Stretching for over 20 kilometers along the Hicacos Peninsula, Varadero is Cuba’s most famous beach resort and consistently ranks among the finest stretches of sand in the Caribbean. The beach itself is a seemingly endless ribbon of powder-white sand shelving gently into warm, impossibly clear turquoise water that remains shallow enough to wade for dozens of meters offshore. Protected by an offshore coral reef, the waters are calm and ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and kayaking, while the steady Atlantic breezes provide perfect conditions for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

Beyond the beach, the peninsula offers surprising variety. The Cueva de Ambrosio contains pre-Columbian cave paintings, the Parque Ecologico Varahicacos protects a pocket of coastal scrubland where hutias — Cuba’s largest native mammal — scurry through the underbrush, and the opulent Mansion Xanadu, built by an American industrialist in the 1920s, now serves as an atmospheric bar and restaurant perched on a rocky headland. Catamaran excursions to nearby Cayo Blanco offer world-class snorkeling over coral gardens teeming with tropical fish, while the Saturn Cave — a flooded cenote just off the highway — provides a surreal swimming experience in crystal-clear underground waters illuminated by shafts of sunlight.

Pro tip: Skip the crowded resort sections and walk east toward the tip of the peninsula, where the beach becomes quieter and the sand even more pristine. For the best snorkeling without booking a tour, head to Playa Coral, a reef-fronted beach about 15 minutes west of Varadero on the highway to Matanzas, where you can wade directly into excellent coral formations from shore.