Isla De La Juventud (Special Municipality) Pop 86,420
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©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd Isla de la Juventud (Special Municipality) pop 86,420 Why Go? Isla de la An enigma even by Cuban standards, the metaphoric com- Juventud .....................169 ma of land off mainland Cuba’s southwest coast is the sixth Nueva Gerona .............169 largest island in the Caribbean. Amply stocked with pine trees, fruit plantations, prisons masquerading as museums East of Nueva Gerona ........................174 and the odd disheveled beach or three, La Isla’s attractions are defiantly esoteric. The Cayman Islands, this most cer- South of Nueva tainly isn’t. If you thought ‘mainland’ Cuba was stuck in a Gerona ........................176 time warp, try blowing the dust off Nueva Gerona where the The Southern main street doubles up as a baseball diamond, and the food Military Zone ..............177 ‘scene’ is still stuck in the Special Period. Of the small trickle Cayo Largo of people that make it this far, the majority come to dive del Sur ........................177 in some of the most pristine reefs in the Caribbean. Others revel in the becalmed island ambience and hospitable locals. Further east, Cayo Largo de Sur is La Isla’s polar opposite, Best Beaches a manufactured tourist enclave renowned for its wide (nud- ist) beaches beloved by package tourists. ¨¨playa Sirena (p177) ¨¨Cayo Rico (p178) ¨¨playa Larga (p177) When to Go ¨¨punta Francés (p171) ¨¨The 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 Best Places to season in December to April. Stay ¨¨Anglers may wish to flock to Cayo Largo’s September ¨ ¨Sol Cayo Largo (p179) fishing tournaments. ¨¨playa Blanca Beach Resort (p179) ¨¨Villa Choli – Ramberto pena Silva (p171) ¨¨Hotel Colony (p176) 168 ty) ty) ty) ty) I I I pal pal pal I I I c c c I I I Mun Mun Mun al al al I I I pec pec pec s s s ( ( ( Juventud Juventud Juventud la la la de de de Isla Isla Isla ighlights H ud ent Juv a L E d (p177). delSur Largo Cayo of moonlit beaches onthe nesting Cocodrilo at theIsla’s project conservation crocodile important Finca el Abra el Finca Martí, José hacienda homeof atthe by gone days revolutionary 2 1 Highlights Juventud Isla de la 7 6 5 4 3 Cuba. in dive to place best Francés at and caves gardens coral walls, (p174). at incarcerated once was Fidel Castro where prison ominous (p169). sleepy inpetite, life on local Sirena delSur’s Largo Cayo to beaches nudist) (sometimes white wide, the Presidio Modelo Presidio the Explore Get the Get Trek along Trek Watch turtles turtles Watch an Investigate Meditate on Meditate d ive amid wrecks, wrecks, amid ive (p177). Nueva Gerona Gerona Nueva (p171), (p171), (p176). lowdown lowdown Museo Museo Criadero Criadero Punta Punta (p170). Playa Playa the l & Surgidero de Batabanó (110km) Punta de los Punta el Ferry Barcos Lindero HydrofoiPlaya Presidio Cayos Inset Pinar Modelo de los del Río Ensenada de Paraíso Inglesitos los Barcos Nueva Gerona Playa A Province Bibijagua rc Cayo Largo Sie hi del Sur rra de S Cementerio pi Golfo de Batabanó las Casas d ier él Playa e C ra Colombia Cayo ag Cayo Museo Finca ab o Sirena Playa allos Triángulo d Cayo del Rico Buenavista el Abra e lo Rosario La Demajagua Cayo Guayabo s Cayos Las Nuevas Júcaro C 0 14 km Cayo Balandras a 0 8 miles los Indios Rafael Cabrera n a Punta Mustelier Airport r Cayo r e Buenavista La Melvis San Juan o s Mina de La Jungla La Fe Oro de Jones Cayos Boca See Inset La Victoria Isla de la La de Alonso Juventud Reforma Argelia Libre Criadero Ensenada de Cocodrilo Punta la Siguanea Hotel Francés Colony Julio Antonio Punta Piedras Cayo del Mella Rosario International Punta Rancho Cueva Azul Diving Center Dársena Viejo Cayo Pared de Military Punta Coral Negro Matías Cayo Demarcation Cayo del Este Cantiles Line Piedra Cueva de Cayos los Cayo Campos Cayuelos Sea Turtle Punta del Este Breeding Cocodrilo Center C i é n a g a d e L a n i e r Playa Larga 0 12 km Punta del Guanal 0 7 miles CARIBBEAN SEA.