How To Travel To Cuba As An American

Trinidad, Cuba © Keitikei | Dreamstime

As of January 2015, diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba has been revived and the longstanding travel ban to Cuba lifted. While this means that all U.S. citizens can travel, there are still some harsh regulations in place that make the process difficult.

Most Americans looking to enter Cuba will need to travel with a licensed Cuban tourist organization. Tour activities are restricted to American and Cuban bonding and historical learning. Purely recreational activities like scuba diving and beach going are banned — although some individuals will ignore this rule.

Since Cuban travel restrictions are not as strict for citizens from other parts of the world, like Canada, the Bahamas and Mexico, some Americans choose to buy a Cuban tourist card from one of these countries. One of these tourist cards will give visitors more freedom to explore and engage in leisure activities as they please. This way is not recommended; however, if they are caught by customs officers upon entering the country, the offenders will face heavy fines. There is not yet a U.S. embassy in Cuba, so travelers caught in binds might have no way out.