It seems that in the sunny place, the sand and sea come to an agreement to shine in unison, without either one overpowering the other. With almost 12 miles of beach, Varadero, located on the north coast of the Hicacos Peninsula in the Matanzas province, has all the trappings of a veritable paradise; powder sand, tranquil and warm waters, which unfurl in all the shades of blue and emerald, and a sun that never tires of shinning. All these characteristics have converted Varadero into one of the favorite beach destinations of international tourism.

It is said that, during 19th century, many sailors chose these tranquil waters to repair their boats, so the place was given the name Varadero, which means “boatyard” in Spanish.

Towards 1930, large summer homes were built, and two decades later tourism strategies were developed in the area. Today it is an important tourist development with 4 & 5-star hotels, specialized restaurants, discos and marinas. A vestige of those old summer homes is Dupont mansion, a beautiful house that has been kept in its original condition, down to the decoration and furniture, and from its windows the beautiful sunsets could be seen.

When in Varadero, the so-called spa-city, the first thing to do is put on a bathing suit and choose what sport to enjoy first: surfing, beach volleyball, scuba diving or snorkeling (to discover Varadero's more than 40 types of coral and its multi-color fish) or simply laying out on the sand to let the sun do its job.

If the choice is scuba diving, there are more than 25 appropriate places for this activity, from the Bay of Matanzas to the western part of Sabana-Camaguey, where the Ojo de Megano, an underwater cavern reaching 230 feet deep, can be found.

Other interesting places to visit are its dolphin reserve, parachuting center, Municipal Museum, Art Gallery, and Ambrosio Cave, located in an ancient ceremonial site, this cave has 72 cave drawings on its inner walls.

One can also reach other points on the island from Varadero, like Guama, Playa Larga and Giron.

And when the sun goes done, the fun doesn't stop: there are always the cabarets and discos, designed for all tastes, such as Afro Cuban show that takes place in the depths of a cave (the Cabaret Cueva del Pirata), or the varied rhythms of the main hotels' discos.