Cuban Scams, Dodges, Rip-offs & Frauds

1. Cigars - 65% of all cuban cigars sold in cuba are phonys - still better than White Owls, but not the real thing. Buy them as novelties but not for true Cubano smoking experience

2. Getting your exit pass - When leaving you have to pay 25 CUC for an exit pass. They will attempt to give you change in cdn or US dollars - do not accept.

3. Paladares vs Restaurants - Fidel is charging all private restaurants outrageous fees - so govt restaurants are now about 1/3 the cost of previously cheap private places.

4. Exchange rate - somehow the Cubans have figured out how to value their worthless currency about 1.35 Canadian... And we buy it. Figure that one out.

5. Peso Restaurants - you may eat at a place that is not designed for you - but for Cubans. Prices are in local pesos, not CUCs - make sure you pay them in their worthless scrip, not with something of value.

6. Amount of Rum in drinks - Some bartenders - for whatever reason - will poor short shots for mixed drinks. No idea why unless this allows them to free up a bottle that they can sell later. Watch and insist on a full shot.

7. Almost every quoted price is at least 1/3 too high.

I'll supplement these as I think of more. Good start, though, I thinl