Isla de la Juventud |
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Although
350 islands make up the Archipielago de los Canarreos, Isla de la
Juventud is by far the biggest of them and this region is administered
from the island's capital, Nueva Gerona. Much of the island is flat
and the Cienaga de Lanier is Cuba's second-largest swamp. Isla de
la Juventud is the least populated region of Cuba, with most people
living in the north of the island. Once known as Parrot Island,
it was a hideout for pirates like Francis Drake, John Hawkins, Thomas
Baskerville and Henry Morgan, and it inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's
Treasure Island. The local economy turns on cattle ranching and
grapefruit plantations, and the unhurried way of life and unspoilt
surrounds are the major attraction. |
Just getting to Isla de la Juventud,
by boat or by plane, is a bit of an adventure. There are Indian
cave paintings at Punta del Este and great scuba diving along the
Pirate Coast drop-off at Punta Frances. The coral keys to the east
of Isla de la Juventud have turtles, iguanas and pelicans that seem
indifferent to human company.
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- Traveler's Info
- To do
- Addresses
- Reviews
How to get there?
Flight
Cubana fly from Habana 3 a 4 times a day. Best to buy in Habana
a return flight, unless you want to get stucked at the
Island
Aerotaxi
fly two times a week between Pinar del Rio and Nueva Gerona (Tuesday
and Thursday). Aerotaxi also offers daily a flight between Habana
and Nueva Gerona. It's the best to buy the ticket as soon as possible.
In Nueva Gerona you have to buy the ticket at the airport.
Book
your domestic flight
Boat
Fast boat departs daily, at the port of Batabano. The journey will
take two hours. Best is to reserve in Habana. The boat company (NCC)
sell tickets at a small window in the Astro Bus Terminal in Habana
(at the side of the station where also the taxis are waiting). With
the reservation receipt you can buy in Batabano your ticket. The
reservation office is only open from 7 o'clock to 12 o'clock. From
the Astro busstation is leaving a connecting bus to Batabano. It's
leaving the days when the catamarn's working at 7 o'clock and 12
o'clock. You need to be at least half an hour before at the station.
You can pay your ticket at the bus. When you arrive in Batabano
change your reservation receipt in a ticket. Afterwards you have
to confirm the ticket, with this you receive your seat. |
To do in Isla Juventud
Activities
include scuba diving fro everyone from beginner to professionals,
sunning, swimming, seafaris, visits to beautiful Punta Frances Beach,
excursions to other places in the area, trips to Nueva Gerona and
to the black-snad beaches on the northern coast, and visits to Havana
and Cayo Largo.
Accommodations
and Facilities
In
addition to having expert divers, the international scuba-diving
center offers specialized medical services, has a large hyperbaric
chamber and is close to the hotel Colony, which has modern facilities.
The Marina has moorings for 15 vessels, drinking water, electricity,
fuel, a commissary and a harbor master's office.
Nearby
Places of Interest
The
Isle of Youth, the second largest island in the Cuban archipelago,
is famous for its citrus fruit, its marble quarries, the black-sand
beaches on its northern coast and the excellent white-sand beaches
on its southern coast. There are important artistic and handicrafts
movements, fascinating stories about burried treasure and a large
infrastructure of services.
The
Punat del Este caves are one of the island's main attractions. One
of them-descibed as the "Sistine Chapel of the Caribbean Rupestrian
Art"- contains more than 200 aboriginal pictographs.
The
island also has a large ecological preserve, with thick forest of
tropical trees. A high proportion of the flora (which includes carnivorous
plants) is endemic. The fauna includes large colonies of parrots,
iguanas and wild boars.
The
former Model Prison-now a museum-is where several generations of
Cuban revolutionaries were imprisoned. They included Fidel Castro
and his comrades, after their attack on the Moncada Garrison in
1953. Lanier Swamp has a crcodile-breeding center. |
Museo
Principal
Historical collection
Calle 30
E/ Calle 37 y 39
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Museo
de la Lucha Clandestina
About the underground struggle against Batista
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Casa
Natal de Jesús Montané Oropesa
Museo
24, esq. a 45, Nueva Gerona |
Cueva
de Finlay
Monumento
Camino Cocodrilo, Punta Francés
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Ferry
El Pinero
Museo
33, e/. 26 y 28, Nueva Gerona |
Museo
de Ciencias Naturales
Calle 41 No. 4625,
Carretera de Siguanea
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Museo
Finca El Abra
Carretera de Siguanea, km. 0,5 |
Solapa
No. 1, Puerto Francés
Monumento
Camino Cocodrilo, Punta Francés
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Solapa
No. 3, Caleta Grande
Monumento
Camino Cocodrilo, Punta Francés |
Cerro
de los Murciélagos
Monumento
Carretera de la cantera
de Santa Isabel
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Cueva
del Indio
Monumento
Camino Cocodrilo, Punta Francés
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Galería
de Arte
39, esq. a 26, Nueva Gerona |
Museo
de la Lucha Clandestina
24, e/. 43 y 45, Nueva Gerona |
Museo
Presidio Modelo
Reparto Chacón, Nueva Gerona
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Solapa
No. 2, Caleta Grande
Monumento
Camino Cocodrilo, Punta Francés |
Taller
de Cerámica Artística
Galería de Arte
37, esq. a 24, Nueva Gerona
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Paladars
and Restaurants Isla Juventud
Arco
Iris
Seafood
Centro Internacional de Buceo
El Colony
Isla de la Juventud |
Los
Canarreos
Cocina internacional
Hotel Isla del Sur
Cayo Largo del Sur |
Cafetaria
El Avion (24 hours)
Calle 41 y 40
Nueva Gerona |
El
Campanario
Cocina internacional
Hotel Pelícano
Cayo Largo del Sur |
Cafetaria
La Cocinita (24 hours)
Calle 18 y 41
Nueva Gerona |
El
Cochinito
Cocina criolla
Calle 39 y 24
Nueva Gerona
Isla de la Juventud |
El
Conuco
Seafood
Hotel Isla del Sur
Cayo Largo del Sur |
El
Corderito
Carne de cordero
Calle 39 y 22
Nueva Gerona
Isla de la Juventud |
El
Cazador
Cocina internacional
Hotel El Colony
Isla de la Juventud |
Las
Delicias Pineras
Calle 26 y 35
Nueva Gerona |
El
Dragon
Calle 39
Nueva Gerona |
El
Galeón
Cocina internacional
Hotel El Colony
Isla de la Juventud |
El
Gavilán
Italian
Villa Iguana,
Cayo
Largo del Sur |
Pizzaria
La Gondola
Calle 30 y 35
Nueva Gerona |
El
Jagüey
Cocina criolla
11, La Fe
Isla de la Juventud |
Merlin
Azul
Cocina internacional
Villa Capricho
Cayo largo del Sur |
Ola
Caribeña
Comidas ligeras
Hotel Pelícano,
Cayo Largo del Sur |
La
Piazzoletta
Italian
Villa Coral
Cayo Largo del Sur |
El
Ranchón
Cabo Francés
Isla de la Juventud
Canalcubano:
Nice bar-restaurant situated on a platform over the
sea, which is hold up by piles. Food is tasty and cheap.
Most of its visitors are divers and their companions
who are relaxing in the sun while waiting or visit the
beach they can reach through a footbridge. We actually
don’t know, whether we should envy those under
the water or those who enjoy the “dolce far niente”
under the sun.
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Ranchón
Cayo Rico
Cocina internacional
Marina Cayo Largo del Sur
Isla de la Juventud |
Ranchón
Sirena
Cocina internacional
Marina Cayo Largo del Sur
Isla de la Juventud |
El
Río
Seafood
32, e/ 35 y Carretera
La Fe |
La
Taberna Gerona
Calle 39 y 22
Nueva Gerona |
Taberna
del Pirata
Cocina internacional
Marina Cayo Largo del Sur
Isla de la Juventud |
La
Trattoria de la Fontaine
Cocina italiana
Hotel Pelícano
Cayo Largo del Sur |
La
Vajilla
Calle 37
E/Calle 20 y 22
Nueva Gerona |
Zun
Zun
Comidas ligeras
Hotel Pelícano,
Cayo Largo del Sur |
Casa
de los Vinos
Comidas ligeras
Calle 20 y 41
Nueva Gerona
Isla de la Juventud |
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NightLife
Disco
La Movida
Calle 18
Nueva Gerona |
Cabaret
El Patio
Calle 24
E/ Calle 37 y 39
Nueva Gerona
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Restaurante
El Dragon
Calle 39 / 26
Nueva Gerona |
Agua-Bar
Villa Coral, Cayo Largo del Sur |
Carey
Bar
Villa Iguana, Cayo Largo del Sur |
Super
Disco
Villa Gaviota (next to it)
Nueva Gerona
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Mojito
Bar
Hotel El Colony, Isla de la Juventud |
Bar
de Olga
Villa Capricho, Cayo Largo del Sur |
Cayo
Rico
Bar
Marina Cayo Largo del Sur,
Isla de la Juventud
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Banks
Banco
de Credito y Comercio
Calle 39 y 18
Open Mo / Fri 8am to 3pm |
Banco
Popular de Ahorro
Calle 39 y Calle 2
Open Mo / Fri 8am to 5pm |
Cadeca
(Casas de Cambio)
Calle 39 #2022 Calle 20
Open Mo / Sat 8.30 am to 6 pm
Sun 8:30 am to 1 pm |
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Mail
Post
Office
Calle 39 #1810 |
DHL
Calle 2201 |
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Phone
Tele
Centro
Calle 41 y 28 |
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Scuba Diving
Cayo
Largo del Sur
Marinas Puertosol
Cayo Largo del Sur |
El
Colony
Marinas Puertosol
Carretera de Siguanea, km. 41
Telf: (53 46) 39-8181 y 39-8282
Situación: 21°36’ N, 82°57’ |
Playa
Sirena
Marinas Puertosol
Cayo Largo del Sur |
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Harbour
Marina
Puertosol
Cayo Largo del Sur
Marinas Puertosol
Cayo Largo del Sur, archipiélago de los Canarreos
Telf: (53 45) 4-8213 y 4-8133
Fax: (53 45) 4-8212
Situación: 21°37’ N, 81°34’
W
Comunicación por radio: VHF 16 y 06 |
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Airport
Aeropuerto
“Rafael Cabrera Mustelier”
Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud |
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Reviews & Tips by travelers about Isla Juventud
Send us your review about Isla Juventud
July 20 2010
Name: Georgi Tachev
Country: Bulgaria
Isla de la Juventud
Many years ago I was working in Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud. We were number 25 students just completed their university education that I went to work as teachers in different subjects. Many thanks to the Radio quickly became popular in the Caribbean Nueva Hero Brigade named Georgi Dimitrov. We were a wonderful impression of our stay in Isla de la Juventud. I have a great desire to come back and see all my friends. If anyone remembers me I will leave my email for correspondence: tachev88@abv.bg
Date: Tony Sköld
Author: July 14 2009
Country: Sweden
I am confused, I thought that I´ve allready met the friendliest people I ´ve ever encountered in the mainland Cuba, but the people in Isla Juventud was (is) fantastic! Friendly, nice, open minded, and generous! I will be back as soon as I have the finance that will allow it, you can belive it! Thank You all for 6 wonderful weeks on Your island! I had the opportunity to see "Los Van Van" at the time I was there, now there is a band! Me and my family will allways remember this as the best of times! Once again, thank you so much, and may "ORULA" be with you all!
Tony Sköld, Malmö, Sweden.
Send us your review about Isla Juventud
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