Think twice.
Cuba sits at a 54/100 sketch score today, up two points, but the UK and Canada still advise against non-essential travel due to health risks like Oropouche and measles.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Cuba
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Car rental insurance overcharging
Clerks may charge double the real cost for insurance by pushing expensive policies and demanding the difference in cash without providing a receipt. Pay only the amount listed on the contract.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Drug and pornography offenses
Cuba enforces harsh laws against drug possession, prostitution, and the importation, distribution, or production of pornography.
Criticizing the government
Criticism of the government, the Communist party, or revolutionary figures can lead to prosecution by the zero-tolerance justice system.
Restricted photography
Taking photos of police, soldiers, or other authority figures without consent is prohibited and can be treated as espionage.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Oropouche in the Americas
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Cuba is a very safe country, mainly because the Cuban government severely punishes crime.
- •Strict and prominent policing, combined with neighborhood-watch-style programs (known as the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution, or CDR) generally keep the streets safe from violent crime.
- •Drug laws are incredibly harsh in Cuba, as are the laws against prostitution and the importation, distribution and production of pornography.
- •Politics: Political demonstrations against the government are rare.
- •Criticism of the Cuban government, the Communist party, and figures of the revolution is not recommended; you never know who might be listening and your criticism might land you in hot water with the zero-tolerance Cuban justice system.
- •Authorities: Do not take photographs of policemen, soldiers, and other authority figures without their consent. The authorities may consider it as espionage.
Staying healthy
- •Cuba is considered very healthy except for the water; even many Cubans boil their water.
- •Cuban milk is usually unpasteurized, and can make visitors sick.
- •The island is tropical and thus host to a number of diseases.
- •HIV/AIDS infection is less than 0.1%, however, as always, you should exercise care and make sure you or your partner wears a condom should you become sexually active while in Cuba.
- •Cuba has one of the highest number of doctors available per capita in the world (around one doctor for every 170 people), making doctors readily accessible throughout most of the island.…
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers in Cuba face persistent street scams designed to lure tourists away from populated, tourist-friendly areas into isolated locations. A common tactic involves a stranger initiating a conversation under false pretenses, such as asking for a photo, then offering to guide the traveler to a specific landmark. These individuals often use elaborate, unsolicited backstories to build trust before leading victims into empty buildings or non-tourist zones. Once isolated, these scammers may demand money or attempt to force the traveler into private spaces. Violent crime is not the primary concern, but wandering away from crowds with strangers creates significant danger. Local residents often provide the most reliable assistance when travelers find themselves in these compromised situations.
“He then told me that there is this wall Michelle Obama signed. Said that it was just 5mins away, and he can show me where.
— r/travel
“I followed him for 10mins, and when I asked him if we are almost there, he said oh yeah we are almost there, look at this building here, this is also famous! Then he asked me to go into this random building. No tourists. Nothing special.
— r/travel
“I was lost but lucky enough, these 2 boys who were selling fruits on the street saw me running in panic and helped me find my way back to the bus.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B / C / L · 110V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 106 / ambulance: 104 / fire: 105
Show the receipts (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12