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Vieques - "La Isla Nena," Puerto Rico's "Daughter Island"

A part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Vieques is about twice the size of the island of Manhattan and located about seven miles off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Visitors can get there either by inexpensive ferry from Fajardo, which takes about an hour and a half, or by a 10 minute trip by small plane from either Puerto Rico or St. Thomas.

Vieques is virtually unknown to outsiders, but this is where many residents of Puerto Rico go for their vacations. This low-key, tropical island has so far remained mostly undeveloped and is a great getaway from the crowds of much of the Caribbean. Some tourism has made its way to the island; you'll find some nightlife and many restaurants and local eateries, ranging from the inexpensive to pricey.

Bio-tours of Mosquito Bay on the south coast of Vieques are the main attraction. Sometimes referred to as Bio-Bay (short for Bioluminescent Bay), this body of water is populated by multitudes of tiny dinoflagellates, a single celled organism which glows when touched. On moonless nights, you can take a tour of the bay, and the mangrove lagoon that feeds into it, by electric boat or kayak. The water surrounding your boat will glow as you disturb the water, and swimming in the bay has been described as "like swimming in a field of stars." If you are lucky enough to be there on a rainy night, you'll see the entire bay glow as raindrops hit the surface of the water.

The many white sand beaches are the daytime draw to Vieques. Sun Bay is the main tourist beach of the island, but there are many alternatives if you are looking for solitude. Media Luna is an extremely calm and shallow beach area, which makes it perfect for families with children. Navio was the location for the film "Lord of the Flies," and Esperanza is a good swimming and great snorkeling beach. There are countless other beaches, many of them unnamed, all of which offer great opportunity for swimming, snorkeling, diving, or just lying in the sun. Most of the beaches are sparkling white sand, but make sure you visit Black Sand Beach, a half mile stretch made up of volcanic sand that is attracted to magnets!

Up until 2001, about two thirds of the island was property of the US Navy, which used it for amphibious maneuvers practice, munitions storage, and a firing range. When they left the area, the land was transferred to the Department of the Interior and the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge was created, the largest refuge in the Caribbean. Much of the area is still off limits to visitors, but several beaches, such as Bahia La Chiva (Blue Beach), Caracas/Bahia Corcho (Red Beach) and Punta Arenas are now open to the public.

Vieques has the distinction of being the location for the last military structure built by Spaniards in the New World. Forte Conde de Mirasol now houses a museum of Vieques history and changing art exhibits. You'll also find a maritime museum at the Punta Mulas Lighthouse, a historic lighthouse which was reconstructed in the early 1990's.

While vacationing on the island, watch for the "Wild Horses of Vieques." These horses roam freely about the island, but most are actually owned by island residents.

Vieques offers the best parts of any Caribbean vacation, without all of the crowds and high prices. There are plenty of activities to enjoy, but the best thing to do on this island is nothing at all!