| La Isla de la Juventud (The Isle of Youth) is located | | | | 10 types of bamboo, together making up a rich and |
| to the South of Havana, a Little more than 100 | | | | diverse jungle. Another wonderful attraction of the |
| kilometers from the Surgidero de Batabano (The | | | | isle are its beautiful beaches, some of them with |
| emergence of Batabano). Stretching for around 2200 | | | | black sand, like the Bibijagua Beach. The International |
| square kilometers, it's the largest of the 672 keys | | | | Diving Center "El Colony" boasts extremely white and |
| and islets that make up the the Archipelago of Los | | | | fine sand, and is considered one of the most |
| Canarreos. The island is rich in legends, adventures | | | | attractive spots for diving in the whole country with |
| and traditions, and it's called the island of 1000 names | | | | 56 diving sites, a huge variety of fish within 30 |
| because of the many nominations it has received | | | | meters of depth, and vertical sight between 25 and |
| throughout the years. Its capital, Nueva Gerona, was | | | | 28 meters. |
| founded on December 17th, 1830, under the name of | | | | "La Isla" also has some places of cultural and historical |
| Queen Amalia, in honor of the then wife of King | | | | interest, such as the "Presidio Modelo" (Model Prison), |
| Fernando VII. The preserved architecture of the area | | | | a prison of excellence built by the end of the first |
| is eclectic, with some neoclassical details. | | | | half of the 12th century and where Fidel and the |
| The admiral Christopher Columbus discovered the | | | | survivors of the attack on the Moncada Barracks on |
| island when making his second trip to the area, on | | | | July 26, 1953 served their sentence. Another |
| June 13th, 1494, and spent a great deal of time here | | | | interesting place is the Caves of Punta del Este, |
| on subsequent trips to the New Continent. Originally | | | | featuring singular exponents of Cuban aborigines' |
| called San Juan Evangelista by Columbus, the place | | | | cave art, especially the collection known as "guayabo |
| has also been known as "La Isla de las Cotorras" | | | | blanco" (white guava tree), from the Siboney culture, |
| (The Island of Parrots), one of its first names from a | | | | paintings made by the Indians living here before. |
| time when the island served as shelter for pirates | | | | Cuban archeologists have described the place as the |
| and buccaneers. According to the legend, pirates | | | | Sistine Chapel of cave art in the insular Caribbean for |
| used to keep their stolen treasure safe in the caves | | | | preserving 235 indigenous pictographies, more than |
| of the island, hence its other name: La Isla del Tesoro | | | | anywhere else in the Antilles, where you can also |
| (The Island of treasure). However, the name of "La | | | | admire a lunar calendar, formed by 56 concentric |
| Isla de Pinos" (The Isle of Pines) still stands today, | | | | circles (in black and red) and the nine planets of the |
| with an origin that goes back to the Caribbean pine | | | | solar system. The caves were discovered in 1910, by |
| forests occupying a considerable portion of the | | | | the French Saxon Freeman P. Lagne. |
| region. As the second largest island in the country, | | | | The name of the "Isla de la Juventud" was given to |
| most Cubans just refer to the Isle of Youth as "La | | | | the island in 1976 with the new political-administrative |
| Isla". | | | | division and it originated from the schools for Latin |
| Beset by several charms, "La Isla" is no ordinary | | | | American and African students organized by the |
| island. Along with the thick tropical forests, you can | | | | Cuban Revolution as part of its plan for assisting |
| find enormous iguanas, "jutías", "rabiche" pigeons, | | | | Third World countries. Travel to "La Isla" can be done |
| and wild pigs, among other animal species, and plants | | | | by plane, ferry, or catamaran and it has modest hotel |
| such as "yagrumas", cedar trees, palms, "ocujes", | | | | and services facilities. The marvelous Cayo Largo del |
| avocados, coffee, 20 different types of mango and | | | | Sur also belongs to "La Isla". |