Sun Bay Beach
Located just 8 miles east of Puerto Rico; the island of Vieques is a beach lovers dream. White sand, blue seas, snorkeling and even black beaches, Vieques has you covered.
Now, not every beach is open to the public, some beaches are restricted (off limits) due to unexploded bombs, yes that’s right bombs. Up until 2001 the US Navy used a large part of Vieques as a bombing range and to this day, there are still areas that have not been cleared of ordennace, hence they are off limits.
Once the US Navy left they handed the land that they used over to the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), who are now in charge of protecting the lands as a National Wildlife Refuge. The majority of which are open to the public to enjoy. The main beaches outside of the National Wildlife Refuge are controlled by the Puerto Rico Parque Nationales Department
Puerto Rico Parque Nationales Department
Sun Bay
Sun Bay is one of the most popular beaches on Vieques located just a short distance from the town of Esperanza. Operated by the Puerto Rico Parque Nationales Department, Sun Bay is a large crescent shaped beach with white sand, plenty of trees for shade, restrooms, showers and plenty of parking.
Sun Bay is a pretty beach and has the added attraction of two small keys just off from the beach that make for a picturesque setting
Playa Media Luna
Media Luna is a small secluded half moon shaped beach that you access via a dirt road from Sun Bay Beach. If you take the time to explore Medi Luna you may find that you have the beach virtually to yourself, as most visitors tend to stay at Sun Beach. The water is calm with white sand and plenty of trees for shade
Playa Navio
Play a Navio is not as easy to get to due to the bumpy road that leads to the beach. The jostling ride is well worth it for its white side, blue waters and small caves on the east side of the beach. This is also a good beach for bodysurfing.
US Fish & Wildlife Service – National Wildlife Refuge
Playa Caracas – Red Beach
Playa Caracas gets its Red Beach name from the US Navy who used color coding to designate the beaches as landing zones. Today, Playa Caracas is a firm favorite with locals and visitors to Vieques, thanks to its blue waters and picture perfect white sandy beach. Snorkeling is also okay here. There are a covered areas for picnics, a few rustic restrooms and plenty of parking.
Playa Chiva – Blue Beach
Playa Chiva is a long thin beach with clear blue water and white sand. The beach has plenty of shade and a small key off shore that is easily accessible and the snorkelling is OK on the east side of the beach. Rather than a single car park, Playa Chiva has several small entrances at the side of the road for several cars to park.
Pata Prieta – Secret Beach
Pata Preita is located in the Camp Garcia area of the National Wildlife Refuge and is a decent beach for snorkelling or just chilling out, as it never really gets too busy.
If you have the time to explore more then consider checking out:
Playa La Plata:– GPS: 18.117603, -65.376120
Playa Negra – GPS: 18.095704, -65.492297
Getting to the Beaches
The publicos (shared vans or cars) on Vieques are a good option, especially if you are just visiting for a day. Just bare in mind that they will bot take you to some of the more remote beach locations
Rental cars, in particular a 4×4 vehicle (such as a Jeep Wrangler or similar) are your best option if you are staying on Vieques for several days and plan on exploring the island.
Photos: 1. Playerestm 2. Jenni Konrad, 3. Jenni Konrad, 4. karlnorling, 5. sarowen, using creative commons license
