Moa Nickel & Cobalt Belt Mission
A field mission for a mining investor or supplier evaluating nickel and cobalt opportunities in the eastern belt, running Holguín–Moa–Mayarí to see the operating context, the Law 118 framework and the supply-and-services angle around established operations.
For: Mining investors and suppliers
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 1 traveller · 6 nights · business tier. Every line is a planner range in USD — an estimate to budget with, not a quote.
| International airfare | $300 – $950 |
| Entry documents (tourist card) | $30 – $75 |
| Travel insurance | $40 – $150 |
| Accommodation | $570 – $1,170 |
| Local transportation | $530 – $1,040 |
| Food | $540 – $990 |
| Guides & activities | $480 – $1,080 |
| Connectivity | $15 – $55 |
| Tips | $30 – $120 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $18 – $72 |
| Emergency reserve | $225 – $713 |
| Total (1 traveller) | $2,778 – $6,415 |
- Per traveller
- $2,778 – $6,415
- Per day
- $463 – $1,069
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $2,253 – $4,752
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $300 – $950
Basis: business hotel · business food · private driver · 6 guided days.
Adjust every number in the planner →Estimates in USD to help you budget — not observed prices, quotes or guaranteed availability. Most US cards don’t work in Cuba; carry cash and keep the reserve.
2 · Fly in
Newark / New Jersey (EWR) → Holguín (HOL) — Frank País
Gateway for Guardalavaca and the Holguín beach resorts.
Example dates 2026-09-15 → 2026-09-21 (adjust on the live search). CubaAtlas books nothing — these open live results:
3 · Day by day
Where to sleep and dine each day is a real listing from the CubaAtlas provider dataset, nearest your base.
Morning
Land at Frank País (HOL); settle in Holguín city.Afternoon
Ground orientation: how the extractive sector is governed and where foreign capital fits.Evening
Working dinner on the eastern nickel economy.Business step: Read the CubaAtlas business + mining guide before day 2.
Morning
Understand MINEM's role and the Cuba–partner nickel operating model.Afternoon
Map the supply-and-services openings around processing plants.Evening
Dinner debrief on logistics and power constraints.Business step: Orientation on MINEM and the extractive-sector investment framework.
Morning
Drive to Moa; overview of the nickel-processing zone and port context.Afternoon
Assess the industrial-services and equipment-supply demand.Evening
Working dinner with a local industrial-services contact.Business step: Site-area orientation on Moa nickel-processing operations and supplier needs.
DinnerPaladar "El Palenque"restaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Drive the Mayarí plateau; understand the lateritic ore geography.Afternoon
Environmental and rehabilitation considerations for any new project.Evening
Dinner on tailings, water and community context.Business step: Orientation on mining-concession and environmental-permit expectations.
DinnerPaladar Doña Juana (Rafelito)restaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Return to Holguín; Law 118 structuring for an extractive JV or ANEI.Afternoon
Notary consultation and the import route for mining equipment via a comercializadora.Evening
Working dinner on financing and offtake.Business step: Notary/comercializadora orientation on Law 118 and equipment imports.
Morning
ProCuba/MINCEX orientation on mining listings in the Cartera de Oportunidades.Afternoon
Draft a go/no-go memo with your driver-guide interpreter.Evening
Farewell dinner; confirm follow-up.Business step: ProCuba/MINCEX orientation on mining foreign-investment opportunities.
4 · Visa, entry & customs
Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card (tarjeta del turista) plus a passport valid for the stay and proof of onward travel and medical insurance. Buy the tourist card before you fly — the price and colour depend on your departure country and airline.
Travelling under US jurisdiction: there is no general tourism licence. US persons travel under one of OFAC’s authorised categories — most commonly Support for the Cuban People or family visits — which carry record-keeping duties and a full-time-schedule requirement. The tourist card for US departures is the pink one. Confirm your category before you book.
5 · Shipping & commercial issues
Bringing goods, samples or equipment is a commercial import, not baggage: most inputs move through a Cuban state comercializadora, and a foreign business operates under a Law 118 form (joint venture, wholly-foreign enterprise, or international economic-association contract). Currency is a real constraint — plan around MLC/USD accounts.
Embargo / OFAC: the US embargo restricts what US persons and, in places, third parties can do with Cuba. Property transactions and many dealings carry sanctions exposure — this is orientation, not legal advice. Verify with counsel and the relevant ministry before committing.
Sectors in focus: Mining & metallurgy · Industrial services
Orientation only. Investment routes (Law 118 JV or ANEI in the extractive sector) and licensing via MINEM and the geology-mining authority are detailed with primary sources in the CubaAtlas business guide; confirm current requirements with MINEM and MINCEX before acting.
6 · Book direct, or compare an agency
This plan is costed to book direct — the $4,139 (expected) above is what the trip actually costs, itemised, with no package margin. A travel agency bundles flights, hotel and transfers into one price and adds a service fee for the convenience. We don’t quote agencies (we’d never invent a price) — so take a package quote and compare it line-for-line against the breakdown above.
Operating United States agencies serving Cuba, if you prefer a package:
- Cuba Travel Services (CTS) ↗
Long-running US seller of scheduled and charter air to Cuba plus packages.
Sells: flights, charters, packages, hotels
- ABC Charters ↗
Miami charter operator to Havana and other Cuban cities.
Sells: flights, charters · +1-305-263-6555
- Marazul Charters ↗
One of the oldest US–Cuba travel providers.
Sells: flights, charters, packages
- Xael Charter ↗
Direct flights Miami/Orlando/Tampa to Havana, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín; since 1988.
Sells: flights, charters, hotels, cars, tours · (305) 643-2200
- insightCuba ↗
Non-profit people-to-people and custom group tours; since 2000.
Sells: tours, packages
- Cubamax Travel ↗
Flights, packages, shipping and remittances; 13 Florida branches.
Sells: flights, packages, hotels, cars · +1-305-512-0303
CubaAtlas is non-commercial and takes no commission. Agency links go straight to the operator; we don’t book, broker or earn from them.
Every Cuba agency, compiled — with the free equivalent for each →Questions
- How much does the "Moa Nickel & Cobalt Belt Mission" trip cost?
- An estimated $2,778–$6,415 all-in for 1 traveller(s) over 6 nights ($4,139 per traveller expected), including airfare, lodging, food, transport and a reserve. It is a planner estimate, not a quote — you book each part direct, with no agency margin.
- Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
- Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card. Travellers under US jurisdiction have no general tourism licence and travel under an OFAC category such as Support for the Cuban People or family visits. See the CubaAtlas visa & entry guide.
- When is the best time for this trip?
- Best months: November–April (drier).
- Can I book this trip on CubaAtlas?
- No — CubaAtlas is a free, non-commercial planner. It gives you the itinerary, the budget, live flight-search links and real hotel and restaurant listings, and you arrange each part directly at the source. We book nothing and take no commission.