Veradero- Deep Sea Fishing

ttjpdo - well put.

YankieBoy - There are many businesses in Varadero that are not owned by the military, including casas particulares. If you want to see a real military-owned enclave, look at Cayo Santa Maria.

The revenues generated in Varadero do not go to the province of Matanzas and the provincial governor of Matanzas has no jurisdiction over Varadero, all of that lies within Raul's control.Matanzas city wouldn't look so run down otherwise.My point is is that technically speaking,Varadero would be off limits to Americans more than other places on the island since Gaviota controls nearly all of it,under the new rules and the old ones also since its primary function is tourism.

Do the revenues from Cayo Coco go to Ciego de Avila ? I don't know how provincial finances work.

But the profits from Cubanacan, Gran Caribe and Islazul hotels go to the Ministry of Tourism, and from there to central government, not the military. (Unless you want to argue that everything is really run by the military anyway.)

But Cayo Santa Maria is entirely Gaviota run.

Americans can go to Varadero but they can't enjoy themselves ! ?

I don't know about any of those other places , I only know people who've been working in the tourist business for over 10 years in Varadero and live in Matanzas who tell me Gaviota and Raul are in charge of Varadero in the capacity of the provincial government as opposed to the provincial governor of Matanzas . Varadero is the only place you have to pay $2 CUC to enter and depart in all of Cuba and none of that goes to Matanzas.

Varadero is the only place you have to pay $2 CUC to enter and depart in all of Cuba

Not true - you also have to pay to cross the causeways in to Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria.

Have yet to get to either of those places,so excuse me :)

It used to be worse, as the checkpoint for Cayo Coco also used to only allow Cubans to pass if they had special permission. (That was one change that Raul made that I approve).

Beardo is right in saying that there are many privately-owned commercial operations in Varadero, the most numerous of which are casas particulares (note to OP: these are Cuba's version of our B&Bs) and privately-owned taxis. But there are no--zero--privately owned boats. All of Cuba's marinas and all of the Cuban boats that utilize them are government-owned. As are all of the islands planes, trains, and buses. And while there are privately-owned taxis, anyone flying into the Varadero or any other airport will need to take one of the government-owned taxis to their
destination. (although one may choose a privately-owned taxi when returning to the airport.)

YanquiBoy, your comment that "the only place you have to pay $2 CUC to enter and depart in all of Cuba..." is hardly excusable for someone who knows Cuba as well as I thought you did. Besides the fees mentioned by Beardo to Cayo Coco, how about the fees charged to cross the causeways to Cayo Juitas, Cayos Santa Maria/Los Ensenachos/Las Brujas, Cayos Coco/Guillermo, and Cayo Saitia? There is also a 10-CUC fee for entering Parque Guanachabibes, Parque Sierra Maestra, the Las Terrazas Biosphere, and a dozen more I could name. Fees are even charged to access certain hiking trails (for example, El Yunque, near Baracoa.) Have you not visited ANY of these places?

To say that these fees, or indeed, income from any military-owned properties "go to Raul and Gaviota" is like saying that the fees to enter US national parks or travel on toll roads go to Trump and Trump Industries. (Although maybe that's is a bad example, as this could be the case nowadays!) Seriously, though, these areas, like Varadero, are all national resources, and the income generated from them go to the Cuban government, which in turn uses the money to support itself and provide goods and services to its population.

Oh--and one side note re "having to pay to enter and depart from Varadero," there is only a toll for those traveling on the Via Blanca, and not then if you're on foot or on a bicycle. There is no toll on the highway that enters Varadero from Cardenes.

I don't pay the tolls,I go the Cuban way. And you're right, I remember paying to enter the zoo,I was trying to make a point and the Trump comparison is weak.Matanzas gains no benefit from Varadero other than tourists passing through who decide to stop off in Matanzas.
Many states and cities in N.America and in Europe benefit individually from tourism before the money gets to the federal government.

PS Public outrage at Trump's conflicts of interests are expressed everyday, heck he might even get thrown out because of it.

I must have driven the highway to varadero a hundred times. No exaggeration. Don't recall if one pays going and coming. Going East to varadero, then going West back to Havana.

Apparently the money is used to maintain that stretch of road. I believe it. It is perfect.