Culebra

While Puerto Rico is a wonderful island itself, you can also find a unique little place off the coast of the island which can be an impressive day trip or a wonderful place to vacation. This small island is known as Isla Culebra.

Arriving in Isla Culebra

The Isla Culebra is located just 20 miles east of the Puerto Rican coast. There are a number of ways to reach the location. A ferry travels regularly from Fajardo which is located on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. You can also talk a short flight from San Juan or Fajardo. If you have extra cash available and you are in San Juan, a high speed ferry from the city to Isla Culebra is now available.

Once you’ve entered Isla Culebra, you can find rental cars or even scooters that make getting around the island easy. If you’d prefer, you can also use the taxi system on the island which costs about $2 per person and can take you anywhere you want to go.

Enjoying the Sights

Most people who visit Culebra go for the beaches. Because of the island’s climate, the water and beaches are some of the most clear and beautiful in the Caribbean. One of the top public beaches on the island is Flamenco Beach which has been ranked the second best beach in the world. The beach stretches almost a mile and is flanked on either end by coral reefs that can be viewed by snorkeling. For a very unique experience, you can camp out on the beach overnight. A hammock or a tent would be good choices but bring bug spray and blankets because the beach can get chilly at night.

Things You Must Do in Culebra

Around Culebra are other small islands which are used as nature preserves and are protected by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service. Only two of the islands are accessible to tourists. These islands are only reachable via private motorboats or ferries. Around the islands, you’ll find more than 50,000 types of sea birds who return to the sanctuaries. Turtle nests for leatherback and sea turtles are also found on the islands. When visiting the sanctuaries, bring along a camera to take photographs of the beautiful areas and the animals.

Eating on Isla Culebra

While Culebra is small, it is home to some wonderful places to eat. Most of the Culebra hotels do have restaurants on site but don’t expect to walk in without a reservation. You will pay more for your meal at these locations. Another unique eatery on the Culebra is Dinghy Dock. People from the area pull their dinghys right up to the dock as if they are parking a car then hop right out to reach an available table. It’s an experience you won’t have many places. You’ll also find small grocery stores selling local produce and other items which could make for a wonderful picnic under the stars on the beach. Many of the restaurants, including Juanita Bananas, have terraces so you get a gorgeous view of the sunset.

Enjoying the Night Life

Culebra does not have a great deal of night life to speak of. Most people who visit the island are interested in peace and relaxation. Otherwise, they would have gone to San Juan. However, if you want to enjoy a night cap before turning in at your hotel or drifting to sleep under the stars on Flamenco Beach, you can find a number of excellent places to obtain alcoholic beverages. Some of the hotels also have their own bars which are available to their guests and which can be a nice place to unwind after a day at the beach or at one of the nature sanctuaries.

Culebra Hotels

While you can just spend the day on Culebra, there are also a number of Culebra hotels available if you want to spend the weekend. You can even camp for up to four months on the beach. If you don’t want to stay in one of the hotels, such as the Palmetto Guesthouse or the Mamacitas Guesthouse, you can also rent a home or a villa for a reasonable rate. If you really fall in love with the island, you can find a more long-term residence among the Harbour View Villas, a private community.

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