Ok folks, just got back from Varadero Cuba and had a blast. PM me for any specifics if you need, and I will gladly answer asap. Being this my 100th post, I saw it fittingly to make it a special one.
Clubs: Certain hotels have their own discos, but somehow nobody even goes to them. On any given night 2 clubs will be the place everybody knows where to go (ask the entertainment staff, or doormen,, they know). The clubs where the majority of the tourists went were:
La Rumba: Big club, played the typical top 40 tunes. Restrooms here are atrocious.
Cuevo de piratos: Nicknamed the cave. A unique club playing top 40 music, but in a cave setting. Nice ambiance. Maybe I am mistaken, but I only saw one exit, which is the entrance so be weary if any fire happens God forbid.
Internacional: Based in the hotel internacional. They have big screens playing the videos of the song being played. Nice stage and everybody dancing on it.
Comparcite: Outdoor club that is closest to the city, by the palma real hotel. Calle 62 area.
The aforementioned clubs were frequented mostly by tourists. These would charge a cover of about $10 CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos) which is roughly $10 USD. Therefore, you would not see many cubans in these clubs because of the steep cost. Drinks were $2 to $6 for red bull vodka.
NOTE: some clubs have all inclusive all you can drink for that price or $12 CUC/USD.
Other Clubs for locals or free:
Casa de Musica: This club is located in downtown varadero. The club is geared towards the locals as more salsa and latin music is played. Well, each club has specific themes, I went on a Saturday night. Although I did not go in, I was told this and was also required to pay $10 CUC while locals paid significantly lower. I find this unfair as all should pay the same amount. So be weary.
Calle 62: is a bar on the main strip at calle 62. Outdoor bar, no entrance fee required and you will see a lot of locals and tourists together. Live band plays earlier in the night. I found it to be busy in multiple nights, not just saturday and friday.
Calle 30: This is an outdoor patio that serves drinks in the wee hours of the night. Popular place for locals to go after the clubs. Specifically after 2am on a friday or saturday. Gets busy really fast at this time.
The bars are still sausage fests. If you speak to locals, they will tell you that local women do get harrassed by the cops/secret police if they are seen talking with you, albeit this is slowly disappearing. The local men have no problem talking with tourists. So, in a club competition will be stiff...
Day game:
Beach: The Varadero Beach is gorgeous. Simple openers like where you from etc, which hotel you staying at etc works well as most tourists are friendly.
Downtown Varadero: I never saw so many hot women in my life when I was there on a Saturday afternoon. The majority all walk to where they have to go. So all you need are good walking shoes and you are set.
Places to stay at: Cuba is not known for great hotels nor great food in those buffets. All I can say is that those who are looking for a party should stay at 4star resorts and lower. Its easier to meet women who stay at your hotel as I find some women and men from the same hotel tend to stick in groups/cliques when they go out together so not so easy to penetrate.
Barcelo Solymar: This hotel is by far the best hotel for the young crowd 20-35 single and want to party. It is very close to downtown varadero and walking distance to internacional, comparcite and calle 62.
Hotel Villa Cuba and Sol Sirenas: older hotels, but you have a young crowd here. Not on par with barcelo. But cheaper in cost.
5star resorts aren't recommended if you want to see groups of singles in the 20-35 age bracket.
Transportation: Taxis are cheap. Between 5-10 CUC to the clubs depending on where you are staying. Become friends with the baggage handlers/doormen as they know private taxi drivers who can take you off the beaten path and introduce you to the non tourist side of varadero.
Prostitution: Yes it does exist here. You do not have to pay for it as you have tourists here who you can get with a little bit of effort. However, one french canadian I met got robbed by men who took him to a "whore house". Don't accept any offer from anybody offering you chicas etc. Prostitution is highly illegal in Cuba and locals have even lost their homes if they allow anything to do with it happen in their residencies.
Locals: Locals are quite friendly. Just be cautious as all will ask you where you are from, or acknowledge you as MY FRIEND etc.... Do you want to buy cigars etc. Trust me, do not buy these cigars as it is one, illegal and two you can get the real deal in the store without any problems when leaving cuba.
Getting there: well cancun and toronto and montreal seem to be the most popular gateways to cuba for tourists. If you need to book an all inclusive package you may use these canadian tour operators: http://www.itravel2000.com and http://www.redtag.ca.
Tourist women: if you like Russian women, I would recommend the 5 star resorts as the nouveau riche from Russia only like the best. But be weary, as their men can be very jealous.
In the other resorts 4 star etc, hands down the friendliest women are the ones from Montreal Quebec.
OFF the beaten path:
2 major towns located by vardero are playa matanzas and cardenas. It will take a 30 minute cab ride to playa matanzas, but here you won't see many tourists. Nightlife here, the 2 popular places are tropicana and la salsa. I had 2 persian friends who went a few years back to la salsa and told me how they got tricked in paying for some hot chicks in line their covers meanwhile there were hotter chicks in the bar. So, don't pay anybody elses cover. Present day, tropicana is the place to go on a saturday night. For those who want to see 99% locals in a bar.
If I missed anything, please add.
Clubs: Certain hotels have their own discos, but somehow nobody even goes to them. On any given night 2 clubs will be the place everybody knows where to go (ask the entertainment staff, or doormen,, they know). The clubs where the majority of the tourists went were:
La Rumba: Big club, played the typical top 40 tunes. Restrooms here are atrocious.
Cuevo de piratos: Nicknamed the cave. A unique club playing top 40 music, but in a cave setting. Nice ambiance. Maybe I am mistaken, but I only saw one exit, which is the entrance so be weary if any fire happens God forbid.
Internacional: Based in the hotel internacional. They have big screens playing the videos of the song being played. Nice stage and everybody dancing on it.
Comparcite: Outdoor club that is closest to the city, by the palma real hotel. Calle 62 area.
The aforementioned clubs were frequented mostly by tourists. These would charge a cover of about $10 CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos) which is roughly $10 USD. Therefore, you would not see many cubans in these clubs because of the steep cost. Drinks were $2 to $6 for red bull vodka.
NOTE: some clubs have all inclusive all you can drink for that price or $12 CUC/USD.
Other Clubs for locals or free:
Casa de Musica: This club is located in downtown varadero. The club is geared towards the locals as more salsa and latin music is played. Well, each club has specific themes, I went on a Saturday night. Although I did not go in, I was told this and was also required to pay $10 CUC while locals paid significantly lower. I find this unfair as all should pay the same amount. So be weary.
Calle 62: is a bar on the main strip at calle 62. Outdoor bar, no entrance fee required and you will see a lot of locals and tourists together. Live band plays earlier in the night. I found it to be busy in multiple nights, not just saturday and friday.
Calle 30: This is an outdoor patio that serves drinks in the wee hours of the night. Popular place for locals to go after the clubs. Specifically after 2am on a friday or saturday. Gets busy really fast at this time.
The bars are still sausage fests. If you speak to locals, they will tell you that local women do get harrassed by the cops/secret police if they are seen talking with you, albeit this is slowly disappearing. The local men have no problem talking with tourists. So, in a club competition will be stiff...
Day game:
Beach: The Varadero Beach is gorgeous. Simple openers like where you from etc, which hotel you staying at etc works well as most tourists are friendly.
Downtown Varadero: I never saw so many hot women in my life when I was there on a Saturday afternoon. The majority all walk to where they have to go. So all you need are good walking shoes and you are set.
Places to stay at: Cuba is not known for great hotels nor great food in those buffets. All I can say is that those who are looking for a party should stay at 4star resorts and lower. Its easier to meet women who stay at your hotel as I find some women and men from the same hotel tend to stick in groups/cliques when they go out together so not so easy to penetrate.
Barcelo Solymar: This hotel is by far the best hotel for the young crowd 20-35 single and want to party. It is very close to downtown varadero and walking distance to internacional, comparcite and calle 62.
Hotel Villa Cuba and Sol Sirenas: older hotels, but you have a young crowd here. Not on par with barcelo. But cheaper in cost.
5star resorts aren't recommended if you want to see groups of singles in the 20-35 age bracket.
Transportation: Taxis are cheap. Between 5-10 CUC to the clubs depending on where you are staying. Become friends with the baggage handlers/doormen as they know private taxi drivers who can take you off the beaten path and introduce you to the non tourist side of varadero.
Prostitution: Yes it does exist here. You do not have to pay for it as you have tourists here who you can get with a little bit of effort. However, one french canadian I met got robbed by men who took him to a "whore house". Don't accept any offer from anybody offering you chicas etc. Prostitution is highly illegal in Cuba and locals have even lost their homes if they allow anything to do with it happen in their residencies.
Locals: Locals are quite friendly. Just be cautious as all will ask you where you are from, or acknowledge you as MY FRIEND etc.... Do you want to buy cigars etc. Trust me, do not buy these cigars as it is one, illegal and two you can get the real deal in the store without any problems when leaving cuba.
Getting there: well cancun and toronto and montreal seem to be the most popular gateways to cuba for tourists. If you need to book an all inclusive package you may use these canadian tour operators: http://www.itravel2000.com and http://www.redtag.ca.
Tourist women: if you like Russian women, I would recommend the 5 star resorts as the nouveau riche from Russia only like the best. But be weary, as their men can be very jealous.
In the other resorts 4 star etc, hands down the friendliest women are the ones from Montreal Quebec.
OFF the beaten path:
2 major towns located by vardero are playa matanzas and cardenas. It will take a 30 minute cab ride to playa matanzas, but here you won't see many tourists. Nightlife here, the 2 popular places are tropicana and la salsa. I had 2 persian friends who went a few years back to la salsa and told me how they got tricked in paying for some hot chicks in line their covers meanwhile there were hotter chicks in the bar. So, don't pay anybody elses cover. Present day, tropicana is the place to go on a saturday night. For those who want to see 99% locals in a bar.
If I missed anything, please add.