Caracas Beach

Location: Vieques Island, Vieques National Wildlife Refuge

Getting there: Take the ferry from Ceiba to Vieques Island. When you arrive on Vieques, take a taxi to Caracas Beach. There will be taxi drivers waiting at the ferry terminal that can take you there. Alternatively, rent a UTV or golf cart for $60.00 – $160.00 and drive 15 minutes to get there. You’ll enter the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge but unlike the road to get to many beaches in the refuge, the road to get to Caracas Beach is all paved. Don’t walk from the parking lot to the beach barefoot, there are thorns all over the ground.

Things to do: Walk the beach – This is a beautiful beach for a walk but it’s not particularly long. Snorkel – There is some decent snorkeling on the far right side of the beach around the rocks. There are a lot of fish living in the cracks. We saw a massive southern stingray. The visibility is usually excellent. Relax in the shallows – the water is calm, clear, and bottom is all white sand.

Heads up: This beach gets crowded. If you want to claim one of the pavilions on the beach, get there early. You may come across moon jellyfish while snorkeling, you can gently push them away pressing on the top of their heads. Even if you get “stung”, for most people you either won’t feel it or feel some minor irritation. If you are allergic to bees, you’ll likely have a more serious reaction. There may also be a lot of “sea walnuts”. It’s a jellyfish-like creature that’s totally translucent and lights up inside (usually after dark). They do not sting at all.

For more information, see Vieques Itinerary and Keys & Islands.