Varadero is a resort town in Matanzas, in the north of Cuba. The center of Varadero consists of a very narrow ledge 5 kilometers long. Channels have been opened from time to time to allow the passage of small motorboats and sailboats here.
Varadero’s other name is Playa Azul which means Blue beach.. There are 20 km of white beaches, but unfortunately, tourists enjoy this place, not Cubans.. There are many 5-star hotels lined up along the beach.. But in the hotels zone, how sadly, the country’s own citizens can pass through the checkpoint and enter.. However, they cannot enter the hotels.
We stayed at Hotel Punteranas in this region.. Beautiful hotel by the ocean. No televisions in hotel lobbies. While many channels can be watched via satellite in hotel rooms, local people can only watch one government channel.. It is strictly forbidden for hotel staff to turn on the television in the rooms.. Most of the busboys working at the hotel are highly educated.. For example, the person carrying our luggage at the hotel was an engineer.. 1 Euro tip is really good money for them. If they carry 10 suitcases a day in a place where the salary is 25 Euros – 35 Euros per month, even for those with higher education, the 10 Euros they will receive (per day) is a very, very good income for them.
About 500 thousand tourists come here annually.. As much as its beaches, underwater is also very colorful.. There are around 25-30 diving spots.
In the island where the tropical climate is dominant, it suddenly rains like a glass of water, then the weather becomes sunny daily.. Varadero’s best time is the dry season, December-April.
While in Varadero, Cayo Blanco (White Island)’ You must go there. This place is about half an hour away from Varadero.. Here, enjoy the white beaches formed by the coral reefs, the deep blue sea and the coconut water you will drink to cool off.. It was quite enjoyable to swim with dolphins at 26 degrees in mid-February when we went.. Sea sponges and corals are so abundant that the broken ones washed ashore.. We collected sea sponges and coral from here. The water here is pretty shallow, no matter how far you go, it doesn’t exceed your height.. You can also join catamaran tours on this island.
You can also visit Josone Park located in the middle of the city, and buy souvenirs from local vendors here.
As a meal? There is a wide variety of seafood. Squid, shrimp, lobster, etc… And the prices are quite reasonable when compared to Turkey.
For shopping, you can go to Plaza Americano, located close to the city.. It costs about 10-12 pesos from the city centre.