GETTING THERE
Arriving through the San Juan,
Puerto Rico (SJU-Luis Munoz Marin Intl.) or anywhere on the main island of
Puerto Rico you will have a couple travel options.
- By ferry: Vieques Ferry Services
offers passenger and cargo services from the main island to Vieques and Culebra
islands. During my stay (late May
through mid June) I heard several complaints about the service. I witnessed several late departures from
Vieques, which resulted in a snowball effect making all other arrivals and
departures late for the remainder of the day.
I also witnessed a couple days when the ferry did not even arrive to
Vieques until late morning and early afternoon; and they give no explanation.
A couple of important factors to
remember when using the ferry
1. Local residents take priority over visitors
2. The ferry schedule is just that, a schedule;
they are known for being late, departing
early, and totally stopping service for all or part of the day
3. Use the service with an open mind and be
prepared to wait, maybe for days
- By air: There are several national airlines that will get you to and from Vieques; Cape Air, Seaborne, and Vieques Air Link (VAL) to name a few. The departure and arrival airports vary so if you don't select one that departs from SJU make sure you allow time between your flights.
I flew Seaborne directly from and
returned to SJU. It was the least
expensive, worked good with my schedule, and was easy to connect.
For my future visits, I'll again use
one of the national airlines versus the ferry.
CHALLENGES
I didn't
experience any challenges. Yes, you may
not find a particular name brand you like, but substitutes are usually
available. For instance, if you want "Dial"
soap, you may have to switch to another brand for the duration of your
visit. Bottom line, if there is
something you cannot do without, and it has to be a particular brand, bring it
with you.
COMMUNICATIONS
Cell phone; my carrier is Verizon
(US carrier) and while I was not on their primary network I did have service in
most areas. Voice communications and texting
were usually good, but sending or receiving pix or video was not
available. It was my understanding that
if you're part of a local network service provider you will have full use of
your phones capabilities.
Internet; It is available and while it's not as fast as
it is in major metropolitan areas, it is adequate for email, web searches, blogging,
and streaming audio. Streaming video is dependent
on the network you're connected too.
SAFETY and SECURITY
I did not
experience any situation where I felt uncomfortable during my visit to Vieques. As a house/pet sitter, the majority of my
nights were spent in homes versus hotels. These homes were located off the beaten path, well
outside of town, and in the mountains.
Following
is an "editorial comment" I posted on my blog concerning the internet
reviews about the crime rate; which in my opinion is overstated.
"EDITORIAL COMMENT;
for those that follow me know this is a clue that the next bit of reading is
going to be harsh, fact based as of the time I was in a place, and a little
opinionated.
The internet reporting of rampant
violence is OLD NEWS.
I've talked to at least 15 residents of Vieques, including expatriates
from the continental United States, and Puerto Ricans who have lived all or
most of their life on Vieques. Their
response to the question of violent crime has been the same. Yes, a couple two years ago, there was a
surge in crime; but that came with a surge of police from the main island. The majority of the violent crime was between
Puerto Rican drug gangs and did not involve tourists. Their violence was very "surgical"
in that measures were taken to avoid any involvement with tourists.
Since 2012 and early 2013 police
identified, apprehended, and incarcerated the criminals; returning Vieques to a
peaceful piece of paradise.
With that in mind, you, as the
tourist must be constantly aware of your surroundings. There are places in your hometown that you
would not go alone (back alleys, isolated beaches, known gang areas, etc). Equally, you would not leave your camera,
i-phone, or wallet lying around unprotected; don't be personally lazy about
your own safety here or any other place either.
Hell, if you leave a piece of luggage unattended in an airport, TSA and
police go nuts; be responsible.
I realize some of you may have been
offended by my editorial comment. But,
the bottom line is that no matter if we're at home or on vacation, we must all
take responsibility for our own actions or lack thereof. Things change as time goes on and while the
internet is great for informing us, it's often times outdated."
MY RECOMMENDATIONS ON PLACES TO SEE and
THINGS TO DO
I was
there during the slow season and still had plenty to do. The biggest attractions include water
activities.
There are
numerous beaches for almost any water-based activity you want to indulge in;
sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, etc.
If you
want to go flats fishing, contact Capt J at Vieques Sport Fishing. J is familiar with the waters around the
island and he'll have you fishing within minutes of leaving the docks.
 |
| This is my favorite; complete with a tidal pool (I don't know how to find it and I don't know the name) |
 |
| Playa Caracas |
 |
| Sun Bay |
 |
| Campsite on Esperanza bay |
 |
| Capt J, loading his crew |
If water
activities aren't to your liking, take a walk around Isabel II, Fortin Conde de
Marisol Museum. Some of the best views
on the island.
 |
| Ready, aim, WAIT, don't fire |
MY RECOMMENDATIONS ON PLACES TO STAY
Esperanza Inn; Lisa and J are
great people and take pride in making sure your visit with them is a good
one.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS ON PLACES TO EAT
and DRINK
Bananas in Esperanza; Kelly and chef Kurt
(her husband) have great food to go with their great location. Enjoying your meal and cocktails, you'll
enjoy the ocean view and breezes as well as having a front-row seat on the
maleon.
Belly
Buttons in Esperanza; Brian makes a great rack of bar-b-qued ribs from
Friday-Sunday.
Lazy Jacks
in Esperanza; this is one of the happening places in Esperanza. The pizza is good (only thing I ate there)
and drinks are good.
Coqui Fire Cafe in Isabel II; In
addition to being a cafe, they make their own sauces that are available for
purchase.
It's one
of the only places reservations are recommended and after eating there I now
know why. The food is excellent, the
servers are friendly and knowledgeable, and you usually have enough left to
take home for lunch and/or dinner the next day.
El Cayo
Blanco in Isabel II; GREAT tacos, cold beer, and friendly service
El Yates
in Isabel II; if you're looking for an enchiladas this is the place to go.
Until next time.
Safe Travels
Mike
No comments:
Post a Comment