Varadero Beach (Cuba) is known far beyond the Island of Liberty. We can say that this is the number one resort. It is here, to the resort of Varadero, that tours depart from all over the world. What makes him so attractive? We will talk about this in our article. We will describe the recreation infrastructure at this resort, its climate, attractions, in a word, everything. We did not get the information from advertising brochures, but from the reviews of those lucky ones who have already visited Varadero. By the way, it is the photos of the local beach that adorn guidebooks in Cuba. Snow-white sand, calm turquoise expanse (Varadero is securely protected by a coral reef from the ocean side), slender palm trees languishing over the water … This is not a photoshop, such places really exist. To be convinced of this, it is enough to come to Varadero beach.
Resort specifics
The tourist Mecca of all Cuba is, in fact, a peninsula, a sandy spit stretching into the sea. Its length is twenty-five kilometers, and its width is on average 2 km. Accordingly, it is possible to single out the resorts of Varadero in relation to their distance from the mainland. ATat the very beginning of the spit there are streets, a market, a post office. In a word, old Varadero is a town where the local population lives. From the Melia Las Americas hotel to the Iberostar Tainos hotel, just the resort of Varadero stretches. There is a recreation area. In the center of the spit are places of entertainment and the only golf club in all of Cuba.
All the hotels here are the front page. They lined up in a chain along the left side of the spit. The right bank of the peninsula is a collection of coral debris. This beach is called "shark teeth". The edge of the spit is the new Varadero. Entry to the peninsula is paid. The poster, announcing that the funds collected from tourists will be used for the improvement of the Cuban population, is modestly silent about the fact that these same people are not allowed into the famous resort.
Varadero weather
This is truly a timeless resort in Cuba. Varadero welcomes tourists all year round. Regardless of any seasons, the thermometer stubbornly keeps at the mark of thirty degrees. Only in January the air temperature can drop to +25 °C. And the hottest month of the year in Varadero is September. The water in the lagoon warms up best in August - plus twenty-eight. But at other times, its temperature does not fall below +24.
Varadero's weather is mostly clear. Even when Cuba is overwhelmed by the rainy season, downpours can sweep over the spit, and the equatorial sun will come out again. Therefore, Varadero is always crowded with tourists. Cuba's number 1 resort enjoys the fame of a town that never sleeps. Happytourists sunbathe on the beaches, and when the sun goes down, they dance in discos and drink rum in local bars.
Practical travel tips
Time in Cuba, despite the almost equatorial position of the country, changes to summer. In winter, Liberty Island is located in the UTC–5 time zone, and from March to November it is in UTC–4. Moscow is located in UTC+3. In summer, Cuban time is six hours behind Western Russian time, and in winter it is seven hours behind.
Most tourists arrive on the island through Havana Airport. You can get from the capital of the country to the resort of Varadero by two bus companies: Astro or Viazul. The fare will cost ten cookies and the travel time will be about two hours.
But Varadero also has its own international airport, which mainly accepts charter flights. It is located twenty kilometers from the city. Three official bus routes run through the resort itself: No. 47, 48 and 220 (the last one - to the tip of the spit). But besides them, there are many minibuses without numbers and taxis. Travelers recommend calling the Coco-taxis service - it's cheaper. A free bus runs between the three hotels belonging to the Melia chain. Five cookies is the price of a day ticket for the Varadero Beach Tour. This open-top double-decker bus circles the entire peninsula and makes forty-five stops.
Hotels in Varadero
This resort is not cheap. But all the hotels, with a few exceptions, overlook the incomparable beach of Varadero, and some of them even have their owncoral reef. Probably all Spanish hotel chains are represented at the resort. Moreover, each of them has several hotels on the peninsula. So it is easy for an unprepared traveler to get confused in all these "Barcelo", "Sol Melia" and "Iberostar". Varadero hotels have a clear specialization. Some accept small children and offer big discounts on their accommodation. Others set an age limit, for example, not younger than twelve years. Some honeymoon hotels only accept people over the age of eighteen. For lovers of a luxurious relaxing holiday, Paradisus Varadero 5is suitable. It practices the Ultra All Inclusive system. This hotel is located near the end of the peninsula. From democratic hotels, we can recommend the "four": "Iberostar Tainos", "Sol Palmeras" and "Sol Sirenas Coral".
The best beaches of Varadero
As such, there are few attractions in the resort. People go to Varadero because of the incomparable beach. The entire coastal strip of the peninsula is ideal. There is snow-white sand, invariably calm sea with turquoise water and a gently sloping bottom, which cannot but please parents of small children. Cuban beaches - Playa Pilar on the island of Cayo Guillermo, Santa Lucia, Ancon (near the city of Trinidad), the shores of the uninhabited islands of Blanco de Casilda and Macho de Afuera, Cayo Largo and others - are considered the best in the world. But Varadero left them far behind. No wonder UNESCO in 1992 called this 22-kilometer beach the cleanest and most beautiful on the planet. Every night a tractor witha harrow plows a strip of sand. And the workers walking behind pick up small garbage. The beach has free sunbeds with umbrellas, bars, restaurants and other infrastructure. If you ask yourself which recreation area is better, then the leader in Varadero is the Barcelo Marina Palace 5hotel. It is located at the end of the spit and has its own beach complex.
Diving in Varadero
The absence of waves and strong currents, the exceptional transparency of the water make this place desirable for those who like to swim with scuba diving or at least snorkelling. In the vicinity of the resort there are a number of wrecks of interest to divers. You don't have to swim far to reach the coral reef that protects Varadero Beach from storms. A few rocky areas are inhabited by the same number of colorful tropical fish. Many hotels have created their own coral reefs off the coast. For non-swimmers, take a look at the diversity of the Caribbean Sea on a glass-bottom boat tour.
Entertainment in Varadero
The resort is famous for its vibrant evening life. Most entertainment centers are located at hotels. Some discos, such as Rio Las Morlas, are free to enter. But sometimes the Varadero beach itself becomes a dance floor. Foam discos, salsa parties and similar events take place in the restaurants and folk bars of the resort.
Gourmets in Varadero will be just happy. Here you can try the delights of Creole cuisine (restaurant El BodgonCriollo), Spanish (“Majorca”), Italian (“Dante”), Thai (“Lai-Lai Ave”) and even German culinary traditions (“Taberna Dortmunder” and “La Fondue”). Albacore is famous for excellent fish and seafood dishes.
Sights of Varadero
Time in Cuba flows imperceptibly. But still lying all day on the beach is also not worth it. Be sure to get to the capital of the country. To do this, simply order a seat on the tourist bus at the reception of your hotel. Be sure to indicate that you just need a transfer. Then such a trip will cost you thirty-five cookies in both directions. The tourist bus collects its passengers directly from the hotels. The resort itself has a house-museum of Al Capone. In the vicinity of Varadero, you can visit the cave of Ambrosio. In it, scientists have found cave paintings of the ancient Indians.
