Best tours in Varadero

9 Best Tours In Varadero Cuba 2023!

Whether you have already decided to take your next Caribbean holiday to the paradisiacal beach heaven in Varadero or not, knowing all about the best tours in Varadero might make you just a little more determined and excited!

I live in Havana and have visited Varadero multiple times, as it is just a couple of hours away. A great getaway whenever I need a little break from busy and noisy Havana!

Here are the best Varadero tours and excursions you can find in 2023, both in, on, and out of the water!

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Best Tours In Varadero 2023!

In a hurry? Here is my favorite + the best-rated tour:

1. Catamaran Trip Varadero To Cayo Blanco – My Favourite!

I just did this Varadero catamaran tour in March 2023, and if you are anything like me, feeling blissful on blue waters and white palmy beaches, you will love this tour!

For this Varadero excursion, you will be picked up at your hotel and head to the Varadero marina, where a bright white catamaran is ready to go!


Enjoy an idyllic breezy trip out to a tranquil spot where you get to snorkel in the clear waters with coral reefs and tropical fish.

Then the catamaran continues to Cayo Blanco, where you have around two hours to enjoy the paradise beach.

Here you an enjoy live music, have a fresh lunch, and maybe a piña colada or two!

Cayo Blanco beach on the catamaran tour from Varadero Cuba.

You can also join a “meet-and-greet” with the dolphins living in a mangrove just across from Cayo Blanco.

The catamaran returns to shore around 3 pm, and the party vibe on the trip back is often a bit higher than the departure in the morning, so prepare for some salsa and reggaeton on deck sailing back to shore!

2. Classic Car Tour In Varadero Cuba

Among the Great things to do in Varadero is heading out for a classic car tour to explore the peninsula!
Take a classic car tour in Varadero!

You don’t need to be in the capital Havana to enjoy the famous classic car tour roaming around Cuba; you find them all over the island.

Now you can also do a traditional Classic American Car Tour in Varadero, taking you all over the Hicacos peninsula to enjoy the scenery!

The ride takes you by Josóne Park, by the house of famous mobster Al Capone, and the Varadero town market, to mention a few things.

You will be picked up at your hotel at 10 am for the tour and returned to your doorstep at 12 with messy hair!

Pro Tip: Get a cute travel duffle bag that has room for your laptop, a pair of shoes, a change of clothes, and the necessities for your flight! I love this one from Bagsmart!

3. Day Tours From Varadero To Havana!

One of the best tours in Varadero is a day trip from Varadero To Havana!

Yes, there are tours from Varadero to Havana!

No visit to Cuba is complete without spending at least one day in its vibrant capital city, Havana.

Stroll the streets of Old Havana, marvel at the colonial-era architecture, and taste the famous cocktails!

Do a classic car tour in the afternoon, and then find a rooftop terrace to take in the spectacular view of the city at sunset.

There’s also plenty of nightlife to enjoy in Havana, with live music and dancing in the many bars and clubs.

You can book an organized day tour from Varadero to Havana or book a ticket with the Viazul bus and stay in Havana for a night or two!

4. Yumuri Valley Jeep Tour

Yumuri Valley jeep tour in Varadero Cuba (stock photo)
Go for a jeep tour and see various sites outside Varadero

You start your jeep tour at Coral Beach, a stunning natural enclave of crystalline waters, where you stop to snorkel an amazing coral reef, admiring the island’s rich marine diversity.

Then the tour continues to the incredible Cave of Saturn, which is home to two large caverns and a natural pool of emerald waters where you can swim in the cool cave water!

Then you will pass through the city of Matanzas before visiting Rancho Gaviota, where you will be welcomed with a cocktail, visit the farm (go horseback riding?), and enjoy a traditional Cuban lunch!

At last, you will go on a thrilling speedboat ride on the Cánimar River before returning to Varadero in the afternoon!

5. Varadero Sugar, Rum & Tobacco Tour

Cuban tobacco (not bats!) in the process of becoming famous Cuban cigars!
Cuban tobacco in the process of becoming famous Cuban cigars

Included in the Sugar, Rum & Tobacco tour are:

  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • Transport by minibus
  • A visit to a sugar factory and sugar cane plantation
  • Lunch
  • Cuban rum tasting and cigar testing
  • English speaking guide

This day starts with a visit to a museum dedicated to sugar cane, learning about the history of the sugar industry in Cuba.

You will get to taste the Guarapo, a sweet sugar cane drink, and learn how to prepare one of the famous Cuban cocktails!

Then you’ll go to Cardenas town, where you can explore the charming city streets and admire its colonial architecture.

After a lunch break, you will head into a tasting of local rum and tobacco and learn about their important role in Cuban culture!

6. Matanzas & Bellamar Caves Tour

This Matanzas and Bellamar Caves Tour starts with you being picked up at your hotel in the morning and heading for Matanzas City!

You will explore Plaza de la Libertad, the neoclassical and baroque Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo, and Plaza de la Vigia, where you will learn about the Corsair attacks of the past!

Then you will visit a viewpoint of the Hermitage of Montserrate, which has an unbeatable panoramic view over the valley of Yumurí and the city of Matanzas.

Finally, you will explore the Bellamar Caves, which are more than 300,000 years old.

Admire all the ancient stalactites and stalagmites, and spend time exploring their interior halls.

You can marvel at the Manto de Colón, the Paso de la Lluvia, and the Huerto de las Zanahorias before you are returned to your hotel.

7. Guama and Hatiguanico River Trip

This amazing river trip’s first stop is the Peninsula Zapata National Park, and on the way, you will notice the beautiful contrasts between the Cuban countryside and coastline!

You will enjoy a fascinating visit to a crocodile farm before you continue to the coast, where you board a speedboat for a riveting rush of adrenaline!

The boat takes you across Laguna del Tesoro Lake and into the center of a spectacular natural wilderness encompassed by vegetation and water.

After the boat trip, you will explore Guamá and the Hatiguanico River, both places of tropical beauty, before a delish lunch of pork, chicken, or fish, drinks, and coffee!

Before returning to your Varadero hotel, you can immerse yourself in the refreshing Caribbean Sea and do some snorkeling.

If you are lucky, you might encounter some of the exotic species that live in these crystal waters!

8. Day Trip Trinidad, El Nicho & Cienfuegos

Among dosens of things to do in Varadero, you can venture out of the peninsula and visit El Nicho in Topes de Collantes!
El Nicho waterfall in Topes de Collantes

For this tour, you’ll start this excursion day by making your way up to El Nicho, a protected area with a stunning waterfall from the River Habanill in the Topes de Collantes Natural Park!

Swim in crystal-clear natural pools while parrots are perched in palm trees, and you’ll also have a traditional Cuban lunch here.

Then you are off to the historic colonial city of Trinidad, protected by UNESCO; you can explore the ancient streets and museums in the city.

Lastly, you will visit Cienfuegos, a beautiful coastal city with lots of French influences, where you will do the panoramic tour of Punta Gorda, which is an outing spot for the locals.

Also, see the Hotel Jagua and the imposing Palacio del Valle and José Martí Park. And you don’t need to stress home to dinner, as you will get it served here!

9. Varadero Excursion To Vinales Valley

The incredibly green Vinales Valley is one of the excursions you can do from Varadero - but it will be a long day!
The incredibly green Vinales Valley

Even from Varadero, you can manage to visit Vinales Valley west of Havana, a lush green UNESCO-protected part of Cuba that is also home to the famous Cuban cigars!

This day tour is really long, as there is quite a bit of transport time involved. I have only made the Vinales day trip from Havana, which is a great experience, so I can not review this particular tour.

You get to experience the Mural de la Prehistoria, visit a tobacco farm, sample cigars and rum, and get a demonstration of how it is done!

Lunch in Vinales Town is on your own, and you will also visit the botanical garden and view.

What this tour does not have, is a visit to Cueva del Indio and its hidden waterways, which is also stunning!

But for a day trip of this magnitude, you still get a lot.

FAQ’s Varadero

This is what the peninsula of Varadero looks like from the air, stretching far into the North Atlantic Ocean.
Varadero on Hicacos Peninsula from the air

Is Varadero Worth Visiting?

Varadero is located on a paradisiacal peninsula on the northern shores of Cuba and has miles and miles of pristine white beaches.

Varadero Beach was, in fact, rated the second most beautiful beach in the world on TripAdvisor in 2019, which is not a small achievement!

Also, being the largest resort area in the Caribbean region, Varadero is definitely worth visiting for anyone loving to enjoy resort life, lounging by the pool, or wandering endless white paradise beaches under the palms for a Caribbean getaway!

Is Varadero Open For Tourists?

Yes, Varadero is completely open for tourists and tourism in 2023.

Cuba is also open for American tourists that want to visit, which everyone is not aware of!

What Is The Best Time To Visit Varadero?

The high season in Cuba is from November through May, as the wet season starts in June and lasts until the end of October.

Hurricane season is also in the middle of this period, where the highest risk of hurricanes in Cuba is around September.

Wrap-Up Best Tours In Varadero

I hope you have found something on this list that will get you out of your pool chair and off exploring outside the resort in Varadero!

You might not know this, but the largest nationality of travelers that are visiting Cuba is Canadians!

If you think organizing a trip from Canada to Cuba is difficult, read this article about traveling to Cuba from Canada to find out it is easy-peasy!

More and more Americans also realize they can visit Cuba legally, and you can find out in this extensive article how to travel hassle-free from the US to Cuba!

Whether on the water or on shore, there are plenty of experiences waiting for you when you make the trip to magnificent Cuba, so don’t miss out!

Happy Planning!

xoxo/Hege

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My Resource Go-To List For Best Travel Booking Deals!

Best Airfare bookings: Skyscanner, Wayaway,

Best tour companies: Civitatis (for Cuba), Viator

Best Hotel Bookings: Booking, Expedia

Travel Insurance: IMG Medical Travel Insurance

VPN Secure Internet: ExpressVPN

Cuba Visa Online: Easy Tourist Card

Car Rentals Online: Discover Cars

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