Punta Frances. The Untouched Reserve at the End of Cuba

The Isle of Youth, the biggest island in Cuba is still an untouched spot. Punta Frances is located in the southwest part of the island. The tourists reach the reserve only on guided tours on a boat or a catamaran departing from Colony Hotel. Access to the south part of the island is possible only with a special pass. 

Punta Frances is located within the territory of the sea reserve of the same name so building here is forbidden and the visits are limited. However, any tourist can book a boat at the Colony Hotel and see the site if there is a big enough group of tourists. Once I was on the boat and the captain offered the passengers a fresh lobster for 10 CUC /find out more about the monetary system in Cuba here/ The captain and I dived and pulled out four buckets with lobsters. By the way, they are quite dangerous, since they have long and firm antennas and can hurt your eyes. They can safely be caught only by piercing them through the stomach with a spit. They are then scalded in boiling water to get softer and grilled.

 

An interesting fact is that according to most historical resources the events represented in “The Caribbean Pirates” movie took place namely here. Indeed, many of my Cuban friends have told me that long sunk ships from the 17 and 18 centuries are still being found.

And now, what happened after the boat and the lobster. Punta Frances happened! a three-kilometre beach with white sand, blue-green waters, and mangrove bushes and swamps in the interior. It is a wonderful place with everything except for people! I will never forget, however, the clicking of the huge white crabs running away in fear to their holes and the four battalions of well-trained mosquitos who attempted an organized attack on me and left me no other choice but to dive into the sea and hang in there for a while. I wonder how the pirates and corsairs felt who used this place as a temporary shelter.

When I got the chance to look around I found crystal-clear waters, corals, colourful fish, and flour-like sand as if I was on Cayo Largo.

Unfortunately, I never got to the magical village of Cocodrillo… Not only is it preserved, but here you can also have some seafood for 0,50 EUR and sleep for 2-3 nights for 2 EUR. Cocodrillo, however, is accessible only through a special pass. I found out how I can get it, so I hope next time I will actually visit the village as well /my last visit was in 2016/.