Page 126 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba
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124 ❯❯ Streetsmart
Banks and ATMs phones work with theft can result in a
prepaid phone cards lengthy bureaucratic
All banks in Cuba are for between CUC$5 and procedure. Every town
stateowned. Most will CUC$50. These allow and village has its own
exchange foreign currency you to make relatively police station but few
at the official rate, though inexpensive international officers speak English.
queuing can be quite a calls from any public If you are a victim of
lengthy operation. The telephone. Making theft or are involved in an
regular opening hours calls from hotels can accident, the best course
are normally 8am–3pm be quite expensive. of action is to contact your
Monday to Friday, but Cubacel is the cell embassy or consulate,
some banks are also open phone service provider which should be able to
on Saturday mornings. and has offices in most help you (see p123). You
Some ATMs in major major cities and tourist should also contact your
towns can be used to centers. If you bring embassy or consulate for
obtain cash advances your personal cell help immediately if you
using cards such as phone, Cubacel may are arrested.
MasterCard and Visa, be able to activate it, Asistur exists to help
except for those that have but it is expensive. tourists in distress and
been issued or processed Local area codes may has offices in most tourist
by any US institutions. have 1 or 2 digits, and centers. The Consultoría
Foreign currency can the number of digits of Jurídica Internacional can
be exchanged for CUC$ local numbers varies. To provide legal help and has
and CUPs at CADECA call outside Cuba, dial 119, branches in all of Cuba’s
casas de cambio (bureaux followed by the country main cities.
de change). A 10 percent code. To call Cuba from In the event of a car
commission is charged if abroad, dial the inter accident, call the traffic
you would like to change national access number police (tránsito) and your
US dollars; however, no (00 in the UK, 011 in the carrental company. It is
such commissions exist US and Canada), then 53 also wise to contact your
for other currencies. and the local number. embassy immediately.
Mail is extremely slow. Do not allow any vehicle
Credit Cards Every town has a post that has been involved in
office, and most tourist an accident to be moved
MasterCard and Visa are hotels also sell stamps before the police arrive.
widely accepted in hotels, or prepaid postcards. Canada, the UK, and
restaurants, and tourist All mail is read by censors. most European nations
oriented stores, but not in If sending anything of have embassies in Havana
outoftheway places and value or importance, with consular services, as
smaller outlets. Cards use DHL, which has does the US since August
issued by US banks can offices in all major cities. 2015. All can provide
be used, but may not Laptops for personal assistance to travelers.
work. Be prepared for use may be brought into
the electronic processing Cuba. You can log onto the Medical Services
system to be unreliable. Internet in many hotels
Credit cards can be used and a few cyber cafés. Cuba’s healthcare system
in order to obtain cash However, the cost can vary is free of charge to
advances at certain widely. Private Internet Cubans. Foreign visitors
banks. An 11 percent access for Cubans is are usually treated in
commission is charged limited to a privileged international clinics;
for using credit cards. few. WiFi is very limited. emergency treatment
is provided at ordinary
Communications Emergencies hospitals, but hygiene
is usually questionable.
Operated by ETECSA, The Cuban police are Payment is made in
a state company, public rarely very responsive to convertible pesos or
phones are plentiful and reports of crimes against by credit card, but fees
normally reliable. Public tourists, and reporting a are relatively inexpensive.
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