Varadero

The beach is the main attraction of a Varadero holiday and diving and snorkelling opportunities are abundant. Holidays to Varadero also include the opportunity to visit some beautiful natural parks, reserves and easily-accessed cays. Holiday in Varadero and you perhaps won’t experience what travellers call the ‘real’ Cuba, instead Varadero holidays provide a sunny escape from the everyday and a relaxing vacation beside the crystal clear waters. Varadero resorts are not as developed as those found in Cancun, Mexico or other Caribbean countries but they offer all-inclusive amenities in a tropical setting. You can often find cheap Varadero holidays but luxury options are also available. Spend your time during the day simply sunning on the beach, or get active with walking, swimming, diving and snorkelling. Hotels run excursions such as mini-submarine trips, yachting, catamaran journeys and glass-bottomed boat trips.

For a package holiday Varadero offers visitors all-inclusive holiday accommodation, wide, white sandy beaches, lots of sunshine and a relaxed atmosphere. Most of the 50 or so hotels in Varadero are co-owned by foreign business operations. Generally, all the hotels in Varadero face onto the beach and offer a good amount of outdoor space for lounging and sunning. You can watch the spectacular sunsets from your lounger or take long walks along the sand from your hotel. Hotels in Varadero are most often all-inclusive, offering guests all meals along with their accommodation. Entertainment is generally provided in the resort bars and restaurants, ranging from cabaret shows to discos.

Holiday Varadero for diving and snorkelling, where the water is always warm and amazingly clear. Swim through coral gardens and caves, passing sponges and fish of all shapes and sizes. The waters around Varadero are teeming with tropical marine life and are great for underwater activities. There are shipwrecked remains to explore as well as a diversity of naturally-formed cays and islets for divers, whether you are a beginner or more advanced. Advanced divers can take a night dive or swim past vertical walls or challenge themselves with narrow channels and caves. Classes for beginners are often held in hotel swimming pools before you progress into the open water. There are few strong marine currents and the water is mainly unpolluted and always warm, usually between 21c to 25c (70F to 76F).

Visitors on holidays in Varadero can take in environment of the north-eastern end of the peninsula. It has a nature reserve covered with forest and showcasing some pristine beaches. Hicacos Point Natural Park is an ecological preserve that includes among its attractions Mangón Lake with many species of birds and reptiles. For an urban excursion, Cardenas City is a small city eight miles from Varadero. Mantanzas is the capital of the province and boasts a lovely harbour. Guama is 86 miles from Varadero and is home to a UNESCO Reserve of the Biosphere and the biggest crocodile breeding farm in Cuba . Varadero golf club (Carretera de las Américas) is a beachside attraction with three putting greens and a pitching green along with practice bunkers and driving ranges. The course runs alongside the beach, offering golfers great views as they play. There’s a clubhouse, a restaurant, shop and wine cellar. Varadero’s Santa Catalina Cave has over eight kilometres of passageways and the remains of pre-Columbian life for visitors to inspect. Villa Xanadú is the beautiful house of Varadero’s founder with ornate rooms and a sweeping piano bar on the top floor offering great views of the sea and sky.

The 3* Playa Caleta Varadero hotel is surrounded by tropical vegetation and gardens and has several swimming pools, some with children's areas. It provides 255 rooms on seven floors including eight suites. There's a nightclub and restaurant and all rooms feature a balcony and en-suite bathroom. One of the newest Varadero hotels the 4* Blau Varadero is smartly furnished. Every room has a terrace with views of the beach and the ocean, plus full bathroom, minibar, individually controlled air-conditioning and satellite TV. Dining is available at the 'Flamboyan' restaurant and the resort also offers a grill restaurant with Cuban specialities, a pool bar and an a la carte dining room. 4* Iberostar Tainos is a beachfront Varedero resort hotel with its own spa and personal wellness services such as massages and a sauna. It has 272 spacious rooms in one four-storey building and adjacent two-floor bungalows. One of the hotels Varadero promotes is the luxurious 5* Paradisus Varadero, an all-inclusive resort 30km from the airport. It's a large hotel with 510 rooms, made up of suites and villas as well as bungalow accommodation. Each has a terrace or balcony with ocean or garden views. There are six restaurants in total, four of which are a la carte and serve international gourmet foods, steaks and Italian cuisine. Varadero hotel 5* Paradisus Princesa Del Mar is an adult-only all-inclusive resort with 434 suites, eight restaurants, a nightclub and piano bar. There are many water sports and beach activities on offer at the 5* Paradisus Princesa Del Mar. José Martí International Airport is Cuba’s main entry-point and lies 25km southwest of Havana . Varadero has its own airport, Varadero-Juan G. Gomez International Airport, located on the west of the peninsula. It handles international and domestic flights. Virgin Atlantic has many direct flights to Cuba from the UK. Many people choose to visit Varadero around Christmas and Easter as well as throughout the summer holidays. However, prices will be higher during these times and in July and August the country is very hot indeed. A good time to visit is between January and May, when Varadero deals can be more easily picked up. It’s still very warm in these months but you’ll get more of the beach to yourself and less of a threat of hurricane. Hurricane season is from August to November. Varadero late deals can often be found with the all-inclusive resort hotels as well as flights. Holidays in Varadero can offer visitors the opportunity to visit other parts of Cuba, either as part of a guided trip or independently. Havana is easily reached in a day as are the hills of Las Terrazas. Some cheap holidays to Varadero can include a night’s stay in a Havana hotel.