About a half hour ferry ride off the east coast of Puerto Rico is the picturesque island of  Culebra. Sparsely populated and with no limit to it’s natural beauty, It is a legendary sightseeing destination, with it’s attraction of Flamenco Beach named on many traveler’s list of the Top 10 best beaches in the world.

The island of Culebra is named after a mythical dragon that was said to inhabit it in days long passed.

Culebra has a population of only a couple thousand people, mostly in the little fishing village that also contains the small airport and ferry docks. The feature destination of Culebra is Flamenco Beach, a breath-taking crescent moon beach with soft white sand that glows a faint shade of pink in the right light. A natural barrier of coral reef and rocks at the mouth of the bay keep debris and large fish, such as sharks, out of the swimming areas. Flamenco Beach was also a firing range for the United States Navy. The hulls of several burned out tanks litter the beaches and are concealed in the undergrowth behind the line of palm trees, making a truly surreal scene; Children and their parents, friends and lovers alike, walking on and laying on a beach of stunning beauty, with not a single sign of civilization anywhere around, with the exception of a couple of destroyed tanks half buried in the sand, covered in the graffiti of several generations of vacationers. Fortunately you have to actively seek them out and they don’t disturb the incredible tropical beach.

Traveling to Culebra is an easy task. If you are in the port city of Fajardo, it is only a couple of dollars for a round trip ferry ticket. The trip lasts about half an hour, and once you arrive on the island, there are many options for lodging. The more adventurous, “rough it” sorts will camp at Flamenco for a nominal fee, while those desiring more conventional lodging can check into hotels of varying quality and cleanliness. This particular writer checked into a cabana next to the airport and right on the bay, about two miles from Flamenco Beach. The small structure had one bedroom, a small living room, and a kitchenette to go with its full bathroom. Satellite television was an unused feature, but nice to have regardless, and the total cost was $70 per night. An absolute steal considering everything about the location and the quality of the environment. While the nearest place to get food and drinks was a little bit of a walk away, it was more than worth it. There was seclusion from the neighbors, very little noise aside from the occasional prop plane taking off and landing, and the setting was gorgeous.

It also just so happened to be that the nearest dining spot is a deli and bakery, making fresh Puerto Rican pastries and delicious sandwiches. Just down the road are some more conventional restaurants for the visitors, but when in Rome… or Puerto Rico…

The ferry dock has a series of outdoor shops and bars, with Puerto Rican-bottled Corona being the primary staple. As strange as it seems, Puerto Rican Corona tastes different, and better than Mexican Corona. It makes for a relaxing end to the trip, waiting for the ferry to arrive, standing in the shade, enjoying the warmth of the day, and cooling off with an ice cold lager on the island named named after a fantastical creature.
Feb 03, 2011 | 0 comments | View Post

Traveling to Culebra is an easy task. If you are in the port city of Fajardo, it is only a couple of dollars for a round trip ferry ticket. The trip lasts about half an hour, and once you arrive on the island, there are many options for lodging. The more adventurous, “rough it” sorts will camp at Flamenco for a nominal fee, while those desiring more conventional lodging can check into hotels of varying quality and cleanliness. This particular writer checked into a cabana next to the airport and right on the bay, about two miles from Flamenco Beach. The small structure had one bedroom, a small living room, and a kitchenette to go with its full bathroom. Satellite television was an unused feature, but nice to have regardless, and the total cost was $70 per night. An absolute steal considering everything about the location and the quality of the environment. While the nearest place to get food and drinks was a little bit of a walk away, it was more than worth it. There was seclusion from the neighbors, very little noise aside from the occasional prop plane taking off and landing, and the setting was gorgeous.

It also just so happened to be that the nearest dining spot is a deli and bakery, making fresh Puerto Rican pastries and delicious sandwiches. Just down the road are some more conventional restaurants for the visitors, but when in Rome… or Puerto Rico…

The ferry dock has a series of outdoor shops and bars, with Puerto Rican-bottled Corona being the primary staple. As strange as it seems, Puerto Rican Corona tastes different, and better than Mexican Corona. It makes for a relaxing end to the trip, waiting for the ferry to arrive, standing in the shade, enjoying the warmth of the day, and cooling off with an ice cold lager on the island named named after a fantastical creature.