The Last Spanish Virgin: Photos 21 to 31

Sunday, January 21, 2007 - Playa Flamenco, Culebra - Spanish Virgin Island, Puerto Rico

Not many people have heard about the Spanish Virgin Islands, which mostly consists of two archipelago groups of Culebra and Vieques. This is the very spot where the Greater and Lesser Antilles meet. Geographically, these islands should be considered as the U.S. Virgin Islands instead of Puerto Rico; Culebra is only 12 miles west of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (compared to 17 miles from mainland Puerto Rico).

But, that is just a formality. Culebrenses would consider themselves as the ‘Spanish Virgin Island’. Just like Switzerland, they like to be neutral.

Getting into Culebra is an adventure by itself, as it challenges adventurous souls to find their way from the capital of San Juan to the eastern town of Fajardo, the only place where a daily ferry is offered to the island. I was fortunate enough to be at the dock on time to get my ticket and to get acquainted with my new Finnish travel buddy for the night. She has been backpacking in the Caribbean islands for almost one month now. Besides her, there were two Columbian guys who were

Full Text Entry: The Last Spanish Virgin

Thanks for sharing those lovely pictures and sharing the world with us. How are you?

iriiii gua iriiiiii..... i truly truly envy you.....hikz.....

I'm headed back to Culebra in a few weeks, so I do a search to see who has been there and to see if anything has changed. Apparently not! The only bad thing about going there is coming back -- re-entry to the rat race seems overwhelmingly pointless...

My husband and I are looking for somewhere tropical to spend our 25th anniversary. We need somewhere affordable. We do not want anything touristy. Culebra was suggested. What do you think?

Joanie - I would highly recommend Culebra to visit on a budget and a 'real' Caribbean experience. That said, if your ideal anniversary is having a pampered accomodation in a high class resort (ie spas, drivers etc), your best bet is maybe St John in US Virgin Island or Bahamas, or Bermudas. Culebra is definitely a much slower pace place where you can have a beach by yourself, camping out by the shore for 10 bucks a night, and biking around the island in comfort. Simple roads with potholes, sleepy bars and restaurants with no set open hours, and not many cars. Not touristy, relatively not too expensive, especially if you bring your basic essentials and some food from mainland PR. Culebrenses still need to import many things from the mainland.

As a Caribbean pilot I can't let the "Cessna" remark go un-commented. The airplane you travelled in was actually an old British airplane, the Britten-Norman Islander. It is almost standard-issue in the Caribbean because it gets into the tiny restricted airports with few problems. Its joy to be in the Caribbean (even the northern parts! :) but even more of a joy to fly for a living in the Caribbean.

Havent been to Culebra since my son was 1 he is 18 now, alot of changes . What should we expect, looking forward to our visit Aug 5. Lisa

Thanks for sharing those lovely pictures and sharing the world with us. How are you?

iriiii gua iriiiiii..... i truly truly envy you.....hikz.....

I'm headed back to Culebra in a few weeks, so I do a search to see who has been there and to see if anything has changed. Apparently not! The only bad thing about going there is coming back -- re-entry to the rat race seems overwhelmingly pointless...

My husband and I are looking for somewhere tropical to spend our 25th anniversary. We need somewhere affordable. We do not want anything touristy. Culebra was suggested. What do you think?

Joanie - I would highly recommend Culebra to visit on a budget and a 'real' Caribbean experience. That said, if your ideal anniversary is having a pampered accomodation in a high class resort (ie spas, drivers etc), your best bet is maybe St John in US Virgin Island or Bahamas, or Bermudas. Culebra is definitely a much slower pace place where you can have a beach by yourself, camping out by the shore for 10 bucks a night, and biking around the island in comfort. Simple roads with potholes, sleepy bars and restaurants with no set open hours, and not many cars. Not touristy, relatively not too expensive, especially if you bring your basic essentials and some food from mainland PR. Culebrenses still need to import many things from the mainland.

As a Caribbean pilot I can't let the "Cessna" remark go un-commented. The airplane you travelled in was actually an old British airplane, the Britten-Norman Islander. It is almost standard-issue in the Caribbean because it gets into the tiny restricted airports with few problems. Its joy to be in the Caribbean (even the northern parts! :) but even more of a joy to fly for a living in the Caribbean.

Havent been to Culebra since my son was 1 he is 18 now, alot of changes . What should we expect, looking forward to our visit Aug 5. Lisa