my backpack and my suitcase whenever I leave them.  So should you.  At least that way, if something does go missing, you can confirm to your travel insurance company that it was locked and you took every precaution, which gives them less reason to deny your claim.

Door Stop/Wedge

This is the simplest of travel security devices and is seriously easy to take with you.  Then, when you’re asleep in bed or the shower, no one else can get into your room, either by mistake or deliberately.

What to do in an emergency in Cuba

Depending on the level of your emergency, you can call the emergency Medical Services on 106.  This will also connect you to the police or fire.  Contact your country’s embassy.  If you’re driving a rental car and get into an accident, contact the rental company immediately.  (Check my guide to renting cars in Cuba here.)

Most of the issues affecting tourists in Cuba tend to relate to pickpocketing, scams, or opportunistic theft.  You can attempt to avoid these by being aware of your belongings at all times.  Lock your valuables away when not using them, and educate yourself on common scams in Cuba.

Road conditions in Cuba tend to be bad.  Potholes, animals on the road because of no fencing, and low levels of street lighting.  If you are driving, do NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT. 

Final Words on Answering if Cuba is Safe

There’s very little to no gun crime, crimes against tourists are punished heavily, and, comparatively speaking, Cuba is one of the safest places to travel to in the Caribbean and Latin America.  Cuba is generally safe; just take the normal precautions that you would when traveling.  And Enjoy Cuba!

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