Travel guide to best of Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra
| • | Tropical mix satisfies a variety of tastes |
WEST SHORE
GETTING THERE:
Rincon, a surfer's hideaway about a third of the way down the west coast, is a good place to base yourself for a surf-and-sun trip. The drive from San Juan (Highway 22 to Highway 2, then follow the signs) takes about 2 1/2 hours; a two-day weekend car rental from Dollar costs about $80, including taxes and fees.
Both Aguadilla and Mayaguez, the district's two cities, have airports. Cape Air's service between San Juan and Mayaguez starts at about $170 round trip.
WHERE TO STAY: The Rincon Beach Resort, (866) 589-0009, www.rinconbeach.com, just south of town on winding Road 115, has a sprawling pool and rooms with balconies, fridges and ceiling fans. Low-season doubles start at $185, though we booked it for $124 on Expedia. Nearby, the luxe Horned Dorset Primavera, (800) 633-1857, www.horn eddorset.com is for the monied set; its 39 rooms and villas include balconies, marble bathrooms and four-poster beds. Rates from $480. For cheaper, more laid-back accommodations, consider Rincon's hilltop Lazy Parrot, (800) 294-1752, www.lazyparrot.com; from $110, with basic rooms and killer views.
South of the area, there are a number of lodging choices in the pretty tourist town of Boqueron; the Cofresi Beach Hotel, (787) 254-3000, www.cofresibeach .com, from $129, for example, is a few minutes from the surf and features apartments with kitchens. Get way off the beaten path at the comfy, clean Bahia Salinas Beach Hotel, (787) 254-1212, www.bahiasalinas.com; from $103, near the southwest tip of the island and accessible by dirt road; call for directions. La Playuela, the nearest beach (see below), and its lighthouse are worth it, but note that the hotel is undergoing renovation, so expect some hardhats.
WHERE TO EAT: Mingle with Rincon's surfing set at Smilin' Joe's at the Lazy Parrot, (787) 823-5654, with such surprisingly sophisticated grub as coconut curry mahi-mahi and pumpkin ravioli. Dinner for two with appetizers and drinks runs about $60. If you must have linen napkins and extra forks, the posh Primavera at the Horned Dorset will set you back about $140 for two, with wine. Just want a quick bite? Catch the sunset, sip something with mucho tequila and have an empanadilla or two, about $2 each, at Kaplash Road 115 in Rincon, (787) 826-4582.
For fresh seafood (you can watch it caught in some spots) under $30 for two, check out the town of Joyuda and its seemingly endless string of restaurants abutting the beach. And if you just want picnic fixins for beach breaks and star-gazing, stop into one of numerous Pueblo supermarkets along the main roads.
WHAT TO DO: Grab a towel and hit the beach anywhere on the coast — if you can find a parking place, you're good to go. A few choices: La Playuela, near the Bahia Salinas Beach Hotel, has gentle waves and a lovely view of the Cabo Rojo lighthouse; El Combate, south of Boquerón, is the island's longest beach (about three miles); and Crashboat, in Aguadilla, attracts both surfers and strong swimmers (the water is rougher than it looks). Many beaches offer free, dirt-lot parking and locals peddling food and drinks.
If you want to join in on the fun in Rincon, learn to surf at the Rincon Surf School (787) 823-0610, www.rinconsurfschool.com; programs range from one to five days and start at $89 per person. Elsewhere around town, check out the lighthouse, browse the area's surf shops and go whale-watching in the winter.
For an excellent guide to fishing charters, hotels, restaurants and other attractions, go to the Tourism Association of Rincon's Web site at www.rincon.org.
— John Deiner
PUERTO RICO'S ISLANDS
GETTING THERE: The easiest and quickest way to reach Vieques or Culebra is to fly from San Juan. Vieques Air Link, (888) 901-9247, www.viequesairlink .com, for example, offers daily flights from San Juan's international airport to Vieques or Culebra for $167 round trip; flight time is about a half-hour. The airline also flies from San Juan-Isla Grande Airport, a smaller facility in Old San Juan, to Vieques ($92) and Culebra ($98). Isla Nena Air Service, (877) 812-5144, and Air Flamenco, (787) 724-1818, www.airflamenco.net, also fly between the smaller islands. Isla Nena, for example, flies on demand for $28 one way.
The most adventurous way to travel is via ferry. A high-speed ferry runs from Old San Juan to both islands. Trip time is 1 hour 45 minutes to Culebra, continuing on to Vieques (a half-hour more). The ferry runs once a day Thursdays through Sundays; cost is $68 round-trip for San Juan-Culebra, $78 round-trip for San Juan-Vieques and $33 round-trip for Vieques-Culebra. Info: Island High Speed Ferry, (877) 899-3993, www.islaculebra.com/puer to-rico/san-juan-high-speed-fer ry.htm. For a local joy ride, catch the ferry from Fajardo, about 30 miles from San Juan. (Note: Getting to Fajardo can be hassle; you have to take an expensive cab ($75), rent a car or catch a public bus.) Cost is $2.25 one way to Culebra, $2 to Vieques. Daily departures. Info: Port Authority Marine Transportation, (787) 741-4761.
WHERE TO STAY: There aren't too many choices on Culebra, but Mamacita's, (787) 742-0090, www.mamacitaspr.com, has everything you need: Carib-bright rooms, a restaurant and hopping bar, and a "downtown" location near the ferry dock. Rooms go for $102.
On Vieques, Bravo! Beach Hotel, (787) 741-1128, www.bravo beachhotel.com, offers a slice of South Beach, but without the 'tude. The Isabel Segunda-area boutique property is Architectural Digest elegant, with an oceanfront location, a wine tasting room, a tapas restaurant and two pools (one an infinity, the other with a bar and piped-in mood music or deejay). Rooms from $175, including breakfast.
Near Esperanza, the Inn on the Blue Horizon, (787) 741-3318, www.innonthebluehorizon.com; rooms from $125, is a secluded haven with a pool, tennis courts and gourmet restaurant. For budget travelers, Bananas Guesthouse, (787) 741-8700, from $65, in Esperanza, is low-key yet colorful (in more ways than one).
WHERE TO EAT: On Culebra, Mamacita's offers waterside dining and heaping plates of Caribbean and Puerto Rican specialties. Entrees average $8 to $15. For similar fare and views, try the Dinghy Dock, (787) 742-0233), which serves four meals a day (the fourth is liquid); dinner dishes from $13 to $28.
On Vieques, Bravo! recently opened bbh, which prepares tapas (soba noodle salad, garlic root mash, tuna, etc.) for $8 to $14; the hotel also serves sandwiches and salads poolside at lunch. For upscale dining, UVA, (787) 741-2050, in Isabel Segunda cooks Spanish-Caribbean fusion; entrees in the $29-$50 range. Swing by El Resuelve on the way to the beach for pastilillos (filled turnovers), alcapurrias (fritters) or garlic shrimp. On weekends, enjoy $2 chicken, fish or pork pinchos (kebabs) from roadside stands.
WHAT TO DO: In Culebra, rent a bike and start cycling around (and around) the island. Dick and Cathy, (787) 742-0062, rent mountain bikes for $15 a day. The top-ranked strand is Flamenco Beach, where you can monkey around abandoned Navy tanks and snorkel; Zoni and Malena beaches are also delightful. You can also explore the nearby cay of Calubrita, which has a lighthouse and more beaches; ask your hotel for info on boat hires. If you are mosquito-repellent, hike around the North Shore. Happy hour starts, well, does it ever stop? Sidle up to Dinghy Dock, Mamacita's and El Batey, with dancing after-hours.
Vieques is bigger than you think. You might want to rent a car, scooter or bike in town to go exploring, especially for the National Wildlife Refuge (the largest in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), which the Navy once controlled. Beach-hop along the southern coast, hitting Navio, Red and Blue beaches. Fish or stroll down the mile-long Mosquito Pier. Check out the high views and artifacts at Museum Fort Count Mirasol, (787) 741-1717; $2, near Isabel II. When the night and sea are clear, sign up for a tour of Bioluminescent Bay, which glows from dinoflagellates. Blue Caribe Kayaks, (787) 741-2522, in Esperanza offers two-hour kayak tours of the bay for $30.
INFORMATION: Enchanted Isle's Web site, www.enchanted-isle .com, is full of information on both islands.
— Andrea Sachs
SAN JUAN
GETTING THERE:
It's a $16 cab ride from the airport to Old San Juan. Don't even think about driving in the historic area — the cobblestone streets are narrow and parking's impossible. It's compact, so you can walk everywhere, or take one of the free trolleys. You'll need a taxi, bus or rental car to visit the beaches; the Isla Verde area, for example, is about a 20-minute, $20 cab ride away.
WHERE TO STAY:
To fully experience the capital, spend time in both Old San Juan and one of the North Coast beach areas directly east of it: Puerta de Tierra, Condado, Ocean Park or Isla Verde. In Old San Juan, the 71-room Hotel El Convento, 100 Cristo St., (800) 468-2779, www.elconvento.com, a beautifully restored, 350-year-old former convent with a stunning central courtyard, is worth the splurge. The service is a bit slow, but it's worth it for the hand-crafted Spanish-style furniture, quarry-tile floors, mahogany beams, Andalusian tiles and marble bathrooms; amenities include a complimentary evening wine and cheese reception, plunge pool, fitness center and free high-speed Internet. A special Internet promotion, available through April for Sunday-through-Thursday stays, has rooms at $295 per night plus taxes, with a two-night minimum.
Most of the major chains are represented on the beaches, and they're not cheap. The Courtyard by Marriott San Juan Isla Verde, (787) 791-0404, www.marriott .com, with 260 rooms and 33 suites, is near the airport and has a casino, a hopping dance floor, several pools and beachfront access. Rooms have DVD and CD players, refrigerators and private balconies with ocean views. Rates start at $260 per night double in high season (December through April), dropping to $185 in May, plus a 10 percent resort fee.
Smaller-scale, more affordable lodgings are also available — check the listings at Travelocity, Expedia and Orbitz, as well as sites like Wheretostay.com and Tripadvisor.com.
WHERE TO EAT:
Casita Blanca, (787) 726-5501, www.casitablan capr.com, in a little white house about 15 minutes from Old San Juan, is a sweet country-style restaurant with Puerto Rican Creole cooking and a popular Sunday buffet from noon to 5 p.m. Lunch runs about $15.
In Old San Juan: Baru (150 San Sebastian St.) is a romantic white-tablecloth restaurant featuring nouvelle Caribbean cuisine; dinner for two, with wine, runs about $60. El Patio de Sam (102 San Sebastian St.), facing San Jose Plaza, has great burgers and features locals' artwork for sale; lunch runs about $12. The Parrot Club (363 Fortaleza St.) is a happening dinner spot decorated in bright tropical colors and serving up tasty Nuevo Latino bistro fare (don't miss the ceviche) along with live salsa music; dinner entrees run from $18 to $30.
WHAT TO DO:
— K.C. Summers
PUERTO RICO'S INTERIOR
GETTING AROUND:
Moving around the interior definitely requires a car, which isn't too expensive in Puerto Rico. Orbitz shows national chain rentals in March staring at $23 a day. Driving is on the right, and most of the roads are of familiar U.S. quality, although the mountain roads can make those afraid of heights nervous.
WHERE TO STAY:
With an abundance of balconies and patios all pointed the right way, Casa Cubuy Ecolodge, Highway 191 in Barrio Cubuy, about an hour and 15 minutes from the airport, (787) 874-6221, www.casacubuy.com, offers a delightful highland perch over the 28,000-acre Caribbean National Forest (more popularly known as El Yunque). Hike the forest, cool off in the waterfall pool and toast the sunset from the patio bar. Rooms with private balconies start at $100 a night, including breakfast. Dinner is available when at least seven guests sign up. Hacienda Gripinas, (787) 828-1717, www.haciendagripinas .com, is a former coffee plantation in the mountainous middle of the island, now converted into one of the island's traditional country inns, or paradores. Rooms in the green-and-white main house, many overlooking the garden pool, start at $92.95, which includes breakfast, a welcome cocktail and dinner.
WHERE TO EAT:
Puerto Rico isn't a cheap place to eat, but in the interior, I found hearty local food at no-name roadside restaurants, usually marked by a collection of cars and a banner provided by a beer or soda company. In addition to the fish of the day, try the mofongo, a mash of fried plantains, bacon and conch, and tostones, a kind of plantain croquette.
WHAT TO DO:
— Steve Hendrix
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