Piña Coladas, a sea breeze, warm turquoise waters, palm trees, and white sand…it’s the idyllic image of an island vacation. Culebra, an island off the coast of Puerto Rico, fulfills that perfect beach paradise fantasy. The island is accessible by ferry from the city of Fajardo (a 60 minute taxi ride from San Juan) or by a miniature, island-hopping plane from San Juan. For those that don’t want an island experience hampered by the hustle and bustle of city life or the frenzy of night life, Culebra is the perfect respite. (You most assuredly are on island time. Cabs can’t be trusted for off hour pick-up—the only solution: grab a beer and wait, eventually the party van with arrive decked out with bumping tunes and atmospheric lighting.)
Flamenco Beach is noted as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Locals visit the beach regularly on weekends and tourists arrive in taxi loads periodically throughout the day to escape the frenzy of San Juan. For those that want a true island escape and really soak up the pace of island time, tent camping is available at Flamenco Beach. There are a few hotels and rental house options on the island, but they are limited. Camping is ideal as it gives unfettered ocean access, cheap beach front views, and an incomparably relaxed lifestyle. Nothing beats taking a dip before breakfast, napping in the sand after lunch, nursing a beer under a star filled sky, and dozing off with the rhythm of the waves.
If lounging on the long, white sand beach grows tiresome, the snorkeling along Flamenco is well worth a peek. Giant groupers lurk amongst dark caves, angelfish weave in and out of rocky crevices, and parrotfish drift past bulbous brain coral. In need of a bit more activity? Take a 20 minute hike from the Flamenco Beach parking area (past the sign warning of unexploded land mines) over the hill to Carlos Rosario Beach, a lovely cove with a sandy beach and a reef for snorkeling.
If cooking for every meal doesn’t appeal, there are a few restaurant choices in town, one being Mamacita’s, which has a tasty Puerto Rican menu selection (fish and rice and bean fare) and is located on a canal. The other option is to stay at Flamenco and eat at the various kiosks that are open early for breakfast and stay open into the evening. The kiosks of course offer a complete bar selection throughout the day. Various camping supplies are also found at these vendors.
It’s not until you have to adhere to the ferry or plane schedules that you are jolted back to the idea of time, but while ensconced in the island life, time barely exists on Culebra. You rise with the sun and snuggle in the tent with the fall of night, eat when the belly growls, drink when the mood hits (doesn’t matter if it’s 10am), and swim when the air grows too hot. And that’s about it: play and take care of basic human needs. It’s simple and what life really should be; vacations shouldn’t be a reprieve from a reality of hectic schedules; life should just be set to island time, at least for a little while.
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