Cuba (Varadero Beach)

Varadero gets marketed as a floating buffet tray: arrive, tan, eat, repeat. And look, that's partly accurate. The peninsula stretches roughly 20 kilometers, packed with more than 50 hotels catering mostly to Europeans and Canadians chasing all-inclusive deals.

But there's a real town underneath all that. Downtown Varadero, between Calle 10 and Calle 64, is compact, flat, and walkable. That's where family-run casas replace lobby fountains and the pace of life feels genuinely Cuban.

Al Capone used to hang around these shorelines in the 1920s. The du Pont de Nemours family bought most of the peninsula and built a golf course in 1926. After the Revolution in 1959, the whole enclave was declared public property.

Today it pulls in mostly package tourists from Canada and Europe. The beach between Calle 13 and Calle 60 is where you'll find the best sand quality, with the stretch near Melia Internacional particularly good. Supply disruptions are a real ongoing issue across Cuba, so don't be surprised if shelves look thin.

Plan accordingly and carry cash.

Tipping in foreign currency is strongly preferred over Cuban Pesos. Use paper bills only. Coins are useless to locals since they can't exchange them..

Cash is king. ATMs exist but charge fees and sometimes run out. Bring enough for your whole trip and plan for small bills for street food, taxis, and tips..

Ventanitas (window cafes) tucked along side streets serve potent Cuban coffee for just a few pesos. Standing at one is the cheapest and most authentic daily ritual you can do.. Watch for jineteros — hustlers who approach tourists offering cheap cigars, rum, or tours.

Not necessarily dangerous, but the cigars are usually fake. Stick to official shops like La Casa del Ron.. Changing money on the street is illegal in Cuba.

Only exchange at authorized entities: hotel reception desks, CADECA booths, or banks.. Don't rent a scooter. Thieves target them, and if stolen, you may be liable for the full replacement cost..

Cubans are exceptionally social and will often stop to chat on the street, not just to sell something. That's genuine friendliness. Lean into it.

Varadero is genuinely one of the safest tourist destinations in the Caribbean. There are no dangerous neighborhoods to avoid — the whole peninsula is low-crime. Cuba's overall crime index ranks among the lowest in the world.

That said, petty stuff happens. Cigar scams are common, with unofficial sellers pushing fake or low-quality cigars at inflated prices. Only buy from official shops.

Watch for jineteros in high-traffic areas around the resort strip and downtown. They're more annoying than threatening, but persistent. Don't change money on the street under any circumstances.

It's illegal, and you'll get ripped off. If renting a car, get a receipt when you return it and make sure to read the fine print on accident liability — Cuban rental agencies can hold you financially responsible in ways that differ significantly from North American norms. Avoid renting scooters entirely.

US travelers need to verify current licensing requirements before booking, as U.S. travel to Cuba operates under specific legal authorizations.

The Varadero Beach Tour bus is your best friend. It runs from 9:30am to 9pm (with a night service until 3am), hits 46 stops across the entire peninsula including all major hotels, shopping areas, the marina, golf course, and downtown, and costs just $5 USD/day. Pay by credit card only.

Kids under 5 ride free. Buses run roughly every 30 minutes. For shorter hops, Coco-Taxis — the iconic yellow egg-shaped scooter taxis — are fast, fun, and open-air.

A local taxi from the airport to your hotel runs about $40 if you want to skip the group transfer shuffle. Getting to Varadero from Havana, book a Viazul bus in advance online (create an account before you arrive — the site blocks non-registered users from even viewing routes). The Havana–Varadero route is popular; don't assume you can just show up and buy a ticket.

Flying in directly? Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport in Varadero handles direct flights from Miami, Montreal, and Toronto. Note that as of March 2026, Daytrip.

com is not operating in Cuba due to fuel shortages.