VARADERO NIGHTLIFE

Cuban Dancers

VARADERO CUBA

Almost every hotel here has some form of nightly entertainment, usually a Broadway theater review or local cabaret-style show. These can vary from sadly comic to totally professional. Most give way to a dance party. By far the biggest and best cabaret show, the Tropicana Matanzas , is located about 20 minutes away on the outskirts of Matanzas. Other cabaret options include the Cabaret Continental at Varadero Internacional (tel. 45/66-7038; cover CUC$25); The Mambo Club at Gran Hotel, Carretera Las Morlas Km 14 (tel. 45/66-8565; CUC$5); and the Palacio de La Rumba at the Hotel Bella Costa, Avenida Las Américas (tel. 45/66-8210; CUC$10).
Habana Café in the Sol Club Las Sirenas, Avenida Las Américas and Calle K (tel. 45/66-8070), is very similar to the Habana Café in Havana's Meliá Cohiba. The nightly cabaret and review show is top-notch, with a crack band laying down smooth Cuban rhythms. When the show ends, the circular, sunken floor is one of the more happening dance clubs in town. Admission is CUC$12, including your first drink; reservations are recommended.
Perhaps my favorite place for a show is the new La Comparsita , Calle 60 and Avenida 3 (tel. 45/66-7415), which is a lovely open-air space built to re-create the feel of a colonial-era courtyard. There are good sightlines from all the tables here and an excellent nightly show highlighting a wide-range of Cuban music and dance styles. Admission is CUC$5. They also have a happening bar upstairs.
Cueva del Pirata, Autopista Sur Km 11 (tel. 45/66-7751), is a midsize cave that has been converted into a popular cabaret and dance club. Lights create eerie shadows among the stalactites. The nightly cabaret show begins around 10:30pm and has a pronounced Afro-Cuban emphasis. It's followed by dancing to either a live band or a DJ. Admission is CUC$5.
The Casa Blanca Mirador, atop the Mansión Xanadú (tel. 45/66-8482), is a good spot for a quiet drink with a nice view. Club La Pachanga in the Hotel Acuazul, Avenida 1 and Calle 13 (tel. 45/66-7132), is the most happening spot in the "downtown" area of Varadero, and a good option for getting away from the all-inclusive crowds. Here you're more likely to find independent travelers, and even some Cubans, although the latter will include a fair share of jineteros (hustlers). Admission is CUC$2.

 VARADERO HOTELS