Culebra

Since I have been to Vieques, an island not far from Culebra, I would love to visit this island to see the cultural differences.  Culebra is around 7 miles wide and five miles long.  It had much of the same history as Vieques with the Navy.  The island is a municipality of Puerto Rico so there is no need for Americans to have a passport.  The population of this island is around 2,000.  The picture on the left is of an abandoned Navy tank on Flamenco Beach. 


Where to Stay:  There is not as big of a selection to choose from because this is such a small island.  If you plan on going here to vacation, I would make sure to plan ahead and have a place lined out.  Generally, I promote HomeAway.  You can let them filter a place by how much you are willing to pay per week and by how many people are staying with you.  On TripAdvisor, there are a few clubhouses and apartments for rent as well. 



Beaches:  Flamenco Beach is the most popular beach on Culebra and is pictured in the above picture.  It is picturesque and is one of the best beaches as voted by Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine when it was in production.  Malena is on the Reserve and is much quieter than Flamenco, but is still gorgeous (what beach isn't, though?).  Another beach worth mentioning is Melones.  This beach is known for its good snorkeling. 

What to do:  Go to the different beaches.  That's a given!  There is turtle viewing because they nest on the beaches.  There is great snorkeling and businesses that offer tours.  There is shopping, which is something I always look forward to.  On Culebra, there are many artisans making their way by selling their wares.  It would be a good opportunity to bring home something different and authentic. There is the Museum of History that would be neat to check out if that's your thing.  TripAdvisor mentions that one of the top things to do is take a quick day trip to the island of Culebrita to see the lighthouse and snorkel.  It does mention that this is an all day thing, it is quite a long hike to the lighthouse and it can be costly. 

How to get there:  The majority of Americans fly into San Juan and then take a smaller airplane over.  The carriers that fly to Culebra include Air Flamenco, Vieques Air Link, Cape Air (we flew to Vieques with them), and Isla Nena.  There is also a ferry that runs from San Juan to Culebra.  I will give a strong caution about this.  First of all, the schedule is sketchy.  I have seen many sights that have had issues with them cancelling or not going at all on certain days.  Another issue is that the ferry is about an hour or more from the San Juan airport.  So, by the time you pay a taxi and the ferry, you could have just flown for a bit more cash.  Much less stressful, in my opinion.  I will give a tip about Cape Air.  As of now, there is no fee for baggage.  We paid for our luggage on the way there because we flew into San Juan with United; however, on the way home, Cape Air checked our bags through to Indianapolis and it didn't cost us a dime.  Pretty sweet deal if you ask me!


Please comment any tips and hints about this island if you have been there!  I originally planned on St. Martin and Dominica next February or Antigua and Dominica, but this little island is gaining ground on my radar! 

XOXO...Becky

Our Departure for Vieques

February 6th, 2016

Brad and I on the plane to San Juan

                       

Brad enjoying the in flight movies 

     We had been looking forward to this trip for FOREVER it seemed.  We haven't had a vacation without kids for quite a few years.  Life just got too busy!!!  The day was finally here and we had only gotten a few hours of sleep.  We left the house around 1:45 am to head to Indianapolis.  I live in Illinois so I am an hour behind Indiana.  We met our friends at a McDonald's on the way there and had a quick bite to eat then we were on our way.  I recommend Fastpark in Indy. It's only $7.27 per day, picks you up, gets your luggage for you, and gets you when you get back home. Once at the parking lot, we got into a shuttle and made our way to the airport.  I payed for our luggage at the kiosk and then got into the  line to get our boarding passes and give up our checked bags.  We had two. I am going to do a write up about how to decrease the amount of luggage eventually. I'm terrible about packing, so more on that later.   Going through TSA is always stressful to me.  I'm a worry wart that stresses over stupid shit, I guess.  We passed with flying colors :)  We had a layover in Charolette and the flight was only and hour and a half long.  We had a quick drink and a snack at the United Club at Charlotte.   If you have a little extra cash, I suggest getting a one day pass for the lounges. They have lots of nice seating, clean restrooms, wifi, FREE drinks (even alcohol), snacks and anything else you may need. It probably saves money in the long run. Now on to San Juan! This flight was well over three hours long. I was not impressed with American Airlines.  The flight was long (that can't be helped), the plane was hot, the windows were dirty, little flies were buzzing around, and they only came around once for a drink.  On the way home, our United Airline attendants came around at least four times with drinks of water and to check on us.  Much better service, if you ask me. The United planes were also much cleaner.  Once in San Juan, things got tricky.  We had to pick up our checked bags, make our way to the Cape Air counter, which was clear across the airport, then get new boarding passes and check our baggage.  Then it was back through TSA for another screening.  Finally, after we got through all of that, it was almost time to board.  We did manage to grab a quick drink and a sandwhich at Margaritaville, though!  Now comes the fun part....

      Cape Air has to have the weight of everything going on board.  Their planes are 6 seaters and it's very important for the information to be accurate.  They weigh the person and every piece of personal items that will be on the plane.  I was really getting nervous when it was close to boarding time.  The plane was so little yet so intimidating!  When we were boarding, the Pilot asked me to be Co-Pilot!  How could I turn this down?!?  After take off and my nerves settling, it was actually an awesome experience.  I got to really see the land from an amazing vantage point.  I could see the reefs, the rain moving in over San Juan, and the boats scooting across the ocean.  My nerves completely settled...until it was time to land...This got a little hairy.  I could feel palpitations and I was really scared shitless to be honest!  The Pilot landed the plane very smooth and easy, which was totally unexpected.  Overall, it was a neat experience.  

You have to get a selfie with the Pilot, of course! He was great!

      One good thing about Cape Air is that they do not charge for baggage.  This is a major plus!!! Cape air doesn't charge, so on the way home we paid zero for luggage! Ha!!

When we got inside the airport, it was time to grab our luggage and then go get the Jeep!  While Brad took care of the Jeep, I hung out at the bar and sipped on my first island margarita with Lorrie!  By the time we got to the condo it was time for bed and to freshen up for our first day on the island!!!

XOXO...Becky

P.S.  Our Condo...Here is the link to Beso Del Caribe
https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p259056