Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- Cubana has three daily flights to Rafael Cabrera Mustelier Airport (tel. 46/32-2300; airport code GER) on Isla de la Juventud from José Martí International Airport in Havana. Fares cost CUC$43 (US$46/£23) each way. Demand is often very high, as the flights are quicker and cheaper than the ferry, so be sure to make your return reservation as far in advance as possible.

Regular public buses connect the airport and Nueva Gerona, 6.5km (4 miles) away. These are marked SERVICIO AEREO. The official fare is 1 peso, but foreigners are usually charged CUC$1 (US$1.10/55p). A taxi between the airport and downtown costs around CUC$5 to CUC$7 (US$5.40-US$7.55/£2.70-£3.80).

By Bus & Ferry -- Isla de la Juventud is connected to the mainland by regular ferry service between Nueva Gerona, on the island, and the town of Batabanó, on the coast 71km (44 miles) south of Havana. Several types of ferries make the trip. You'll definitely want to book one of the two high-speed modern catamaran ferries. Either of these will make the trip in between 2 and 3 hours, and costs CUC$50 (US$54/£27) each way. These ferries depart Batabanó daily at 8am, with return trips leaving Nueva Gerona at 11am. The ferries often have varying schedules, according to demand. The company, Empresa Viamar, which books all of the vessels, has a desk in the main Astro bus terminal in Havana (tel. 7/870-9401 or 47/588-240 in Batabanó, or 46/32-4415 in Nueva Gerona). Here, you can buy a bus-ferry combination ticket, which I highly recommend. Buses leave the terminal for Batabanó four times a day and cost MN$5 (US20¢/10p). Sometimes the connections at the Batabanó end do not work like a fine Swiss watch. In Nueva Gerona, the ferry terminal and dock are approximately 4 blocks east of Calle José Martí (tel. 46/32-4415). It is highly recommended that you buy a return ticket at the time of purchase and that you buy tickets at least a day or two in advance, because schedules are subject to change.

Getting Around

Taxis are plentiful on Isla de la Juventud and around Nueva Gerona (Cubataxi; tel. 47/32-3121). Rides around town, out to the airport, or to one of the nearby beaches costs between CUC$2 and CUC$7 (US$2.15-US$7.55/£1.10-£3.80). A trip down to the Hotel El Colony costs CUC$18 to CUC$22 (US$19-US$24/£9.70-£12). There are three or four daily buses between Nueva Gerona and the Hotel El Colony. A full day with a driver cost from CUC$60 to CUC$80 (US$65-US$86/£32-£43). If you want to rent a car, Cubacar, Calle 32 corner of 39 (tel. 46/32-6666); Havanautos, Calle 32 and 39 (tel. 46/32-4432); and Transtur, at the ferry terminal and Hotel El Colony (tel./fax 46/32-6666), have offices on the island. Havanautos also rents mopeds.

There are also numerous horse-drawn taxis, which generally charge from CUC$1 to CUC$2 (US$1.10-US$2.15/55p-£1.10) for short rides, or between CUC$4 and CUC$6 (US$4.30-US$6.50/£2.15-£3.25) per hour.

Orientation

The main city, Nueva Gerona, sits near the northern tip of the island on the banks of the Río Las Casas, while the better beaches and scuba-diving locations are on the southwest and southeastern shores. The Hotel El Colony is located on the shores of Siguanea Bay, on the central western coast of the island. The southern third of the island is an almost entirely uninhabited area of swamp and mangrove.

There are several banks and a CADECA office (Calle José Martí corner of Calle 20) in Nueva Gerona. There's a post office at Calle José Martí corner of Calle 18, a 24-hour Farmacia José Martí (tel. 46/32-2484) on Calle José Martí and Calle 24, and an Etecsa Telepunto phone and center at Calles 41 and 28. All of the above are located either on or within a 1- or 2-block radius of the Calle José Martí pedestrian mall.

The downtown offices of Cubanacán (tel. 46/32-6369) and Ecotur (tel. 46/32-7101) are your best sources of local information, and where you should head to book a tour to the attractions listed.