Vieques Journals

Vignettes of Vieques

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A May 2005 trip to Vieques by ext212

Casa Ladera Photo - Casa Ladera, Vieques, Puerto Rico

Quote: I wanted to get away from New York City and head to the beach. We hesitated about going to Puerto Rico because we've already been to Culebra, but the short flight and the 85-degree F weather forecast made us visit Vieques.

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Vignettes of Vieques

Overview

Quote:

I wanted to get away from New York City and head to the beach for a few days. We hesitated about going to Puerto Rico because it has only been 4 years since we vacationed in the tiny island of Culebra, but the quick 5-hour jaunt, 85-degree F weather forecast and a homey place to stay like Casa Ladera all convinced us that we should fly to San Juan and then take a small plane to Vieques, another island a few miles southeast of the mainland.

Just only 2 years ago, the US Navy stopped its bombing tests and military practice on Vieques after 60 years. The US bought the island in the 1940s, and many families who depended on the agricultural land were forced out to make way for military exercises. There were plenty of protests throughout the years, but it was not until a security guard was killed by a bombing accident in 1999 that the popular resistance began to have a lasting effect.

The island is currently enjoying a flush of tourists and new accommodation choices, but with only a population of fewer than 10,000, it’s still easy to find a beach and feel like you’re the only one there. My favorite was Navio Beach, where I had to walk about half a mile to borrow a beer bottle opener from the closest person to me.

In terms of food, we took advantage of our complete kitchen setup in Casa Ladera to avoid eating rice and beans during our entire stay, but Café Media Luna impressed us with their lamb chops offering and delicious cod. "The best restaurant on the island" proved to be, well, the best restaurant on the island.

Quick Tips:

We missed the biggest attraction on Vieques, the Bioluminescent Bay, because the moon was out and bright while we were on the island. With the millions of planktons living in the bay, I could only imagine how amazing it might have been if we did witness the natural glow of Mother Nature while on a kayak silently floating on the water. Call one of the tour operators ahead of time when you get the chance to visit.

You can get to Vieques via ferry. From San Juan, take a 2-hour cab to Fajardo and catch the ferry to Vieques. If you only have a few days to spare, like I did, and don’t want to spend a few hours on a ferry, make arrangements early and fly to San Juan by noon. I booked a flight with M&N Aviation (877-622-5566) a couple of weeks before I left New York City, and the 1pm flight from San Juan to Vieques took less than 20 minutes.

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is absolutely necessary while on the island. If you stay at Casa Ladera, you can also rent one of their cars to use during your stay. You can also get around using a moped, but when we were there, the sun was so striking that all I wanted was an air-conditioned car before heading to the beach. Read Less

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Casa Ladera

Hotel

Quote:

Casa Ladera Email: jen@casa-ladera.com Phone: 917/570-7558 www.casa-ladera.com Casa Ladera is a rental villa that sits on the north coast of Vieques with a view of Monte Santo beach. We stayed in the two-bedroom casita right next to the main building, which also has two more two-bedroom suites. The casita is separate from the main house and complete with a nice bathroom and fully-equipped kitchen. It is painted tropical blue outside and a calming salmon color inside. The doors in the living room open up to the patio so you can see the garden...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 24, 2005

Casa Ladera
Monte Santo Playa
Vieques, Puerto Rico
(917) 570-7558

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Cafe Media Luna

Restaurant

Quote:

Café Media Luna 351 Antonio G Mellado Street Phone: 787/741.2594 Prices are steep in Café Media Luna compared to the rice-and-beans shack down the street, so we were a bit skeptical when we were told that Café Media Luna is the best restaurant in Vieques. Most of the ingredients that make up the menu are shipped from either the city of San Juan or from the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands, but we never thought we would see lamb chops as one of our choices for dinner. When we made a reservation two days before we left New York City, we were told that there is no corkage fee if we decide to bring our own bottle of wine. We brought one of the two b...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 24, 2005

Cafe Media Luna
351 Antonio G Mellado Street
Vieques, Puerto Rico
787/741.2594

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Navio Beach

Attraction

Quote:

Navio Beach is supposed to attract the surfers because it offers the fiercest waves in Vieques, but we found it to be the most isolated at the end of May. We had to walk through a clearing to get to the beach, but as soon as we parked our car, we were rewarded with the most serene view. Once on the beach, there was no shade to protect us from the glaring sun, but I still situated myself close to the water, equipped with a book, a camera, a towel, and a cold bottle of Sapporo, without any intentions of moving. But wait, where was my bottle opener? I walked back to the car to get my boyfriend—now trying to nurse his burnt shoulders—to open my beer with his lighter, but to no avail. I was then forced to ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 24, 2005

Navio Beach

Vieques, Puerto Rico

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Red & Blue Beaches

Attraction | "Red & Blue Beaches"

Quote:

We went to Red Beach, or Playa del Corcho, two times while we were in Vieques because it was the only beach with several gazebos to let us have a proper lunch. The sun was so intense throughout our stay in Vieques that any bit of shade we could get while on the beach was much appreciated. Red Beach is more of a family beach because of the facilities, and we watched as the locals and other tourists set up barbeque grills and picnics. We were even approached by young guys asking us to place pizza orders to be delivered on the beach from their restaurant. We did not mind the family and party vibe, but there were times when we just wanted to be alone and call the beach our own. We drove...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on June 24, 2005

Red & Blue Beaches
South Coast, Inside Garcia Gate
Vieques, Puerto Rico