About Hicacos Peninsula

The Península de Hicacos, or Hicacos Peninsula, is found in Matanzas, Cuba. The very tip is the most northern point of Cuba. The little offshore islands are a part of the Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago. 

Take the Via Blanca Highway to cross the bridge over the channel that was used for faster movement of ships and trade. Though the Hicacos Peninsula is named after a type of cactus, it is where you’ll find the white sandy beaches of Varadero and those all-inclusive resorts where you can spend days being pampered. 

Get away from the everyday and venture to the Hicacos Point Natural Park. Explore the Cave of Ambrosio, Mangón Lake, and La Calavera Salt Works. Visit Josone Park, the marina, and the dolphinarium. Make nice with the dozens of bird species and reptiles that call the Hicacos Peninsula home.

Must See

  • Crisp white sand beaches lining the northern shore of the peninsula is a huge draw for tourists. 
  • The Hicacos Point Natural Park is a natural reserve at the peninsula's northeastern tip and includes caves and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Other interesting features include ancient pictographs and 2,500 years old human remains. 
  • The beaches are clean and the shallow water makes it ideal for swimming. 
  • The resort town of Varadero is highly popular with tourists. 
  • A number of resorts have emerged along the beach, turning it into a highly popular tourist destination. 

How to reach

There are a number of options to reach the Hicacos Peninsula from the Cuban mainland. Visitors have several options to choose from like bus, car, train or a shuttle. It takes over 4 hours to reach by bus from Havana. It will cost around 22 CUC to 30 CUC to travel by bus or train. If you choose to hire a taxi it will get a little more expensive as the taxi fares would vary from 100 CUC to 130 CUC. However, if you are not willing to travel for hours, car, taxi or a shuttle is a better option as they generally take much less time to reach the Hicacos Peninsula from Havana.  

Tips

  • Its very relaxing to sit at the beach and gaze out at the azure sea. The beach and the water are clean making it ideal for swimming and other water sports activities like snorkeling or scuba diving. 
  • You can sit and the beach and enjoy watching the surfers teasing the waves. 
  • If you are not willing to dive into the sea for a glimpse of the aquatic life underneath the waves, you can just sit and watch the fishes swim up close to shore and also feed them if you want. 
  • Walking on the Varadero beach is a heavenly experience. Wear the right shoes to make the most of it. 
  • Varadero has been a holiday destination for the rich and the famous since the 1870s. They built mansions along the beach where they would come and stay to take a break from their daily lives. These mansions still stand, although they have been expropriated following the 1959 revolution. Today tourists would flock to these mansions while taking a walk on the beach and be awed by the opulence and the luxury of a handful of people of a bygone era. 
  • Little of what Hicacos Peninsula's Varadero was is left today as a result of the rapid development activities and its growing popularity as a tourist spot. Reserva Ecológica Varahicacos is a small reserved area where you can get a glimpse of the Varadero that it was before this development drive took over. There are several plant species endemic to Cuba are still found in this reserved spot. It is also home to El Patriarca, a gigantic 500-year-old cactus. 
  • If you appreciate crude natural beauty, you will find the Bellamar caves quite fascinating. It is one of the oldest tourist spots in Cuba with a long network of interconnected caves that features awe-inspiring crystalline domes and an impressive array of stalagmites and stalactites. 
  • Varadero is brimming with tourists nowadays. But if you're looking for a less crowded place, you can pay a visit to Cayes. It shares the same shore with Varadero, but this side of the peninsula is less developed and plain. 

Visit Time

Sunday: 24 Hours

Monday: 24 Hours

Tuesday: 24 Hours

Wednesday: 24 Hours

Thursday: 24 Hours

Friday: 24 Hours

Saturday:  24 Hours

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Waiting Time

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Entrance Fee

No

 

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Time you can spend

3 to 4 Days

 

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Weather

Light Rain 29.45°C

 

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