Varadero Beach lies on the Hicacos Peninsula, 140 kilometers east of Havana. The peninsula is a mere 1.2 kilometers at its widest point, and it is situated between the Bay of Cardenas and the Straits of Florida.
Twenty kilometers of sand and sea draw visitors to Varadero Beach from around the world. The area features shallow beaches with white sand and crystalline waters, 28 diving spots including La Cueva de Saturno, and activities such as sailboarding, aquabikes, horseback riding, paragliding, and golf.
Named for the Spanish word for dry dock, the salt mines of Varadero Beach and the surrounding peninsula provided the Spanish Latin America Fleet with supplies starting in 1587. The city was officially founded in 1887 when ten Cardenas families received permission to build vacation homes in the area.
Celebrities flock to Cuba. Such stars as Marlon Brando, Paul McCartney, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Pablo Neruda, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alanis Morissette, Katie Ford, Matt Dillon, Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hoper, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell have all enjoyed Varadero Beach.
Tourists are not allowed to carry any items perceived as a threat to the government into Cuba, which can be loosely interpreted to include everything from weapons to literature. Credit cards issued by American banks are not accepted anywhere.
