Where is culebra: Culebra Island | island, Puerto Rico
Culebra Island • Puerto Rico’s Little Paradise
Culebra is a fascinating island virtually untouched by major developers. When you go to Culebra you won’t find much in the way of nightlife, fancy dining or even luxury accommodations but what you will find is what draws most people to Culebra…fabulous beaches! From a world class beach to tiny secluded beaches, you will find them all here and if that’s not enough to entice you; this tropical paradise has a true laid-back Caribbean Island feel that’s hard to resist!
Where is Culebra Located?
Culebra, an island-municipality of Puerto Rico, is located approximately 17 miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico, half way between St. Thomas and Puerto Rico. It can be reached by a 30 minute flight from San Juan Airport, a 13 minute flight from Ceiba Airport or in two hours by ferry departing from Ceiba. Ceiba is located on the east coast of Puerto Rico.
We took the passenger ferry from Fajardo to Culebra.
We parked our rental car in the secure lot by the dock in Fajardo and rented a Jeep from Carlos Jeeps in Culebra. The ferry ride was fast and the view was beautiful. Tickets cost $2.25 one way, per person.
Please note: There are no more ferries leaving for Vieques or Culebra from Fajardo, all services have moved to Roosevelt Roads in the town of Ceiba.
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Hi! We are Lou and Barbara, a world traveling, nature loving couple searching out new and interesting places to explore, photograph and share with you our readers.CONTINUE READING
We passed several small islands along the way to Culebra that we would like to come back to someday. I think it would be fun to enjoy a picnic under an umbrella there, don’t you?
The Town of Dewey
Dewey, Culebra’s only town is where the ferry arrives and departs.
Here you can catch a shuttle to and from Flamenco beach for the day. If you’ve made arrangements for a rental car or Jeep you may be picked up here as well.
The town of Dewey viewed from the drawbridge. Some of the Inns on the Island will also pick you up if you let them know when your ferry will be arriving. You can find lodging deals for any season in Culebra at Booking.com. There are guest houses, dive shops and restaurants in Dewey as well.
Beaches on Culebra
Not only spectacular to look at but Culebra also has some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the Caribbean. The reefs are healthy with an abundance of various types of coral and the variety of sea life is outstanding. On this trip we saw octopus, eels, and sea turtles, cuddle fish and barracuda, just to name a few.
Flamenco Beach is Culebra’s shining star. This world renowned beach, ranked #2 in the top 10 list of best beaches in the world is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Flamenco Beach has crystal clear turquoise water. The beach extends over a mile long and is blanketed with white coral sand, surrounded by hills covered in coconut trees. Yes, this is what dreams are made of!
The iconic tank on Flamenco Beach is oddly out of place but something not to be missed. Walk north along the beach and you will soon see this brightly painted tank. The tank was left behind by an earlier military presence on the island where it was used for bombing practice.
Overlooking Zoni Beach, another spectacular beach on Culebra. Zoni is located on the less crowded eastern side of the island. The white sand beach is long and narrow and overlooks Culebrita, the smaller outer island with a spectacular beach of its own. Culebrita makes a great day trip from Culebra.
Tamarindo Beach is great for snorkeling. The reef is beautiful and full of colorful fish. We watched as an octopus scurried back into the rocks, a school of cuddle fish curiously checked us out, and several turtles casually fed on the sea grass below us.
While we were there Culebra Island Adventures was preparing a group for a kayaking tour.
Sailboat at Melones Beach, Puerto Rico
Booking.com
Melones Beach has one of Culebra’s best reefs on the island and is our favorite snorkeling beach. Enter the water and go to the right along the shore and you will find a healthy reef covered in colorful sea fans, several types of coral and loads of fish. The beach itself is rocky so not good for lying out in the sand. Melones is the closest beach to the town of Dewey.
Baby chicks, roosters and hens were everywhere on the island, especially at Melones beach. We spotted this adorable little chick standing on a coconut shell!
Leatherback Sea Turtles are the largest of all living turtles and they are endangered. It was nesting time and we spotted several nests on Zoni roped off for their protection.
Where We Stayed
We chose the Villa Boheme guest house for our 2 night stay in Culebra.
The Villa Boheme is basic, clean and reasonably priced. As customary on Culebra the staff is very friendly. Our requests were always met; although with “island time” standards. Smile – relax – you’re on vacation!
White Plumeria were growing all over the island.
Red bougainvillea were in full bloom too.
What to Do in Culebra?
Relaxing on a beautiful tropical beach is of course the most popular activity (or should I say lack of activity!) on Culebra, but it’s certainly not the only activity. If you’re like us, a few minutes resting on any beach is long enough before we are ready to explore!
Other activities you might enjoy:
On land – hiking, biking, bird watching, or take a sightseeing drive around the island.
In the water – snorkeling, diving, kayaking, hire a captain to go sailing, fishing or to take you to one of the outer islands.
We saw this beautiful view of Dakity Bay as we were sightseeing around the island in our rented Jeep.
It reminded us of our visit to Cruz Bay Harbor in St. John in the US Virgin Islands. Both views are stunning!
Places to Eat
Try Pandeli Bakery for breakfast and made to order sandwiches great to eat there or take with you for a picnic at the beach.
Try Mamacitas or Dinghy Dock for lunch or dinner. Both are on the water with a fun atmosphere. Also, El Batey has great hamburgers. It’s across from the water and you can eat outside on their patio.
Culebra – an Island State of Mind
Culebra’s island state of mind is definitely not for everyone. If your idea of a relaxing vacation is a 5 star-resort, gourmet restaurants and fancy shopping malls then Culebra is not for you. There is without a doubt a laid-back vibe here. Businesses tend to open and close with the arrival and departure of the ferry or as they feel necessary. The sign on one vendors cart reads “Open some days ~ closed others” that pretty much says it all!
When you go to Culebra you’ll find basic accommodations, casual dining, and a couple of small grocery stores for your supplies.
The residence of Culebra are always friendly and it’s safe to walk around the town at night.
If this style of vacation on a beautiful, unspoiled Caribbean island sounds right for you, then you should look into experiencing Culebra – Puerto Rico’s little paradise!
Have you visited the island of Culebra? Did you swim, snorkle or dive in one or more of the tropical beaches on Culebra? Let us know about your experience in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
Related Vacation & Travel Ideas
Where is Culebra and (Who Owns the Island)?
The splendid Isla de Culebra (Culebra Island) is beautifully laid 17 miles (27 km) east of Puerto Rico’s mainland. Puerto Rico, a country in North America, has a lot of beautiful islands, and Culebra is one of them. When planning to travel to the best-kept secret paradise in the Caribbean, the Culebra, it is essential to have a background first on its geography.
The United States of America owns Culebra Island.
When you want to visit this magnificent island and are an American citizen, there’s no need for your passport to come with you — you can enter Culebra without it.
Is Culebra an Island?
Yes, Culebra is an island. It consists of the main island with twenty-three islets surrounding its coast. The said island belongs to the Puerto Rico archipelago and is geographically part of the Spanish Virgin Islands.
How Big is the Island of Culebra?
The island of Culebra is approximately 10 sq miles (25.9 sq kilometers) in area, and about 7 miles long by 4 miles wide (11.26 by 6.4 km).
Culebra is small yet perfect for travelers. It is all thanks to its charming white beaches, enticing underwater kingdom, and welcoming residents. It is also recognized as the most idyllic, worth-visiting destination globally.
Where in the Caribbean is Culebra Island Located?
Culebra is located and is part of Puerto Rico, an archipelago found in the Caribbean Sea. It is 17 miles (27 km) east of Puerto Rico Island, 12 miles (19 km) west of St.
Thomas, and 9 miles (14 km) north of Vieques. St. Thomas and Vieques are both cays in the Caribbean Sea.
Is Culebra Part of Puerto Rico?
Culebra is a Puerto Rican Municipality. It is a small, deserted island that lies off the east coast of Puerto Rico.
Is Culebra Part of the United States?
Yes, Culebra is part of the United States as part of the Puerto Rico archipelago. This group of islands is a state of the United States. Residents in Culebra Island are U.S. citizens.
Is Culebra Part of the Virgin Islands?
Culebra and its sister island Vieques primarily consist of the Virgin Islands and surrounding islets. The Virgin Islands, formerly Passage Islands, is sometimes called “Puerto Rican Virgin Islands”.
Can You See Culebra from St. Thomas?
Yes, there’s a chance that you can see Culebra from St. Thomas. You can also spot St. Thomas from Culebra through Playa Zoni. Culebra is approximately 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) west of St. Thomas.
St. Thomas is one of the neighboring islands of Culebra.
You can reach Culebra from St. Thomas by boat and yacht rentals. Traveling by air is also doable as it has daily flights between St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico, and from San Juan to Culebra.
What Is the Main Town of Culebra?
The main town of Culebra is Dewey, which comprises most of the island population. With a few inhabitants, the place is peaceful and perfect for people who want to escape from the busy, noisy streets of the city. In addition to that, there are six barrios in Culebra, namely:
- Dewey
- Flamenco
- Fraile
- Playa Sardinas 1
- Playa Sardinas 2
- San Isidro
When Was Culebra Founded?
Culebra island was founded in 1880, the 27th day of October, by Don Cayetano Escudero. He was the first envoy of Culebra assigned by governmental order. The original names of Culebra Island were “Isla Pasaje” and “Isla de San Idelfonso” in the name of San Idelfonso de la Culebra, Bishop of Toledo.
The island is also known as “Snake Island” (Culebra is the Spanish translation of the word snake), “Isla Chiquita” (small island), and “Ultima Virgen” (last virgin).
Why Are There Tanks in Culebra?
There are tanks in Culebra Island because it is a U.S. territory. Some parts of the island served as a U.S. Naval base and were used before as a practice site for gunnery and bombing.
A few of the navy’s remnants remained visible along the shore of the pristine island as a mark of the island’s military history. One such is the rusted tanks that became an iconic photo op for visitors.
Playa Carlos Rosario, Kulebra: Best Tips before visiting
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Playa Carlos Rosario
No. 5 of 39 Entertainment in Kulebra
Beaches
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9000 EXTENS , good for snorkeling”
July 2017
Carlos Rosario – a must visit if you love to swim but it was not our favorite snorkel in Culebra.
Carlos Rosario at the very end (Playa that Tamarindo shortly before) short (15 -minute) excursions from the parking lot. You squeeze through the exit on the left side of the car park and it feels like you are a border crossing but everyone does and it’s on the Culebra tourist map so you’re fine. We hit the road at about 8:30 before it was too hot and we were the first to arrive. You drive halfway to the beach from the route and there is a beach sign and this is where you enter the water. It’s sandy there. The reef here is extensive. I can’t even say that we all rate the same. We swam for hours and just saw a portion of her. After all, we have just returned to support. We saw one ray and I counted about 2 billion species of fish before I stopped counting. It’s a deeper reef. Most of the time we swam in 20+ feet water. I thought it was a cool experience, but the family felt it wasn’t that interesting because you don’t see things as close. All in all, a great place. But we felt that Tamarindo (just before Carlos Rosario) was a much better reef.
nine0003
Posted by PRSnorkeler
“Abundant sealife”
July 2017
After 17 years as a marine reserve, the area has a great selection of very marine life! The fish have many different colors and you can see octopus, cuttlefish, and even the occasional shark. It takes about 20 minutes to walk up the hill from the Flamenco car park. It’s hot and there are no amenities on Carlos Rosario. Be sure to bring some water with you.
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KRUSTY KRAB
2,4 km $ dolch • Caribbean • Latino -American • seafood
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Playa Carlos Rosario
0.3 kmuptii
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1.4 Cups
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MELONES Beach
3.1 o’clock
Museum of History
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4.5
160 Reviews
9000 Gege B
Florida220 posts
Muddy disappointing hike
Nov.
2022
not worth the hike at all! a 20 minute muddy trek from Flamenco beach. Carried all our snorkel gears thinking it was going to be amazing… we arrived and it was wavy, dirty and super windy. Maybe we were unlucky, but I would not recommend this beach when you can snorkel and enjoy Flamenco or Tamarindo in peace. nine0003
Published November 22, 2022
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
2murfs69
Stone Mountain, GA72 publications
The Murphy’s Carlos Rosario Beach trek!
May 2021 • For two
Today, we ventured from Tamarindo Beach to the secluded Carlos Rosario Beach. While we took our snorkeling gear, for us it was more about hiking to a secluded beach and basically having the beach to ourselves. We were not disappointed. We each carried a dry bag, with snorkeling gear and a backpack, complete with sandwiches, bottled water, a few beers and a bottle of pina colada(I made before we started our walk).
It took us about 45mins and we used google maps to make sure we were headed in the right direction. When we arrived there was literally one other couple there. We laid out our towels and totally chilled for the afternoon. We did snorkel for a little while. We saw a couple of cute fish, not sure what kind and we saw a stingray! It was a great afternoon. We are two pretty healthy 51&52 year olds. The walk was not difficult for us. nine0003
Published May 6, 2021
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Elena B
10 posts
Snorkling wasn’t great
Feb. 2021 • For two
Due to construction on Flamenco beach we couldnt go through the normal path that starts at Flamenco’s parking lot. Instead, we started at Tamarindo beach and hiked for about 30 mins along the rocky shore to C.
R. beach. The hike was strenuous and we had no shade at all. nine0003
Even though C.R. beach is considered one of the better snorkling spots in Culebra, i found it very disappointing. The coral to the right of the breach was mostly dead with very few fish. A few weeks ago we were at Luis Pena beach and snorkling there is absolutely incredible. This beach doesn’t come close.
Published February 8, 2021
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
Chandler Z
12 publications
Seclusive Beautiful Beach
dec. 2019
It rained heavily in Culebra on the day before I visited this beach. Part of the 20 min hiking from the Flamenco beach parking area was muddy. The beach was also quite wavy. I felt quite guilty as I was smashed to a coral reef by a big wave.
The beach was very beautiful. I saw LOTS of reefs near the beach. I could tell there must be lots of life in the water. I would definitely go here the next time, hopefully the weather would be good. nine0003
Published December 30, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Eric
New Orleans, Louisiana 2019 • Traveling alone
A lot of the reviewers’ photos are actually of Playa Tamarindo Grande. Playa Carlos Rosario is to the north of Playa Tamarindo Grande, on the other side of a bluff; make sure to continue on the trail and not stop at Playa Tamarindo Grande. You’ll know you’re at the right beach if the bluff is to your left (south) and not to your right (north) if you’re on the beach looking out onto the water. Unfortuntalely the section of trail connecting Playa Tamarindo Grande and Playa Carlos Rosario was thick with bushes with 1-2 inch thorns when I went.
It would probably be a good idea to bring a machete with you to get through the thorny bushes. nine0003
The beach quickly drops off and there is a very large reef shelf where I was able to see myriad fish including blue tang, fairy basslet, various parrotfish, sergent major, bar jacks, yellowtail snapper, as well as a sting ray. It is about 40 ft deep where the reef drops off, shallow enough to free dive to the bottom with fins. When I went 2019, much of the coral appeared to be dead in the section I snorkeled.
Published October 18, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews. nine0003
PRSnorkeler
Dorado, Puerto Rico164 publications
Fabulous snorkeling — best in Culebra
July 2019 • With friends
I just learned that what I thought was Carlos Tamario actually (and , and the true Carlos Rosario is even better! Walk all the way to the end of the path from the Flamenco Beach parking lot (25 minutes)–the first beach you see also has wonderful snorkeling both to the right and to the left.
At Carlos Rosario, the massive coral growths are quite something, and they are teeming with life in the morning and late afternoon. Even at midday, we saw an eagle ray, a turtle, a couple of French angelfish, a gray angelfish, a lionfish and an assortment of the usual suspects. It was also just beautiful and incredibly serene. take water. nine0003
Published July 12, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
goFixi
Richmond, VT20 publications
Worth the effort
Apr. 2019 • Family fun
Good snorkeling. Hike from the end of the Flamenco beach parking lot – duck under chain in fence, it’s OK! Walk was about 20 minutes, need footwear that’s better than flip-flops. We had the beach pretty much to ourselves until a boat came and anchored in the sand. beautiful location. nine0003
Published April 29, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC.
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susievallen
Cuba16 publications
Not quite as beautiful as Flamenco but almost deserted
March 2019 • For two
Quite a hike to get there from Flamenco car park but very peaceful. Snorkelled but again didn’t see much although someone did see a turtle and my saw husband a sting ray
Published April 23, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
wellwhateverfor
Bingen, Washington135 contributions
Most beautiful beach I have ever been to!
Apr. 2019 • For two
This was a special place. There was a swimming pool area that was super clear water. Around the edge is a nice snorkeling reef. Not the best snorkeling in the world, but it’s still full of sea life. An older couple we chatted with there said it used to be much better, but either the hurricane or use have changed it in the last couple of years.
I loved it and had a great time there. The walk is 20 minutes from the back gate in the Flamenco Beach parking lot that says, “Danger, Explosives”. You have to squeeze through a small space between the gates, but my 6’4″ not-slim husband could do it. It’s not a particularly strenuous walk – light uphill and downhill each way. Once you get down the hill, one of the Tamarindo beaches is on your left, but continue right on the trail to get to it.0003
Published April 7, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
Erin S
12 posts
Our favorite snorkeling site on Culebra!
March 2019 • Solo travel
This is our favorite snorkeling site on Culebra. There’s about a 1 kilometer walk to get to this beach (off the SW corner of the Flamenco Beach parking lot- the trail goes between a gate that’s there to stop cars from entering).
You’ll want footwear as it’s a little rocky on the trail, but the hike makes it off the beaten path yet regularly enough used and safe. There are no amenities, so bring water if it’s hot. When you get back to the parking lot, you can buy great local food and drinks from the venders there!! nine0003
Published April 4, 2019
This review represents the subjective opinion of a member of the Tripadvisor community and is not the official position of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews.
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Distance from Indore to about. Culebra: 13817.6416015625 km.
How long to fly to about. Culebra from Indore? Flight time from Indore to Culebra direct flight is 18 hours 25 minutes.
about. Culebra is located in Puerto Rico.
Official languages of Puerto Rico: Spanish; English.
Puerto Rico area code: 1787/1939.
Currency of Puerto Rico: USD.
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