Vieques
Vieques is part of what are called the Spanish Virgin Islands. It is off the south-east coast of Puerto Rico and sits in-between the main island of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St Thomas, etc). Tourists and locals alike love going to Vieques both for its beaches as well as the island life. There you can find wild horses roaming! By boat, the snorkeling and beaches are amazing and there is also great fishing off the coast for the anglers.
Departure Port
Fajardo – Puerto Del Rey is the name of the marina that is the biggest and nicest in all of Puerto Rico. Most of the big boats are there. Plus, it is on the east coast of Puerto Rico which is where you want to depart from to reach other islands. There aren’t islands north of Puerto Rico and the western islands are just too far away. It is easier to drive or take a car to Fajardo from San Juan and then take a boat to the islands than it would be to take a boat to the islands all the way from San Juan.
Is this right for you?
It’ll take 45 minutes to an hour to drive to Fajardo, by car, from San Juan, about the same amount of time to get to Vieques by boat from Fajardo. It is an all-day event, but it will be one heck of a great day.
Most of the boats can accommodate up to 12 guests. That number is set by coast guard regulations, not the size of the boat. If you are more than that, you may want to consider getting two boats.
If you want to visit another island that is closer and save a little time, choose another destination . There are other great islands that are within a 15-minute boat ride from Puerto Del Rey. They aren’t Vieques but they are still great. Perhaps consider Icacos or Palomino, if this applies to you.
What is there to do there?
Vieques -
The Vieques beaches our yachts will take you to are:
Punta Arenas is quicker to reach by boat as it is on the west coast of Vieques. It is a beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, and it is less crowded than the islands closer to the main island of Puerto Rico like Icacos and Palomino. It’s a great choice if you want to go to Vieques but don’t want to spend too much time crossing the ocean to the far other side of the island.
Cayo Yayi is on the far east coast, which is further away, but it is worth the trip if you have the time for a longer day. The waters are as clear as Culebra’s and even calmer. That far east side of the island also where the U.S.A. would practice bombing runs, years ago, so the mountains behind the beaches don’t have many buildings, if at all as it is more of a bird sanctuary now. You’ll get a real sense of Caribbean nature there.
Vieques also has the Bioluminescent Bay, hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding. There are restaurants and shops as well but you will be going by private charter so anchoring off of one of the many incredible beaches and letting the crew serve you food and drinks is the way to go! Vieques has many beautiful snorkeling spots, as well.
Which hours/time frame?
You need a full day if you want to go to Vieques. A half day is not an option.
Which boats are best for this destination?
Any of the boats 30 feet and bigger can get you to Vieques.