CUBAbottom
Panorama view of Santiago
de Cuba in Cuba’s south easttop right
The Mural of Prehistory in
Vinales Valley, depicting
the history of life up until
the first humans. It is the
work of Leovigildo González
Morilla, an expert of neo-
caveman artistryCUC, so unfortunately they usually won’t come
too cheap!
CONNECTIVITY
Yes, yes, we should always live in the moment
and not get addicted to the cyberworld, but
when you’re in such a foreign land, the urge
to connect with home can be overwhelming.
Internet connectivity in Cuba is very limited.
The Communist Party of Cuba only recently
started loosening its socialist policies due to
the poor economy. Currently, less than half
the population have access to internet, which
is state-controlled and can only be accessed
through public WiFi hotspots. Mobile internet
was only introduced in July last year. So how do
tourists get internet connection?
You can purchase prepaid internet cards
from ETECSA, the country’s telecommunications
company. Locating ETECSA outlets can be
challenging, so I would advise you to download
the MAPS.ME app before arriving. Download
the map of Cuba and use its offline features to
find ETECSA booths or shops. 1-hour internet
cards cost 1.50 CUC while 5-hour cards cost 7.50
CUC. Each person can only buy three cards at a
time, does not matter if they’re 1-hour or 5-hour
cards, just remember to bring your passport with
you. There will always be a queue outside these
outlets, you can’t miss them. Alternatively, some
locals sell these cards for higher prices near
main streets or in small shops.
Once you complete these steps, you can
find a WiFi hotspot, usually not far away
from ETECSA offices, log in to your internet
service with your prepaid card and surf. Over
684 internet hotspots have been set up in the
country since the introduction of general-use
internet in 2015. Be wary that the connection
and speed would not be up to the standard
you’re used to!THE BOTTOM LINE
Should you visit Cuba? For sure, it is a nation of
incredibly vivid colours. People are very real,
experiences are raw. As a history enthusiast, I
was completely overawed by how the titanic
shadows of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro still
influence life in Cuba. For every cheap cigar
you buy, there is a tobacco farm earning only
five percent of the profits, every busker you tip,
there is a person trying to make a living. With
the country slowly opening up, it might not be
long before its old time charm begins to fade.