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San Juan, Puerto Rico
Culebra Island, Puerto Rico
Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
Winter 2020 (4 days)
Welcome to Part Two of 3WishesTravel blog's Puerto Rico series! Our last post gave you a historical background on Puerto Rico outlined must-sees in and around San Juan and recommendations on where to eat Monfongo and other Puerto Rican classics. This post will focus on the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques with a special surprise at the end. Remember to like us on Facebook and follow @3WishesTravel on Instagram to see the first-person recap of my trip on our Instagram stories. Also, check out the new sections of the website, including Upcoming Trips and interactive maps of countries and states I have visited. Now let's return to sunny Puerto Rico! đ§ââď¸đâď¸
Table of Contents
Getting to the IslandsđĽď¸
Culebra and Vieques are both islands off the coast of Puerto Rico. There are two ways to get to these islands: ferry or airplane. The ferry costs $2.25 and takes 30-45 minutes. An airplane ride would take 30 mins to either island, costing between $95-300 each way depending on day and time.
A much cheaper option is the ferry. There are many things to keep in mind when attempting to ride the ferry to Culebra and Vieques. First, make sure to book tickets ahead of time on Porferry.com. Tickets go extremely fast and waiting until you arrive at the ferry port will often not be good enough. Also, make sure to arrive at the port in Ceiba 1 hour ahead of time, and leave time to park your car and ride the shuttle from parking to the port. It is extremely important to arrive 1 hour early because residents of the island are not required to buy tickets ahead of time, and have priority over tourists. This means you could buy a ticket online, but because you arrived late and were at the end of the line, you got cut off because enough residences came to the ferry. The ride from Ceiba port to Culebra port is 45 minutes long; the ride from Ceiba port to Vieques port is 30 minutes. If you are riding the ferry during winter months, be prepared for choppy waters. Check Porferry.com for a schedule of both ferries and to book tickets.
Culebra Islandđď¸
Culebra Island, the smaller of the two Puerto Rican islands, is located 20 miles east of Puerto Rico's main island and 15 miles west of St.Thomas in the Virgin Islands. The island is 7 miles long and 2 miles wide and home to 1,800 people. Today, Culebra is a humble vacation destination that offers a less developed look at Puerto Rican life. Culebra is home to one of the most beautiful and highly ranked beaches in the world, Flamenco Beach.
Once you disembark the ferry in Bahia de Sardinas Bay, you will be greeted by taxi drivers, tour companies and food sellers. If you are looking for activities like snorkeling or kayaking, you can easily find someone selling the experience. If you need to get to somewhere further away on the island, approach the taxi drivers and tell them your destination. Rides should cost between $2-5 one way per person.
Flamenco Beach
We took the taxi to Flamenco Beach. The entrance to Flamenco Beach has an area of shacks selling everything from drinks and food, to beach chairs, camping materials, and activities throughout the area. Anything you need is available in this mini shopping area. Following the path, you will come onto the breathtaking Flamenco Beach. Palm trees line the beach and a massive green mountain can be seen to the left. White sand stretches across the beach along with crystal clear light blue water. Flamenco Beach is a dream and it provided us with a relaxing and fun beach day.
Other Suggestions
Tamarindo Beach- great beach for snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and swimming with sea turtles, located on the west side of the island.
Zoni Beach- white sand beach on the northeast side of the island, less populated than Flamenco Beach
Museum of Culebra History- on the way to Zoni Beach, outlines the history of Culebra from pre-colonial days to today.
Culebrita Lighthouse- beautiful old lighthouse built in 1886 on the very small island Culebrita, off the coast of Culebra
Vieques Island đď¸
Vieques Island is located 13 miles east of Puerto Rico's main island. Vieques is 21 miles long and 3 miles wide, and home to 9,300 people. The island is a 30-minute ferry ride from the port in Ceiba. Vieques is the more developed of the two islands, offering a small town ride where the ferries dock. Right when you exit the ferry, there are taxi drivers, tour companies and food sellers competing for attention. Again, taxi rides should be an average $5 each way per person.
Black Sand Beach
We took a taxi to the Black Sand Beach on the south side of the island. After a short 15 minute walk through the forest, you will come upon the magic of the black sand beach. Orange rock walls line the beach, black sand spreads out across the seaside and the blue water contrasts with this natural wonder. The Black Sand Beach is a hidden gem on the island that offers a unique and less populated beach for you to relax and enjoy.
Lazy Jacks Restaurant and Guesthouse $12
Style: American Tropical Bar
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Address: 61a Orquideas St
Order: Chicken Tacos
Located on the south side of the island, a 5-minute drive from Black Sand Beach is the trendy and youthful Lazy Jacks Restaurant and Guesthouse. If you plan to stay overnight in Vieques, I would highly recommend the Lazy Guesthouse. It has clean facilities with a fun party vibe on a part of the island with amazing views onto El Malecon. The food is reasonably priced, but the bar is the real star of Lazy Jacks. With a fun staff, and a bar that opens early and closes late, this is a hot spot for a great night on the island.
Esperanza
Esperanza is the most populous town in Vieques, located on the south side of the island near the ferry's pickup location. The small town center includes a park, restaurants, food stands, souvenir and clothing shops and more. Wild horses and chickens can be found around the town center getting surprisingly close to the humans they share the area with. You could spend a nice afternoon wandering Esperanza and seeing what its shop owners have to offer.
Other Suggestions
Horseback Riding $30- Get your cowgirl experience by riding the local horses around the island and onto the beach, book ahead with island tour companies
Bio Bay Tours $30- Visit Mosquito Bay to see one of the world's only bioluminescent bays light up the night, book ahead with island our companies
Caracas Beach- Beautiful beach located on the southeast part of the island
Buen Provecho Cafe and Bar $20- locally owned and operated cafe that is a popular breakfast spot, small grocery store, and well-stocked bar.
Cats of Puerto RicođââŹ
Here are the cat friends I made throughout Puerto Rico!
I hope this helps you create your own Puerto Rican island adventure. This was only the second half of our trip, check out our post from last week on San Juan and its best restaurants. Stay tuned for a mini post on Jewish history in Puerto Rico.
All pictures were taken by me Check out our Instagram @3WishesTravel for more, including live updates for my future trips and guest trips! Our current guest traveler, Sahira is traveling around Indonesia!
If you are thinking about your own visit to Puerto Rico, contact us and we will plan your entire trip for you! Subscribe below for an alert when our upcoming posts in new locations are published! If you have any Puerto Rico recommendations, feel free to comment below! I would love to hear them :)
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