Very Varadero

An “Accidental Tourist” Beach Investigation

One night after the “ride of a lifetime,” Harold promised a day of sun and fun at Varadero Beach, Cuba. On this morning, I woke up to watch the sunrise in a sky with no clouds! Indeed, this was a day of stark contrast from what we experienced over the last 24 hours! The floodwaters had receded.

The First Hour

Like previous mornings, Claudia prepared an amazing breakfast with Cuban Coffee and freshly squeezed Mango juice on the front patio of our Airbnb home in Habana Del Este, Ciudad De La Habana. And following my new Cuban travel tradition, I wandered past 2 cows (with horns) to the waterfront to admire the ocean. This journey was 48 hours from being over, and I wanted to remember as much as possible from this incredible experience. This day Stacey walked with me to the beach. I think she’d grown tired of my “beach boasting” and wanted to see for herself. Sonia also came along as the Yogi in her was calling for a pose on one of the jagged rocks along this stretch of the coast.

Soon, our cars arrived to transport us to the beach. This trip would be unlike the previous day, as we would see the ocean to our left most of the 2-hour drive to Varadero, which is in the Matanzas region of Cuba. We were all eager to relax in the sand after the stormy evening the night before.

Our driver was also a guide. One of the first places he pointed out (to our left) was a sprawling (but run down) facility probably 10 minutes from our Airbnb. It was called “Tarawa.” We learned this was one of many health care facilities around Cuba to help care for victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. Thousands, perhaps 10’s of thousands of radiated patients were brought to here for treatment. We were told most didn’t survive. Driving on, we noticed a plethora of beachfront communities. Beyond those homes, you could clearly see the dark blue waters of the Caribbean sea. A few dozen miles down the road, we arrived at the Bacunayagua, Matanzas Bridge, It’s the tallest bridge in the country. There, we stopped, took photos and danced to the sounds of Cuban music. It was an amazing vista.

Meeting Matanzas

We drove through several oil processing facilities before arriving at the town/port of Matanzas. It was a huge port community. There, you see tankers anchored just outside the harbor waiting to come in to the port. Here shipping and fishing are the base drivers of the economy. This area appeared to be robust and prosperous. Seeing an old bridge had me wishing I could stop for a photo, but the beach was calling our names. We soldiered on.

With lines of palm trees to our left, we began seeing signs for Varadero Beach. First, we drove past the airport. Keep in mind; Southwest Airlines now flies directly to this destination from Fort Lauderdale. While I can’t speak for other carriers, Southwest does a great job of getting travelers to the hottest travel destinations. They were on to something with Varadero Beach.

Destination Varadero

After being stopped by authorities at a bridge (for reasons never explained) we entered Varadero Beach and found a place to park, disembark and find our beach fun.

Harold found the group a location just in front of a bar (of course) providing chairs and umbrellas for patrons (at a cost). We settled in, found the bathroom and of course the drink menu.

The view was amazing. Miles of white sandy beaches, blue skies and friendly people went beyond the visible horizon. I’m told there are nature preserves, nightlife and a very artsy subculture. I wandered up the beach, finding Cuban flags, people making sand designs on people, Catamarans waiting to head out to sea and families enjoying the bathwater warmth of this amazing scene. This was once a beach for the wealthy and the infamous (Al Capone). Fidel Castro changed all of that in the late 1950’s. In the years to follow, mostly European and Canadian tourists came here. That is now beginning to change, thanks to a thawing of frozen relations between Washington and Havana. Speaking of frozen relations, I met two women who were putting all men on the beach into the deep freeze. As I walked by they, asked why I hadn’t taken their picture. My response: “I thought your admirers were taking care of that.” In talking, they were visitors from Manhattan. Hearing about Varadero, they took a taxi from Havana to experience this for themselves.

Everyone was having a great time, enjoying new friendships, the water and perhaps a mojito or two. They of course, stopped to pose for a few (dozen) photos. Exhausted and sunburnt, we began to wind down with preparations to head back home. Two of our travelers wanted to explore a destination back in Havana that was on the New York Times list for Cuba destinations. The others, including myself stopped for a great meal down a back alley in Varadero.

Leaving this place, I only wish we had more time. Varadero, was a destination and not a 5 hour stop for sun & sand. I was told the evening dining and cultural experience is beyond comparison. Perhaps my next visit will include an overnight stay here. That’s my plan for the fall.

Next, an “Accidental Tourist” unexpected stop in Matanzas that landed the entire group in the midst of a Sunday evening parade!

Until next time, thanks for reading.