sla de la Juventud is the largest of the 350 islands which make up the Archipielago de los Canarreos. The island's capital is Nueva Gerona. Isla de la Juventud is the least populated region of Cuba, with most people living in the north of the island.
Much of the island is flat and the Cienaga de Lanier is Cuba's second-largest swamp. 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.
Cattle ranching and grapefruit plantations are the major industries, 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.
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Cuban Peso (CUP)
Language – Spanish
Land Area – 110,860 sq km’s
Population – 11,400,000 Cuba
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time – GMT minus five hours
International Country Telephone Code – 1 + 53
Port Location – The main port is at Habana, however due to the US blockade, there are no scheduled passenger ships and only some cruise ships call at Cuba.
Transport Links - Cubana fly from Habana 3 a 4 times a day. 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. Fast boat departs daily, at the port of Batabano. The journey will take two hours.