Varadero (also called Playa Azul ) is a Seaside resort popular of the Province of Matanzas (Cuba) and one of largest in the the Caribbean.

Geography

Varadero is located on the Hicacos peninsula, with 140 kilometers in the east of Havana, at the Eastern end of the highway Via Blanca. The peninsula makes only 1,2 km at its broadest point, and is separated from the island of Cuba by the channel of Kawama. This piece of ground extends from the island towards the North-East, and its end, Punta Hicacos, are the most Scandinavian point of the island of Cuba. At the northern end of the peninsula a Natural reserve with virgin forests and beaches is.

Tourism

Varadero is initially and before a a whole tourist destination, and has more than 20 km of sand beaches white. Tourism increased in the Années 1930 when Irenee Dupont de Nemours, an American millionaire, made there build his field. However, the first tourists visited Varadero as early as the Années 1870, and she was regarded during years as a destination of elite. However, after the cuban Revolution in 1959, the beach was opened to the cuban people and all the rich person owners were expropriés.

In spite of the fact that Fidel Castro Cuban president was against the development of the tourist sector in the island because it could " contaminer" the cuban company, even had to him to accept its development starting from 1990 when the country fell into an economic crisis without precedents. Luxurious hotels were then built in Varadero, then finally in almost all the island with foreign assets at the same time that the American dollar was dépénalisé. Varadero leaves be an almost wild beach and for the cuban population to become an exclusive zone for foreign tourism with the which cuban citizen any more the right will not have to benefit from it, except in certain restricted areas.

In date of 2006, Varadero is especially visited by European tourists and Canadian. The number of American tourists visiting Varadero, though in increase, is limited because of severe restrictions preventing the American citizens from going directly to Cuba from the United States. The airport Juan Gualberto Gomez (the airport of Varadero) is the second airport in importance on the island of Cuba after the airport Jose Marti with Havana.

External bonds

• Cuba de AàZ
• hotels in Cuba