Vieques, officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and retains strong influences from 400 years of Spanish presence in the island.
Rubén Ángel Berríos Martínez is a Puerto Rican politician, international law attorney, writer, and current president of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP). A former three-time senator, Berríos is a perennial PIP candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico. He led the Navy–Culebra protests that succeeded in the United States Navy abandoning the use of the Puerto Rican island of Culebra for military exercises and was a leader for the Cause of Vieques.
Isla Culebra is an island, town and municipality of Puerto Rico and geographically part of the Spanish Virgin Islands. It is located approximately 17 miles (27 km) east of the Puerto Rican mainland, 12 miles (19 km) west of St. Thomas and 9 miles (14 km) north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 barrios and Culebra Pueblo (Dewey), the main town and the administrative center of the island. Residents of the island are known as culebrenses. With a population of 1,792 as of the 2020 Census, it is Puerto Rico's least populous municipality.
Vieques Air Link is a small Puerto Rico-based airline that links Vieques with Culebra and mainland Puerto Rico.
Fajardo is a town and municipality-Fajardo Combined Statistical Area.
Tourism in Puerto Rico attracted 3.7 million visitors in 2019 and 1.0 million visitors in 2015, a notable increase from the average of 2010–2014 at 3.1 million. Tourism has been a very important source of revenue for Puerto Rico for a number of decades given it is host to diverse natural wonders, cultural and historical buildings, concerts and sporting events. Visitors from the United States do not need a passport to enter Puerto Rico and the ease of travel attracts many tourists from the mainland United States each year.
Luquillo is a town and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northeast coast, northwest of Fajardo; and east of Rio Grande. Luquillo is spread over 5 barrios and Luquillo Pueblo. It lends its name to the Sierra de Luquillo, where El Yunque National Forest is located. It is part of the Fajardo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States Navy base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site operates today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.
The Puerto Rico Police Department, officially the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, is a law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the entire Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is a division of the Puerto Rico Department of Public Safety (DPS), alongside the Puerto Rico Special Investigations Bureau and the Puerto Rico Municipal Police and handles both traffic and criminal law enforcement in the commonwealth. As of 2020, the Puerto Rico Police force had 11,532 members. It is organized into thirteen regions within the island for operational purposes. Its headquarters is located at 601 Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue in San Juan.
The Spanish Virgin Islands, formerly called the Passage Islands and also known as the Puerto Rican Virgin Islands, West Virgin Islands primarily consisting of the islands of Culebra and Vieques, are part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and are located east of the main island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.
Puerto Ferro Light, also known as Faro de Puerto Ferro, is a historic lighthouse located in the Vieques, Puerto Rico. The light was first lit in 1896. It is one of the last minor or local lights to be built by the Spanish government. The light was of crucial importance to cross the Vieques Passage. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1926 when it was abandoned.
Flamenco Beach is a public beach on the Caribbean island of Culebra. It is known for its shallow turquoise waters, white sand, swimming areas, and diving sites. It stretches for a mile around a sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay. Playa Flamenco is a popular beach destination for both Culebra and Puerto Rico. In March 2014, Flamenco beach was ranked 3rd best beach in the world with a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award. In August 2016, it was announced that Flamenco Beach had regained its Blue Flag Beach international distinction.
Orlando Fernández De La Crúz, a.k.a. "Aquaman Boricua", is a long-distance swimmer and the first Puerto Rican swimmer to cross the Strait of Gibraltar.
Jobos Beach or Playa Jobos is a beach facing the Atlantic Ocean located on the PR-466 street of Isabela in the northwest of Puerto Rico. While popular, the beach is dangerous and signs warning tourists of dangerous currents were installed in early 2021.
Mar Bella Beach, colloquially known as Puerto Nuevo Beach, is a beach in the municipality of Vega Baja in the north coast of Puerto Rico. The beach is often referred to as Puerto Nuevo Beach because it is located in the Puerto Nuevo barrio of Vega Baja; it is also referred to as the Balneario de Vega Baja or Balneario de Puerto Nuevo. The beach is located approximately 45 minutes west of San Juan, making it popular with both locals and visitors.
Caracas Beach, also known as Red Beach in English, is a beach on the southern coast of Vieques in the barrio of Puerto Ferro. The beach is famous for its white sand, its clear blue waters, tidal pools and shallow cove perfect for snorkeling. It used to be considered remote but it is now easily reachable through a paved road. The beach has also been developed for visitors with picnic areas, bathrooms and a large parking area. It is located in and managed by the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge and there is also a trail that leads to a nearby hill that offers beautiful views of the beach and cove.
Esperanza Beach is a popular beach on the southern coast of Vieques in La Esperanza, Puerto Real. In comparison to other beaches in the island which are located far away from populated areas, this beach is located close to La Esperanza and it hosts a number of hotels, restaurants, food kiosks and stores. Esperanza Pier, located on the western part of the beach, is considered a landmark of Vieques. It is a very popular weekend destination for locals and visitors alike. The beach is located between Sun Bay Beach and Black Sand Beach and both can be reached by foot from La Esperanza.
The Puerto Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay or Mosquito Bio Bay, is a bay in the island of Vieques famous for its bioluminescence produced by the dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense, which glows blue when agitated. This species of phytoplankton is found in bays in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and The Bahamas.
