Hicacos Peninsula, known as Varadero, with its 20 miles of smooth white sand beaches, is one of the most famous of Cuba dream vacation paradise, but a bit crowded in summer visitors.

Photography by Peter Shanks

Not for nothing is settled for about one million tourists a year. Its greatest treasure is hidden in the seabeds, which have almost fifty different types of corals, fish of all species, lobsters, prawns, turtles and shellfish. It is located in the province of Matanzas and just 130 km far from Havana.

Photography by Peter Shanks

The hotels in Cuba ranging from intimate guest house with few rooms at the grand hotel in a city or the spectacular resort where you can practice all kinds of sports. But in Varadero, a first class tourist destination, finding cheap accommodation is a little complicated, although it has more than 14,000 rooms.

Most hotels built in the nineties are four and five star hotels, located in mega complexes or resorts. Many of the visitors who come to spend within their Varadero hotel structures its many weeks of sea thanks to the all-inclusive, often without even visiting the city and the rest of the peninsula.

Comfortable accommodation and the different forms of entertainment it offers, without leaving virtually the complex, is paid. If you want a budget hotel in Varadero you must pay attention to one of the few deals that advertise in chains or tour operators travel agents or via the Internet, mostly.

For example, in the Cuatro Palmas hotel, four stars, you can get a stay of one night for less than $ 100. But only accommodation without breakfast. Also in the Blue Water development in the same category, you can sleep from $ 130 night.

The town of Varadero is formed by a series of buildings concentrated in the main street, Avenida Primera, full of restaurants where bands play. The Xanadu Mansion is a place of interest to visit, for its history and outstanding location near the beach. Al Capone was one of his tenants. The best way, and cheaper, to discover other attractions that the area is to rent a bike. In this way, travelers can find the beautiful cays and virgin forests that populate the environment Varadero. Or visit the abundance of archaeological sites, such as the Cueva de San Ambrosio with pictorial images of Muslims or the caves.

Other entertainment options are also very attractive. Visitors can bathe in the company of eight dolphins in the 50,000 cubic meters of water lake in the dolphinarium Varadero. Next to him is the Chapelín Marina, one of the three centers of the peninsula on which organizes fishing trips. From the same sea is possible to go sailing on a catamaran for the day to the tiny island’s largest archipelago of Cayos Blancos often, an hour from Varadero.

Photography by Peter Shanks

This town north of Cuba as a free port that is has excellent conditions for diving or other water sports. In addition, Varadero is also a focal point for young tourists, many of them newly married couples, and as such, offer night entertainment abounds inside and outside the hotel complexes. In places like La Rumba, Cueva del Pirata, Mambo or Tropicana Club can enjoy good live Cuban music. And of course, enjoy a good mojito. Or ask for the body.

Trips to Varadero will be unforgettable!