Sitting some distance from the main island of Cuba, Isla de la Juventud has great beaches around Punta del Este in the south (in a military zone where visits are permitted only with a guide, easily arranged in town), but it's not primarily a beach destination. It's special because of its reefs: Offshore diving expeditions—among the most professionally organized outings in Cuba—leave from the Hotel Colony on the island's west side. Though lacking the impressive colonial architecture found on the Cuban mainland, the island has several landmarks that revolve around (and glorify) the Cuban Revolution. Among them is the desolate and surreal Modelo Prison, where Fidel Castro and fellow conspirators in the attack on Moncada Barracks were once imprisoned. Other sights include the Museo de la Lucha Clandestina, which details the underground movement against Batista, and El Abra, where Cuban independence hero Jose Marti once was held. Prior to the early 1990s, the island was the home of thousands of students from Cuba-friendly countries: When we visited, we saw only deserted, run-down buildings and dormitories containing a few students from North Korea and the Western Sahara. 80 mi/130 km south of Havana.
