Cadecas in Cuba are common stops for most travelers at least once or twice along their journey.
In 2019, Cadecas are an easy and cheaper way to get your money exchanged into Convertible Cuba Pesos, or CUC.
If you don’t already know, Cuba has two currencies. The CUC, and the CUP (Cuban Peso). And it is vital you know the difference as it’s the main ingredient to a common scam in Cuba. It’s pretty hard to enjoy even a perfect itinerary of Cuba if you’re scammed out of your hard-earned money!
Below is everything I learned about using a Cadeca in Cuba – from what to expect to how to spot a scam, it’s all below!
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What is a Cadeca in Cuba?
First up, what exactly is a Cadeca in Cuba? A Cadeca is a building where you can get your currency exchanged.
Cadecas are all around Cuba, mainly in major cities like Havana, but can be found all over – you can find some Cadecas in Cuba listed below.
The downside of Cadecas is that there are usually only one or two close by, so the lines can be very long. But they are at least quick at getting people in and out with their exchanges.
What to expect from using a Cadeca in Cuba?
As mentioned above, you might have quite a long line before you get served, and most of the lines trail back out into the streets.
You will need to bring your passport with you to the Cadeca for identification verification.
Once at the window, you’ll hand over the currency you want to be exchanged. You should take a commonly used currency that’s exchanged in Cuba (read more on that below). Currently, U.S. Dollars are not allowed to be exchanged. Even though the CUC is directly proportional to U.S. rates (1CUC = 1USD).
If you’re able to, exchange large sums of money as you get a fee charged for each exchange you make. Just make sure to split up your giant wads of cash in multiple places in your luggage.
Make sure any notes you take to exchange are in good condition. They will inspect each note and refused any damaged bills, or any that look like they may be fake.
What currency should I take to Cuba To exchange at a Cadeca?
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Since I traveled to Cuba from Canada, I took Canadian Dollars (CAD). This was the easiest for me as I could withdraw it straight from my local bank account.
If you’re not as lucky, both the Pound Sterling (GBP) or the Euro (EUR) is also widely used and perfect currencies to bring to Cuba.
As I mentioned above, the more you exchange at once, the less you will be charged a fee. There is a fee for each and every exchange at a Cadeca. So to limit that, withdrawing large sums at once will help keep costs low.
Walking around with a huge wad of cash makes me nervous, so I’ll always split my cash up into smaller chunks. I’ll always use a concealable travel money pouch to keep my money and other valuables close to me.
Why are Cadecas in Cuba important?
Cadecas are important because they give you an official place to exchange money in Cuba. You can also exchange money in Cuba in some hotels, just make sure they are reputable before handing over your hard-earned cash.
You never want to exchange money on the street with just some random seller. This is a very bad idea – read more below.
With the internet in Cuba limited, accessing the latest information on currency and tips can be difficult. For reliable information on the go, check out the Lonely Planet Guide to Cuba – it’s worth its weight in gold!
Why should I never exchange money on the streets of Cuba?
Let me restate this. Never exchange money on the streets of Cuba. This is a common scan and the value of your money will decrease 25 times its original worth.
Even though Cubans can seem very welcoming and friendly, this is a common scam for tourists in Cuba and if you exchange money on the street, you will almost definitely regret it exchanging money on the streets of Cuba.
Cuba has dual currencies. The CUC, which is equal to 1:1 with the U.S. Dollar, and the CUP, which is 1/25th of the value.
How this common Cuban scam works is these street hustlers will offer a “great exchange rate” for your cash. In return, instead of CUC (the valuable one), they will hand over CUP.
I’ll give an example. Say you hand over the equivalent of 100 U.S. Dollars (not U.S. Dollars themselves, the equivalent). For 100 USD, you should get around 100 CUC (minus any fees, etc). Well with the CUC and CUP scam, you’ll get 100 CUP in return. Seeing as there is 25 CUP to equal 1 CUC, your $100 USD is now the same as 4 CUC. That’s $96 in “fees”.
I took around $1500 Canadian Dollar with me, if I got caught by this scam in Cuba, I’d be lucky to have $60 after the exchange.
This scam is also seen in restaurants and souvenir shopping – the sly switch between the similar-looking money is a common one throughout Cuba.
Make sure you know the difference between CUC and CUP – it could save you literally thousands of dollars.
What else should I know about using Cadecas in Cuba?
Cadecas in Cuba are pretty easy to track down but you may have to take some time out of sightseeing to visit one.
Remember, they aren’t super common buildings and the lines can be quite long and slow-moving.
It’s worth noting, some hotels in Cuba offer currency exchanges as well. Just make sure they are legitimate and not trying to give you CUP in exchange.
You can specifically ask the lesser value CUP at Cadecas. It’s not a bad idea as CUP is used for many small purchases, such as take away pizzas (which are super common) or a few bananas from a roadside fruit cart.
Where can I find a Cadeca in Cuba?
Many cities in Cuba have Cadecas for currency exchange. Havana and Varadero are two of the most common cities for tourists, and where the main international Airports are located, so I’ll start with those:
Cadecas in Havana
• Havana José Martí International Airport Cadeca – Probably the first money exchange you will encounter in Cuba. I visited this Cadeca in Havana International Airport around midnight and it was still open. Unsure of actual opening hours.
• Cadeca Obispo and Compostela Streets – 830am to 8pm (6pm on Sundays). This Havana Cadeca is in the heart of Old Havana
• Avenida 23 and Calle J Streets – 8:30am to 4pm (11:30am on Sundays). This Cadeca in Havana is in the central part of the city.
Cadecas in Varadero
• Parque Central – 830am to 8pm – This Varadero Cadeca is located right in the middle of Central Park.
• Occidental Arenas Blancas – 830am to 830pm – This Cadeca in Varadero is located in a luxury resort.
Cadecas in Vinales
• Salvador Cisneros – Unknown opening hours – This Cadeca is on the main strip in Vinales, next to Adela Azcuy Street.
Cadecas in Trinidad
• Calle Jesus Maria (between Calle Sto Domingo and Calle San Procopio) – Unknown Opening Hours – The most central Cadeca in Trinidad is a few blocks south of Playa Mayor.
For many other cities and towns, I wasn’t able to find a Cadeca listed online (Playa Larga and Playa Giron, for example). A quick Google search will show where the nearest one is along your route.
Should I use a Cadeca or an ATM in Cuba?
In my experience, the Cadeca was much better, as long as you had the physical currency to exchange.
There is a one time fee at a Cadeca, with no exchange limit I encountered, there are usually long lines and often spread apart throughout the city, but ATMs have their own downfalls in Cuba.
ATMs in Cuba have a super low withdraw rate (a few hundred CUC), so if you’re looking to replenish your cash stockpile, you will have to withdraw multiple times and incur multiple fees.
If you can plan ahead and budget a little, you can bring currency from home and it is better value.
Feel more comfortable using Cadecas in Cuba?
Cadecas in Cuba aren’t difficult, you just need to know what to expect.
I hope this post shed some light on Cuba’s money exchange facilities and common scams.
If you have any questions or comments, please drop a comment below.
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Thanks for reading!
Happy and safe travels,
Ben – Horizon Unknown
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