Off to Cuba in a couple of weeks
Anyone have any up-to-date information on this business with the dollar? FCO recommends taking euro travellers' cheques and says the dollar is no longer acceptable currency. I'd appreciate any insight.
Cheers
Jessimae

Jessica

Yes, according to the travel sections of several British newspapers, the dollar is no longer generally acceptable in Cuba. Apparently they will still exchange dollars, but at a punitive exchange rate, hence the advice to take euros. That's all I know - has anybody reading this been to Cuba recently?

Pete

We're going to Cuba early in the New Year and read about the change of currency in Travel Guardian a month ago. Since then I have not heard anything more.

Just back from Cuba and the reports are correct: the U.S. dollar no longer circulates in Cuba. Hotels and shops won't accept them - you'll be referred to the bank. The banks charge 10 percent commission to change dollars, so it's smart to bring Euros, pounds, or Canadian dollars which attract 2 percent commission at most. If you go to the Banco Internacional Financiero, you can charge any hard currency EXCEPT U.S. dollars without paying any commission at all (and U.S. dollars less 10 percent). When you change money you'll receive convertible pesos which are valued 1 to 1 with the U.S. dollar. And when you're leaving Cuba, you can change the convertible pesos into U.S. dollars at the airport exchange counters free of commission and without any fuss. Hand them a 20 convertible peso note, and they'll hand you bank US$20 a second later. No receipts or forms required. As you probably know, there are also local Cuban pesos or "moneda nacional" circulating in Cuba. These are sold at Cadeca offices around Cuba, but can only be used to buy street food and to pay for city bus fares. The rate is 26 local pesos to 1 convertible pesos, so it's quite a deal. Local pesos certainly cannot be used in any hotel, tourist restaurant, or hard currency shop, but they're handy to have for five peso pizza, etc. In Havana, there's a Cadeca kiosk in the same park as Coppelia diagonally opposite the Havana Libre Hotel. BTW, if you'd like to see some of my photos on Havana and elsewhere, they're on Cuba-Pictures.com