An island just off the eastern coast, Vieques (along with its smaller and even quieter neighbor, Culebra) has lovely, uncrowded, palm-lined beaches. The island has little commercial development, but it is a hot spot for real estate. It's perfect for those who just want a relaxing beach experience. Visitors looking for a tranquil vacation without sacrificing full-service hotel amenities stay at the Martineau Bay Resort & Spa. But there are many other smaller places for accommodations on the island; most people stay in guesthouses or in the parador near Sun Bay Beach.
Some of the best beaches are Sun Bay and the more secluded Media Luna and Navio. Don't miss a visit to Mosquito Bay at night (boats depart from the town of
Esperanza). The marine plankton in the water glow when disturbed. The effect is especially eerie on a moonless night. Swimming there is a magical experience. (The luminescence is much more spectacular than at the over-visited Phosphorescent Bay in
La Parquera on the southwest coast.)
Other sights on the island include a lighthouse and a fort—Spain's final military building effort in the New World—in the old port town of Isabel Segunda. Vieques can be reached by air from Isla Grande, San Juan or Fajardo, and there is also ferry service from San Juan aboard the Island Hi-Speed Ferry or on a public ferry from Fajardo.
Vieques residents had been confronting a difficult social and political situation since the late 1990s. After a Marine fighter jet accidentally killed and injured civilians during a routine target practice in 1998, the residents mounted a protest against the Navy's military exercises. Many religious and community organizations as well as celebrities and politicians joined the fight. The U.S. government discontinued the military activity on Vieques in 2003. 7 mi/11 km off the east coast of Puerto Rico.
