Cuba

Is Cuba safe to visit in 2026?

Not in the usual way. Cuba has long been one of the safer places in the region for street crime: the last national figure, for 2019, was about 4.5 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary (UNODC), and WHO's model gives 5.0 for 2021, around half the Dominican Republic's rate today and a fraction of Jamaica's. The problem now is that the country is running out of fuel, power and medicines. On 11 February 2026 the UK began advising against all but essential travel to the whole island, and in its review of 25 September 2026 it kept that advice.

The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary is still Level 2, last updated in May 2025, and already warned of power cuts lasting up to 12 hours a day in Havana. We score Cuba 57, with low confidence because the situation changes week to week and Cuba publishes little crime data.

What the energy crisis means for visitors

The national grid has collapsed several times. In March 2026 a blackout covered the island from Camagüey to Pinar del Río, including Havana. According to the BBC, Venezuela had supplied about half of Cuba's oil, and those shipments stopped in January 2026, while the US has seized tankers bound for the island.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists what follows from that: fuel rationing, cuts to public services, unreliable transport, phone and internet networks, water supply problems, and dark streets at night. Hotels and hospitals use generators but may run short of fuel to keep them going. The authorities have also cut back tourism operations to save energy.

Getting in and out is harder too. In September 2026 the FCDO said none of Cuba's international airports had aviation fuel and only Terminal 3 at Havana's José Martí airport was open. Canadian airlines, Air France, Iberia, World2Fly and LATAM had suspended flights. Options to leave could shrink quickly.

Health care and medicines

This is our weakest factor for Cuba. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary reports severe shortages of basic medicines, pharmacy items and sanitary products, an ambulance service that is unreliable outside cities, and clinics that want payment in foreign cash before treatment. Card payments do not work, so an emergency without cash is a real problem. Safe drinking water can also be a problem when pumps lose power.

Mosquito-borne disease is widespread. Cuba declared an epidemic of dengue, Oropouche and chikungunya in 2025, and the FCDO says the viruses still circulate. Bring every medicine you need for the whole trip plus spare, insect repellent, water purification tablets, and insurance that covers Cuba and evacuation.

Crime and protests

Crime is rising with the crisis, but from a low base. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says levels are still generally lower than in the UK, with more opportunistic crime: muggings in Havana, burglaries, pickpocketing and bag snatching in Old Havana and nightclubs, and theft from hold luggage at the airport. Fake taxi drivers work at the airport and in Old Havana, and hire-car drivers have been attacked after deliberate punctures; if you get a flat in a remote area, drive on to the next town.

Protests have become frequent. Most have been peaceful, but Cuba is a one-party state where unapproved gatherings are broken up and the internet is sometimes blocked. Stay away from crowds, and never photograph military sites.

Hurricanes

Hurricane Melissa came ashore near Chivirico in Santiago de Cuba province on 29 October 2025 as a Category 3 storm. The National Hurricane Center says over 900,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and hospitals, a refinery and Santiago's Antonio Maceo airport were hit. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says electricity and water in the east are still severely affected. Hurricane season runs from June to November.

How to stay safe in Cuba

• Bring enough US dollars or euros for the whole stay plus a reserve, and change money only at Cadeca offices.
• Carry a torch, power bank, water and snacks for long blackouts.
• Bring all your medicines with a doctor's letter.
• Use registered yellow taxis or tour operators; avoid coco-taxis and private classic cars from unknown drivers.
• Fill in the DViajeros entry form before you fly and keep a printed copy.
• Visiting Cuba means you need a full US visa, not an ESTA, to enter the US afterwards.
• Emergency numbers: ambulance 104, police 106.

How we scored it

Road safety (84) and violent crime (68) are Cuba's stronger factors, based on WHO's 2021 road estimate of 5.4 deaths per 100,000 and WHO's modelled homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary of 5.0 for the same year. Health (30) is the weakest because of medicine shortages, disease and unreliable emergency care, and conflict (38) reflects the UK's countrywide warning and frequent protests rather than armed violence. Compare Mexico, where the risks are crime and roads rather than shortages.