Cuba etiquette and culture: dos, don'ts and local customs

Etiquette does not change with your passport, but the rules around your trip do. Americans need a legal OFAC travel category because tourism is not one, and the US rates Cuba Level 2 (exercise increased caution). In September 2026 the UK advises against all but essential travel, Canada says avoid non-essential travel and Australia says reconsider your need to travel, because fuel, power and flights keep failing.

The dry season, November to April, is when transport and power are least disrupted and when outdoor greetings, music and street life happen most. Costs below are 2026 estimates in cash terms; card use is limited outside Havana hotels.

Cubans greet before they ask. Walk into a casa, a shop or a taxi and start with hola, buenos días or buenas tardes; skipping it reads as rude even when the transaction is obvious. A handshake is normal on a first meeting, and friends and younger people often exchange a single cheek kiss. Men greeting women usually wait for the woman to offer a hand or cheek.

Conversation is warm and close. Standing distance is shorter than in the US or UK, and touching an arm during talk is friendly, not intrusive. Direct eye contact is expected. Please and thank you (por favor, gracias) are used, but tone and a smile matter more than perfect grammar.

Punctuality is loose for social meetings and firm for tours, buses and flights. If you are invited to a home, bring something small: sweets, coffee, rum or a gift for the children. Do not arrive empty-handed if you can avoid it, and do not overstay a short invitation.

Tipping is expected and is a real part of income. Restaurants: about 10%. Musicians, guides, casa hosts and drivers: a dollar or two, more for a full day. Tipping in cash, in small notes, is more useful than a rounded-up card payment, because cards are limited and change is scarce.

Carry small CUP, USD and EUR notes. Breaking a large note is often impossible, and you may be offered change in goods or not at all. Keep a separate pocket of one-dollar and small-peso notes for tips, and do not hand over a big note expecting coins back.

Gifts are welcome but should not feel like charity. Soap, pens, painkillers, phone credit and children's clothes are genuinely useful. Hand them to an adult, not directly to a child, and avoid giving money to children on the street. If you want to help, buy from a private shop, eat at a paladar or pay for a service.

Ask before you photograph a person. A nod and a raised camera is not enough; say ¿puedo? and accept a no. People in uniform, women in traditional dress with cigars, and anyone with an animal will usually expect payment, and it is fair to agree a price first. Do not photograph police, soldiers, airports, ports or military sites.

Havana's old town is full of posed scenes that exist for cameras. That is fine if you know it is a transaction. Elsewhere, photographing daily life without asking is the fastest way to sour an encounter. If someone asks you to delete a picture, do it.

Cubans will often raise politics, shortages, family abroad and the revolution with you. Listen. Do not lead with criticism of the government, and do not assume everyone shares one view; opinions differ sharply between generations and between Havana and the east. Avoid the words that frame Cuba as a curiosity, and avoid comparing it to your own country as a lesson.

Religion is mixed: Catholic, Santería and Protestant practice often overlap in the same family. Treat Santería as a religion, not a show. If you are invited to a ceremony, ask what to wear and what to bring, and do not photograph without clear permission.

Race and class are live subjects. Do not comment on who looks Cuban, and do not treat darker-skinned Cubans as staff. If you are asked about life abroad, answer honestly but without boasting about money.

Dress is casual and neat. Beachwear stays at the beach; shorts and tank tops are fine in the street in the heat but not in churches or formal restaurants. Bring a light long-sleeve layer for evenings and for air-conditioned rooms.

Food is shared and unhurried. If you are invited to eat, wait for the host to start, and eat what you are given; refusing food can offend. Vegetarians and vegans can manage in Havana and Trinidad but should expect limited menus elsewhere, and should explain rather than assume.

Nightlife starts late. Music venues fill after 22:00 and run past 02:00. Dance if invited; salsa is social, not a performance. Do not touch people's instruments, and tip the band in cash.

Cubans are forgiving of visitors who try. If you forget a greeting, apologise, greet properly and start again. If you have offended someone, a direct lo siento and a change of subject usually ends it. Do not offer money to smooth over a social mistake; that makes it worse.

For anything legal, medical or official, use a licensed guide, your casa host or your embassy. Travel insurance is worth arranging before you fly, given the state of fuel, power and flights. Carry your passport, keep a photo of it, and keep cash separate from cards.