Isla de la Juventud (Special Municipality)
Isla de la Juventud Highlights
Isla de la Juventud
Nueva Gerona
East of Nueva Gerona
South of Nueva Gerona
The Southern Military Zone
Cayo Largo del Sur
Isla de la Juventud (Special Municipality)
Pop 86,420
Why Go?
Historic refuge from the law for everyone from 16th-century pirates to 20th-century gangsters, La Isla is perhaps the quirkiest castaway destination you ever will see. Dumped like a crumpled apostrophe 100km off mainland Cuba, this pine-tree-clad island is the Caribbean's sixth largest. But the Cayman Islands this isn't. Other tourists? Uh-uh. And if you thought other Cuban towns were time-warped, try blowing the dust off island capital Nueva Gerona, where the main street doubles as a baseball diamond, and the food ‘scene’ is stuck in the Special Period. Yet, if you make it here, you're in for a true adventure. The main lure is diving some of the Caribbean's most pristine reefs but otherwise, get used to being becalmed – as locals have – with the coral, the odd crocodile and a colorful history that reads like an excerpt from Treasure Island.
Further east, Cayo Largo del Sur is La Isla's polar opposite, a manufactured tourist enclave renowned for its wide, white-sand beaches.
When to Go
AThe beach life, diving and snorkeling are highlights of La Isla, Cayo Largo or any of the other mini-paradises in the Archipiélago de los Canarreos. The hottest times are the best: July to August along with the cooler-but-balmy high season in December to April.
AAlways-spirited Nueva Gerona ups the ante for its biggest party, Carnaval, in March.
Best Places to Stay
A Villa Choli – Ramberto Pena Silva
Isla de la Juventud Highlights
1 Getting the lowdown on local life in petite, sleepy Nueva Gerona.
2 Lolling away the scorching afternoons at the tranquil reservoir of Presa El Abra.
3 Exploring the ominous prison where Fidel Castro was once incarcerated at Presidio Modelo.
4 Gawking at ancient cave paintings at Cueva de Punta del Este.
5 Diving amid wrecks, walls, coral gardens and caves at Punta Francés, the best place to dive in Cuba.
6 Watching turtles nesting on the moonlit beaches of Cayo Largo del Sur.
7 Trekking along the wide, white (sometimes nudist) beaches to Cayo Largo del Sur's Playa Sirena.
History
La Isla's star-studded history starts with its first settlers, the Siboney, a pre-ceramic civilization who came to the island around 1000 BC via the Lesser Antilles. They named their new homeland Siguanea and created a fascinating set of cave paintings, which still survive in Cueva de Punta del Este.
Columbus arrived in June 1494 and promptly renamed the island Juan el Evangelista, claiming it for the Spanish crown. But the Spanish did little to develop their new possession, which was knotted with mangroves and surrounded by shallow reefs.
Instead La Isla became a hideout for pirates, including Francis Drake and Henry Morgan. They called it Parrot Island, and their exploits are said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island.
In December 1830 the Colonia Reina Amalia (now Nueva Gerona) was founded, and throughout the 19th century the island served as a place of imposed exile for independence advocates and rebels, including José Martí. Twentieth-century dictators Gerardo Machado and Fulgencio Batista followed this Spanish example by sending political prisoners – Fidel Castro included – to the island, which had by then been renamed a fourth time as Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines).
As the infamous 1901 Platt amendment placed Isla de Pinos outside the boundaries of the 'mainland' part of the archipelago, some 300 US colonists also settled here, working the citrus plantations and building the efficient infrastructure that survives today (albeit a tad more dilapidated). By the 1950s La Isla had become a favored vacation spot for rich Americans, who flew in daily from Miami. Fidel Castro abruptly ended the decadent party in 1959.
In the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of young people from across the developing world volunteered to study here at specially built 'secondary schools' (although their presence is almost non-existent today). In 1978 their role in developing the island was officially recognized when the name was changed for the fifth time to Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth).
Isla de la Juventud
%46
Large, very detached and set to a slow metronome, La Isla is both historically and culturally different to the rest of the Cuban archipelago. Mass sugar and tobacco production never existed here and, until the Castro revolution, the island yielded to a greater American influence. Eclectic expat communities, which call on Cayman Island, American and Japanese ancestry, have even thrown up their own musical style, a sub-genre of Cuban son known as sucu sucu. Today the island, bereft of the foreign students that once populated its famous schools, is sleepy but extravagantly esoteric: where else do prisons masquerade as museums and scuppered ships await for you to dive down to – or to party in? The opportunities for getting (way) off the beaten track will appeal to divers, escape artists, adventurers and committed contrarians.
Nueva Gerona
pop 47,038
Flanked by the Sierra de las Casas to the west and the Sierra de Caballos to the east, Nueva Gerona is a small, unhurried town that hugs the left bank of the Río las Casas, the island's only large river. Its museums and vivacious entertainment scene will detain, entertain and drain you for a day or two before you trundle out to explore the swashbuckling south, and it has almost 100% of the island's somewhat scant services.
Nueva Gerona
1Sights
5Eating
7Shopping
1Sights
Museo Casa Natal Jesus MontanéMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Calles 24 & 45; 
h9:30am-5pm Tue-Sat, 8:30am-noon Sun)
F
This museum documents the life of revolutionary Jesús Montané, who was born here, took part in the Moncada Barracks attack in 1953, fought alongside Fidel Castro in the Sierra Maestra, and served in the post-1959 government. It's a small but fascinating place and well worth 30 minutes of your time.
Museo MunicipalMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 30, btwn Calles 37 & 39; admission CUC$1; h8am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat, to noon Sun)
In the former Casa de Gobierno (1853), the Museo Municipal houses a small historical collection that romps through the best of the island's past. It begins with a huge wall-mounted map of La Isla and continues through themed salas (rooms) relating to aboriginals, pirates, US occupiers (most interestingly including gangster Charles 'Lucky' Luciano) and some local art.
El PineroMONUMENT
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle 28, btwn Calle 33 & river)
Two blocks east of Parque Guerrillero Heroico, you'll see a huge black-and-white ferry set up as a tatty memorial next to the river. This is El Pinero, the original boat used to transport passengers between La Isla and the main island. On May 15, 1955, Fidel and Raúl Castro, along with the other prisoners released from Moncada, returned to the main island on this vessel.
These days it's a meeting point for young reggaetón fanatics (read: very loud music).
Nuestra Señora de los DoloresCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Calles 28 & 39)
On the northwest side of Parque Guerrillero Heroico, this dinky, Mexican colonial-style church was built in 1926, after the original was destroyed by a hurricane. In 1957 the parish priest, Guillermo Sardiñas, left Nueva Gerona to join Fidel Castro in the Sierra Maestra, the only Cuban priest to do so.
Museo de Historia NaturalMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Calles 41 & 52; admission CUC$1; h8am-5pm Tue-Sat, to noon Sun)
Realistically, this is a dusty heap of stuffed animals crying out for government investment. It's worth visiting only if you are passing en route to Museo Finca El Abra. It's just before the distinctive tower of the Archivo Histórico on Calle 41, the Hotel Colony road.
Museo Finca el AbraMUSEUM
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Carretera Siguanea Km 2; admission CUC$1; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat, to noon Sun)
On October 17, 1870, the teenage José Martí spent nine weeks of exile at this farm before his deportation to Spain. Legend has it that the revolutionary's mother forged the shackles he wore here into a ring, which Martí wore to his death. Set below the Sierra de las Casas, the old hacienda's surroundings are as much of an attraction as the museum. It's signed off the main road to Hotel Colony (a continuation of Calle 41), 3km southwest of Nueva Gerona.
The house is still occupied by descendants of Giuseppe Girondella, who hosted Martí here. A dirt road just before the museum leads north to the island's former marble quarry, clearly visible in the distance. The quarry is moderately interesting (if you like big holes in the ground), but the real attraction is the climb up the hill, from where there are lovely views. After descending, continue north between a garbage dump and several rows of pig pens to Calle 54 on the right. This street will bring you back into town via the Museo de Historia Natural, six blocks to the east.
ON YOUR BIKE
The area around Nueva Gerona is a good area to discover on bicycle, with beaches, and the big three attractions of the Presa El Abra reservoir, Museo Finca el Abra and the Presidio Modelo all only a few kilometers from the town centre. The folk at Villa Choli in Nueva Gerona organize bike rental.
2Activities
oPresa El AbraWATER SPORTS
(Carretera Siguanea; hnoon-5:30pm)
Where have all the folk from Nueva Gerona gone? Gone to cool off in Presa El Abra, every one. On a scalding La Isla afternoon, you'd best join them. With verdant shores (perfect for picnics), this wide presa (reservoir) has Nueva Gerona's best restaurant, plus various craft for aquatic shenanigans, including kayaks (CUC$1.50 per hour) and aquatic bicycles (CUC$3 per hour).
Sierra de las CasasHIKING
Behold the view from the northernmost face of the craggy Sierra de las Casas! From the west end of Calle 22, a few hundred meters along a dirt track, a sinuous trail on the left heads toward the hills, at the foot of which is a deep cave and local swimming hole. Beyond here a trail ascends steeply to the mountaintop.
The view from the summit is amazing, taking in half the island, though the final stretch of the ascent is a bit closer to rock scrambling than hiking.
INTO THE BLUE
Protected from sea currents off the Gulf of Mexico and blessed with remarkable coral and marine life, Isla de la Juventud offers some of the Caribbean's best diving: 56 buoyed and little-visited dive sites here will make you truly feel like a castaway. The dive sites here are an underwater adventure park of everything from caves and passages to vertical walls and coral hillocks, whilst further east, in an area known as Bajo de Zambo, you can dive to the remains of some 70-odd shipwrecks.
International Diving Center (%ext 166 46-39-82-82), run from the Marina Siguanea just south of Hotel Colony on the island's west coast, is the center of diving operations. The establishment has a modern on-site recompression chamber along with the services of a dive doctor. It's from here that you can be transported out to the National Maritime Park at Punta Francés .
Boat transfers to Punta Francés take an hour and deliver you to a gorgeous stretch of white-sand beach, from which most main dive sites are easily accessible. The cream of the crop is Cueva Azul (advanced), a trench of cerulean blue with a small cueva (cave) about 40m down, followed by Pared de Coral Negro (intermediate), a wall of black coral. You'll see lots of fish, including tarpon, barracuda, groupers, snooks and angelfish, along with sea turtles.
Diving costs start at CUC$43 for one immersion. Inquire at Hotel Colony about diving and other nautical activities on offer first.
TTours
EcoturTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-71-01; Calle 39 btwn Calles 28 & 30; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri)
Organizes trips into the militarized zone (where the Cueva de Punta del Este cave paintings and Cocodrilo are located) and to Punta Francés; also offers four-day packages to Cayo Largo del Sur. Passes to the Southern Military Zone are available here (CUC$8 for Ecotur-run excursions, CUC$15 if you go with your own vehicle).
zFestivals & Events
CarnavalCARNIVAL
(hMar)
This is the big one. Get over here for a knees-up involving parades characterized by giant puppet-like heads, rodeo, sports competitions and perhaps just a little drinking.
4Sleeping
Casas particulares are your only town centre options and will provide meals; the owners will invariably meet arriving ferries. Nueva Gerona's two run-down state-run hotels are south of town.
oVilla Choli – Ramberto Pena SilvaCASA PARTICULAR
(%46-32-31-47, 52-48-79-16; Calle C No 4001A, btwn Calles 6 & 8; r CUC$20-25; 
p
a
i)
Three large, modern first-floor rooms with TV, internet access, secure parking space, delicious food and – possibly the highlight – a great terrace with a hammock. A second terrace opens for alfresco grill-ups on occasion. There are bicycles for rent, and port pickup/tickets can be arranged. Otherwise, turn right (north) on Calle 39 after Hospital General Héroes de Baire, then ask.
Tu IslaCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-50-91-28; Calle 24, btwn Calles 45 & 47; r CUC$20-25; a
s)
This fabulous new casa close to the center is the building with the big anchor motif just past Museo Casa Natal Jesus Montané. Currently with six rooms (three have private balconies), with plans to extend to eight, it touts spacious terraces, a plunge pool, internal murals and a third-floor rooftop restaurant.
Villa PeñaCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-23-45; cnr Calles 10 & 37; r CUC$15-20; a)
A comfortable, secure option in a pretty bungalow near the hospital with two clean rooms (and plans for three more) and meals.
Villa Mas – Jorge Luis Mas PeñaCASA PARTICULAR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-35-44; Calle 41 No 4108 apt 7, btwn Calles 8 & 10; r CUC$20; a)
Forget the rather ugly apartment-block setting; there are two above-average rooms here with refurbished marble bathrooms. Good meals are served on a rooftop terrace. It's in the northern part of town behind the hospital.
ISLA DE LOS CASINOS?
Oh, what could have been. Charles 'Lucky' Luciano (the 'Boss of Bosses' of the mafia world of the 1940s and 1950s), having sized up the Isla de los Pinos (as Isla de la Juventud was then known), decided in about 1946 that the isle was ripe for conversion into a gambling destination to rival Monte Carlo. American narcotics agents tracked down Luciano, who consequently had to flee Cuba, but his partner-in-crime Meyer Lansky did proceed with the scheme. In 1958 a Hilton Hotel with a casino was duly opened (now the Hotel Colony). But the days of decadence were short-lived. The coming of Fidel Castro a year later put a stop to gambling in Cuba for good. At least, that is the official line. However, merchandise produced to celebrate the opening of La Isla to high-stakes gaming can still be found in Cuban shops today.
5Eating
As far as food goes, La Isla is still living in the 1990s. After one night of fruitless searching most travelers sensibly elect to dine in their casa particular. Small sandwich and churros vendors set up on Martí (Calle 39) and peso ice-cream sellers appear spontaneously in various windows.
Restaurante El AbraCUBAN
(Carretera Siguanea Km4; meals CUC$1-4; hnoon-5:30pm)
If you value your palate you'll consider a trip to this open-air place on delightful Presa El Abra, 4km southwest of the center, worthwhile. The cuisine is comida criolla (Creole food), but muy rico (very rich). Pork (would you believe it?) is a favorite for the grill-ups but there's good fish options too. Or simply sip a cold beer and salute the view.
Restaurante Tu IslaCUBAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 24, btwn Calles 45 & 47; mains CUC$4-8; h7pm-midnight Sun-Thu, until 2am Fri & Sat)
This rooftop restaurant above the casa particular of the same name serves good Cuban classics with an Italian twist. The decor is nautical and traditional live music gets going most nights.
Pizzería la GóndolaITALIAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Calles 30 & 35; MN$20-50; hnoon-10pm)
The pleasant mural of an Italian piazza may temporarily conjure taste-bud-tingling memories but they'll be banished when the pizza arrives (although it's roughly a twelfth of the price of what you'd pay in Venice). But if you're sick of the pork offerings elsewhere…
Restaurante RíoSEAFOOD
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 32, btwn Calle 33 & river; MN$20-50; hnoon-10pm)
A dog-eared establishment by the river which, on a good day, serves fresh river- and sea-fish (one of the few places in Cuba where you can eat both) priced in moneda nacional. It has an outside terrace with a stereo blasting out the latest Cuban pop and an air-conditioned interior.
El CochinitoCARIBBEAN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Calles 39 & 24; hnoon-10pm Thu-Tue)
The ominously named ‘little pig’ offers desperados pork concoctions in a smart but disturbing interior decorated with pigs' heads (some appear to be squealing).
Self-Catering
Mercado AgropecuarioMARKET
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; cnr Calles 24 & 35; hdawn-dusk)
Market with fresh vegetables and meat.
Cubalse SupermarketSUPERMARKET
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 35, btwn Calles 30 & 32; h9:30am-6pm Mon-Sat)
Sells life-saving Pringles and biscuits.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Call it pent-up boredom, but Nueva Gerona likes a party.
La RumbaCLUB
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 24, btwn Calles 37 & 39; h10pm-2am)
Buy your drinks in the cage-like bar next door then head to the courtyard and hectic disco round the corner. If you don't dance hard, you'll stand out here.
El PineroCLUB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle 28, btwn Calle 33 & river)
Extremely loud music along with most of the town's teenagers and 20-somethings converge by the historic boat for alfresco dancing. Drink and snack stalls also set up shop. Fridays and Saturdays are liveliest.
Disco la MovidaCLUB
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 18; hfrom 11pm)
For a little atmospheric booty shaking, join the throngs of locals dancing in an open-air locale hidden among the trees near the river.
3Entertainment
Live music is sometimes staged outside the Cine Caribe.
UneacCULTURAL CENTER
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle 37, btwn Calles 24 & 26)
Your best bet for a non-reggaetón night out is this nicely renovated colonial house with patio, bar and suave live music.
Sucu SucoLIVE MUSIC
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 39, btwn Calles 24 & 26; h11am-late)
A joint with live music and theater: there's a board out front with upcoming events. When nothing else is on, it serves as an intimate drinking spot.
Cine CaribeCINEMA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Calles 37 & 28)
Surprisingly colorful and happening cinema right on Parque Guerrillero Heroico.
Estadio Cristóbal LabraSPORTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Calles 32 & 53)
Nueva Gerona's baseball stadium, Estadio Cristóbal Labra is seven blocks west of Calle 39. Ask at your local casa particular for details of upcoming games (staged from October to April).
7Shopping
Calle 39, also known as Calle Martí, is a pleasant pedestrian mall interspersed with small parks.
Centro Experimental de Artes AplicadasARTS & CRAFTS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 40, btwn 39 & 37; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat)
Near the Museo de Historia Natural. Makes artistic ceramics.
8Information
Etecsa TelepuntoINTERNET
(
GOOGLE MAP
; Calle 41 No 2802, btwn Calles 28 & 30; per hour CUC$4.50; h8:30am-7:30pm)
Internet.
Hospital General Héroes de BaireHOSPITAL
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-30-12; Calle 39A)
Has a recompression chamber.
Radio CaribeMEDIA
Broadcasts varied music programs on 1270AM.
8Getting There & Away
Air
The most hassle-free and (often) cheapest way to get to La Isla is to fly. Unfortunately, most people have cottoned onto this, so flights are usually booked out days in advance.
Rafael Cabrera Mustelier Airport (airport code GER) is 5km southeast of Nueva Gerona.
ACubana Airlines Havana (
GOOGLE MAP
; %7-834-4446; www.cubana.cu; Airling Bldg, Calle 23 No 64, cnr Calzada de la Infanta, Vedado; h8:30am-4pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat); Nueva Gerona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-25-31, 46-32-42-59; www.cubana.cu; Calle 39 No 1415, btwn Calles 16 & 18, Nueva Gerona) Flies here from Havana twice daily from as little as CUC$35 one way. There are no international flights.
There are no regular flights from Isla de la Juventud to Cayo Largo del Sur.
GETTING TO THE ISLA BY BOAT: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE
The overbureaucratic, typically Cuban experience of getting to La Isla by boat isn’t as simple as it ought to be. To do it you’ll need eight hours (if you’re lucky), decent supplies of food (breakfast and lunch at least) and saintly amounts of patience. A reasonable command of Spanish, though not a prerequisite, will minimize confusion.
It is advisable to reserve and pay for your ticket ($5 in moneda nacional if your Spanish and appearance is enough to pass as Cuban, CUC$5 otherwise) at least a day in advance at the Naviera Cubana Caribeña (NCC) kiosk (
GOOGLE MAP
; %7-878-1841; h7am-noon) in Havana's main Terminal de Ómnibus, not the Víazul terminal. The best time to do this is between 9am and noon. You'll need your passport and an additional CUC$50 for the boat, which you pay for here too. Plump for the earlier ferry as the later one (supposedly running Friday and Sunday) is less reliable.
On the day of departure you'll need to turn up no later than 7:30am (earlier if you still haven't bought your ticket). The bus leaves from bay 9 of Havana's Terminal de Ómnibus between 9am and 9:30am (although airport-style check-in starts at 8am) and trundles slowly to the disheveled port in Surgidero de Batabanó, where you'll have to join the lengthy, disorderly queues to reconfirm your boat ticket to Nueva Gerona. You'll then be ushered through airport-style security into a waiting room for a likely period of one to two hours before the boat finally departs (officially at 1pm).
The crossing by catamaran takes about 2½ hours; there are no printed schedules. If you take the early bus/boat and all goes well you'll be on La Isla at 4pm (total journey time eight hours, total ticket cost CUC$50.25 to CUC$55).
Refreshments on this trip are either basic (a can of Coke) or not available as it's mostly Cubans traveling. Furthermore, the air-con on the catamarans is arctic and the unrelenting 'action' films deafening. Unfortunately, there's no escape. Access above deck is barred.
Do not show up independently in Batabanó with the intention of buying a ferry ticket direct from the dock. Travelers are usually told that tickets have been sold out through the NCC kiosk in Havana. Furthermore, bedding down overnight in Batabanó holds little appeal for travelers.
The return leg is equally problematic. Procure your ticket the day before you wish to travel in Nueva Gerona's NCC ferry terminal (
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-49-77, 46-32-44-15; cnr Calles 31 & 24), beside the Río las Casas. The ticket office (hMon-Fri) is across the road. The ferry leaves for Surgidero de Batabanó daily at 8am (CUC$50), but you'll need to get there at least two hours beforehand to tackle the infamous queues. The Havana bus will be waiting for you when you get off the boat, and the transfer process is smoother going this way. A second boat is supposed to leave at 1pm on Fridays and Sundays (for this one, get here by 11am).
Don't take anything as a given until you have booked your ticket. Isla boat crossings, rather like Cuban trains, have a tendency to be late, break down or get cancelled altogether.
Traveling in either direction, you'll need to show your passport.
A glint of light: a new, faster ferry is supposed to be arriving in the near future. Let's wait and see.
8Getting Around
To/From the Airport
From the airport, look for the bus marked 'Servicio Aéreo,' which will take you into town for one peso. To get to the airport, catch this bus in front of Cine Caribe, on the corner of Calles 37 and 28. A taxi to town will cost about CUC$5, or CUC$30 to CUC$35 to the Hotel Colony.
Bus
Ecotur can organize trips/transfers from Nueva Gerona to the diving areas and into the militarized zone. A taxi (easily arranged through your casa or hotel) from Nueva Gerona to Hotel Colony should cost approximately CUC$30 to CUC$35.
There are less reliable local buses: buses 431 to La Fe (26km) and 441 to the Hotel Colony (45km) leave from a stop opposite the cemetery on Calle 39A, just northwest of the hospital. Bus 38 leaves from the corner of Calles 18 and 37, departing for Chacón (Presidio Modelo), Playa Paraíso and Playa Bibijagua, about four times a day.
Car
Cubacar (
GOOGLE MAP
; %46-32-44-32; cnr Calles 32 & 39; h7am-7pm) rents cars from CUC$65 with insurance and, as you'll need your own vehicle to enter the military zone (unless on an organized tour), is the best bet for arranging transport here.
The Oro Negro gas station ( GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Calles 39 & 34) is in the center of town.
Horse Cart
Horse coches (carts) often park next to the Cubalse supermarket on Calle 35. You can easily rent one at CUC$10 per day for excursions to the Presidio Modelo, Museo Finca el Abra, Playa Bibijagua and other nearby destinations. If you've got the time, you can be sure the driver will.
East of Nueva Gerona
1Sights
oPresidio ModeloNOTABLE BUILDING
(admission CUC$1; h8:30am-4:30pm Tue-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun)
Welcome to the island's most impressive yet depressing sight. Located near Reparto Chacón, 5km east of Nueva Gerona, this striking prison was built between 1926 and 1931, during the repressive regime of Gerardo Machado. The four rather scary-looking, six-story, yellow circular blocks were modeled after those of a notorious penitentiary in Joliet, Illinois, and could hold 5000 prisoners at a time.
During WWII, assorted enemy nationals who happened to find themselves in Cuba (including 350 Japanese, 50 Germans and 25 Italians) were interned in the two rectangular blocks at the north end of the complex.
The Presidio's most famous inmates, however, were Fidel Castro and the other Moncada rebels, who were imprisoned here from October 1953 to May 1955. They were held separately from the other prisoners, in the hospital building at the south end of the complex.
In 1967 the prison was closed and the section where Castro stayed was converted into a museum. There is one room dedicated to the history of the prison and another focusing on the lives of the Moncada prisoners. Admission includes a tour, but cameras/videos are CUC$3/25 extra. Bring exact change. Admission to the circular blocks (the most moving part of the experience) is free.
Cementerio ColombiaCEMETERY
The cemetery here contains the graves of Americans who lived and died on the island during the 1920s and 1930s. It's about 7km east of Nueva Gerona and 2km east of Presidio Modelo. Bus 38 passes by.
Playa ParaísoBEACH
About 2km north of Chacón (about 6km northeast of Nueva Gerona), Playa Paraíso is a dirty brown beach with good currents for water sports. The wharf was originally used to unload prisoners heading to the Presidio Modelo.
Playa BibijaguaBEACH
One of the better beaches on the Isla's northern coast, Playa Bibijagua lies 4km to the east of Chacón. Here there are pine trees, a peso restaurant and plenty of low-key Cuban ambience. Nondrivers can catch bus 38 from Nueva Gerona.
South of Nueva Gerona
1Sights & Activities
The main reason to come here is for the diving at Punta Francés, but there are a couple of other diversions for those who have time.
La Jungla de JonesGARDENS
(admission CUC$3; h24hr)
Situated 6km west of La Fe in the direction of Hotel Colony, this is a botanical garden containing more than 80 tree varieties, established by two American botanists, Helen and Harris Jones, in 1902. The highlight is the aptly named Bamboo Cathedral, an enclosed space surrounded by huge clumps of craning bamboo that only a few strands of sunlight manage to penetrate, although it's all pretty overgrown these days.
Criadero CocodriloCROCODILE FARM
(admission CUC$3; h7am-5pm)
S
This farm has played an important part in crocodile conservation in Cuba over the last few years and the results are interesting to see. Harboring more than 500 crocodiles of all shapes and sizes, the criadero (hatchery) acts as a breeding center, raising and then releasing groups of crocs back into the wild when they reach a length of about 1m.
To get to the criadero turn left 12km south of La Fe just past Julio Antonio Mella.
The center is similar to the one in Guamá in Matanzas, although the setting here is infinitely wilder.
4Sleeping & Eating
oHotel ColonyHOTEL
(%46-39-81-81; s/d all-incl CUC$38/59; pas
c)
The Colony, 46km southwest of Nueva Gerona, originated in 1958 as part of the Hilton chain, but was confiscated by the revolutionary government. Today the main building is a bit run-down, but the newer bungalows are clean, bright and airy. You might save a few cents by taking a package that includes meals and scuba diving.
The water off the hotel's white-sand beach is shallow, with sea urchins littering the bottom. Take care if you decide to swim. A safer bet is the Colony's convivial pool. A long wharf (with a bar perfect for sunset mojitos) stretches out over the bay, but the snorkeling in the immediate vicinity of the hotel is mediocre. The diving, however, is to die for.
8Getting There & Away
Transport is tough on La Isla, and bus schedules make even the rest of Cuba seem efficient. Try bus 441 from Nueva Gerona. Otherwise, your best bet to get to Hotel Colony is by taxi (approximately CUC$35 from the airport), moped or rental car.
The Southern Military Zone
The entire area south of Cayo Piedra is a military zone, and to enter you must first procure a one-day pass (per person CUC$8/15) from Ecotur in Nueva Gerona. For CUC$8 you get an Ecotur-run excursion taking in Cueva de Punta del Este, Playa Larga, Cocodrilo and the Sea Turtle Breeding Center; CUC$15 is the fee for entering with your own vehicle. Either way, the company will provide you with a Spanish-/English-/German-/French-/Italian-speaking guide (obligatory). Hiring your own vehicle can be organized with Cubacar in Nueva Gerona. Traveling in the military zone is not possible without a guide or an official pass, so don't arrive at the Cayo Piedra checkpoint without either. As the whole excursion can wind up being rather expensive, it helps to split the transport costs with other travelers. For more up-to-date advice on the region inquire at Hotel Colony or Ecotur in Nueva Gerona.
The southern Isla is replete with unusual wildlife. Look out for monkeys, deer, crocodiles (three types), lizards and turtles.
Cueva de Punta del Este
The Cueva de Punta del Este, a national monument 59km southeast of Nueva Gerona, has been called the 'Sistine Chapel' of Caribbean Indian art. Long before the Spanish conquest (experts estimate around AD 800), Indians painted some 235 pictographs on the walls and ceiling of the cave. The largest has 28 concentric circles of red and black, and the paintings have been interpreted as a solar calendar. Discovered in 1910, they're considered the most important of their kind in the Caribbean. There's a small visitor center and meteorological station. The long, shadeless white beach nearby is another draw (for you and the mosquitoes – bring repellent).
Cocodrilo
A potholed road runs south from Cayo Piedra to the gorgeous white-sand beach of Playa Larga , then west 50km to the friendly village of Cocodrilo. Barely touched by tourism, and with a population of just 750, Cocodrilo was formerly known as Jacksonville, and was colonized in the 19th century by families from the Cayman Islands. You still occasionally meet people here who can converse in English. Through the lush vegetation beside the potholed road you can catch glimpses of cattle, birds, lizards and beehives. The rocky coastline, sporadically gouged by small, white sandy beaches lapped by crystal blue water, is magnificent.
One kilometer west of Cocodrilo, the Sea Turtle Breeding Center does an excellent job in conserving one of Cuba's rarest and most endangered species, showing off rows of green-stained glass tanks teeming with all turtles of all sizes. The turtles are later released back into the wild again.
Sea Turtle Breeding CenterTURTLE FARM
(admission CUC$1; h8am-6pm)S
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
CAYOS DE SAN FELIPE
Technically, they’re in Pinar del Río province, but, as yet, the only way to get to the almost virgin Cayos de San Felipe is with an organized excursion arranged through Hotel Colony on La Isla de la Juventud or the Marina Internacional Cayo Largo on Cayo Largo del Sur. One of Cuba’s 14 national parks, this small necklace of keys approximately 30km south of Pinar del Río and 30km northwest of La Isla are uninhabited save for the odd environmental researcher. The Cayos were home to a rare subspecies of the tree rat called the Little Earth Jutia, but the rodent hasn’t been seen since 1978 when black rats were introduced to the archipelago. The flat mangrove-infested isles also support turtles and numerous bird species.
Fauna aside, the main reason to come here is to dive in 22 Columbus-era-quality dive sites that see little or no dive traffic. The trip starts in Pinar del Río before transferring by bus to the fishing village of La Coloma, where a boat takes you out to the Cayos for diving. After lunch on board, you will be spirited over the sea to Hotel Colony on La Isla without having to suffer the purgatory of the crowded regular ferry.
There is also the option to make this into one (or two) multi-day multi-dive odysseys: the Ruta de los Indios (the Cayos between La Coloma and Isla de la Juventud) and the Ruta Los Galeones (those between La Isla and Cayo Largo del Sur).
Inquire at Hotel Colony or Marina Internacional Cayo Largo for rates and availability.
Cayo Largo del Sur
%45
If you came to Cuba to witness historic colonial cities, exotic dancers, asthmatic Plymouths and peeling images of Che Guevara, then 38-sq-km Cayo Largo del Sur, 114km east of Isla de la Juventud, will hugely disappoint. If, instead, you booked tickets while dreaming of glittering white sandy expanses, coral reefs teeming with fish, fabulous all-inclusive resorts and lots of fleshy Canadians and Italians wandering around naked, then this small mangrove-covered tropical paradise is undeniably the place for you.
No permanent Cuban settlement has ever existed on the Cayo. Instead, the island was developed in the early 1980s purely as a tourism enterprise. Cayo Largo del Sur (Cayo Largo for short) is largely frequented by Italian tourists – several resorts here cater exclusively for them. The other all-inclusives are less picky. The heavenly beaches (26km of them) surpass most visitors' expectations of Caribbean paradise and are renowned for their size, emptiness and – during summer – nesting turtles. There's also a profusion of iguanas and birdlife, including cranes, zunzuncitos (bee hummingbirds) and flamingos.
The island can be visited as an expensive day trip from Havana, but most people come here on prebooked packages for a week or two.
In 2001, Hurricane Michelle (category 4) caused a storm surge that inundated the whole of Cayo Largo del Sur. It took the island years to recover. But of all the Cuban cayos with resort infrastructure, the beaches here are still the loveliest.
1Sights
oPlaya SirenaBEACH
Cayo Largo's (and, perhaps, Cuba's) finest beach is the broad westward-facing Playa Sirena, where 2km of powdery white sand is wide enough to accommodate several football pitches. Tourists on day trips from Havana and Varadero are often brought here, and the usual nautical activities (kayaks, catamarans) are available. Set back from the beach there's a ranchón-style bar and restaurant, along with showers and toilets.
Just southeast is Playa Paraíso, a narrower and less shady but nonetheless wonderful strip of sand, serviced by a small bar.
Granja de las TortugasTURTLE FARM
(Combinado; admission CUC$1; h8am-noon & 1-5:45pm)
A small, often-closed complex on the northwest end of the island beyond the airstrip in the settlement of Combinado. From May to September guides here can organize nighttime turtle watching on the Cayo's beaches.
oVivero de CrocodrilosWILDLIFE RESERVE
(hdawn-dusk)F
A beautiful, old building on Cayo Largo? You'd better believe it. Just past the turn-offs to the Sol resorts, the stone tower marking the Vivero de Crocodrilos dates from 1951 – the island's first construction. Here, you can even meet real Cubans who will show you the few animals that reside in and around the small lagoon – Kimbo the croc, Lola the Iguana and a couple of turtles. A fleeting glimpse of how Cuba actually looks.
You can also climb the rickety ladder for decent views. This is also where the plants that decorate your hotel grounds are grown.
Playa los CocosBEACH
You can head up the island's east coast via this beach, where there is good snorkeling (the paved road gives out after Playa Blanca).
Playa TortugaBEACH
Beyond Playa los Cocos at the far end of the island is this beach, where sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand in the summer.
Cayo del Rosario & Cayo RicoISLANDS
The other big day-trip destinations are these islands between Cayo Largo and Isla de la Juventud. Boat excursions to these beaches leave from the hotels (for around CUC$56 per person) and also from Marina Internacional Cayo Largo (where you'll pay less).
Cayo IguanaISLAND
Off the northwest tip of Cayo Largo, Cayo Iguana is home to, that's right, hundreds of iguanas. A yacht trip with snorkeling will cost you CUC$44.
2Activities
The island's best (and only) hike is from Playa Sirena round to Sol Cayo Largo along the beach (7km) or vice versa. A broken path follows the dune ridge for much of the way if the tide is high. You can also procure a bicycle if you're staying in one of the resorts and head east beyond the Playa Blanca Beach Resort to some of the island's remoter beaches.
Other activities available on the island include snorkeling (from CUC$19), windsurfing, sailing and tennis. There is a boat adventure in the mangroves (CUC$29; you drive the boat) and swimming with a couple of dolphins (CUC$90) near Playa Sirena. You can also organize day trips to Havana and Trinidad (approximately CUC$150). Ask to book any of the above at the hotels.
Marina Internacional Cayo LargoDIVING, FISHING
(%45-24-81-33; Combinado)
Just beyond the turtle farm in Combinado, this is the departure point for deep-sea fishing trips (CUC$349 to CUC$369 for four hours for a minimum of four people) and diving (CUC$40 for one immersion including hotel transfer). Prices are more expensive here because you can't shop around. Transfers from here to Playa Sirena are free for island guests and depart during the morning.
4Sleeping
All of Cayo Largo del Sur's hotels face the 4km beach on the south side of the island. Though largely shadeless, the beach here is gorgeous and rarely crowded (as no one lives here). If you're on a day trip, day passes to the Sol resorts are CUC$35 including lunch. Whilst new construction beavers away at the eastern end of the hotel strip, to date the only other resorts in addition to the following belong to the vast Hotel Isla del Sur & Eden Village Complex, including Villas Coral, Soledad and Lindamar (all catering for Italians only and bookable through Italian travel agencies).
oVilla MarineraRESORT
(%45-24-80-80; Combinado; s/d all-incl CUC$60/100; pas)
We like this peaceful, unassuming hotel right in the center of Combinado. Whilst all-inclusive here doesn't have the caché of the bigger resorts, there's the advantage of being alongside Combinado's 'facilities' (snack bar, bank, marina etc). And these log cabins are really quite nice (there's 20 altogether) and bigger than many resort rooms elsewhere.
It even comes with a bit of resort-style sparkle: rows of sun loungers lining the stretch of beach. 'Beach' means rocky ledge, but the Playa Sirena transfer is next door. Book through the Playa Blanca Beach Resort: bargain!
oSol Cayo LargoRESORT
(%45-24-82-60; www.meliacuba.com; s/d all-incl from CUC$165/220; pais)
Sol Meliá's best property is four-star Sol Cayo Largo, with its Greek-temple-like lobby and trickling Italianate fountains. The beach out here is fantastic (and nudist) and the brightly painted (but not luxurious) rooms all have terraces with sea views. To date, it's Cayo Largo's most exclusive resort and great if you want to escape the families and poolside bingo further east.
Check out the on-site spa and gym.
Playa Blanca Beach ResortRESORT
(%45-24-80-80; s/d all-incl CUC$84/135; paisc)
Cayo Largo's newest resort is set apart from the rest on an expansive stretch of Playa Blanca. Rather drab architecture is augmented by three different dining options, an array of sporting activities and some of the only poolside music in Cuba which opts for classical over max-volume reggaetón.
There's an individual touch, too. Artworks by leading Cuban artist Carlos Guzmán decorate the public areas, and the suites in the upper echelons with their mezzanine sleeping areas could hold their own in Greenwich Village. Well, nearly. Some shade wouldn't go amiss, though.
Sol PelícanoRESORT
(%45-24-82-33; www.meliacuba.com; s/d all-incl CUC$235/335; paisc)
This Spanish-style resort, flush on the beach 5km southeast of the airport, has 203 rooms in a series of three-story buildings and two-story duplex cabañas (cabins) built in 1993. This is the island's largest resort but it's open only in high season. Facilities include a nightclub and many family-friendly concessions. Low-season prices drop to almost half: book online for the best deals.
5Eating & Drinking
Of the all-inclusives, the Sol Cayo Largo serves the best food.
Discoteca el TorreónCARIBBEAN
(Combinado; hnoon-midnight)
Good food is served, and drinking and dancing goes on at this fortlike building by the marina, although these days it always seems to be closed.
oRanchón Playa SirenaSEAFOOD
(h9am-5pm)
A rather fetching beach bar amid the Playa Sirena palm trees, with Latino Tom Cruises tossing around the cocktail glasses. Good food is also served here and a buffet (CUC$20) happens if enough tourists are around. It offers no-nonsense, salt-of-the-earth comida criolla (Creole food) and good grilled pargo (red snapper) for CUC$12.
Taberna el PirataCAFE, CLUB
(Combinado; h24hr)
Taberna el Pirata, alongside Marina Internacional Cayo Largo, is primarily a haunt for deckhands, resort workers and the odd escaped tourist. Icy beer, throat-burningly strong coffee, sandwiches and chips in pleasant environs.
8Information
There's a Cubatur (%45-24-82-58) in the Sol Pelícano and further information offices in the Sol Cayo Largo and Playa Blanca resorts. You can change money at the hotels; otherwise Combinado houses the island's main bank, Bandec (h8:30am-3pm Mon-Sat, 8am-noon Sun). Combinado also offers a Casa de Habano (%45-24-82-11; h8am-8pm) cigar shop, a Clínica Internacional (%45-24-82-38; h24hr) medical clinic, the Marina Internacional Cayo Largo, the snack-bar-disco duo of Discoteca el Torreón, a usually closed Bolera bowling alley and a couple of souvenir stands. Euros are accepted at tourist installations here.
Due to dangerous currents, swimming is occasionally forbidden. This will be indicated by red flags on the beach. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, too.
8Getting There & Away
Vilo Acuña International Airport is a bright-enough place with a big snack bar and a souvenir stand. Several charter flights arrive directly from Canada weekly, and Cubana has weekly flights from Montreal and Milan.
For pop-by visitors, daily flights from Havana to Cayo Largo del Sur with Aerogaviota (%7-203-8686; Av 47 No 2814, btwn Calles 28 & 34, Kohly, Havana) or Cubana cost CUC$129 for a return trip. Included will be airport transfer at both ends and a boat trip from Cayo Largo's marina (but you don't have to go). The island makes a viable day trip from Havana, although you'll have to get up early for the airport transfer (all Cayo Largo flights depart between 7am and 8am from the drab airport at Playa Baracoa, a few miles west of Marina Hemingway).
Organized day trips from Havana or Varadero to Cayo Largo del Sur cost about CUC$150, including airport transfers and lunch, plus trips to Playa Sirena and Cayo Iguana. The Havana airport transfer starts its rounds of the hotels about 5am; check to make sure it's stopping at your hotel. All the Havana travel agencies offer this.
8Getting Around
Getting around Cayo Largo shouldn't present too many challenges.
A taxi or transfer bus can transport you the 5km from the airport to the hotel strip (included in your flight price). From here a complementary mini bus-train (the trencito) carts tourists out to Playa Paraíso (6km) and Playa Sirena (7km). The train returns in the afternoon, or you can hike back along the beach.
The tiny settlement of Combinado is 1km north of the airport and 6km from the nearest resort.
For taxis hang around outside the hotels, airport and Combinado. Rides cost between CUC$5 and CUC$10. The hotels have moped and car rental too; Playa Blanca Beach Resort is best stocked because it's furthest from the 'action'.
In the mornings, there are a couple of boat departures from the marina to Playa Sirena (the boat returns to Combinado in the afternoon).