The Varahicacos is about all that's left of the 'wild' Hicacos Peninsula: hotel developers have been chomping away at its edges for years. There are three underwhelming trails here which, despite their tameness, attract an entry fee. The highlight is the Cueva de Musulmanes with its 2500-year-old human remains, followed by the giant cactus called El Patriarca (separate CUC$2 entrance fee) accessed from a different road near the eponymous hotel.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.71 MILES
Enhance your taste for bucolic provincial life away from the razzmatazz of Matanzas Province's north coast at this ecological farm 14km northeast of San…
29.26 MILES
For a mappable view of mildewed Matanzas on one side and the broccoli-green Valle de Yumurí on the other, climb 1.5km northeast of the center up Calle 306…
28.9 MILES
Imagine. You're tramping through Matanzas' tatty streets wondering whether the 'Athens of Cuba' moniker is just a local joke when you stumble upon this…
26.04 MILES
A gorgeous ruin lying truly abandoned in the middle of small-town Cuba that's heavy with atmosphere and still shines (despite the mildew) with a…
11.27 MILES
Cuba's second-oldest museum (after the Museo Bacardí in Santiago) offers a selection of weird artifacts, including a strangulation chair from 1830, a face…
4.2 MILES
Everything east of Varadero's small stone water tower (it looks like an old Spanish fort, but was built in the 1930s) once belonged to the Du Pont family…
24.27 MILES
Boat trips on the Río Canímar, 8km east of Matanzas, are a truly magical experience. Gnarly mangroves dip their jungle-like branches into the ebbing water…
20.27 MILES
Your closest bet for shore snorkeling in the Varadero area is Playa Coral, on the old coastal road, about 3km off the Vía Blanca, halfway between Matanzas…
Nearby Varadero attractions
0.56 MILES
For something completely different in Varadero's tourist circus, decamp to this large cave 500m beyond the Club Amigo Varadero on the Autopista Sur. It's…
1.65 MILES
At the peninsula's eastern tip, state-run Gaviota's impressive marina, built in the early 2010s, encompasses a wide malecón (main street), luxury…
4.2 MILES
Everything east of Varadero's small stone water tower (it looks like an old Spanish fort, but was built in the 1930s) once belonged to the Du Pont family…
6.39 MILES
Located 5km north of Playa las Calaveras (one hour by boat), Cayo Piedras del Norte has been made into a 'marine park' through the deliberate sinking of…
6.87 MILES
If you're set on sightseeing in Varadero, ensconce yourself in this pretty green oasis. These landscaped gardens date back to 1940 and take their name…
7.37 MILES
Just east of Parque Central is this tiny colonial-style building resembling a displaced alpine chapel.
10.44 MILES
To the northwest of the center of Cárdenas, in the industrial zone, is this famous rum factory founded in 1878 by Spanish immigrant José Arechabala…
10.53 MILES
No, not just any old flagpole. Follow Av Céspedes past Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción to its northern end and you will see this flagpole is attached…