Varadero Cuba Summer 2009 Update

[Bearhug]

Hi everyone


I am going to keep this short and sweet. For anyone wishing to travel to Varadero in hopes of some adult fun: look elsewhere.

There is a lot of security around Varadero now. Cops are on every other block and there are also security guards around.

Renting a private house (casa particular) is Varadero is now pretty much out of the question. The locals are frightened to do it because if the cops get wind of it the cops will fine them $1000 Cuban pesos (aka $40 CUC or $48ish CAN). This is a huge sum for the vast majority of the population and if they do not pay this sum, their houses will be confiscated by the government.

Bringing somebody from outside into your hotel room is also not possible. The costs are high and there is the risk of getting caught.

Finally, for those wondering if it's possible to find somebody who works for the hotel, this is again not a possibility. Those working in the tourism industry are blessed, making a LOT more even as servers than they would as engineers or any other job outside of the tourism industry so nobody wants to risk going to jail and losing such a job. Even though what they make working in the tourism industry is laughable by Canadian standards, they still won't risk losing such jobs.


For those three reasons Varadero is dead. Do not bother with it unless you are going to Cuba for the beach, in which case it's one of the best vacation spots.


Cheers to all





Bearhug


Edited for spelling

 

[ROGER O. THORNHILL]

Baby Food & Dentures

Hi everyone


I am going to keep this short and sweet. For anyone wishing to travel to Varadero in hopes of some adult fun: look elsewhere.

There is a lot of security around Varadero now. Cops are on every other block and there are also security guards around.

Renting a private house (casa particular) is Varadero is now pretty much out of the question. The locals are frightened to do it because if the cops get wind of it the cops will fine them $1000 Cuban pesos (aka $40 CUC or $48ish CAN). This is a huge sum for the vast majority of the population and if they do not pay this sum, their houses will be confiscated by the government.

Bringing somebody from outside into your hotel room is also not possible. The costs are high and there is the risk of getting caught.

Finally, for those wondering if it's possible to find somebody who works for the hotel, this is again not a possibility. Those working in the tourism industry are blessed, making a LOT more even as servers than they would as engineers or any other job outside of the tourism industry so nobody wants to risk going to jail and losing such a job. Even though what they make working in the tourism industry is laughable by Canadian standards, they still won't risk losing such jobs.


For those three reasons Varadero is dead. Do not bother with it unless you are going to Cuba for the beach, in which case it's one of the best vacation spots.


Cheers to all





Bearhug


Edited for spelling

This is very old news!

Go ANYWHERE in Cuba EXCEPT Varadero.

It is only for families and elderly couples.

It's the "Tourist Trap" of Cuba.

You'll get anything you want, anything, anywhere else on the island.

Unless you have baby food and dentures in your luggage, never go to Varadero.

 

[tbe]

I was there in the spring and i had a great time, I would recommend it for anyone. If you are going to hobby then there are a number of oppurtunities, you just have to know where to look.

 

[i am one]

Is Cuba good for say backpacking around on my own mostly outside of the resort cities and meeting the Cuban hotties?

Mind you that I don't know a word of Spanish.

 

[freedom3]

no

Is Cuba good for say backpacking around on my own mostly outside of the resort cities and meeting the Cuban hotties?

Mind you that I don't know a word of Spanish.

If you don't know any spanish, then your chances are zero.

 

[Cinema Face]

Agreed. I was in Veradero for last Xmas and it was a complete hobbying bust for me. That was OK. I was with family.

If you want some action, then go to Cardenas which is about 20 km south east. A word of warning though: Cardenas is a pretty rough place even by Cuban standards. I found the begging, chicas throwing themselves at me and the all round pestering to be too much.

 

[freedom3]

not all bad

I found the begging, chicas throwing themselves at me and the all round pestering to be too much.

Surely the chicas throwing themselves at you couldn't have been that bad.

 

[ROGER O. THORNHILL]

This and that

Cardenas is the small City/Town that most Cubans that work in Varadero live in. Most tourists never venture away from VRD so when they see one in Cardenas, they don't want to lose the opportunity. Remember that most Cubans cannot and are not allowed to travel, so a chica in Cardenas will make herself openly available.

This has two sides to it:

Firstly, most Cuban girls are very attractive but NOT all of them are. So if one that is not on your TDL won't take the hint, she just becomes a pest. They bow out pretty quickly though once they know they don't have a chance and don't want to be seen by LE talking to a tourist.

Secondly, you meet a gorgeous babe you like and invite her to sit with you, have drinks or go eat. As you're with her, some other even hotter babe gives you the eye, you know you're in with her, but in the same second she sees you sitting with her "competition", so she just walks away and you think: "Man, I have THIS but I can't even arrange to have THAT later cause she's gone now".

Either way, there's plenty of choice and Cuba so make sure you enjoy aplenty.

 

[Cinema Face]

Surely the chicas throwing themselves at you couldn't have been that bad.

It is when you have your kids with you. It's embarassing but also frustrating because you can't partake.

I wanted my kids to experience the "real" Cuba and not the tourist Cuba of Veradero. Cardenas sure didn't disappoint. My kids got to see extreme poverty.

Cardenas was larger than I thought. I wouldn't call it a small town. It's about 150,000 population.

 

[Mr. Blond]

What about Sanfuegos?

 

[ROGER O. THORNHILL]

What about Sanfuegos?

I hope you mean "CIENFUEGOS".

A CITY IN CUBA.