Varadero Beach Adventures

 

Varadero Cuba !

A vacation bargain, Cuba offers gorgeous beach resorts on the beaches of Varadero, Holguin, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo, and others, where talcum-white sand fringes warm, turquoise waters. Cubans may not be wealthy, but their love of life shows in their renowned friendliness and vibrant music. And they love us. They even hold annual Terry Fox Marathons (usually in March) across the island to mark our famous native son, with almost two million people participating. If you go, try to visit Old Havana and the interior town of Trinidad, both UNESCO Heritage sites.

Cuba's Top Beaches

From the pristine white sands of Varadero Beach to rougher terrain off the beaten path, Varadero is close to beaches that suit every taste.

Varadero Beach

 Sink your toes into the immaculate white sand along this magnificent 21-kilometre stretch of Cuba’s most famous trademark beach. The serene warm sunny Varadero waters are always inviting, with an average year-round water temperature of 24ºC-26ºC.Cuba’s premier beach destination, Varadero or Playa Azul in Matanzas province is 134 kilometres from Havana. This 21-kilometre strip of sparkling white sand on the Hicacos Peninsula juts out into the crystal clear Atlantic. A string of hotels backs onto the flat expanse of beach, and bars and other amenities are within shouting distance.But Varadero is not just a place to chill in the sand. Visitors to Varadero can jump on jet skis at the marina on the Bay of Cardenas, dive among shipwrecks and tropical fish in Cayo Piedra Underwater Park, or play a round of golf at the Varadero Golf Club with its intricate system of lagoons. Centre Plaza América, an international convention centre, has shopping malls, restaurants and amusement centres. Adventure seekers won’t want to miss Bellamar Cave, deep in the cliff overlooking Matanzas Bay, one of the Caribbean’s largest and most beautiful underground formations.
 For the young and young at heart, cabarets, variety shows and live music make night time in Varadero something to savour.

  Cayo Largo

 Cayo Largo del Sur, one of the largest of 300 cayos and islets of the Los Canarreos Archipelago, lies on the Caribbean Sea, 177 kilometres south of Havana. Strips of virgin beach with sun-bleached sand and warm crystal clear water extend for 27 kilometres. This tranquil island gives off a laid-back vibe and is clothing optional. Iguanas, chelonian, pelicans and herons make their homes on Cayo Largo. A 35-kilometre coral reef is home to black coral and underwater enthusiasts appreciate more than 30 diving sites and an international diving centre.

Jardines del Rey

 Garden of the Kings beaches are a line of tiny islands off the Atlantic coast north of Cuba, 177 kilometres from Havana, inspired Ernest Hemingway’s well-known novels Islands in the Stream and The Old Man and the Sea. The islands of Jardines del Rey are a nature-lover’s paradise and are home to flamingos and roseate spoonbills. A 27-kilometre causeway links the islands to the mainland province of Ciego de Avila, Cuba’s agricultural district. A 402-kilometre coral reef, second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef, makes the islands of Jardines del Rey ideal for snorkelling and diving. Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo are two hot spots. Cayo Coco, a 22-kilometre stretch of beach, boasts mangroves and more than 200 species of birds. Four diving centres and 20 diving sites provide ample opportunity for divers to view many varieties of sea life such as parrotfish, grunts, yellowtail snappers, queen angelfish, anemones and spiny lobster.

Playa Larga

This Cuban beach literally means  "long beach" due to the endless stretch of pristine virgin beaches in the south of Cuba. Playa Larga is also situated on the Bahia de Cochinos, north of Playa Girón. Its central location makes it an ideal base for eco-tours around the Zapata Peninsula.

  Playa Girón

Famous Cuban beach where the Americans were defeated by Fidel Castro;s revolutionary army, now a scuba diving center for tourist. Enjoy the quiet at this peaceful beach that’s an easy day trip from Varadero, located on the eastern side of the Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs). Its clear, sparkling waters attract avid snorkelers and scuba divers.

  Cayo Coco

 Cayo Coco, one of the hidden treasures of Cuba is a 22-kilometre stretch of beach, boasts mangroves and more than 200 species of birds. Four diving centres and 20 diving sites provide ample opportunity for divers to view many varieties of sea life such as parrotfish, grunts, yellowtail snappers, queen angelfish, anemones and spiny lobster.

Santa Lucia

 Santa Lucía, on the northern coast of Camagüey Province, is one of the widest beaches in Cubae beach, 21 km long, with fine golden-white sand, bathed by warm, turquoise water that is always calm. Protected by a long coral reef only 2 km from shore, the seabed supports an astonishing variety of marine life. In addition to flora and fauna, there are also sunken ships to explore, including some dating from the 19th century.Close by, Cayo Sabinal is natural treasure well worth exploring. Once the refuge of pirates, the tiny island offers intimate beaches tucked into beautiful coastal scenery and an abundance of wildlife, virtually untouched by man. Local attractions include the ruins of the San Hilarío Fort and the Colón Lighthouse, one of the oldest working lighthouses in the country.The area around Santa Lucía is flat, featuring marshlands, lagoons and flocks of flamingoes. Perfect for bike riding.


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CUBA GOLF REVOLUTION

GOLF REVOLUTION IN CUBA?

Varadero Cuba DuPont Golf  Resort

Varadero Cuba. Under Cuba's president Fidel Castro's rule, golf was all but forgotten in Cuba, but the elitist sport of the Americans is poised for a comeback on the communist-run island.
Castro and Che Guevara famously staged a golf match to antagonize then-U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower, and soon after he came to power in 1959 the revolutionary leader began his march on Cuba's dozen or more courses.
The tanks rolled in, and some were turned into military facilities. One became an art school, and Castro reportedly built a house on the fairways of another. By the time he was finished, only two courses remained.
But over half a century later, a more relaxed political regime and a hunger for the tourism dollar is set to transform Cuba into an unlikely golfing hotspot for Western travelers.

Gallery: Alberto Korda golf

"Golf is becoming a reality in Cuba this year," Andrew MacDonald, chief executive of London-based Esencia Hotels and Resorts, told CNN.
"The key moment was a change in Cuban property law last August to make foreign ownership far more attractive.
"The Cuban government have a vision of establishing 15-16 new golf courses in the next five to seven years."
Esencia is part of that vision. Its luxury Carbonera Country Club development in the beach resort of Varadero has been seven years in the making, and MacDonald hopes to start construction on the $300 million project in the next few months.

Cuba is 90 miles from Miami and has a great climate, coastal frontage for development and needs golf to support the tourism demands

LEISURE CANADA CUBA GOLF

Publicly traded Leisure Canada, a Cuban investment company based in Vancouver, is also at advanced stages with three planned golf developments in the Pinar del Rio province on Cuba's west coast.
And London-based firm Foster and Partners confirmed to CNN it has been commissioned by a Spanish developer to build a 2,000-unit golfing community with three courses in the same area.
Cuba currently has just 27 holes for golfers. The ramshackle nine-hole Havana Golf Club survived the Castro regime as a venue for foreign diplomats and visiting businessmen, while the Varadero Golf Club on the east coast was extended to 18 holes in 1998 thanks to a $20 million investment from the government.
Canadian Les Furber was the man who designed it, and he said the political climate made for a protracted process.

"Because of the U.S. embargo on products and services it was challenging to get many of the things we needed, and the economic time meant it took eight years to build the golf course due to the lack of diesel fuel, tires and batteries etc," he said.
Despite the frustrations, Furber is keen to return to the island to work on future developments, and believes Cuba is ideally situated to attract Western golfers.
"Cuba is 90 miles from Miami and has a great climate, coastal frontage for development and needs golf to support the tourism demands," he said.
"Cuba recognizes now that it does not have any financial support from foreign countries and needs tourism in a big way to help pay for its imports and lines of credit for most things it does not produce or manufacture."

Golf will be an Olympic event in 2016. Cuba should seriously prepare for golf as they have done with other sports

CUBA GOLF TOURISM

Image via Wikipedia

Cuba's minister for tourism Manuel Marrero said in 2010 that 16 golf developments had already been approved by the Council of Ministers. He stressed that golf was fundamental to its plans to bolster the tourism industry.
But Havana Golf Club's resident professional Johan Vega has heard it all before. He remains skeptical over the mooted developments, and harbors doubts whether Cuba is truly ready to embrace the sport that, thanks to Castro, is no more than a minority activity.
"When the new ones open show them to me. Then I will know it is true," he told the Golf.com website.
"In Cuba golf culture simply doesn't exist. If you talk to people here about birdies and bogeys they have no idea what you mean."
Cuba's golf revolution will certainly be on the agenda in April when Varadero hosts the third annual Montecristo Cup, a tournament open to amateurs and professionals.
Spanish professional Alvaro Quiros will be the big-name attraction this year, and the four-time winner on the European Tour is fully behind the initiative to bring golf back to the Cuban people.
"It is important that support is given to many people in Cuba to play, practice and participate in golf," he said after his appearance at Varadero in 2010.

Golf just wasn't a priority in Cuba before and now it is. It's worth noting that 10 million U.S. citizens can already come here because of their Cuban relatives
--Esencia's Andrew MacDonald

"Golf will be an Olympic event in 2016. Cuba should seriously look at and prepare for golf as they have done with other sports -- baseball, boxing, track and field."
MacDonald is confident change is coming. He's been impressed by the enthusiasm and golfing knowledge of the Cuban contractors and government officials, and is utterly convinced their vision will become a reality.
"Golf just wasn't a priority in Cuba before and now it is," he said. "We hope that in years to come emerging young players will have the chance the develop and compete on an international level.
"Cuba is known for its baseball players, and when you think about it the golf swing is not a million miles away from that used in baseball."
While initially looking to the "Anglo-Saxon" tourist market, MacDonald believes the U.S. government will ultimately relax its restrictions on Americans visiting Cuba.
"I see that coming in softly over the next few years. But it's also worth noting that 10 million U.S. citizens can already come here because of their Cuban relatives," he said.

As for Castro and Guevara's famous game, it was won by the younger man with a score of 127. Castro shot over 150 and some have suggested his resentment of golf was simply down to the fact he was never any good at it.

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