Culebra?

April 6, 2005 10:24 AM

Has anyone vacationed in Culebra, Puerto Rico? What did you think? Thinking of going there to lay on the beach for a week; any advice would be much appreciated.
posted by _sirmissalot_ to travel & transportation (3 comments total)

Been there; loved it. It was about five years ago, however, and I'm having trouble remembering the details off the top of my head. I remember we got a bit seasick on the ferry over, so I'd recommend bringing some dramamine if you're prone to that sort of thing. We also rented bikes to get around the island, which worked out well. The snorkeling was excellent. I can't for the life of me remember where we stayed, though...I'm thinking it wasn't particularly outstanding.
posted by mr_roboto at 11:43 AM on April 6, 2005

A friend of mine wrote about his trip to Culebra on his web site.
posted by fletchmuy at 12:09 PM on April 6, 2005

I've been to Culebra twice; we hated it so much the first time we had to go back! Please don't go....

But if you still want to go to this non-tourist-y island paradise where all you can do all day is snorkel, scuba dive and lay on the beach (who wants that?), here's a few tips:

- If you are a couple, stay at a B&B with kitchen facilities. If you are 4 or more, rent a house out of town from Vacation Planners. These houses all pretty much have lovely views and cooling breezes that make A/C unnecessary.

- Fly. Over. Cheap flights are to be had from Vieques Air Link that flies out of Isla Grande (20 min taxi ride from International Airport). If you have a tight schedule, fly with Isla Nena or Air Culebra. Apparently a new fast ferry service has started up that runs from San Juan to Culebra and Vieques so that may be an option too. The public ferry from Fajardo is hard to get to, does not take reservations, does not run reliably on schedule, and can offer a rough ride (did I mention you should fly?). One option is to stay in Fajardo overnight, see the rainforest (El Yunque) and take the ferry the next day. I would still recommend flying over from Fajardo though.

- Rent a car. We rented bikes the first time and didn't get to all the beaches. The second time we rented cars and were able to spend more time on the more secluded beaches, which were our favourites. The island may be small but it's hilly, so cars (or jeeps, if you're staying at a villa off the main road) are definitely appreciated.

- Don't worry about bringing food with you as the grocery stores have everything you will need. Although we learned from experience that you should visit the grocery stores before you run out, as the shelves tend to empty out between cargo ferry runs.

- Pack essential clothing and supplies in your carry-on. Our luggage arrived late both times, and it can take a while getting it over to the island.

Beyond that, www.islaculebra.com has all the information you will ever need, including good advice in the forums.
posted by RibaldOne at 2:45 PM on April 6, 2005