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Nueva Gerona is the capital of Isla de la Juventud (before the Révolucion : Isla de Pinos or Isle of Pines and numerous other names) in the Archipielago de los Canarreos. Cubans now call it simply "La Isla". In a few words, huge spaces, lots to see and do, no crowds and very affordable casa lodging.
The American colonists of the Fifties had projects to build enormous all-inclusive US-suburbia type resorts dotted with bungalows... Renamed in the 60's to sustain international relations with youth from Latin America and Africa, it once boasted 50 schools and colleges. Pretty beaches, fantastic scuba diving (from the Colony Hotel and off Punta Francés), a couple of marble mines, trekking spots, natural parks and miraculous thermal waters. And almost no one comes here.
POPULATION • Demajagua, 3 250 • Santa Fe, 15 600 • Nueva Gerona, 71 000 DISTANCES • Cayo Piedra (Cienaga de Lanier), 36 • Cocodrilo, 70 • Hotel Colony/Ensenada de la Siguanea, 46 • La Demajagua (Santa Barbara), 21 • La Reforma, 32 • La Victoria, 29 • Punta del Este, 59 • Punta Francés, Punta Piedra, 110 • Santa Fe, 18 • La Habana, (bus + ferry), 170 • Cayo Largo, 115 km east, over the water : for tourists, only through La Habana by plane; from here, only for Cuban workers; there are packages for diving here for tourists from Cayo Largo. GOTTA TRY THIS • Aguas medicinales La Cotorra, just before Santa Fe (Discovered in 1853; before the revolucion was called Balneario Santa Rita : Erroll Flynn was a patient) : art deco building recently renovated with Chinese funds : clinic, massage, acupuncture, magnetotherapy, etc, and three basins filled with radioactive water (bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium) with "miraculous powers : can cure over 300 ailments" : Centro de Rehabilitacion y Aguas Thermales, calle 11, e/16 y 18, Santa Fe despacho @ahao.ijv.cu Dir. Sra. Anairis Lourba; Basin manager : Sr. Wiltse Peña Tel. (46) 39-79-61 PLAYAS • Paraiso (7km), with an upstairs bar on the dock : meals served, mojitos 1,50cuc. • Bibijagua (black sand, at 8 km), nice, in the shade of its royal palms. Small bar (mojitos 1,50cuc, cocos, 50c) • Playa Roja (46km) in Ensenada de la Siguanea. • Punta Francés (43km) scuba paradiso, quite popular : get there by 8cuc barca ride from the marina of Hotel Colony (Tel. (46) 39-82-82. The only food in Punta Francés : a 12cuc buffet, drinks extra. Dive centre is called Centro de Buceo Tel. (46) 39-81-81 Rates are 50-70cuc per dive. You can use Keka's vast diving experience at Punta Francés. See his casa data (Alexis Gonzalez Chirino) down on this page. • Other beaches : Larga, Punta de Piedra, Playa Pescador, Punta del Este (often closed), Guayabo, Buena Vista. RESTAURANTS Cafeteria La Cocinita, El Abra (with mirador and bar), El Cochi, Hotel Gaviota and its swimming pool (3 km), La Vajilla, Tienda Imagene. By the central park, the usual Coppelia (ice cream parlour). SERVICES Cubana 32-25-31 ou 32-23-00, Cubataxi 32-22-22 ou 32-37-62), Havanautos 32-44-32, Inter 30-12-45, Medical 32-27-20, Radio Caribe 1270AM, Transautos 33-52-12, Turistaxi 39-82-81 Transtur 32-66-66 (car rentals ; scooters 20-23 cuc/day : ask for Miguel) Ecotur calle Marti (El Boulevard), e/ 24 y 26 Tel 32-71-01 Open 8h-17h, closed Sundays ecoturpineroij @yahoo.es EVENINGS Baseball : Estadio Cristobal Labra, Cabaret El Patio, Casa de la Cultura, Cinema Caribe, Disco Reina Amalia, El Dragon, Discoteca de Rumbos GETTING THERE BY SEA • BY AIR From La Habana, by a bus-ferry package, 40 minutes by road to depressing Surgidero de Batabano (50 km), on the south coast. By sea, a two-hour and 120 km ordeal on the very fully booked (and only means of sea travel for now) Iris carrying 100 : super-freezing aircon and super-loud music videos. No sense in complaining to staff : they're deaf (and probably dumb too). Daily at 10 and 3 pm, Fare was 11cuc, now 50cuc! Reservations : Agencia Viajero at terminal Astro in La Habana (7) 878-1841 or NCC (7) 860-8330. In Nueva Gerona, the Iris goes up the river a wee bit and docks downtown on Calle Marti Tel. (46) 32-44-36 By air in 40 minutes, 3 daily flights from La Habana Terminal 1 (domestic) on small, sweaty, sardine-packed commuter cuckoos, clean barf bags included. About 32cuc. Schedule here. Nueva Gerona airport (46) 32-26-90 There are also 3 weekly flights by Aerotaxi (Antonov 2) from Pinar del Rio. From Siguanea airport near the Colony in the south, there are charters/packages to Cayo Largo (140km east) reserved for scuba divers and hotel employees. CULTURE IN NUEVA GERONA • Casa de la Cultura and Taller de Cerámica Artística Calle 37 esq. a 24 • Galeria de Arte Gerona • Galería de Arte Marta Machado, Calle 39 esq. a 26 • Finca Museo El Abra (farm where José Marti lived for 10 years with the Zarda family) Carretera Siguanea, km 1 • Museo de Ciencias Naturales Calle 41 # 4625 esq. a 54 • Museo de la Lucha Clandestina (Casa Natal de Jesús Montané Oropesa Calle 24 e/ 43 y 45 • Museo Municipal de Nueva Gerona Calle 30 e/ 37 y Martí • Museo Presidio Modelo (5km) Prison (museum since 1973) where Fidel and his compañeros were transferred after the failed attack on the Moncada garnison (Santiago) in 1953.  |
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| EXCURSIONS • Presa (dam-lake) El Abra (5 km) with eco walks, horseback riding • Sierra de Las Casas (trekking) 70 km south • Jungla de John (13km) Half a century ago, John Jones, tree-lover working with US Agriculture service established this natural reserve including a 100-year old bamboo cathedral; now includes El Bosque Martiana part of reserve dedicated to José Marti; John's widow Hellen Jarry died in her house fire (ruin now covered by plants) in Feb. 1960; a bit before Santa Fe. Rundown, needs funds for enthusiastic but poor couple, Jarixa and spouse Tomas who run it • Parque Cienaga de Lanier, by way of Santa Fe and Criadero de Cocodrilo. Theme is Viaje a Los Origenes through Ecotur; office in town (see Services below) • Hotel Colony and Punta Francés (110km) Our page here : take an excursion (8h30-17h) including snorkel and lunch for 25cuc (+15cuc with a tank for scuba diving). Or just the return tour bus ride (and boat) to Punta Francés for the day (7am-5pm) for 13cuc. Through Ecotur; office in town (see Services below). Or budget-style, join the staff commuting to the Colony who take the 7am daily bus leaving from the corner of 41 and 18. 3cuc one-way. Best is to dive off Punta Francés with "Keka" (Alexis Gonzalez Chirino). See his casa data at bottom of page. NATURE ON LA ISLA • Parque Nacional Punta Francés (and beach) Our page here - Punta Pedernales (accessible via Hotel Colony, by barca) • Parque Nacional Los Indios - San Felipe • Cerro de los Murciélagos - Monumento Carretera Cantera Santa Isabel • Cueva de Finlay - Cave exploring Ensenada de Caleta Grande in Punta del Este • Cueva del Indio - Monument Camino Cocodrilo, Punta Francés • Cave exploring and monument in Punta del Este GETTING AROUND Car rentals are very expensive, close to 90cuc or more per day. Roads are very few, safe and deserted. Rent a motorcycle (best value for bucks or cucs). If not, share a chauffeured taxi for the day. Some hustle in front of the church in the park. Don't expect the driver to know a whole lot or to speak Ingles, my fren. Plan the itinerary with a map or guidebook beforehand with the driver. Should he sub-hire a "translator", make sure you negotiate his own rate and test his language skills. Don't pay more than 25-35 for car, 10-15cuc for translator. Drive a hard bargain. |
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| OUR RECOMMENDATIONS V = suggested by webbies and travelers. Check in person or by phone. Rates start at 20cuc, including a commission of 5 (100 cuban pesos) to the everpresent jineteros. Children 16 and under may share parents' bedroom at no charge only if there is an additional bed available. Mention the age of your children when making the reservation. Suggestions & comments webmaster @cubacasas.net |
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| BOOK BY PHONE • From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by the island's area code, 46). • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by the island's area code, 46). |
 BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address showing at bottom of browser window. Spanish vocabulary here.  |
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| Click photos to see each casa's page and description. Locate most casas on this map of the city here. |
See casas in sequence
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VILLA PEÑA Sra. Odalis Peña Fernandez Calle 10 # 3710 entre 37 y 39, corner of 39 (calle Jose Marti). Tél. (46) 32 23 45 Large off-centre house with two bedrooms each with private bathroom on ground floor (Odalis lives upstairs). Clients can use the kitchen. Super rate of 10cuc per double room per night. Vegetarian breakfasts for 1cuc (2 with meat) and dinners for 3cuc (veg.) or 5cuc. Best deal in town. |
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ELDA CEPERO HERRERA Calle 43 # 2004 entre 20 et 22, two blocks from « boulevard » the pedestrian street (calle 39 or Marti) Tel. (46) 32 27 74 Elderly Elda rents a private independent-access apart behind her own casa. A great choice and location : our favorite value-for-peso. A passageway along the casa leads to a terrace with an entranbce to a small living room, kitchen, bedroom with a private bathroom. The terrace with its own table opens on to a lawn and tiny backlot. Intimacy and tranquillity assured. |
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ALEXIS GONZALEZ CHIRINO ("KEKA") Calle 47 No 1208 A entre 12 y 14, in Reparto Abel Santa Maria, near the hospital and the bus stop (guaguas) to La Fe and La Demajagua. Tel. (46) 32 20 12 The scubamaster and expert on Punta Francés (link here) rents two air-conditioned bedrooms, each with a private bathroom and fridge. Alexis offers his guests privacy, excellent food, safety, a family atmosphere and a dining area on his small terrace. Recent trip report : |
 Alexis' casa. |
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| "Keka's casa is spotless, the bathroom was the biggest I saw in Cuba. Good food, and plenty of it, and attention is paid to what you like and don't like and dishes changed to suit your needs. As a vegetarian, I was delighted with the extra attention. Keka organised diving for me (he is a dive master but only works a few months a year) and drove (small fee) the distance to the boat and made sure the crew looked after me. "Then, with his smiling wife, took my friend on a tour of the island, (small fee) translating where necessary and getting her into restricted areas, she was delighted. This casa looks to be far superior than others on the island and Keka has good English, both he and his wife are extremely friendly and helpful, as are the children and grandfather, this is a lovely family casa. I would be happy to recommend this casa to friends and family and would like to return. " JP Saltee, Ireland, 15 January 2008, on tripadvisor |
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MAYDELIN MENDEZ LASSERRA Calle 45 #3632 e/36 y 38 Reparto 26 de Julio Tél. (46) 32 64 28 A modern casa in a pink bungalow with its unique yellow leather sofas; dining room and kitchen follow, leading to a terrace in the back with its large cotton color shades. Now with two bedrooms opening on to living room; shared bathroom. Young Maydelin lives with her father and is as enthusiastic now as when she began her casa rental career in November 2004. |
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GERARDO y ANITA ORTEGA ABREU Calle 20, # 3518, entre 35 y 37, in centre, near the restaurant and disco La Vajilla, near Transtur (motorcycle rentals) and a small amusement park for kids. Tel. (46) 32 65 60 Modern top floor with independent entrance and its own two terraces, a large aircon bedroom with its private bathroom, tv, fridge, radio-cd. On owners floor below, a second bedroom with private bath is just too close to families tv and stereo. Meals for those guests are taken in owners' dining room. Lovely and friendly family. Listed in Petit Futé 2007-08 |
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VILLA MAS Jorge Luis and Rey Mas Calle 41, #4108, e/ 8 y 10, at the end of calle Jose Marti, behind hospital Heroes del Baire Tél. (46) 32 35 44 • Large aircon bedroom (private access) with two single beds, tv. fridge and radio-cassette; full private marble bathroom (best lookin' in Cuba !). • The other aircon bedroom (double bed, tv, fridge) is inside the owners' quarters, near their compact tv room and kitchen. • Rooftop terrace where guests' meals (Rey is a great cook who has taken lessons in local institute) are served in a lovingly-decorated, bar-like installation with lawn chairs and tables. |
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DON KIKE Enrique G. Julia Calle 34 e/43 y 45, Reparto 26 de Julio, a few steps from Parque Central. Tel. (46) 32 11 66 or 32 19 83 Rental is upstairs, its balcony overlooking the street. Small comfy living room. Two aircon bedrooms with shared bathroom. Dining room, second terrace on the roof accessible by tiny corkscrew staircase. Meals served. Owner is half-brother of Rey Mas (Casa above). |
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VILLA CHAVE Isabel y Onil Calle 45 e/34 y 36, Reparto 26 de Julio, a couple of steps from Parque Central Tél. (46) 32 42 92 On a quiet street, a charming little casa with a mini salon as you come in, a large dining room, the kitchen and in the back, a large patio, shaded and pleasant. Facing living and dingin area, two aircon and ventilated bedrooms (one only is rented out) with a shared bathroom. Meals are served. |
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BARBARA GARCIA GARCIA Calle 45 #3606, e/36 y 38, Reparto 26 de Julio Tél. (46) 32 49 03 Two bedrooms, one in the back with its private entrance along the casa. Aircon bedrooms with private bathrooms. Barbara prepares the meals, her specialties are comidas criollas (traditional Cuban fare). Breakfasts 2cuc, full meals 5cuc. Rate : 15cuc per room per night (two persons max.). |
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ROGELIO NORBERT Calle 32 #3509 e/35 y 37, right by the fire station (bomberos), narrow passageway between the other houses, steps from the Coppelia and the Parque Central. Tél. (46) 32 64 49 Odalys' (see top casa) brother-in-law, Rogelio is just starting to rent out one bedroom with its private bathroom. Dining room, kitchen, living room. |
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MARLE Y NEGRA Calle 46 #4708 entre 47 y 49, Reparto 26 de Julio. Tél. (46) 32 31 01 One independent aircon bedroom, intimacy, comfort, meal service. |
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VILLA VIVIANA Viviana y Alina Pérez Castanedo Calle 32 # 4110 entre 41 y 43. Tel. (46) 32-1255 Upstairs of a large house with lighted rooms, you find two aircon bedrooms with shared bathroom, marble floors. |
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Content & photos © sogestour Updated |
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