City: Isla de Vieques
Top Things to do in Isla de Vieques
Top Restaurants in Isla de Vieques
The 10 Best Things to do in Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico
The glowing Mosquito Bay is a vision of bizarre beauty. Thanks to a bioluminescent microorganism, the water is a cool electric blue, looking somewhat like a fantastical sci-fi lagoon. Kayak or hop into a clear-bottomed pontoon boat to glide along the neon waters. Swimmers and snorkelers will adore the pristine, undeveloped beaches. Keep an eye out for the playful feral horses that gallop along the dunes, or visit the stately ceiba tree that’s been keeping watch over the highland for three centuries.
Restaurants in Isla de Vieques
1. Playa La Chiva
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 791 reviews
Vieques National Wildlife Refuge and all visitor facilities is closed due to impacts from Hurricane Irma. Refuge closures include all hiking trails, boat ramps, fishing access, and other recreational use on refuge lands. The closure remains in effect until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assesses storm damage and has determined it is safe for visitor access.
Reviewed By AndreaxLondono
So calm and secluded, very beautiful. The water is very shallow, and you can swim to another small island on the coast!
2. Media Luna Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 205 reviews
This appropriately-named beach, curving like a half moon, is shallow enough to walk out 40 feet.
Reviewed By reedmangreg - Chicago, United States
I am still laughing at my "revelation" I had in the water telling my wife after I notice the curvature of the shoreline at MLB and finally realizing that Media Lunch means Half Moon :) for a non Spanish speaker it's somewhat difficult to remember but almost every island we visited in Caribbean has a beach called Half Moon and that somewhat sticks with me easier (even though English isn't my 1st language either) Nevertheless, it's the HALF MOON shape of this beach that creates perfect conditions for very calm, shallow and peaceful waters. Super pretty and relaxing. Not too much shade so make sure to bring an umbrella with you and beach chairs as this is more of a "wild" beach as compared to say Caracas Beach (another beauty). No food vendors, bathrooms etc. here either so plan accordingly. To arrive at Media Luna you actually need to enter the main gate right past Esperanza welcome sign going east; pay $4 per car and drive through the green park (where lots of horses roam around, super pretty drive) and then go through the sandy road on Sun Bay Beach to arrive at the dirt road intersection - the left turn first and then right turn (on google maps it shows right turn first to Playa Media Luna but that is not correct, the Media Luna Beach is the one you want to go for per maps info). TIP: regular car is fine just slow down, even on the Sun Bay Beach sandy road there are a lot of deeper holes so you don't want to damage the car - no SUV or 4x4 needed, you will be perfectly fine
3. Bioluminescent Mosquito Bay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,658 reviews
Reviewed By Vacationer76201 - Napa, United States
I've taken numerous Bio Bay trips over the years and each has been wonderful; this year we went on the clear kayaks and it was the best yet as you can see the fireworks directly below you. Go when there is little moonlight. The moon rises 50 minutes later each day, so viewing is good to excellent starting 3 or 4 days after the full moon up until the last few days before the next full moon. BTW: streetlights on the south side of the island are being replaced w/ red lights to help nesting turtles and also benefits Bio Bay.
4. Balneario Sun Bay
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 770 reviews
If paradise had palm trees...they'd call it Sun Bay.
Reviewed By IslandManRides - Fort Myers, United States
This long Beach is perfect for just about any purpose. Families spending the day having a BBQ, groups of friends dancing to their music, couples chilling, or solos taking a stroll. And, bring your dog.
5. Vieques National Wildlife Refuge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 165 reviews
Much of the land on this new wildlife reserve was once a naval bombing range.
Reviewed By Kathyindenver - Denver, United States
No wonder they only rent SUV 4WD vehicles! Tense driving: he dirt roads need many repairs due to gigantic potholes. We drove 15 mph most of the time. But the beaches! Wow! Thank you, US Military, for rehabilitating this beautiful area!! Find your favorite private beach on the E. side, and snorkeling on the W side. Recommended!
6. Caracas Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 903 reviews
Reviewed By laborman1 - Wynnewood, United States
My wife and I tried to check out as many of the beaches as we could during our week on Vieques. Caracas is the first one off the road on the eastern portion of the national wildlife refuge. Most of those beaches require longer rides on terribly rutted roads and have no facilities of any kind, often with very limited parking to boot. Caracas is more accessible, requiring less time being jostled in your jeep or cart. There is adequate parking, some covered pavilions, and a composting toilet outhouse. At the same time it is a wide, attractive beach with beautiful water for swimming, including for families with young children or seniors. For these reasons my wife and I ended up returning to this beach several times during our trip.
7. Mosquito Pier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 259 reviews
Reviewed By Jamoof - Wilbraham, United States
Snorkeling under the pier is great, but creepy for some! There is a breakwater which keeps the waves down. The water is 40 feet deep there, and on a good day you can see clearly to the bottom. Every time I have gone there I have seen at least 3 or 4 turtles. Just be patient and keep moving around. If there are fisherman on the pier with lines in the water it's really no big deal at all- they are generally off the very far end. Lots of fish, especially near the outer end. The way to access it: there is a wide-open gate you drive through about 50? yards from where the pier starts. Stop here and park. There is a set of concrete stairs off of the left (west) side leading down into the water. It's about a 50 yard swim out to the pier. If you're squeamish about going it alone, call one of the snorkeling outfits on the island to guide you. I can recommend one if you contact me. Enjoy!
8. Vieques Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 170 reviews
Reviewed By E2900KWmichaeld
Vieques is open enough to enjoy it. Getting to the island via the ferry is not a guarantee, as local government policy has been restricting access to residents only. Though, while I was there this past week, I did hear of some tourists being able to get on the boat. I opted for the 10 minute flight from Ceiba ($4) and then getting back took the 28 minute flight to San Juan's municipal airport ($85), both on Vieques Air Link. Keep in mind these are little 6 passenger airplanes, so your baggage may have limitations. As I was solo on this 5 day trip, and Vieques is so kicked back, I didn't pack much. Depending on where you stay, most rentals offer access to a washing machine and dryer. So, the next question is where to stay. That depends on your preferences and budget. As this was a real estate scouting trip for me, I chose to use the services of the Bravos Boyz. They offer not only real estate services, they also offer some very nice rentals, with a big range in prices. They also offer rental cars and airport pick up services. But, there are a ton of other options as well. The typical online sites will give you an abundance of offerings, and at present, the island is hungry for business. So, don't be timid and trying to negotiate rates. As for the restaurants, many of them are open... enough for a diversity of selection. More are opening on a regular basis, so check the individual websites to see their status. I repeated a couple visits to Bananas in Esperanza for lunch and dinner. And, Saint Voodoo in Isabela for a burger with music and drinks. Both were managing the virus protocols quite nicely and reasonable. I thought Lazy Jacks was a little over the top with the roped off entrance and plastic partitions between the seats... but they are doing what they can to stay open. All of the beaches are open! The beaches are by far the major attraction for this island. The water quality was perfect and even on Sunday (family day) the beaches were not overly crowded. Now is a great time to visit. So, the one thing all new visitors must pay attention to while driving on the island are the free walking horses and dogs. While they are visible during the day, at night not so much. PLEASE, be careful and attentive while driving on the island. Bottom line, the island is mostly open, is beautiful, and the people are friendly and welcoming. If you want to go to Vieques, then by all means do it. I'll be back, perhaps forever...
9. Green Beach
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 309 reviews
Located at the far western end of Puerto Rico, this narrow beach gets high ratings for diving the offshore reef in 10 to 30 feet of water, which features sloping valleys and huge coral.
Reviewed By lakesOminn - Elm Grove, United States
This was out last beach to try out because it opened the day before we left after being closed for an entire year! We got so lucky... as this is my favorite beach for off-shore snorkeling and beautiful caramel sand, multiple shades of blue, fantastic view of the main island of Puerto Rico, and big boats in the distance. We went on a snorkeling tour here with Sarah from Crystal Clear Vieques... which I HIGHLY recommend and was a big highlight of our trip. After the tour, though, my family had a picnic lunch on the beach, relaxed and then went back out and snorkeled on our own. There were quite a few large boats that came over from Puerto Rico that had loud music and LOTS of people.... they anchored away from where we were so it wasn't worth leaving, but this was the least "private" beach of Vieques for this reason. Also, lots of police boats and jet ski activity as well. Maybe it was because I am so used to the white sandy beaches of Florida's gulf coast, but I LOVED the perfectly coarse, soft, golden sand here! My little one built and built sand creations with it, so she loved it as well! And my teens buried their feet in it while the sat in their beach chairs. The water was so Caribbean blue and had a very lush backdrop of palm trees and other greenery. It was worth the trip out there!
10. Black Sand Beach
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 359 reviews
Reviewed By docjoshswife - Overland Park, United States
Bit of a hike, so come prepared to walk a bit. Beautiful hidden beach with horses on the path on the way. Also found a little crab pool just before the beach which was fun to view with my kids.
