Varadero, Cuba: travel guide
Cuba's premier beach resort on the Hicacos Peninsula in Matanzas: 20 km of white sand, all-inclusive resorts, and cays.
- Country
- Cuba
- Currency
- CUP
- Time zone
- America/Havana
- Nearest airport
- VRA
Top places to visit in Varadero
Parque Josone
Nature · 4.5 rating · about 1 h
Lush lakeside park with gardens, rowing boats and restaurants in the heart of Varadero town.
Playa Varadero
Beach · 4.8 rating · about 3 h
The 20 km white-sand beach that made Varadero famous, with calm turquoise water.
Mansión Xanadú
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h
The 1930s clifftop DuPont mansion, now a golf-club restaurant and bar with sweeping sea views.
Reserva Ecológica Varahicacos
Nature · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · entry USD 5
Protected scrub-forest reserve at the peninsula tip with cactus, caves and coastal trails.
Cueva de Ambrosio
Cultural · 4.5 rating · about 0.8 h · entry USD 5
Cave in the Varahicacos reserve with pre-Columbian pictographs.
Museo de Varadero
Museum · about 0.5 h · entry USD 3
A restored wooden beach house telling the resort's history.
Things to do
- Catamaran Cruise to Cayo Blanco Boat · 8 h · from USD 90 per person
- Varadero Scuba Diving Adventure · 4 h · from USD 70 per person
- Jeep Safari to Matanzas & Caves Tour · 8 h · from USD 80 per person
- Seafari Snorkel Boat Trip Beach · 4 h · from USD 40 per person
Day trips and tours
- Cayo Blanco Catamaran Day 9 h · from USD 90
Where to stay in Varadero
- Varadero Town (West) about CUP 60 per night
Walkable end of the peninsula with budget casas, the beach boulevard, Parque Josone and independent restaurants.
- Peninsula Resorts (East) about CUP 220 per night
All-inclusive resort strip toward Punta Hicacos with the best sand and marina.
Hotels
- Hotel Dos Mares 3-star
- Casa Onelia (Casa Particular) 2-star
- Starfish Cuatro Palmas 4-star
- Meliá Las Américas 5-star
- Meliá Marina Varadero 5-star
- Sol Palmeras 4-star
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Unmetered taxi overcharge
Varadero peninsula
Taxis without a meter quote an inflated flat fare, especially resort-to-town.
How to avoid it: Agree the fare before getting in, or use the cheaper hop-on Varadero bus.