Beach town in Matanzas, Cuba
Internet in Varadero: speed, SIM cards and coworking
Is the internet good in Varadero?
Wifi is sold by the hour via ETECSA cards in parks and hotel lobbies; speeds are slow and unreliable.
Getting online in Varadero
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Cafés and coworking | Wifi is sold by the hour via ETECSA cards in parks and hotel lobbies; speeds are slow and unreliable. |
| Outages | Blackouts also cut mobile data and wifi. |
| Tourist SIM | CubacelTur temporary SIM from Havana Terminal 3, other airports or ETECSA offices, with passport; 7- or 30-day packs. Signal drops during blackouts. |
| eSIM | Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors. |
| Carriers | ETECSA (Cubacel) |
| Blocked services | Some independent Cuban news sites are blocked, and many US services geoblock Cuba because of sanctions. VPNs are legal and widely used. Internet is cut during protests. |
Coworking in Varadero
There's no dedicated coworking scene here; people work from cafés and accommodation.
Internet speeds in Caribbean
National medians, Speedtest Global Index.
| Country | Fixed | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Dominican Republic | 74 Mbps | 126 Mbps |
| Haiti | 49 Mbps | — |
Quick answers
Is the internet fast in Varadero?
Wifi is sold by the hour via ETECSA cards in parks and hotel lobbies; speeds are slow and unreliable.
Which SIM card should I get in Varadero?
CubacelTur temporary SIM from Havana Terminal 3, other airports or ETECSA offices, with passport; 7- or 30-day packs. Signal drops during blackouts.
Can I use an eSIM in Cuba?
Yes. Local carriers sell eSIMs to visitors, and travel eSIMs work too.
More about Varadero
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Sources
Speeds are medians from Ookla's Speedtest Global Index, cited for reference. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.