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Planning a day journey to Culebra takes a little bit of preparation however it’s positively do-able from San Juan. You’ll have to stand up early with a view to catch a flight or take the ferry, however you’ll have loads of time to make amends for sleep when you’re laying on the seashore.
Lying 20 miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico, Culebra is a fantastic, low-key island surrounded by over 20 cays. The island is a haven for seashore lovers, boasting lovely white mangrove forests, sandy seashores, turquoise blue waters and luxurious surroundings.
From round 1901 till 1976 Culebra was occupied by the U.S Navy and the Flamenco Peninsula was used for gunnery and bombing apply. The #1 attraction in Culebra is Flamenco Beach, the place you’ll be able to see tanks left there by the navy.
Today Culebra is extraordinarily fashionable for day journeys and snorkeling excursions and is taken into account probably the greatest locations to go to in Puerto Rico. If you’ve got greater than 3 days in Puerto Rico, be sure you add it to your itinerary.
How to Get to Culebra from San Juan
By Ferry
The Culebra ferry departs from Ceiba ferry terminal, which is on the east coast of the island close to Fajardo. The finest solution to get there’s to lease a automobile from San Juan – I like to recommend checking costs utilizing Priceline, Rentalcars.com or Discover Cars.
Aim to select up your automobile the evening earlier than, because you’ll have to depart fairly early within the morning in your day journey to Culebra. The first ferry departs at round 3.30am after which there are ferries all through the morning round 6am, 6.30, 7.30 and 9am. The earlier the higher, because you’ll have extra time on the island. Make positive you test the ferry schedules for up-to-date occasions, as they fluctuate in keeping with the seasons.
Tickets for the ferry value $2.25 every method, which is a steal! The journey takes round 45 minutes for the passenger ferry and round 1.5 hours for the passenger + cargo ferry, so goal to take the passenger ferry should you can.
Make positive you buy your tickets on-line right here a few weeks prematurely, as they promote out shortly. The web site will say there’s tickets accessible on the field workplace, however desire for these is given to residents and so they are inclined to promote out. It could be unlucky should you went all the way in which to the ferry terminal solely to seek out the tickets are offered out!
Check out my Culebra ferry information for detailed info on reserving tickets, parking and what to anticipate.
There’s parking accessible on the ferry terminal, which prices $11 per day. Make positive you convey money! Rental automobiles aren’t allowed on the cargo ferry, so that you’ll have to depart your automobile in Ceiba and choose it up while you get again.
If you don’t need to drive to the ferry terminal, there are non-public automobile companies that can take you to Ceiba. They’re costly although, so it’s usually cheaper to lease a automobile from San Juan airport or Isla Verde.
The drive from San Juan to Ceiba can take anyplace from 1 hour to 1 hour 45 minutes relying on visitors, time of day and which street you are taking. The toll street is the quickest, however you’ll be able to’t pay tolls in money so your rental automobile firm gives you the choice to pay a each day charge for tolls. You can refuse the toll choice, however should you do drive on a toll street, you’ll pay a penalty charge for every toll violation while you return the automobile.
If you don’t need to pay for tolls, keep away from PR-66 and journey solely on PR-3.
By Plane
The quickest solution to get to Culebra is by taking a small aircraft. It’s attainable to fly direct from San Juan to Culebra with Cape Air, or from Ceiba to Culebra with Air Flamenco. Due to the quick runway in Culebra, the planes are small propeller plane, so should you’re apprehensive in regards to the security of small plane, you might choose to take the ferry. That being mentioned, there have been no aircraft crashes on the Culebra route with both airline.
Expect to pay round $200 round-trip from San Juan, or round $90-$120 round-trip from Ceiba.
If you’re flying from Ceiba, you’ll have to lease a automobile and drive or ebook a automobile service from San Juan. The airport is named José Aponte Hernández Airport and is located near the Ceiba ferry terminal.
When you land in Culebra you’ll arrive at Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport, the place you’ll discover taxis ready outdoors the terminal.
Getting Around Culebra
Once you arrive in Culebra you’ll discover taxis ready on the ferry terminal and on the airport that take guests to Flamenco Beach.
From the ferry to Flamenco Beach, the taxi prices $20 and seats 4 folks. The taxis could be shared, so my buddy and I have been paired up with two different ladies and whisked to Flamenco Beach for $5 per particular person. If you’ll be able to’t see a taxi ready, name one of many following corporations:
If you intend on spending only a day in Culebra, then it’s best to simply get round by taxi. However, you too can drive your self round by reserving a golf cart or Jeep rental. The corporations normally supply free pickups from the ferry terminal and airport. Check out these web sites for leases:
Beaches & Things to Do in Culebra
OK, so now you’ve made it to Culebra! Most guests head straight to Flamenco Beach, which is voted probably the greatest seashores on this planet. We spent our whole day right here simply absorbing the solar, consuming pina coladas and consuming seashore snacks. However, there are additionally another nice seashores on the island that you could be need to take a look at.
Flamenco Beach
Nestled on the north coast of the island, Flamenco Beach is voted one of many world’s finest seashores and is known for its painted tank.
Here you’ll discover an expansive stretch of white sand with turquoise blue water, backed by lush greenery. If you stroll west alongside the seashore you’ll come throughout the tank – a rusty relic left over by the U.S navy. The tank is rotting within the ocean, however it’s frequently painted in shiny graffiti and is among the hottest picture spots in Puerto Rico.
When you arrive on the seashore you’ll come throughout a carpark and an facilities space with meals kiosks, bathrooms and showers. There are additionally umbrellas and chairs accessible for rent, costing $20 for an umbrella and $10 per chair.
Tamarindo and Carlos Rosario
Tamarindo Beach and Carlos Rosario Beach are a part of the Luis Peña Nature Reserve and are dwelling to all kinds of underwater life, together with remoras, bluetail fishes, stingrays, angelfish and manta rays. They’re each glorious locations to pop your snorkel on and see what you’ll find.
Tamarindo attracts fewer vacationers than Flamenco Beach, so it feels quieter and much more secluded. There are not any services at this seashore, so that you’ll have to be sure you convey your individual meals, drinks and seashore chairs.
Playa Melones
If you need to spot sea turtles, head to Melones Beach, which is positioned on the west of the island overlooking the Luis Peña Natural Reserve. The seashore is rocky however is superb for snorkeling and attracts loads of turtles attributable to its abundance of seagrass.
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
The island’s coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove forests are teeming with wildlife, making it the proper place for snorkeling or diving. If you need to lease snorkeling tools, be taught to dive or take a guided tour, take a look at a few of these tour corporations:
Museo Histórico de Culebra
Culebra is admittedly all about laying on the sand, however if you’d like a break from the seashore, take a look at the Museo Histórico de Culebra, which traces the historical past of the island. Housed in a former Naval munition warehouse, the museum supplies details about the island’s ecosystem, in addition to the navy’s presence in Culebra.
Where to Eat in Culebra
When you arrive in Culebra will probably be breakfast time! Check out the next locations:
Blac Flamingo Coffee – This lovely espresso store has a shiny pink exterior and cute outside seating – it’s the proper place to seize breakfast earlier than you head to the seashore. On the menu you’ll discover coffees, french toast, avocado toast, bagels, sandwiches and smoothies.
Culebra Coffee – Located close to the ferry terminal on the primary strip, Culebra Coffee is open early at 7am and serves issues like breakfast wraps, sandwiches, bagels and avocado toast. There’s additionally a present store hooked up, the place you should purchase seashore towels, sarongs and clothes.
For lunch and dinner, these are another good choices:
Restaurant Caracoles – Situated near the ferry terminal by the water, Restaurant Caracoles focuses on seafood, providing issues like mahi-mahi, octopus, shrimp, grouper and snapper. You may order quite a lot of steaks, together with churrasco, T-bone and filet mignon.
Dinghy Dock – Instantly recognizable by its shiny blue facade and blue inside, this indoor/outside restaurant serves recent seafood and Puerto Rican delicacies with lovely views of the water. On the menu you’ll discover loads of recent fish, together with quite a lot of each day specials.
Zaco’s Tacos – If you fancy a fast chew earlier than you head to the ferry, attempt Zaco’s Tacos, a colourful, quirky restaurant serving nachos, tacos and refreshing margaritas!
Is A Day Trip to Culebra Worth It?
While Flamenco Beach is gorgeous, there’s actually not that a lot occurring on the island. It’s very quiet, and the selection of lodging and eating places is restricted. So I’d say sooner or later in Culebra is ample. If you’re keen on snorkeling and diving, and also you need to discover extra of the island’s seashores, then possibly you’d need to rent a automobile and keep one evening on Culebra so to have a full two days there.
Accommodation on Culebra consists of small guesthouses and flats, so don’t anticipate luxurious resorts or chain lodges should you do plan to remain in a single day.
I’ll be trustworthy, my Culebra day journey was fairly exhausting. My buddy and I needed to stand up in the midst of the evening to drive to Ceiba and we didn’t get again to San Juan till about 9pm. If you’ve got the money and also you don’t thoughts small planes, then I’d think about flying there over taking the ferry.
However, the ferry is far, less expensive and should you can snag the ferry occasions you need, then the journey shouldn’t be too dangerous. Just be sure you attempt to sit on deck so that you don’t get too sea sick.
A Final Word…
So that completes your day journey to Culebra, considered one of Puerto Rico’s most well-known islands! Your day will contain an early begin and a late end, however it’s completely attainable to see Culebra in sooner or later. Make positive you are taking out some money earlier than you get to the island, as you’ll want it for issues like parking on the ferry terminal, taxis on Culebra and snacks on the seashore. If you do overlook, there’s an ATM proper by the ferry terminal, so be sure you convey a debit card.