Things To Do In Culebra
Culebra is one of Puerto Rico's jewels.
Precious stone residue sand and vivid marine life are what you will discover when you visit one of the top sea shores internationally, which is situated there, 20 miles off the bank of Fajardo. This serene tropical island holds incalculable normal zones and flawless areas to investigate and appreciate during your visit. Or on the other hand, just lay on the sea shore and swim every so often.
Culebra adds up to a little more than 10 square miles and filled in as a U.S. Maritime base until 1975. A couple of the base's remaining parts can be found along the town's shore, including a rusted tank, one of the notable photograph operations for guests. Culebra is encircled by in excess of 20 cays and energetic submerged scenes. It is a sanctuary for those keen on drawing nearer to sea life while swimming or plunging. Over 20% of Culebra has been safeguarded as a National Wildlife Refuge for over 100 years. The shelter fills in as a natural surroundings for jeopardized ocean turtles and seabirds, among different animals.
Other well known exercises on Culebra incorporate "sea shore mooching." Places like Flamenco sea shore have been perceived on arrangements of the best sea shores on the planet. And keeping in mind that that is the most acclaimed, others are more far off, with regular appeal.
Blend with local people, inundate yourself in nature, sea shore bounce, or more all, distinction from your bustling life. Culebra will give you the harmony and quietness of an immaculate spot with a scope of satisfying movement choices when you're prepared to investigate further.
Ferry from San Juan to Culebra
Just like San Juan, you will find plenty of thing to do in Culebra island activities. However, these activities tend to be more restful or playful, as the remote island beckons travelers who wish to escape from the stress of the everyday. You can easily ferry from Puerto Rico to Culebra.
A San Juan to Culebra Daytrip
The Wi-Fi-less island of Culebra represents an archipelago that lies 18 miles to the east of the Puerto Rican mainland. You won’t find major chains of Culebra hotels, but you will find plenty of marine life in the form of fish and turtles in Culebra’s water. Therefore, one of the must-do activities, if you love watersports, is to snorkel or scuba dive.
A Culebra Day Trip by Catamaran from Fajardo
One of the most beautiful municipal spots, Fajardo, can also provide access, by catamaran to Culebra. Fajardo is located on the island’s eastern short, next to the Atlantic Ocean.
Flamenco Beach Culebra
One of the most beautiful beaches in the world can be found on Isla de Culebra. Playa Flamenco Culebra greets its visitors with white powdery sands and the bluest of skies. From this setting, you can also see an unhindered view of the mainland. The beach, which once served as a bombing and gunnery practice range for the U.S. Navy, displays a rusted tank – a reminder that the oasis once had a more militaristic past. The beach was used for practice until 1975.
Puerto Rican Specialties
If you are a foodie, you will be delighted by the food stand food on Flamenco Beach. Savor street delights, such as pinchos, also known as “spikes,” which are kebabs made with pork or chicken. You will also love the fried plantain dough stuffed with ground beef or crab meat, which is known as an alcapurria. If you take a ferry to Culebra but want to stay overnight, you might think of setting up camp at the shaded campgrounds on-shore.
To make the most of Culebra weather, plan to go during the winter, when the temperatures are cooler (around 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the day), and there is less precipitation. However, if you want to take advantage of an even slower pace, the best time to go is in the spring. Just make sure you prepare yourself for the occasional rain shower.
Tamarindo Beach
Another Culebra beach that you will want to visit is Tamarindo Beach – a place that teems with sea turtles and fish. The turtles can frequently be seen swimming toward the sister isle of Culebra, Vieques. Much of Isla de Culebra serves as a nesting site for 3 types of sea turtles, including the leatherback. You can snorkel, kayak, or rent a paddleboard to “swim” with the turtles.
A Day Trip to Isla Culebrita and Back
A short boat ride away from Culebra, Isla Culebrita is a part of Culebra’a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). This small island features 6 small beaches, including Playa Tortuga, and is uninhabited. The only manmade structure on the isle is and old lighthouse.
About 25% of Culebra’s archipelago makes up the Culebra Island NWR. Visitors can only enter Cayo Luis Pena and Isla Culebrita of the refuge area. Activities in this part of the archipelago include snorkeling, scuba diving, bird watching. You can only access Culebrita from Culebra Island by boat or water taxi.
Biking on Culebra Island
Besides snorkeling, scuba diving, or relaxing on the beach, you can also bike on Culebra Island. In fact, you can rent a bike to go sight-seeing from one of several places. If you want to stay at one of the guest houses or small Culebra hotels, check at your accommodation to see if you can rent a bike there. If you take a mountain biking trail, inspect the condition of your bike first and make sure the trail is used often or is maintained.
Eating and Drinking in Culebra PR
Just like Puerto Rico’s mainland, you can find gourmet dining as well as food stands on Culebra Island. The island hangout, Dinghy Dock, offers American foods, seafood, Puerto Rican fare, and Caribbean specialties for $6.00 to $25.00. If you love key lime pie, the place to go for the homemade dessert is Mamacita’s Restaurant. The island’s signature drink is a Bushwhacker, made with chocolate and coconut.
Culebra Hotels
While you won’t find big chain hotels on Culebra Island Puerto Rico, you will find several accommodations that will make your visit quite relaxing. Some of the best accommodations include the Club Seaborne Hotel, the Culebra Beach Villas, the Culebra Moon Villas, and the Sea Breeze Hotel.
Flowers and Wildlife
Other than some deer on the east part of Culebra Island, the isle’s fauna includes large toads, lizards, and iguanas. Bats also fly on the island during the night. You may also hear roosters crowing at night. Besides tropical fish, marine life filling the coastal waters off Culebra Puerto Rico includes kingfish, mullet, tuna, oysters, lobster, and Spanish mackerel.
The Culebra National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) safeguards about 85 species of sea birds, especially red-billed tropical birds and terns. Although Culebra Island is a tropical isle, its small size and lack of heat transfer (convection) gives it a semi-arid climate. Plants that require rain cannot survive in Culebra.
Visit the Culebra Museum
If you want to take a break from the sun, you might think of stopping in at Culebra’s Museum. Paying a visit will introduce you to the island’s history. Some of the information below is featured at the museum.
Archaeologists believe Culebra Island was inhabited by Arawaks and Tainos during the Pre-Columbian period. The Spanish named Culebra Island, Isla Pasaje. During the 1700s, pirates used the island to hide from the law. However, island colonization started in 1880 under the command of Don Cayetano Escudero. The first settlement on Culebra Island was named to commemorate San Ildefonso de la Culebra, who was the Bishop of Toledo.
In 1891, the island’s town, San Ildefonso de La Culebra comprised a few homes constructed with straw. The town, basically, included a government house, church, and a water tank where local residents retrieved water. In 1894, 594 people lived in 5 communities on Culebra Island.
During those early times, agriculture was the main industry. Some of the items exported from the island included turtle shells and turtle oil, tobacco, cattle, goats, cheese, sweet potatoes, wood, salted fish, tomatoes, charcoal, mangrove bark, turkey, corn, beans, pumpkins, plantains, coconuts, and cotton. The U.S. military landed on the island in 1901 to establish a firing range, which was used until 1975.
Again, learn the above information and view the interesting exhibits at the island’s Museum of History. Any trip to Puerto Rico is not complete unless you include Culebra Island on your travel itinerary.
