With its secluded white-sand beaches, crystal clear waters and healthy reefs that are ideal for diving and snorkelling, the tiny (11km long by 5km wide) island of Culebra is perfect for honeymoon couples wishing to escape the more popular (and often crowded) resort areas of Puerto Rico.
Choose from several stunning beaches, including idyllic Flamenco Beach, go snorkelling at nearby Playa Carlos Rosario, dive at one of the 50 sites that surround the island and experience offshore islets by kayak.
Explore the national wildlife refuge, home to a large seabird colony of terns and boobies, as well as one of the most important turtle-nesting sites in the Caribbean.
Hike up to the abandoned lighthouse on neighbouring Culebrita – the only permanent structure on the island – for spectacular views.
The best beach on Culebra Island, and consistently ranked as one of the world’s best beaches, Playa Flamenco is located on Culebra’s west shore and is easily accessible by a thrice-daily ferry service from Fajardo.
Choose your own spot to sunbathe and swim on this idyllic white-sand beach that stretches for 1.3km around a half moon-shaped bay.
Surrounded by rolling green hills and bordered by the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge, Playa Flamenco gently shelves into reef-protected waters that are perfect for swimming and snorkelling at the rocky outcrops above parrotfish, blue tang and wrasse.
This uncrowded beach is edged by scenic walking trails and fringed by sand dunes covered in native vegetation and occasional sea grape and palm trees.
Surf usually pounds the offshore reef at the western end of the beach. Flamenco is the only beach on Culebra with facilities such as shade huts, toilets, showers and food kiosks selling snacks and cold drinks.
Stay longer at the Tamarindo Estates, which faces a white-sand beach and is the perfect base for exploring this small island.
Culebra sits in an archipelago of 24 islands just 29km east of Puerto Rico. By air Culebra is just a short hop from San Juan.
By ferry, the trip from Puerto Rico takes an hour. There is no public transport on Culebra; instead you can explore the island by hire car or mountain bike.
Puerto Rico is located east of the Dominican Republic, just north of both the United States Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands and approximately 1600km (1000mi) southeast of Miami, Florida.
The most convenient route to Puerto Rico is to fly into Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), located 12km (8mi) southeast of Old San Juan in the neighboring municipality of Carolina.
Puerto Rico receives daily non-stop flights from major US cities including Atlanta, New York, Chicago and Miami.
The airport serves as a gateway to the Caribbean islands, and is the busiest airport in the Caribbean region by passenger traffic.
By sea, the San Juan Cruise Port is the largest and busiest cruise port in the Caribbean, and hosts an estimated 500 cruise ships from roughly 18 different cruise lines every year.
Find out how to get to Puerto Rico…
Latest update: Culebra Island, Puerto Rico: 7 May, 2022
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