Activities in Varadero
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Centro Internacional de Paracaidismo
For those with a head for heights, Varadero’s greatest thrill has to be skydiving with the Centro Internacional de Paracaidismo, based at the old airport just west of Varadero. The terminal is 1km up a dirt road, opposite Marina Acua. Skydivers take off in an Antonov AN-2 biplane of WWII design (don’t worry, it’s a replica) and jump from 3000m using a two-harness parachute with an instructor strapped in tandem on your back. After 35 seconds of free fall the parachute opens and you float tranquilly for 10 minutes down onto Varadero’s white sandy beach. The center also offers less spectacular (but equally thrilling) ultralight flights at various points on the beach. Price…
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Aquaworld Marina Chapelín
Varadero’s nautical highlight in the popularity stakes is the Seafari Cayo Blanco, a seven-hour sojourn (CUC$75) from Marina Chapelín to nearby Cayo Blanco and its idyllic beach. The trip includes an open bar, lobster lunch, two snorkeling stops, live music and hotel transfers. There’s also a shorter CUC$45 catamaran tour with snorkeling, open bar and a chicken lunch. The Fiesta en el Cayo is a sunset cruise (CUC$39) to Cayo Blanco with dinner, music and more free-flowing rum at the key. The two-hour guided Boat Adventure is another perennial favorite. Leaving from the Marina Chapelín, it’s a speedy sortie through the adjacent mangroves on two-person jet skis or moto…
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Seafari Cayo Blanco
One of Varadero's most popular cruises is the Seafari Cayo Blanco to - you've guessed it - Cayo Blanco. This trip includes the dolphin show at the Delfinario, open bar, lunch on Cayo Blanco, two snorkeling stops, live music and hotel transfers. This trip comes with a free sunset cruise that can be carried over to the following day if desired. Several readers have reported that these trips were the highlight of their stay.
There are cheaper catamaran tours that are less heavily promoted, but still great fun, with the same excellent snorkeling. Try the stripped-down tour that has no music and dancing, and a chicken, rather than seafood lunch. There's also a two-hour guided …
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Barracuda Diving Center
Varadero’s top scuba facility is the mega-friendly, multilingual Barracuda Diving Center. Diving costs CUC$40 per dive with equipment, cave diving is CUC$60 and night diving costs CUC$50. Packages of multiple dives work out cheaper. Snorkelers can join the divers for CUC$25. Barracuda conducts introductory resort courses for CUC$70 and ACUC (American Canadian Underwater Certifications) courses for CUC$365, plus many advanced courses. A brand new recompression facility is installed on site and there’s also a training pool, resident doctor and popular seafood restaurant on the premises. Barracuda has a daily capacity for 70 divers in three 12m boats.
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Varadero Golf Club
While it’s no Pebble Beach, golfers can have a swinging session at the uncrowded and well-landscaped Varadero Golf Club. The original nine holes created by the Duponts are between Hotel Bella Costa and the Dupont Mansion, and in 1998 the course was extended to 18 holes (par 72) by adding another nine holes along the southern side of the three Meliá resorts. Bookings are made through the Pro shop next to the Dupont Mansion (now a cozy B&B with free, unlimited tee time). Green fees go for CUC$48/77 nine/18 holes. A 50-minute lesson costs CUC$30.
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Gaviota
Gaviota has a variety of helicopter tours in Russian M1-8 choppers; the Trinidad trip (CUC$229) is popular. The Tour de Azúcar (sugarcane tour) visits a disused sugar mill and takes a steam train ride to Cárdenas station. Prices are CUC$39/30 per adult/child. It also organizes jeep safaris to the scenic Valle del Yumurí. The excursion (adult/child CUC$45/34) includes a visit to a campesino family and a huge, delicious meal at Ranchón Gaviota.
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Acua Diving Center
The Acua Diving Center is in western Varadero near the Hotel Kawama. It charges much the same prices as Barracuda, Varadero's top scuba facility, but doesn’t have quite the facilities, or volume. When a north wind is blowing and diving isn’t possible in the Atlantic, you can be transferred to the Caribbean coast in a minibus (90-minute drive); this costs a total of CUC$55/75 for one/two dives.
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Varasub
The 48-passenger Varasub offers 90-minute underwater viewing possibilities six times a day, including unlimited soda or rum drinks and transfers. You sit on benches at the bottom of the air-con vessel and peer out through glass windows, though the boat itself doesn't actually submerge. Trips on Varasub can be arranged at any Havanatur office. The boat leaves from the Super Clubs Puntarenas in west Varadero.
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Cayo Piedras del Norte
Cayo Piedras del Norte, one hour by boat, has been made into a 'marine park' by the deliberate sinking of an assortment of military equipment in 15m to 30m of water. The yacht Coral Negro was sunk here in 1997, followed by frigate 383 in 1998. Also scuttled for the benefit of divers and glass-bottom boat passengers are a towboat, a missile launching gunboat (with missiles intact) and an AN-24 aircraft.
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Marlin Marina Chapelín
Varadero has three marinas, all of which offer a variety of nautical activities and facilities. Situated close to the Delfinario and the entrance to Hotel Riu Turquesa is the Marlin Marina Chapelín where five hours of deep-sea fishing costs CUC$290 for four people (price includes hotel transfers, open bar and licenses; non-fishing companions pay CUC$30).
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Judo
For a workout to remember, pay a visit to the tiny sports club inauspiciously named Judo on the east side of Parque Central. Despite the rough facilities and decidedly poky interior, the trainers here are real pros and will give you the best boxing/judo/karate/jujitsu session you’ve ever had.
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Centro Todo En Uno Bowling Alley
Kids love the bolera (bowling alley) inside the Centro Todo En Uno, a complex with a giant, modern playground adjacent and lots of junk food, making this a good family destination away from the resorts.
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Parque Josone Swimming Pool
There's a public swimming pool in the southern part of Parque Josone and the odd ostrich lurking somewhere nearby. Good music can be heard here nightly.
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Aquaworld Diving Center
Aquaworld Diving Center at the Marlin Marina Chapelín also organizes snorkeling and diving trips.
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