What items are "must haves" when you leave ship to tour Havana

What items should I buy to have on hand to use as small gifts to give to locals I meet along the way ?

What items should I be sure to have for our personal use when touring Havana ?

I have read on the board to bring umbrellas or rain ponchos. To buy 25 cent CUC coins and tissue paper for the restrooms.

What else did you bring or wish you had brought when you went to Havana ?

Today we booked a 09/24/18 departure, I would love some suggestions, so I don't have to do a lot of research on my own - Thank you in advance

A hat and sunscreen ! Cuba is hot .

Your passport is a MUST for sure, along with your visa.

Anyone wish they had packed bug spray ?

Your passport is a MUST for sure, along with your visa.

This! Absolutely!

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Anyone wish they had packed bug spray ?

I took a small bottle of big spray off the ship the first day, but luckily, did not need it.

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Hat and sunscreen are musts. Bring lots of water. Usually you need money to pay for TP in the washrooms. You could bring your own. There may not be soap so you might want some hand sanitizer or soap leaves. I didn't see any bugs when I was there.

We stayed at a resort. Aside from cash, which is always welcome, our maids really appreciated getting chocolate and candy. They don't have too much "luxury" stuff like that there. Our guide (we went with Havana Journeys in a classic car) said he liked North American toothpaste. he said they have toothpaste there but the stuff they can buy is gritty and not very good. I was wishing I had brought an extra tube so I could give him one. :)

Hat and sunscreen are musts. Bring lots of water. Usually you need money to pay for TP in the washrooms. You could bring your own. There may not be soap so you might want some hand sanitizer or soap leaves. I didn't see any bugs when I was there.

 

We stayed at a resort. Aside from cash, which is always welcome, our maids really appreciated getting chocolate and candy. They don't have too much "luxury" stuff like that there. Our guide (we went with Havana Journeys in a classic car) said he liked North American toothpaste. he said they have toothpaste there but the stuff they can buy is gritty and not very good. I was wishing I had brought an extra tube so I could give him one. :)

They like Colgate. I bring chocolate, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, makeup, t- shirts.

I am a lil confused! I read on others post that we cannot bring gifts such as candy, toothpaste etc... did anyone have problems with this! Don’t they check your bags when getting to Cuba? I would really love to bring gifts, but I definitely don’t want to do something I am not allowed to do. Thanks so much for any answers I can get!

I am a lil confused! I read on others post that we cannot bring gifts such as candy, toothpaste etc... did anyone have problems with this! Don’t they check your bags when getting to Cuba? I would really love to bring gifts, but I definitely don’t want to do something I am not allowed to do. Thanks so much for any answers I can get!

I have brought a full backpack twice with no problem. They do scan bags upon arrival but probably for weapons, etc.

If you bring stuff like that, to give to people in Cuba, it's "gifts for my friend"

For yourself..

Water, water, water, water and water. A GOOD sunhat. Sunscreen. I would have liked bug spray, some little gnats were nibbling at me the 1st day, but it wasn't horrible. I had my own TP (well, tissues actually) and hand wipes. I hit a restroom once, in the cigar shop, and they gave me some TP for a few coins. I used my hand wipes, and the guide on our food tour had hand sanitizer as well.

And did I say water?? It's blazingly hot. I took 3 bottles with me, plus we were given 1 or 2 on the food tour I did and I drank most of it.

If I bring toothpaste (work at dentist office) where would I bring it to?

I have returned from Havana. We did a private walking and car day tour with a local independent guide. We stopped for lunch at Buenvista a privately owned paladar . After we showered and changed our guide had arranged for the driver to take us to Hotel Nacional de Cuba to watch the Sunset and then to dinner at Riomar.

I did pack bug spray, TP, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, small change CUC's, bottled water, rain ponchos and assorted "gifts" as suggested.

The only thing I used was the bottled water. We encountered no bugs, even at night, the bathrooms we used all had TP, running water, soap and hand towels. The Hotel is the only place that had an attendant (which I did use the coins to tip her). The weather was beautiful, but I live in South Florida, so if coming from cooler climates pack the sunscreen and hat.

I did not pass out my "gifts" as it would have been like me walking down the street in your city or town and randomly giving things to people !

I did give an expensive bottle of perfume to my guide and a nice tip and that seemed appropriate.

I would suggest you pack all the items everyone has listed here, in case you need them, as your experience may be different than mine.

My opinion about "gifts" is that if you have not made arrangements to bring specific people specific items don't bring random things.

I am a lil confused! I read on others post that we cannot bring gifts such as candy, toothpaste etc... did anyone have problems with this! Don’t they check your bags when getting to Cuba? I would really love to bring gifts, but I definitely don’t want to do something I am not allowed to do. Thanks so much for any answers I can get!

In Havana we followed a family off the ship each person carried a full duffel bag and back pack. The Mom and Dad were wearing cartoon back packs. When we went through security they were pulled over for a minute and the bags were unzipped a little and then the family was on their way. We followed the family out of the terminal and into the square where they were met by a group of people. I will assume friends or relatives. So in this case I assume the family off the ship were bringing requested items to their friends or family.

So I don't believe you would have any problem bringing items into Cuba.

But who would you be giving them to ? I know items are hard to get in Cuba and they are lacking many things we take for granted, but in my opinion if you don't know the person or haven't made arrangements with someone to bring specific items it is a little awkward just passing out candy and toothpaste to strangers on the street.

If I bring toothpaste (work at dentist office) where would I bring it to?

I have been told if you inquire ahead to a school or an organization in Cuba they will direct you to the proper place

We plan to bring small items and will give them to our guide and ask that they donate the items to people they think would like them.