Excelencias from the Caribbean & the Americas
Looking for Sun and Beach? Go to Cuba!
THROUGHOUT HISTORY, TWO DESTINATIONS HAVE BEEN THE UNDERPINNINGS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CUBA’S TRAVEL INDUSTRY. VARADERO TOPS THE LIST, AND 292 KM FROM THAT WORLD-CLASS BEACH AREA, THE JARDINES DEL REY KEYS UNFOLD FLABBERGASTING VIEWS IN EVERY VISIT
When it comes to sun and beach, come to Cuba and decide to explore the wonders of a journey that gives access to numerous keys and islands of the Sabana-camaguey archipelago: the famous tourist destination
known as Jardines del Rey.
From west to east, the dotting beads go from Punta de Hicacos to Nuevitas, in Camagüey, so we would like to propose a journey from Varadero to the northern keys off the province of Villa Clara.
With over fifty hotels to choose from and nearly 30 km of beach, Varadero is Cuba's number-one sun-and-beach destination, so it deserves a three-day stay at the very least.
It is the second-best beach in the world. And it's not just Cuba that says so, but thousands of travelers who chose it in the
Traveller's Choice 2019 Awards, organized by Tripadvisor. In the ranking of the
25 best beaches on the planet, Varadero trails after Baia Do Sancho in Brazil and is followed by Eagle Beach on the Caribbean island of Aruba.
Crystal-clear and balmy waters even in winter, safety and cleanliness along its more than 20 km of powder-thin sand, sea rides on catamarans, sport fishing, diving and tours are some of the options that can be enjoyed by those who decide to visit Varadero, located 120 km east of Havana.
This beautiful spot, where the waters dazzle with their turquoise hues, was officially founded on December 5, 1887, although the first news of vacationers in the area harkens back to the 1840s. Today, its infrastructure has more than 50 hotels that accommodate over 1.7 million foreign tourists every year.
Varadero wants to become Ecological Beach. The challenge is quite a risky one, since there are many resorts worldwide competing for this recognition, which implies having clear waters, white and thin sand, where the preservation and protection of the environment is easily observed.
However, Varadero has a long way to go, since many facilities located on this strip are run by important and renowned hotel companies, which have chipped in quite a lot to the care of the natural environment; in fact, five of these hotels have reached the certification of Environmental Beach. That is complemented with actions promoted by Cuba's Tourism and Science, Technology and Environment ministries, aimed at recovering coastal coves, protecting the necessary dunes and avoiding sand loss.
If Varadero used to be a must-see for those who came to Cuba, now that it is preparing to offer a much more natural, protected and charming environment. What's more, it will become an indispensable destination for any traveler who wants to see the best spots in the Caribbean.
DIVERSIFICATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Varadero enthralls with a combination of natural attractions and the comfort of modern life. In this area, huge investments are being made to upgrade and meet the most select demands of the outbound markets.
The Hicacos Peninsula, which in past centuries was used as a dry dock and salt mine, cut its teeth as a travel destination when inhabitants of the nearby city of Cardenas began building their summer homes in this area. This trend continued during the first decades of the 20th century until peaking in the 1950s.
Al Capone himself and American millionaire Irenee Du Pont had their homes built there and they are still standing. In addition to the famous Xanadu Mansion, Dupont was responsible for the construction of a golf course in 1931, the first in Cuba, which after several refurbishments is now the Varadero Golf Club.
Varadero was officially founded on December 5, 1887, although the first news of vacationers in the area harkens back to the 1840s
Another of its attractions is the Josone Park (a name formed with the initial syllables of José and Onelia), whose history dates back to the 1930s, when the then director of the Arechavala Rum Factory, a Basque businessman named José Fermín Iturrioz Michelena, bought the first plot of land around a lagoon that was in the area. Today, it is the largest green space in this town, and is sought after for its shady gardens. Natural, historical, architectural, cultural, floral and ornithological values of all kinds go hand in hand there.
In the region, visitors can enjoy diving in the second largest coral barrier in the world, or explore some of the caves in the place and swim in the Ecological Beach, which has been rescued to appreciate the Patriarch, a 600-year-old cactus endemic to Cuba.
The Varahicacos Ecological Reserve, the Chapelin Marina, the Dolphinarium, the Craft Center, the Plaza America Shopping Center..., are also in Varadero, featuring quality offers that are complemented in cultural and gastronomic options, let alone being in contact with the unique way of life of its people.
BUILDING DREAMS
Some 292 km from Varadero and 386 from Havana, the keys of Jardines del Rey reveal enigmatic places in each visit. Recognized
Varadero enthralls with a combination of natural attractions and the comfort of modern life. In this area, huge investments are being made to upgrade and meet the most select demands of the outbound markets
Jardines del Rey is constantly growing, thanks in part to the development of top-class hotels. In its design and construction, environmental sustainability criteria play a major role
among the most attractive sites in the Caribbean, they now boast a modern hotel infrastructure. Spanish conquistador Don Diego Velázquez called those keys Jardines del Rey (The King's Gardens) in 1514. This 465-kmlong lavish archipelago stretches from the north of Caibarién, in the central Cuban province of Villa Clara, towards the east, with the other end on the coasts off Camagüey.
A site of legends and safe haven for unique biodiversity, these keys endured the attacks of corsairs and pirates. Its most precious jewels are Las Brujas, Ensenachos and Santa María. The latter is the image of an exotic beauty that is expressed in a multitude of shades, featuring the blue of its coral-protected beaches, as well as in the marine vegetation dominated by mangroves and cove grapes, which is home to flocks of seagulls and pink flamingos, as well as lizards, iguanas and crabs.
A 48-km-long road over the sea, known locally as pedraplén, dots Caibarién with Santa María. This "over-the-sea highway", which has 46 bridges designed to maintain the flow of water on both sides and protect biodiversity, is one of the wonders of modern Cuban engineering.
The region is constantly growing, thanks in part to the development of top-quality hotels. In its design and construction, environmental
sustainability criteria play an important role. In addition, the offer of accommodation is complemented by new investments in non-hotel services. The construction of an aquarium-dolphinarium, a complex with a nautical site, the expansion of the marina at Cayo Las Brujas and the development of a golf course in the vicinity of Caibarién, are added to the options available for travelers.
Word has it that Las Brujas (The Witches) owes its name to a popular story about the love of a young couple frustrated by a jealous uncle, who also inspired the name of a neighboring islet: Cayo Borracho (Drunken Key).
A mile away is the ship San Pascual, launched in 1919 in the shipyards of San Francisco, California. It keeps memories of the presence of American writer Ernest Hemingway in the area. On its deck, Cuban painter Leopoldo Romañach found the inspiration for some of his seascapes.
Shaped like a horseshoe, Ensenachos is the smallest of the three keys and the refuge of 22 endemic floral and 39 wildlife species. It is said to have been once an aboriginal settlement. Its beaches are never choppy thanks to its location, whereby it remains protected from large rolling waves.
Santa Maria, known as the White Rose of Jardines del Rey, is possessed by the spirit of Rosa Maria Coraje, who came to the hidden area in the hold of a ship, looking for paradise and her lover. She managed to disembark and survive by hiding among the mangroves, living from fishing, until she found her man on an islet.
The construction of towns that recreate those found in the countryside is one of the strategies promoted on the keys off Cuba's north coast. La Estrella is a good case in point. This place boasts the services of several specialized restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, disco clubs, handicraft fairs, post offices, banks, playgrounds, spas, gyms, business centers and car rentals.
Cayo Coco, with a surface of 370 km², is the fourth biggest islet Cuba has, recognized for its luxurious allinclusive resorts