For many Americans, the question of where to find authentic Cuban cigars comes up at least once during their Playa trip. This primer will separate you from the crowd of tourists who get ripped off buying fake Cohibas on 5th Avenida.

Counterfeits

First, be aware that the majority of so-called "Cuban" cigars you'll see in Playa are counterfeit, even those sold in cigar stores. If you see a Cohiba sitting in a jar next to a cash register it is a fake. The scam here is that the store owners know that visiting Americans will pay high prices for authentic Cubans, so they relabel secondhand cigars (factory rejects) or cheaper brands.

DON'T buy so called "Cuban" cigars from any shop or vendor, unless the box has a holographic sticker of authenticity attached. The cuban government now places a holograph on genuine boxes (or the three and five packs) of cuban cigars. Even the Montecristos at the high-end resorts usually don't have these holographs, and most are just pretty good looking fakes.

Where to Find Authentic Cuban Cigars

What's a tourist to do? The best source for authentic Cuban cigars is the Walmart tobacco shop on the corner of 30th Avenida and 8th street (calle). You can be assured that not only are they authentic, they are likely the cheapest source in town (you can purchase cheap alcohol while you are there as well).

La Casa del Habano on 5th Avenida and Calle 26 and 28 is also a reputed source for authentic Cubans cigars and a good local alternative if you are opposed to "big box" stores.

If you choose to stay at a resort, many of them carry a limited number of brands in their store. Some do have authentic cubans, but be sure to look for the hologram label.

Bringing Cigars Home

It is illegal for US citizens to bring Cuban cigars into the US or even to purchase them in Mexico. We do not condone the illegal importing of Cuban products to the US. If you do purchase Cuban cigars, it would be wise to smoke them while in Playa.

That said, many US citizens carry cigars back with them in their luggage. About 1 in 8 people are randomly selected to have their luggage inspected, so the odds are in your favor. I have also heard stories of US citizens shipping unlabelled cigars back home via UPS. Be aware that this will be very expensive and there is a good chance that if you ship labelled cigars they will be confiscated.