Culebra and Vieques
Dubbed 'the enchanted isles', Vieques and her smaller
sister Culebra are located off Puerto Rico's east coast, accessible
from San Juan by air and from Fajardo by ferry. Both support a few
thousand friendly, laidback inhabitants who live life peacefully
and slowly, enriching rather than impacting on the natural beauty
of their environment.
Vieques is 20-odd miles long and five miles wide, and
consists largely of the biggest wildlife sanctuary in the
Caribbean, protected by the United States Fish & Wildlife
Service. Some of the world's most beautiful beaches, with azure
clear waters and sugary white sand, are to be found in the
sanctuary.
Visitors planning to see Vieques should consider
staying overnight to experience its premier attraction, Bio Bay. On
a moonless night, the bay glows with the bioluminescence radiated
by microscopic one-celled organisms called dinoflagellates,
providing an unforgettable sight.
Smaller Culebra, just seven miles long and three
miles wide, is a few miles north of Vieques and is renowned for the
clarity of the waters washing its shores. This is caused by the
fact that the island has no rivers or streams causing run-off: the
arid island has to have water piped from Puerto Rico via
Vieques.
This quiet, unspoiled island offers unrivalled
snorkelling and scuba diving in its magnificent encircling reefs,
as well as kayak expeditions and hiking trails for bird-watchers
through the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge.