Located just 7 miles off the coast of mainland Puerto Rico, Vieques Island continues to attract and impress visitors from all over the world. Accessible by plane or more commonly via a 35 minute ferry from the town of Ceiba, I first traveled to Vieques Island in the winter of 2022 with a group of 6 friends. We had a blast exploring the island over the course of four days and I would be honored to share my top Vieques Island Do’s and Don’ts for when you choose to call Vieques your next adventure destination!
Top 5 Must DO Activities
DO rent UTVs to travel around the island
Utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) offer a unique and enjoyable way to explore the island. Many of the roads on Vieques are rocky and rough. To avoid confrontation with this unforgiving terrain, a UTV or some vehicle with high clearance is necessary. There are several local rental companies. I used Vieques UTV Rental and I would recommend others rent from this company as well. Although UTVs are certainly slower than a Jeep or truck (and this should be factored into your decision making when planning your day), the benefits of slowing down your pace to better appreciate the sights and culture in my opinion is well worth it. You also get a nice breeze, decent tan, and it’s super fun! We spent $592 to rent two 4-person UTVs for 3 days each.
DO enjoy an unforgettable experience at Mosquito bioluminescent bay
Mosquito bioluminescent bay on Vieques Island is considered the brightest in the world. The magic is made by innumerable microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates which, when agitated, briefly emit an enchanting blue green light. The attraction is accessible through several local companies. I first experienced the bay via a night kayaking trip from Esperanza. A dark night is essential to best experience this phenomenon. It is best to schedule on or near a New Moon.
DO watch the sunset and get dinner in Esperanza
Vieques island contains two main towns, Isabel Segunda and Esperanza. Isabel Segunda is the main town as you enter the island via ferry on the north side of the island. Esperanza inhabits the southern end and is a short 15 drive from Isabel Segunda. The main coastal strip of Esperanza (along Calle Flamboyan) hosts an assortment of bars and restaurants and provides a picturesque view for Caribbean sunsets. My favorite restaurant was Bananas Beach Bar and Grill for it’s diverse menu and quick service. A tasty more upscale meal can be found at La Placita, located within the historic Bloc hotel. This region also serves as a launching point for many of the famed Mosquito Bay night tours.
DO go beach hopping
Beach hopping offers the opportunity to explore the island while enjoying some of the finest beaches in the Caribbean. Vieques island impresses travelers year after year with its great diversity of beaches. I consider the black sand beach a must see. It offers a cool short hike to the water, beautiful sunsets, and of course, black sand. Sea glass beach warrants a quick stop to marvel at the assortment of colors and sheer volume of sea glass. It is also located just a 4 minute drive from the ferry terminal in Isabel Segunda making it a quick and easy stop on your itinerary. Although the island boasts countless other unique options, the more traditional beach goer will be content to spend their afternoon at Sunbay Beach, Esperanza Beach, or Gringo Beach. Snorkeling is also a common beach activity especially near Mosquito Pier.
DO check out the islands oldest Ceiba tree while visiting Mosquito Pier
Originally constructed as a seawall intended to stretch from Vieques island to mainland Puerto Rico, Mosquito Pier is an over 1 mile mainly driveable (but also walkable) concrete construction stretching out into the Caribbean. Fish and other marine life can be found in abundance along this rocky sea wall and is a favorite location for snorkelers. Equally as impressive stands the giant Ceiba tree located near the entrance of the pier. This Ceiba tree is housed within a small park where you will frequently find wild horses grazing and can take advantage of a small, free, outdoor gym as well!
Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid
DON'T plan your bioluminescent bay tour during a full moon
Mosquito bioluminescent bay glows brighter than any in the world… except when the moon is full. I had the misfortune of attending my first night kayak tour of the bay on a cloudless night the day after a full moon. Regrettably, a bright moon ruins this marvel. The crew improvised, providing tarps which we pulled over our heads to block the light; however, the charade overall became more comical than impressive and you really need to plan your visit to Vieques around the moon cycle if you consider this experience a must.
CLICK ABOVE IMAGE FOR VIDEO
CLICK ABOVE IMAGE FOR VIDEO
DON'T rely strictly on google maps for directions
Vieques island possesses several relatively well maintained main roads such as route 200, route 201, and route 997. I soon learned that many of the other routes suggested by google maps, apple maps, and even provided on the discovery map were quite treacherous and sometimes quite literally not public roads at all. On one particular trek from our Airbnb north of Isabel Segunda towards the beaches on the southeast portion of the island, google maps led us on to several overgrown dead end roads, one of which terminated in a private driveway. A word of advice would be to stay on the main roads as much as possible, even if the route seems slightly longer. You will likely save a lot of headache and not get regularly barked at by guard dogs as you back out of private driveways.
DON'T be late for your ferry back to the mainland
I was familiar with “island time” from my frequent travels to the Dominican Republic with the Daemen College Students Without Borders medical mission trips. Our guide would frequently joke that time was all relative and we should anticipate that he would be “on dominican time” which meant a little late to everything. I read online that the ferries between Vieques and Ceiba rarely left on time, but that was not my experience. On my first trip to Vieques island, the outboard ferry left perfectly on time and the return ferry to Ceiba left approximately 10 minutes early (I still wonder if we left anyone). Sound advice would be to not anticipate delays, and show up a little early.
CLICK ABOVE IMAGE FOR VIDEO
DON'T run out of gas. The island has two gas stations
Vieques island offers a wealth of unique and interesting locations to explore. To fully appreciate the island, you will inevitably be traveling all around the island and occasionally get lost. Although not a particularly large island, three people in our group found ourselves in the preciment of being far on the west coast of the island with a dwindling supply of gas in the UTV. At the time of this post, Vieques contains only two gas stations, both of which are located on route 200 less than 1 mile apart. Don’t cut your day short because your UTV is running out of gas. Plan ahead and fill up before you head out.
DON'T be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and explore!
Travelers find the island of Vieques a safe and navigable location to explore at leisure. As a territory of the US, I was able to use my normal Verizon plan and was impressed that most of the Island provided suitable cell coverage. Our group of 6 always felt safe and comfortable driving our UTVs throughout the island both night and day. The main language of the island is Spanish but we found English spoken ubiquitously and did not have trouble communicating and interacting with the friendly locals. Vieques provides a great opportunity to enjoy and immerse yourself in another culture. You will not be disappointed with your adventure!
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