On the Caribbean side of Cuba lie two idyllic islands—the Isle of Youth and Cayo Largo de Sur—with sugar-white beaches and unparalleled dive sites.
The Isle of Youth is second in size only to the main island. Grapefruit fields, pine trees, parrots and marshes characterize this spot, which also houses schools for young Cuban and foreign students. A few kilometres to the southwest lies Cayo Largo del Sur, an idyllic little key in the heart of the Caribbean.
Places to visit
Cayo Largo del Sur
Strips of beach total 23 kilometres on this interesting little archipelago.
Punta Francés'
Underwater paradise on the Isle of Youth boasts typical Caribbean landscape and exuberant marine flora and fauna.
Finca El Abra
Museum near the marble quarries that sheltered young José Martí, a national hero sentenced to hard labour for his ideas about independence in the 19th century.
The large Presidio Modelo museum near the city of Nueva Gerona was built in 1926 to imprison thousands of political prisoners and common criminals. The large barracks stand empty today.
The “aboriginal Sistine Chapel”
At Punta del Este on the wild southern coast of Pine Island, this cave reveals numerous native paintings
Cuba is more than just the largest island in the Antilles.
It is an ontrincate archipielago comprising the main island (about two thirds the size of Florida), the Isle of Youth and about 4,195 key (cayos) and islets.
The combined surface area of these Caribbean land masses is some 110,992 square kilometers and 140 kilometers of...