Should you Visit Cuba right now? – the pros and cons of taking a trip to Cuba

There are not many weeks go by that I don’t get asked “Should I visit Cuba now”?  Will my visit to Cuba make it worse for Cubans?  Or should I wait until it gets better there?    Oh, and if I visit does that mean that I support the communist regime in charge?  So I thought I’d lay it out. The pros and cons of visiting Cuba.  The advantages of visiting Cuba now.  And the disadvantages of visiting Cuba right now. I say right now, but if you’re reading this 6 months after I write it, will the content still apply?  I’ll cover that too.  Read on to see if it’s right for YOU to visit Cuba now.

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It doesn’t matter which country you’re from, the questions are valid all the same, although there are different challenges that you’ll face when traveling to Cuba.  So I’ll approach this from a broad perspective and then dive into specifics for different countries.  But you’re not alone.  There are citizens and residents of all countries – from the USA to Canada, the UK and the EU, Australia, and New Zealand all asking if now is the right time to travel to Cuba.  Will their visit make it better or worse for Cuban citizens?

There is, of course, not a one-size-fits-all answer. And it does NOT matter one jot what you read online about visiting Cuba.  It is ALWAYS a shock to the system.  Even those who travel to explore as far as the pool at their all-inclusive resort and no further.  Cuba is different.  But as you’re reading this, you’re more likely to be the independent traveler, who may spend a few days at an all-inclusive as a break at the end of your vacation to Cuba, but I’m guessing that its more likely that you want to visit the “real” Cuba.  And so that’s how I’m approaching this article.  It is after all what Cuba’s Best is all about, visiting Cuba independently.

So what is Cuba Like?

Well, all of it is not a tropical paradise with perfectly preserved classic cars, and dreamy golden sand beaches without a scrap of litter in sight.  Some of it is kind of close though.  There is indeed scarcity and there are power cuts.  If you’re staying in an all-inclusive resort you likely won’t notice too much.  If you’re staying in a casa particular, you might.   Even back in 2017, when we first visited Cuba, there were shortages.  I mean there have been shortages here since “the Special Period” (read more about that here). 

Cubans are ace at making do and making the best of it.  But does your visit actually make it worse for them?  Or better?  And why should you visit Cuba now?

4 Reasons to Visit Cuba Now

I figure I’ll split this into the positives first, and why you should go to Cuba now.  And then we’ll touch on why you might not want to.

1.      Visit Cuba now because it’s quiet.

Tourism is WAY down in Cuba.  International visitor numbers for 2024 were down 10% year on year.   There were only 2.2 million foreign visitors to Cuba during 2024.  That’s the worst year for tourism since 2007.  I know we’ve had a global pandemic in between times, but the numbers for Cuba just haven’t recovered.

So while the rest of the Caribbean might be jammed in high season.  Cuba is not.

Occupancy rates for hotels were about 25% in 2024.  But the government-run hotels didn’t cut staff, far from it.  They kept staff on, to make more people available for visitors.   I don’t think hotels are the best way to visit Cuba though.  Get yourself into a Casa Particular owned and run by a local and see the real Cuba.  Read my guide to Casa Particulars here.

Why is Cuba quiet?  Well.  There’s been this exacerbated fuel shortage for some time now.  I wrote about it here (because honestly, its kind of complicated as to why and how it happened – and what it doesn’t mean.  Your Viazul Bus will run.  You will get gas for your rental car, or for your taxi.  Cub is also quiet because since January 2021 until now (apart from about a week long respite in January 2025) Cuba has been on the US Government list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism” and that essentially means that for those of us who rely on entering the USA (or even just transiting through the country) using the ESTA scheme can’t.  It means applying for a tourist visa (and that’s not hard, it just costs a bit more and takes time.  And no I haven’t heard of a SINGLE PERSON who has been refused it.  Anyway.  I wrote more about ESTAs and Cuba here)

2. Cuba is a relatively safe place to visit

You might read about crime in Cuba.  But the safety levels in Cuba are generally still a lot higher than in the rest of the Caribbean.  Most Cubanos will help you.  Some will try to scam you.  But heck, so will those same people in the rest of the world.  There’s a general perception in Cuba that crimes against foreigners are investigated with more vigor. 

What does this mean?  Well, don’t leave your cell phone on the table if you go to the restroom.  And don’t leave your valuables unlocked.  Lock your valuables into a travel safe.  Take all the usual precautions that you would anywhere else in the world.  But, yes its generally a safer place to visit.  We’ve never felt unsafe here.

3. Visit Cuba because it is completely different

My husband spent months in Australia more than 30 years ago.  We returned 10 years ago and he couldn’t believe how much it had changed.  It wasn’t, he said, like Australia anymore, its was very Americanised.   What he actually meant was it was much more homogenized.  And a lot of the world is getting like that.  We returned to Cambodia last year – 7 years after our last visit – and that too had changed almost beyond recognition.  That was, though the Chinese influence and money.  And while I love what they’ve done to the dusty old bumpy roads, I miss them just as much.

And so applying this to Cuba.  Well, Cuba is, because of its situation, because of a US Economic Embargo that has lasted decades, because of a political ruling power that’s very different to where you live, it is different to anywhere you’ve been.

Culturally, it’s unique.  The language is very different, even as a Spanish speaker you’ll notice nuances, words, and intonations that are completely different. Authentic Cuba won’t be for anyone, but if you’re a little adventurous if you can cope with change and plans going awry, then come on over.

And yet, Cuba is changing.  You can see it every year.  It has to change.  It has to change for its people to survive.  So yes, you can not go now, and perhaps you can visit 10 years into the future, but it will be different.   It’s already very different to what it was like the year of our first visit, 2017.     But perhaps you won’t be able to visit in 10 years.  Who the heck knows where the world will be in 10 years time.

We put off visiting Kyiv in 2018 because we had “other places to go”.  I didn’t jump on a plane to Berlin in November 1989, because I thought I could watch the wall fall on TV with the same impact as being there. 

The things that we don’t do are usually the ones we regret the most.

4. Visit Cuba to support her people and society

After several years of the easing of sanctions by President Obama, US visitors to Cuba increased, becoming the largest group of visitors to Cuba, with more than 1.2 million visiting in 2017. 

From 2016 sites like Expedia, Booking, and Airbnb were allowed to host bookings for Cuban casa particulars and hotels.   It created a phenomenal demand and Cuba supplied.  (there have been changes to this since, and only Airbnb was able to be used in Cuba, there are February 2025 changes here)

Then, on June 16th, 2017 President Trump banned all US Citizens from visiting Cuba.  A ban on direct commercial flights to airports outside Havana and to cruise ships had a massive impact.  Cuban families and businesses that relied entirely on those visitors closed.  They became reliant on the Cuban government to survive.

American citizens can again currently visit Cuba.

Tourism remains the main way in which a huge number of Cubans can make more than the state salary.  The state salary in Cuba in 2023 was on average 38.7 US dollars a month.  So working in the tourism industry, whether that’s by running a Casa Particular, or by becoming a tour guide, or a driver is an obvious way to make more than 40 bucks a month.

Tourism in Cuba and spending your tourist “dollar” is a way in which you can help the local Cubans to help themselves.  They become less dependent upon the Cuban government.  Will you be taking food away from Cubans by visiting?  No.  But you’ll be helping them to earn enough to feed themselves and their families.  And to make a better life for themselves.

If you want to make life better for the Cuban people stay in a casa particular, spend your money locally.  Don’t spend it in an all-inclusive that supports the Cuban Government regime.

4 Reasons NOT to visit Cuba now

And so now, the flip side.  Why you shouldn’t go.  Everyone is different some of these reasons will resonate, and some won’t.  It’s your trip.  You decide.

1.      Cuba experiences shortages

Even the Cuban Government says that 70% of the country’s roads are in bad condition.  (I’m a Brit – don’t get me started on potholes and the state of the road, along with the weather it’s a national obsession).  Maintenance on roads is poor in Cuba.  Fields are unfenced, livestock roams freely, and drivers need to be ultra-vigilant.  Night driving is NOT recommended.

There’s more on fuel shortages, why they happen and what occurs in my guide here.

You cannot fail to have seen the headlines about fuel shortages that cause electricity outages.  And lines at gas stations take hours and days (tourists and tourist vehicles are treated differently – read my guide to rental cars and you’ll understand more as to why this is)

Unless your casa particular has a generator, then your A/C might go out.  You might (as a non-American) be able to use your debit card in an ATM to get cash out, but you’ll get a bad rate, and besides if the power is out the ATMs don’t work.  To travel to Cuba you need to plan for all these things.    Bring plenty of cash for your trip (US dollars, Canadian dollars, or Euros and change into the local currency about 200 at a time)

2.      You’ll get better value for your money elsewhere

Of course, when you visit a country you try and compare it to others.  And you’ll read about locals living conditions and think that Cuba is a cheap place to visit.  It’s not.   You’ll likely pay a comparative rate to some other countries in the Caribbean for a lower-quality product.  That’s not the fault of the casa particular owner, they’re doing the best they can.  And they do an AMAZING job. 

Menus tend to be limited (I refer you back to the economic embargo).  Government-run institutions (like hotels and restaurants) tend to be in poorer condition, and of lower quality.  Customer service in these places tends to be poor.  I refer you back to the average state wage of less than US$40 a month.

3.      Cuban Government Services Struggle

Millions of dollars of Cuban Government money was spent before the pandemic on preventative measures to keep tropical mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya under control.  Less income from tourists, and less tax dollars means that cutbacks had to happen.  Garbage collections are more sporadic. 

This isn’t going to affect you if you’re sitting on an all-inclusive in the Cays or Varadero, but it might in some parts of Havana, or inland cities throughout the country.  And this is why you might see alerts from your Government about travel to Cuba.  Read my guide to mosquitoes in Cuba here.

4.      Visiting Cuba means you can’t use an ESTA to visit the USA

I’ve touched on this before.  If you use the ESTA, visa waiver scheme to either travel through or to the United States, then it will automatically be revoked when you travel to Cuba.  This isn’t necessarily a problem.  You just need to apply for a tourist visa to the USA.  I’ve not heard of them being refused (and I will update this post if I do).  Tourist visa applications take time and cost more than an ESTA.  Again, my guide and further details are here.

Final Words on Why You Should Visit Cuba Now.  Or Not.

I have friends who have traveled to Cuba and loved it.  And friends who have traveled to Cuba and hated it.  But they went because they wanted to see what it was like for themselves.  They wanted to experience the unique Cuban culture, to travel around, to see more of this strange country that’s so unlike anywhere else they’ve ever been.  At the end of the day Cuba is changing.  And so if you don’t go now, it will be very different when do you go.

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