LODGINGS

Included: Double room (7 nights / 7days), MAP (breakfast & supper), Welcome Cocktail, city tour, airport transfer, and transportation to all workshop activities within the city.

(Price per person in CUC: Convertible Cuban Pesos)
Villa Universitaria (on Campus) $90
Hotel Touracade (University) $ 175
+ Hotel Pernik *** $ 290
+ El Bosque Motel*** $ 290
(+ city hotel with swimming pool) 

Hotel Club Amigo Atlántico Guardalavaca (*** all inclusive). Double room $97.00 CUC (per day per room). Single room: $66 CUC. In bungalows: Double room $104.00 CUC (per day per room). Single room: $71 CUC. Located at Guardalavaca Beach, about one hour by bus or taxi from Holguín (the probable site of the conference sessions; exact site to be confirmed in February).

TRAVEL TO HOLGUIN

For people traveling to Cuba for the first time, the Lonely Planet guide is an excellent source of general information.

International visitors pay for most things in Cuba using convertible Cuban pesos (CUC), which are exchanged within Cuba with hard currencies such as the euro, the UK pound and the Canadian dollar at a rate on par with the US dollar. US dollars no longer circulate in Cuba, and they are exchanged with an extra commission of 10%. It is therefore advisable to bring any cash you intend to bring with you in other currencies (Canadian dollars, euros, British pounds). Cuban pesos cannot be obtained outside of Cuba, but you will find an exchange bureau at the airport. In additions, currency exchange is available at several banks and CADECAS (Casas de cambio) in the city of Holguín. The other currency that circulates in Cuba, the Cuban peso (moneda nacional) is not frequently used by international visitors.

Credit cards and travelers cheques can be used to obtain cash at banks and currency exchange offices. Please note, however, that credit cards and travelers cheques issued by financial institutions based in the United States (e.g. American Express, Citibank) cannot be used in Cuba.

Direct charter flights to the Holguín Frank País International Airport are available from major cities in Canada and Western Europe. Ask your travel agent for details, as schedules are often subject to changes.

If it is not possible to get a convenient direct flight to Holguín, it will be necessary to fly to Havana and then travel to Holguín from there. Daily flights between Havana and Holguín are operated by Cubana de   Aviación and Aerocaribbean. If your travel agent is unable to book Cuban domestic flights, Ruse Travel in London, Ontario, Canada, might be able to help you: rusetrvl@execulink.com. Train and bus (coach) travel between Havana and Holguín is possible, but the trip is long and the buses do not always operate on a daily basis.

An overnight stay in Havana might be necessary if you are not flying directly to Holguín. Your travel agent can reserve you a room in a hotel.

Please provide Vilma Páez (vilma@fh.uho.edu.cu) information about your flight arrival and departure times as soon as you can. If you are staying at one of the hotels in Holguín, the University will take care of your transportation between the airport and your hotel (included in the hotel price). Transportation to and from the Hotel Atlántico (Guardalavaca Beach) is extra.