Cuba Guide
Isla de la Juventud
Getting around
There are three daily flights from Havana to the Isla de la Juventud (40min). The most economical way to reach the island had for a long time been to take the daily ferry from Batabanó on the mainland coast; the trip takes between two and five hours depending on which boat is available. However, a massive price hike has seen the cost of a combined bus and ferry ticket soar from $13 CUC to $50CUC each way. There is talk of lowering the cost in the near future, so check before you make your travel plans. Buying tickets from the Oficina Naviera booth at Havana's Astro bus terminal (daily 8am–12.30pm; 
7/878-1841) is probably the best option, since the direct bus to the ferry terminal at Batabanó (daily at noon; 1hr 30min) is included in the price and, as most visitors set off from Havana, you may find on reaching Batabanó that all the convertible-peso seats on the ferry have already been sold. If possible you should buy tickets in advance, as demand often outstrips seat capacity. A passport is needed to buy all tickets to the island.