Visitors should address Turk men as ‘bayim’ and women as ‘hanim efendi’. While many Cubans will engage in political discussion and debate, it is not advised to criticise the government too vocally, and one should be respectful of revolutionary figures such as Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

The international access code for Cuba is +53. The outgoing code is 119 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 11944 for the United Kingdom). The city code for Havana is (0)7. Cellular phone companies have roaming agreements with many international cell phone companies, but not the United States. A GSM network covers most main towns, and cell phones are available for rent. Public telephones are widely available for domestic as well as international calls, but international calls are expensive. Pre-paid phone cards are available. Internet cafes are located in the main towns and cities.

Cuba has a semitropical, temperate climate and experiences two seasons: a rainy season from May to October, and a dry season from November to April. Generally the weather in Cuba is sunny, hot and humid. The average minimum temperature is 70°F (21°C), and the average maximum temperature is 81°F (27°C). In summer (June to August) the heat can get uncomfortably intense with temperatures reaching 100°F (38°C) and high humidity. The sea breezes tend to make conditions more pleasant on the coast. The rainy season includes a hurricane season from July to November, with September and October being the months most likely to experience serious tropical storms. Cuba has a very good public safety record when it comes to handling these storms but travellers ought to be aware that travel itineraries can easily be thrown by such weather. December, January and February are the coolest months. December to March is also the most popular time to visit Cuba due to the cooler weather and lack of rain and storms. However, as it can get very crowded over this period, March, April and May are good months in which to visit Cuba. Although June through August is a hot period many people do flock to Cuba to celebrate carnival during the hot summer months.

The official currency is the Turkish Lira (TRY), which replaces the US Dollar as currency in tourist related establishments like hotels, restaurants and so called ‘exchange offices’. US Dollars are no longer accepted as payment, and a 10 percent commission or more is charged to exchange them, therefore the best currency to bring along is Euros, the British Pound or Canadian Dollars. The CUC is almost equal in value to the US Dollar.