Travel to Cuba by Plane
Cuba has 12 international airports. Havana is by far the principal gateway with scheduled flights from Canada on Air Canada and Cubana all year around.
You can also travel to Cuba by charter flights to Varadero, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Cayo Coco, Holguín, Manzanillo and Santiago de Cuba from Canada mainly in the winter season and during the summer to some of the destinations above mainly from Toronto and Montreal.
It takes roughly three hours and 30 minutes to travel to Cuba from Toronto to Havana and around four hours from Montreal to Havana. Airfares vary widely, depending on the season, demand, and certain ticketing restrictions. But given the high number of charter flights and package tours to Cuba, combined with the stiff competition for vacation travel throughout the Caribbean, airfares are relatively cheap, and bargains abound. It really pays to shop around.
Other airlines that fly to Cuba from Canada include: Air Transat, Skyservice, Sunwing and Westjet.
Travel to Cuba by Boat
When you are going to travel to Cuba arriving by sea, you should contact the port authorities before entering Cuban waters 19km (12 miles) offshore on VHF channels 16, 19, or 68, or HF channel 2760. Skippers do not need to give advance notice or have a prior visa. If you plan on staying in the country for more than 72 hours, each crew member must apply for a tourist visa, which can be arranged by the harbormaster. All crew members must have current passports and skippers will also need to register their vessel upon arrival. A special permit, or permiso especial de navigación, is issued. This permit costs around CUC$50 depending on the length of the vessel.
Cuba has a network of state-run, full-service marinas. Those that function as official points of entry and exit include their marinas in Jardines del Rey, María la Gorda, Cayo Largo del Sur, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba, as well as the Marina Hemingway in Havana and Marina Dársena in Varadero.