Cuba - Lonely Planet [184]
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VARADERO
pop 20,000
Varadero – make of it what you will. Here on the island’s idyllic north coast lies a radically different Cuba to the one that most Cubans see, a sanitized 20km-long peninsula wrapped up for tourist consumption and packaged as a cheap alternative to Cancún.
But, kissed by gentle tropical breezes and lapped by the iridescent waters of the ebbing Atlantic, it’s not all bad. Varadero’s hallowed beach is, arguably, the best in the archipelago and the weighty cache of 50 or more three-, four- and five-star hotels acts as a tantalizing magnet to the hordes of midrange vacationers who descend here annually from the frozen north (Canada mainly). For those on a more serendipitous voyage of discovery, Varadero lacks one vital ingredient: magic. Not just any old magic, but that esoteric Cuban kind, the sort that can’t be replicated in fancy air-conditioned cocktail lounges or grandiose faux-Greek hotel lobbies, however many mojitos you sink.
Contrary to popular belief, Cubans have never been banned from Varadero. In fact, in contrast to other more cut-off resorts such as Cayo Coco, integration is higher than you might first expect. At least one third of the peninsula is given over to a Cuban town of the same name, which, while lacking the atmosphere of Havana or Santiago, still retains a rough semblance of everyday Cuban life.
Orientation
Varadero begins at the western end of the Península de Hicacos, where a channel called the Laguna de Paso Malo links the Bahía de Cárdenas to the Atlantic Ocean. After crossing the Puente Bascular (Lift Bridge) over this waterway, the Vía Blanca becomes the Autopista Sur and runs up the peninsula’s spine 20km to Marina Gaviota at Varadero’s easternmost point. From the same bridge Av Kawama heads west along the channel toward a couple more big resorts. In general, the Atlantic side of the peninsula (with the 20km of bright white sands for which Varadero is famous) is devoted to tourism, while the Bahía de Cárdenas side is where locals live (another Cuban community is in Santa Marta at the western end of the peninsula). The largest and most expensive resorts are to the east on Punta Hicacos. The quietest section of beach in the center of Varadero is between Calles 46 and 65.
Information
BOOKSTORES
Librería Hanoi (Map; 61-26-94; cnr Av 1 & Calle 44; 9am-9pm) A good selection of books in English, from poetry to politics.
EMERGENCY
Asistur (Map; 66-72-77; Av 1 No 4201 btwn Calles 42 & 43; 9am-4:30pm Mon-Fri)
INTERNET ACCESS & TELEPHONE
Most hotels have internet access for CUC$6 an hour. Buy a scratch card from the reception. If you’re in a cheaper place, use the public Etecsa Telepunto (Map; cnr Av 1 & Calle 30).
LIBRARIES
Biblioteca José Smith Comas (Map; 61-23-58; Calle 33 No 104 btwn Avs 1 & 3; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat) Present your hotel guest card to withdraw books (free); book donations happily accepted.
MEDICAL SERVICES
Many large hotels have infirmaries that can provide free basic first aid.
Clínica Internacional Servimed (Map; 66-77-11; cnr Av 1 & Calle 60; 24hr) Medical or dental consultations (CUC$25 to CUC$5) and hotel calls (CUC$50 to CUC$60). There’s also a good pharmacy (open 24 hours) here with items in Convertibles.
Farmacia Internacional Marina Chapelín (Map; 61-85-56; Autopista Sur Km 11; 9am-9pm); Kawama (Map; 61-44-70; Av a Kawama; 9am-9pm); Plaza América (Map; 66-80-42; Av Las Américas Km 6; 9am-9pm)
MONEY
In Varadero, European visitors can pay for hotels and meals in euros. If you change money at your hotel front desk, you’ll sacrifice 1%