Whenit comes to budget holiday destinations, Cuba is one of the topcontenders among all the Caribbean tourist spots. Choosing a travelpackage can help you avail some of the cheapest travel rates at thisplace. Travelers can save even more if they are traveling atoffseasons. It is possible for visitors to survive days in Cuba atjust $50 per day or less. This is because of all the cheap amenitiesavailable in the nation.
Currenciesin Cuba
Thereis a special feature about Cuban currency. There are two types ofcurrency that operate in the market.
National Peso (CUP)
25National Pesos make up 1 Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC). It is the mostcommon currency that is widely used by local people. They earn theirsalary in National Pesos and one can use it to purchase smalleritems, or more specifically the items that are the basic needs of anindividual. But it is not limited to the locals only. Visitors canuse this currency as well to make payments for a lot of thingsincluding:
Bus rides
Fruits and vegetables – from roadside stands and markets
Street snacks
Shared taxi rides
Pizza, sandwich, ice cream, small meals, and other Peso foods
Fruit juice
Groceries and other basic ingredients
Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)
OneCUC is equal to one dollar when it comes to the currency exchangerates. But converting the United States dollars in Cuba is not a goodoption to consider as it will take in 10% conversion charge. Euros,Canadian dollars and Mexican currencies are better options if you areconsidering carrying in cash for exchange. CUC is referred to be themain currency for luxury items and is most common among travelers.This currency circulates among the locals who are mainly involved inthe tourism industry including taxi drivers, casa owners and manymore. You can use the CUC to purchase the following things:
A luxurious meal at any of the restaurants
Drinks and beverages including bottled water, alcohol and beer
Tickets for the tourist bus
Internet connections
Casa and hotel rooms
Tourist activities such as excursions, horseback rides, etc
Rental services for cars and scooters
Any other item anyone can wish to purchase
Whatmakes Cuba a budget destination?
Themain thing that works to make Cuba one of the top choices for budgetholiday plans is the CUP currency. The rates of living in Cuba arepretty cheap when it comes to using the National Peso. Bus rides canbe as cheap as 1 CUP.
Accommodation in Cuba
Thisis the main thing that can take a lot of money when it comes totraveling. But Cuba can be very reasonable, especially if you chooseto stay in a casa particular. Rates can be as low as $20 to $30 pernight for a double room. In case you are traveling solo, you canavail discounts as well. Hotel room charges can range anywhere from$25 to $180 per night depending on which option you choose. CasaParticulares is the ideal option for anyone who wants to enjoy theauthenticity of traveling in Cuba. Not only they are affordable, butthey are also comfortable as well and can provide the visitors withsome of the best local flavors.
Food and drink
Therates for meals in Cuba can widely vary from place to place and cityto city. Some cities are expensive while some are cheaper. It canalso vary on where you choose to eat the meal. If you are fine withthe meal provided by your casa owner, you are probably going to savea lot on your budget. Hotels can be a bit pricey. The case is samefor alcohols as well. Beers can range around $1 and $2 for cocktails.The rate at big bars and restaurants can rage around $2 or higher forbeers and cocktails. Bottled water costs hardly around $0.70 if youcan strike the right deal. No matter how much you are willing tospend, buying Peso foods such as sandwiches, pizza, grilled pork, andrice can be a great option. You can get a full decent meal of grilledpork and rice at just $1.50 and fresh fruit juice and ice cream at$0.04.
Transportation
Whileyou need to spend a lot if you want to enjoy luxurious travelingoptions, you can travel at cheap rates if you are ready to use thelocal ways. Hiring a shared taxi can just cost about $0.50 for a ridewithin the city. But make sure you pay with CUP and not CUC. Busrides can be as cheap as just 4 cents. Astro and Viazul bus rides cancost more as they are specifically designed for tourists and you needto pay CUC for those rides.
Rentals
Ifyou have good bargain skills, you can achieve some great rates andhire a scooter at just $20 for 3 days. This can help you take care ofthe traveling costs to great extents.
Activities
Whenyou want to join the local activities or visit a tourist destination,you cannot expect to save much as they will know you are a touristand you need to use the CUC for making the payments.
