National Lampoons: Vieques Vacation

Like a Chevy Chase epic film of vacation gone awry, our trip to the island of Vieques proved no different, in the best possible way. From forgotten swim trunks to keys locked in the (running) car, to the broken umbrella fiasco, and everything in between, ours was an adventure from start to finish. Spring Break 2011 came just in the nick of time as we found ourselves mentally broken and in need of some comedic and physical relief from the realities of the world. Turns out we still haven’t grown out of spring break, and likely never will.

A Metaphor for our Vieques Vacation: Broken down, but still having fun!

Vieques, for those of you outside the Caribbean, is a former U.S. Military bombing site, turned tropical vacation paradise. The ferry, leaving from Fajardo on the mainland, takes you on an hourlong journey for just $2 each way, and takes you approximately half of the distance to St. Thomas to island that is home to just 10,000 and what seems like an equal number of horses that roam the island.

The view from the rooftop deck at Casa Tolteca.

The House: We have officially chosen a life of private house rental, instead of Hotel rental, after repeated successes that have made our vacations beyond memorable. Casa Tolteca on Vieques gave us 4 bedrooms, three bathrooms, a rooftop patio with views of the Caribbean and Culebra Island, as well as a private pool with chic modern elegance that matched the interior decor. Rumor has it that Paul Walker and the Crew of Blue Crush spent their time between filming at Casa Tolteca. (If it’s not true then someone played a cruel joke while signing the house guest book.)

Red Beach in Vieques

The Beaches: Across the island of Vieques are littered some of the most majestic beaches found in the Caribbean, each unique and different from the next. In order to fully appreciate all the island had to offer it was imperative we rented a couple SUV’s to criss-cross the island. From Red to Blue Beach, and Media Luna to Sun Bay, we needed to hit multiple beaches each day in order to fully appreciate the island’s offerings.

Blue Beach in Vieques

The Bioluminescent Bay: The bioluminescent bay in Vieques has been recognized as having the brightest dinoflagellate activity in the world. Having taken this adventure just a year prior, we opted out of the trip while our amigos journeyed ahead on kayak to the middle of Mosquito Bay (aptly named for the generally vicious mosquitos that fill the air of the muddy maingroves). What makes this Bioluminescent Bay adventure superior to all others is the remoteness of the location, the price (just $25-30), and the ability to swim with the shining critters whose only defense is to glow when disturbed.

El Quenepo, El Malecon, Esperanza, Vieques

El Quenepo Restaurant: While the rest of our group relaxed in the middle of the shimmering mosquito bay, we relaxed ourselves at arguably the best restaurant that Vieques has to offer. El Quenepo sits on the Malecon (boardwalk) in the coastal city of Esperanza. Simply put, the quality of food matched the upscale while open-air ambiance within the restaurant. We took advantage of the proximity to the water to eat freshly caught seafood, from Lobster Bisque to whole Red Snapper (Chillo).

With just four days of our vacation spent on Vieques we moved from beach to beach and spent evenings poolside with friends who will be parting ways the following year. We left a lot of our emotional selves in Vieques as we realize the end of this Puerto Rican adventure is drawing nearer every day.

These friends have become like a supportive family to us.

Our favorite spot at the house.

Our other favorite spot at the house.

The marina in Vieques

Vieques Ferry: The best $2 we ever spent