Varadero

A cerulean sea intermingles with cream-colored sand beaches stretching to the horizon on both sides in Varadero. It offers a dramatic first impression. With its 20-kilometer-long coastline, Varadero is one of the most popular beach destinations in all of the Caribbean. A dynamic society constitutes its people scene. There is also no shortage of luxury entertainment at its versatile resorts. Throw in an epic culinary experience with bedazzling exotic cocktails. And, you have yourself a day filled with tropical sensations. If it is nature you seek, a motley collection of caves and underwater worlds await.

For sudden glimpses of hearty cultural occasions, check out Parque Josone. This manicured garden is the address of lazy afternoons. Fifteen minutes away, Marina Gaviota offers world-class luxury on a Cuban scale. It poses an atmospheric viewpoint at the peninsula’s eastern tip. Tucked in between the two, the Varahicacos is all about preserved wilderness. Hotels and resorts can’t seem to touch it—yet. Even if you don’t have all day, have a peek at what the peninsula looked like before the tourist invasion.

Among all the posh restaurants and glittery water parks, Ambrosio Cave stands out hidden in plain sight. It is an otherworldly site sheltering pre-Columbian paintings almost 2000 years old. Pockets of historic human presence linger here. It is the very womb of Varadero. So, grab a torch and take a break from the contemporary Caribbean. Varadero will take you on a journey back in time.