Planning Your Time on Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, and it has been a long, hard slog to build back to where it was—and it’s still not 100 percent there. Living on Vieques isn’t easy, but residents depend on the tourist trade, so hotels and restaurants are back in business, and the beaches are as gorgeous as ever. Despite all it’s been through, Vieques retains the charm of a sleepy little island where life moves at a snail’s pace, cats and horses wander the island freely, and the only alarm clock you need is the crow of the roosters that run the place.
Just 21 miles long and 5 miles wide, Vieques is a natural wonderland. It is rimmed with wilderness beaches, untouched by commercial development, and bordered by coral reefs that teem with undersea life. Amid the island’s mangrove forests is Mosquito Bay, one of the world’s most spectacular bioluminescent bays. No visit to Vieques would be complete without a nighttime boat ride through luminescent blue waters. Inland Vieques is thickly forested hills and arid stretches of desert-like land. Bats are the only mammal native to Vieques, but other wildlife commonly found includes geckos, iguanas, frogs, pelicans, gulls, egrets, herons, doves, and horses, of course. Horses are a common mode of transportation in Vieques, and they can be seen following the same traffic laws as automobiles, stopping at four-way stops and so on. But they also graze and roam freely. The waters around the island are home to several endangered species, including the manatee and a variety of sea turtles, which nest on the beaches at night. About 60 percent of the island once belonged to the U.S. Navy, which used it for a training base. The Navy left in 2003, and the land was converted into a protected wildlife sanctuary–Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre de Vieques—managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Some of the island’s most beautiful wilderness beaches are located here.
There are two primary communities on Vieques. On the north coast is Isabel Segunda, aka Isabel II, a traditional Puerto Rican town with a central plaza, an alcaldía (town hall), a post office, a grocery store, and a couple of banks and gas stations. It is also where the ferry from Ceiba docks. There are a few shops, restaurants, and hotels here that cater to visitors, but Isabel Segunda is primarily a town where the island’s residents conduct their daily business.
On the south coast is Esperanza, a funky, bohemian enclave of residential homes, guesthouses, restaurants, and bars where tourists gravitate. It is home to Sun Bay, one of the most gorgeous publicly maintained beaches in all of Puerto Rico. The main hub of Esperanza is along the oceanfront stretch of Calle Flamboyán, distinguished by the picturesque malecón, a boardwalk with balustrades, benches, and pavilions. From here you can also see Cayo Afuera, a small islet within spitting distance that has excellent snorkeling on its western side. On the opposite side of the street is an inviting array of casual open-air bars and restaurants that overlook the water and grow lively with tourists and locals as sundown approaches. There are also a handful of boutiques and a couple of guesthouses in the area, as well as the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust, a modest institution but a great source of information on the island. There are a few things travelers should know when visiting Vieques. The island has one of the highest unemployment rates in the United States, and petty theft from parked cars is a problem. When in town, visitors are encouraged to keep their cars locked at all times and never leave anything visible inside. The greatest threat of car break-ins is at the beach. Always park your car as close to you as possible–preferably away from any bushes and within sight range.
There is a rustic quality to life here. Restaurants tend to be open-air, even nice ones, so don’t expect a respite from the heat and humidity at dinner. When using public facilities, plumbing issues require toilet paper be disposed of in trash receptacles instead of flushed, which can make for an odorous experience during the heat of the day. And if you think restaurant service is slow on the main island of Puerto Rico, you haven’t seen anything yet. Many businesses close or curtail hours during low season. Just when “low season” occurs can be a topic of debate. To be safe, assume it’s anything that isn’t high season, which everyone seems to agree is mid-November through April. In fact, assume all hours of operation are more suggestions than fact. The secret to enjoying Vieques is to chill out and let things unfold in their own way and time.
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