Two hours east of Havana, Varadero is a world-class resort, with elegant restaurants, lively discos and activities from snorkling to skydiving, dolphin shows to nature walks. Flights reach Varadero's airport from across the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe.
Hotels also offer comfortable tour buses for the two-hour ride from Havana's airport.
It's hot in Varadero year-round, and frequent dips in the ocean or pool are a must. Expect showers and even heavy rains from August to November. Highs are in the upper 80s year-round. A string of luxury resorts runs eastward along the isthmus, with cheaper hotels in town on the western side. But package deals bring much better prices that vary wildly from month to month.