Travel preparation, personal accounts and updates from the Havana Music Tours journal. Check publication dates when using older advice, and start with our current travel checklist for a new trip.
Historical festival archive — reviewed September 2026: This article covers the 2023 edition of the Varadero Josone Music Festival. For a future visit, see our private custom Varadero Josone Music Festival tour, available when festival dates and access allow. What…
Cuba Travel Licenses for Americans Updated for the OFAC rule effective September 30, 2026. U.S. travel to Cuba for tourist activities is not permitted. OFAC continues to recognize 12 categories of authorized travel-related transactions, but the general licenses within some…
Updated for the OFAC rule effective September 30, 2026. Americans can still travel to Cuba when the travel-related transactions are authorized under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. Ordinary tourist travel remains prohibited. A traveler does not apply to OFAC for…
Updated for the OFAC rule effective September 30, 2026. U.S. law continues to prohibit travel to Cuba for ordinary tourist activities, but travel-related transactions may be authorized when a traveler qualifies under an applicable OFAC category and follows that category’s…