Things to do
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Cayo Blanco
Catamaran trips run out to a low sandy cay southeast of the peninsula, stopping over reef for snorkelling and lunching on grilled fish ashore. Dolphins are kept in a pen on the standard route, which is worth knowing before booking. Departures leave early, run the length of the day, and turn back if the sea gets up.
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Cueva de Saturno
A flooded sinkhole inland near the airport holds clear fresh water under stalactites, swum and snorkelled from steps cut into the rock. Depth drops away fast and lifejackets are handed out at the entrance. Tour buses fill it between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, which leaves the first hour after opening as the quiet one.
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Josone Park
Gardens laid out around a lake by a rum family in the nineteen forties give the resort strip its one piece of real shade, with rowing boats, peacocks, a restaurant and a climbing wall. Concerts fill the grounds during festival season. It sits at the town end, walkable from the casas, and works well in the heat of the afternoon.
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Varadero Beach
White sand runs the length of the peninsula in one continuous strip, shelving gently into water that stays swimmable through winter. Public access points survive between the resorts, and the sand itself is open to all. Wind gets up through the afternoon on the exposed side, and seaweed comes and goes with the season.
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Xanadu Mansion
Built on the peninsula's one rocky headland for the chemical heir Irénée du Pont, this marble and mahogany house now serves as the clubhouse for the golf course laid out around it. Its top-floor bar looks straight down the coast and opens to anyone walking in. Lunch and sunset are the two times worth timing a visit around.