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Varadero © Judith Duk

Overview: Cuba's premier holiday beach resort and tourist Mecca, Varadero, is situated on a spit of land that reaches out into the Atlantic, a two-hour drive to the east of Havana. Varadero is internationally known for its transparent waters and beautiful setting and is the largest resort complex in the Caribbean, with more than 50 hotels. Growing numbers of sun-seeking European, Canadian and American holidaymakers flock to Veradero for the warm aquamarine waters, sun and fun that are afforded by all-inclusive packages. There are 23 world-renowned dive spots along this 13-mile (21km) stretch of beach, not to mention numerous restaurants, cabaret spots, nightclubs, water and land sport opportunities, skydiving centre, golf courses, and much more.

Shopping: Varadero's largest shopping complex is Plaza America where fancy boutiques and all manner of shops cater to American-style consumerism - holidaymakers looking for a spending spree will not be disappointed. There are a number of artisan markets that sell a wide variety of souvenirs along Avenue 1. For cigars the Casa del Habano sells excellent quality cigars.

Restaurants: Most tourists take advantage of the all-inclusive tourist packages offered by the hotel complexes where food is served buffet-style, and many of these hotels offer their buffets to non-guests as well. Outside of the resorts there are various options. Private restaurants (paladares) in people's houses are not allowed in Valadero and all restaurants are government-owned. In Varadero town there is everything from market food stalls and fast food outlets to sit-down restaurants.

Nightlife: There are many bars in Varadero offering live music, cabaret shows are popular, and dance clubs and discos in the town cater to Cubans and holidaymakers alike. The hotels have nightly entertainment, with lots of Cuban music, dancing and cocktails on offer.

Activities: There are over 30 dive sites around the holiday destination of Varadero and dive centres offering dive courses. Deep sea fishing, windsurfing, parasailing, kayaking and sailing are all offered. Land-based activities include golf, skydiving and bowling.

Negatives: This is not the real Cuba, but an attempt to gain hard currency by selling the very beautiful white sand beaches in a controlled tourist environment. The resort is largely exclusive and Cubans are generally not allowed to stay in the hotels. Many visitors do not stray far from their package tour hotels, and miss out on many opportunities to explore the town.