Isla de la Juventud

Isla de la Juventud is an island in Cuba.

Culture and History

Victoria, [1] is the local periodical.

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

The large American crocodile and the smaller, endangered Cuban crocodile both inhabit the island.

Climate

Travel to Isla de la Juventud - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Isla de la Juventud

Cubana de Aviación, from La Habana. The prices are going to change in 2007-01/02, increasing from 20' pesos to 90 something. Reservations are imperative, with at least 5 days in advance. Note: most Internet sources are outdated, Aerotaxi doesn't fly to Isla de la Juventud anymore.

By boat

Bus from Ciudad de La Habana (Estación Central de Ómnibus) to Batabanó (Habana province, south of the capital): 5 CUP for everybody (Astro bus). Go to the small ticket office of the NCC company (hard to find, better ask where it is) in the Estación Central de Ómnibus. You get a reservation for Batabanó (if you pay in CUC, you'll have reserved places so you this reservation is a guarantee to leave) plus a ticket for a right to go on the bus (you pay inside). I'm not sure about the bus leaving hours, but they seem to be in the morning (09:00-12:00?).

The boat ("Kometa" catamaran) costs 50 pesos per person (25 for children of less than 12 years of age):

• 50 CUC for foreigners
• 50 CUP for locals.

No reservations needed to go to the island. Best to buy a ticket with one day in advance for the return (or you'll have to wake up at 5 A.M. to leave at 12 A.M.). 1 to 2 boats daily, excepts on Sundays. The trip isn't a experience per se (modern, long, highly cooled air, can't go on deck...). No bicycle can be brought on the island. Knifes and the such must be checked in (free, secure and minimal loss of time).

Fees/Permits

Tours and Getting around Isla de la Juventud

An old Lada with a driver will cost you 35-40 CUC a day. There are only 2 official car taxis on the island, the rest are bicitaxis. You can also rent a bicycle by the hour or the day.

Isla de la Juventud tourist attractions and sightseeing

Isla de la Juventud city tours

Beaches

Playa Paraíso

Nice beach near Nueva Gerona. Poorly managed as of 2006-12 (rotting algae on the beach) but nice sea. There's a key about 1 km away from the beach (Cayo de los Monos) that can be accessed through vigorous swimming. It's also a nice place for sportive diving.

Diving

Speleology

Hikes

Nice 20 min hike to the hills that oversee Nueva Gerona. Physical but nice. Ask for directions to get to the base of a hill (near "la Cueva del Agua") then just go up following trails when you find them. The base of the hill is filled with rubbish heaps but the top and the middle are nearly pristine.

Isla de la Juventud souvenirs and shopping

Isla de la Juventud Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Isla de la Juventud nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Isla de la Juventud cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Lodging

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

No security problems whatsoever on the island as long as you avoid the military zones.

Important warning on sex:

• Sex with the underaged is one of the worse offenses a foreigner can commit in Cuba. Ask for I.D. when in doubt.
• Isla de la Juventud is said to have the highest HIV contamination levels in Cuba. Use condoms (1 CUP in every generalist shop in Nueva Gerona).

Get out

In Nueva Gerona:

• "Los Rumbos" night-club (1 CUC)
• open dancing area near the Pinero prison boat and the quay (every day of the week after 9/10 P.M.)
• the main plaza during week-ends.

Movie theater on the plaza (600 places, almost always nearly empty, 2 CUP).

This page was last edited by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Renaud d'Avout d'Auerstaedt, Wikitravel user(s) DorganBot, Cacahuate and Jonboy and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license