What Makes Varadero Special?
We will be honest — Varadero is not the Cuba we usually seek out. We gravitate toward the crumbling colonial streets and casa particular kitchens. But Varadero has something no other place on the island can match: 20 kilometers of powder-white sand stretching into turquoise Caribbean water that is genuinely among the most beautiful beaches we have seen anywhere in the world. When we need a few days of pure beach after weeks of exploring Cuban cities, this is where we come.
Jenice was skeptical on our first visit — she said it felt “too resort, not enough Cuba.” But even she admits that the sand here is extraordinary, the water is perfect, and when you escape the all-inclusive compound for downtown Varadero’s paladares, you find genuine Cuban life happening alongside the tourist infrastructure. Fresh lobster at a downtown restaurant for $12 USD while resort guests pay $250 a night for a buffet — that contrast is pure Cuba.
Resort rates range from $100-300 USD/night all-inclusive. Downtown casas particulares offer a more independent experience at $25-40 USD/night with a short walk to the beach. Best visited November through May during the dry season when seas are calm and skies are clear.
20 Kilometres of White
The sand at Varadero is fine enough to squeak underfoot, the water so turquoise it looks like a screen saver — except it is real, warm, and 20 kilometres of it.
The Varadero Peninsula
Varadero sits on the Hicacos Peninsula, a narrow finger of land jutting north into the Straits of Florida. The all-inclusive resorts line the eastern two-thirds of the peninsula, each one occupying its own stretch of beach. Downtown Varadero — the town where actual Cubans live and work — clusters at the western end, along Avenida Primera with restaurants, shops, and casa particulares.
The beach itself is the attraction. It is long enough that you can walk for over an hour and still not reach the end. The sand is white and fine, the water is shallow and warm for a long way out, and the conditions are almost always calm. We usually set up at the quieter eastern end of the public beach access points, away from the resort clusters.
Beyond the beach, the peninsula has a few surprises. The Varahicacos Ecological Reserve at the far eastern tip offers coastal hiking through scrub forest with pre-Columbian cave paintings. And just off the peninsula, the Saturno Cave is a natural cenote — a limestone sinkhole filled with crystal-clear fresh water and stalactites — that makes a perfect midday break from the beach.
Things to Do in Varadero
- Beach Day — The main event. 20km of white sand with calm, warm water. Free public access. We go early morning when the sand is unmarked and the light is golden, and again at sunset when the water turns pink.
- Saturno Cave — Natural cenote-style swimming hole with stalactites, 8km from downtown. $5 USD entry. The water is cool, clear, and refreshing — a welcome contrast to the warm sea. Bring snorkel gear to see the underwater stalactite formations.
- Varahicacos Ecological Reserve — Coastal hiking with caves, pre-Columbian remains, and a 500-year-old cactus. $3 USD. Surprisingly interesting for a short walk.
- Day Trip to Matanzas — The “Athens of Cuba” with theaters, bridges, and the Bellamar Caves (underground limestone formations with guided tours, $5 USD). 30 min by taxi, $15-20 USD round trip. We strongly recommend this for a dose of authentic Cuba.
- Snorkeling and Diving — Coral reefs offshore with good visibility. Resort-organized trips $30-50 USD. The reef ecosystem here is healthier than we expected — parrotfish, barracuda, and nurse sharks are common.
- Catamaran Cruise — Open-bar sunset sails along the coast with snorkeling stops at reef sites. $40-60 USD per person. Touristy but genuinely enjoyable — Jenice’s guilty pleasure.
- Bay of Pigs Day Trip — The Zapata Peninsula is 1.5 hours south with the Bay of Pigs museum at Playa Giron, excellent snorkeling in the cenotes, and wetland birdwatching. A full-day excursion that adds historical depth to a beach vacation. $40-60 USD organized, or $30-40 by taxi.
Beneath the Surface
Offshore reefs shelter parrotfish, barracuda, and nurse sharks in water clear enough to watch them from the boat before you decide to join them.
I was not excited about Varadero the first time Scott suggested it — I thought it would feel like any Caribbean all-inclusive. I was wrong, but for a specific reason: the downtown. Skip the resort buffet one evening and walk to the restaurants on Avenida Primera. Order lobster and mojitos at a paladar for a fraction of what the resort charges. Talk to the family that runs it. That is where Cuba lives in Varadero — not at the swim-up bar, but at the little restaurants where the cook is someone's grandmother and the lobster came off the boat that morning.
Where to Stay in Varadero
The choice in Varadero is clear: all-inclusive resort or independent casa particular. We have tried both and recommend the casa route for travelers who want flexibility and authenticity, and the resort route for pure relaxation where everything is handled.
- Casa Particular in Downtown Varadero — $25-40 USD/night. More authentic, short walk to beach. Better for independent travelers who want to eat at local paladares and explore on their own schedule. The casas on Calle 13 and Calle 15 are closest to good beach access.
- Melia Las Americas — $150-280 USD/night all-inclusive. Adults-only resort at the quiet end of the peninsula. Best beach access of any resort, reliable service, and genuine tranquility. Our pick if you are going the all-inclusive route.
- Iberostar Selection Varadero — $120-250 USD/night all-inclusive. One of the better all-inclusives in terms of food quality (multiple a la carte restaurants) and beach position.
- Royalton Varadero — $130-260 USD/night all-inclusive. Modern property with multiple pools and reliable service. The swim-up bar is Varadero’s best.
- Blau Varadero — $100-180 USD/night all-inclusive. Good value adults-only option in a quieter section of the beach. Solid choice for budget-conscious all-inclusive seekers.
Lobster and Rum at Sundown
Skip the resort buffet one night and find a downtown paladar serving fresh lobster for $12 — one of the great budget luxuries of the Caribbean.
Where to Eat & Drink in Varadero
Outside the resorts, downtown Varadero has a surprisingly good paladar scene. The lobster is fresh, the rum is cheap, and the settings range from beachfront shacks to colonial courtyard restaurants with live music. We eat downtown every night when we are in Varadero — the quality-to-price ratio compared to the resort buffets is embarrassing.
- Varadero 60 — Best independent restaurant in town. Seafood focus with creative presentations and Cuban classics done right. Their grilled lobster with garlic butter is worth the trip downtown alone. $12-20 USD/person.
- Kiki’s Club — Beach bar with grilled fish, lobster, and cocktails right on the sand. Our favorite for a long, lazy lunch with our feet almost in the water. $8-15 USD/person.
- Restaurante Antiguedades — Eclectic colonial decor stuffed with antiques, live music on weekends, and genuinely good lobster. The atmosphere is wonderfully eccentric. $10-18 USD/person.
- La Barbacoa — Open-air paladar known for grilled meats and lobster tails cooked over charcoal. The wood smoke adds something the resort kitchens cannot replicate. $10-16 USD/person.
- Palacio de la Rumba — Dinner show venue with Cuban food and nightly salsa performances. More of an experience than a serious restaurant, but entertaining. $25-35 USD with show.
- Calle 62 Street Food — Walk along Calle 62 near the town center for peso pizza, fresh fruit smoothies, and grilled pork sandwiches. $1-3 USD. This is how locals eat, and it is satisfying and cheap.
The Last Morning
Varadero at 6am before the beach fills — the sand unmarked, the water glass-still, the sky doing things with pink and gold that no filter could replicate.
The Downtown Scene
Downtown Varadero — the western end of the peninsula where Cubans actually live — is worth exploring even if you are staying at an all-inclusive. Avenida Primera runs through the center with restaurants, bars, shops, and casa particulares. The atmosphere is relaxed and local, with families on porches, kids playing in the streets, and a pace of life that the resort zone does not capture.
We usually walk the downtown strip on our first evening, picking a paladar for dinner and stopping at a bar for mojitos. The quality of the independent restaurants here has improved significantly since our first visit — fresh lobster, creative cocktails, and live music at prices that make the all-inclusive buffet seem absurd. The Casa de la Musica in downtown Varadero hosts live salsa bands on weekends ($5-10 cover) and is a genuine experience, not a resort-organized show.
For shopping, the artisan market on Calle 15 sells handmade crafts, paintings, and cigars. Prices are negotiable and quality varies — we look for original artwork and hand-rolled cigars from legitimate vendors. The rum shop on Avenida Primera has a good selection of Cuban rum at local prices, which are significantly cheaper than the resort gift shops.
Beyond the Beach
Varadero is at its best when you use it as a base for day trips that add depth to the beach experience. Matanzas, 30 minutes west, is a genuine Cuban city with crumbling colonial architecture, the fascinating Bellamar Caves ($5 USD), and the Yumuri Valley overlook. It is the most authentic Cuban experience within easy reach of Varadero and we recommend it highly.
The Bay of Pigs (Playa Giron and Playa Larga) is 1.5 hours south and combines the historic invasion museum with some of Cuba’s best cenote snorkeling — Cueva de los Peces is a flooded sinkhole 70 metres deep with crystal-clear water and tropical fish.
Even a half-day in Havana is possible — 2 hours by Viazul bus ($10 USD) or organized tour ($40-60). We prefer an overnight, but a day trip works if your time is limited.
How long to stay: Four to five nights is ideal for a pure beach vacation. This gives you time for unhurried beach days, the Saturno Cave, a Matanzas or Bay of Pigs day trip, and enough downtown evenings to find your favorite paladar. We find that after five days of Varadero we are ready for the cultural depth of Havana or Trinidad — which makes it the perfect opening or closing act for a Cuba itinerary.
- Best time to visit: November through May for dry season and calm seas. December to March is peak — book ahead. Hurricane season runs June to November, with August through October carrying the highest risk.
- Getting there: Fly direct to Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport (VRA) from Canada or Europe, or fly into Havana (HAV) and take the Viazul bus ($10, 3 hours). Tourist card required ($50-85).
- Budget tip: Stay at a downtown casa ($25-40/night) instead of an all-inclusive and eat at paladares — you will spend less, eat better, and experience actual Cuba. Resorts accept non-US international cards with fees; downtown is cash-only.
- Insider tip: Get up at 6am and walk the beach before anyone else is awake. The early morning light on undisturbed sand with glass-calm water is the most beautiful Varadero gets. Also: day-trip to the Saturno Cave at midday when the sun is too strong for the beach — the cool freshwater pool is the perfect midday reset.