I love Vieques.....because

by sandra benvie
(British Columbia, Canada)

What can i say except that i have fallen in love....with the beautiful island and the laid back island life...as well as the people who live there. I went there in spring 2008 and had really no idea about Puerto Rico...a friend told me about Vieques so I thought that I would spend 2 weeks at spring break. It's not cheap to stay there....but in my opinion...definitely worth every $$$$ i spent. I am a budget traveller so budget guesthouses on Vieques run about $65-85 for a plain room with just a small bar fridge...and food is the same price as any Canadian or USA city.
That didn't stop me...i went back for 2 weeks in August...low season...very very hot...barely any tourists...and the start of hurricane season...but that didn't stop me either. I had the best time...
The beaches are amazing...and really i went there to get to know the locals not the tourists. It's very quiet there in the summer so for me that's the best time to go.
I am returning again in 2009...this time for all of July and August....who knows..maybe one day i'll live there.
The bio bay is a must do. I would recommend Island Adventures..i know the people who run it and they have good standards and are really nice. The bus will pick you up on the Malecon...they even have a good restaurant that serves Puerto Rican and Mexican food. I would also suggest investing in some good snorkeling equipment because there is no shortage of beaches to explore...there is no shopping except for 3 small grocery stores..an excellent bakery that turns into a pizzeria at nite...no laundry mat. You have to go into Isabel Segunda..about a 10 min ride...to use the laundry mat that isn't open every day..phone ahead of time.
I would recommend that you mingle with the locals and go dancing at La Nasa...a tiny outdoor shack that plays salsa and merengue on weekends...learn to dance..the locals love to teach the gringos to dance.

Vieques has been named the best island on the Caribbean...and it's no wonder!!