Attractions
In thinking only about our guests, we have visited Varadero not once but twice. Our initial trip (February 2007) was unofficial research as we were not yet engaged. However, our official research trip (February 2008) allowed us to take many notes and dream of our next trip back for our wedding.
The excursions discussed on this page are the excursions that we have went on, there are many other options and some of them can be found online, see below for a link to a useful website.
About the Town of Varadero
About the Town of Varadero:
The town of Varadero is located on a peninsula and in our opinion is the safest Caribbean destination we have ever been to. The town of Varadero is clean and there is so much see.
Our favourite location in the town of Varadero is Park Josone. It is located near the centre of town and has wonderful restaurants in and around it. There are several mansions within the park that have been converted into terrific restaurants with very reasonable pricing. During the day there are animals of all kinds in the park.
The People of Varadero
We are completely in love with the town of Varadero and the people that reside there. On our research trip we made some wonderful friends. We have never met a Cuban we didn’t like, they absolutely love Canadians!! The people you will meet in the town of Varadero and on the resort make their living from the tourists. This explains why the area is so safe.
After speaking with our waiter on our first visit; Ramez explained that although Cuba is a communist country they are provided at (no cost) education, housing, health care, and the opportunity to work. In our experience, it is unlikely that you will find a Cuban begging for money or assistance.
Excursion: Havana Tour
While planning our research trip (February 2008), we decided that we needed to see Havana. There are many bus tours that will take you to Havana, or one can rent a car for a nominal charge.
While having dinner in Park Josone we met a group of Canadians and their Cuban friend a man named Rolly (Rolando). They highly recommended that we hire Rolly as our tour guide for our Havana day trip. We couldn’t have made a better decision. Rolly showed us all the highlights of Havana as well as areas that one wouldn’t normally see on a bus tour.
Seeing Havana is a city, designed in the 1500’s and stuck in the 1950’s. If you choose to visit Havana, you must see the fortresses and take a couple of pictures of the old cars – believe us, you will see many!
Excursion: Jeep Safari
With Carol and Matt (February 2007) we ventured on the Jeep safari and speedboat tour; upon arrival Chad chose our jeep of the day – the oldest Suzuki Sidekick on the lot! This is where the adventure began. With Chad driving, Matt and Carol rode in the backseat while I provided comic relief with complaints of my broken seat and Chad’s driving skills.
The tour took us into Cardenas where we saw rural Cuban living and small family farms. Then, we traveled through the Cuban countryside into Matanzas the capital of the province. Matanzas was incredible, there were so many old buildings and the signage showing the peoples fidelity to the revolution was amazing.
We then traveled by ‘speedboat’ down a long and winding river to a ranch for our lunch. When we arrived at the ranch, the food was incredible and so was the entertainment. We now have pictures and video footage of Matthew riding a bull and of Amy being scared half to death by a gigantic snake.
The finale of the safari was great. We visited Saturno Cave, a fresh water cave full of stalactites and stalagmites, the water was cold and we were too thirsty to dive in – luckily the beer was cold and cheap!
This was definitely a fun tour and it cost around $75 per person.
Excursion: ScubaCuba
We tried out scuba equipment in the pool at our resort; learning to breathe underwater came naturally for Chad but was a wee bit of a challenge for Amy. With a lot of encouragement from Scuba Steve (his actual name was Raciel), we committed to an excursion.
On Valentines Day, we headed to El Coral, a public beach outside Varadero. We suited up in our wetsuits and gear and headed into the ocean. Pictures and video cannot explain the sites that are seen first hand underwater. The fish and plant life are vibrant and the water was crystal clear. This was the most incredible excursion we have ever been on. This was definitely a wonderful way to spend Valentines Day.
Our scuba package included two dives and all of the necessary equipment and training in the pool at our resort. The cost was around $65 per person.
Excursion: Hobie Cats
This is one of our favourite things to do in Cuba. Hobie Cats are little sailboats that are found on the beaches of the resort. For a mere $15 CUC per person, a trained sailor along with snorkelling gear and fins will take you to a near by reef to swim with tropical fish.
Links to Websites:
www.gocuba.ca
The official web site of the Cuba Tourist Board in Canada, offers information about the peninsula of Varadero and the current weather conditions.
www.cubaabsolutely.com
Hands down, this is ABSOLUTELY the best website about Cuba that I have found. Fantastic photographs and articles - this is a must check out for anyone travelling with us to Cuba!
www.cuba-maps.com
Offering free maps and printing. As well as an overview of the island of Cuba and the Varadero peninsula
http://www.casa-cuba.com/excursions.htm#varadero
Includes information and estimated pricing for excursions in the Varadero area ~ NOTE: We DISCOURAGE you from booking online – if you are interested in booking an excursion, book directly at the resort. This link is provided for information purposes only.
