cuba internet hotspotCubans use the internet via public Wi-Fi in Havana, Cuba, September 5, 2016.REUTERS/Enrique de la Osa

  • Cuba has notoriously bad Internet. It’s slow, expensive for the local population to use, and primarily provided through crowded government-approved Wi-Fi hotspots.
  • I traveled to Cuba last year and found that, in order to get internet, you need to buy scratch-off cards that give you a pre-determined amount of time on the approved Wi-Fi hotspots.
  • The government is trying to increase access to the internet for citizens and signed a deal in 2016 with Google to add local servers, but increased access may result in more censorship.

It’s not exactly a secret that Cuba has notoriously bad internet.

For those travelers heading to Cuba for vacation, the lack of internet is something to keep in mind — don’t expect to be hailing Ubers or using Google Maps to navigate when you get lost.

All internet service in the long-stagnating island nation is controlled by the state-owned telecom company ETSECA and primarily provided through crowded, government-approved Wi-Fi hotspots around the country.

Here’s what it’s like to use: