How to get to and get around on Vieques
Updated: Sep 4
We recently took a trip to Vieques, an island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Known for its stunning beaches, bioluminescent bays, and rich history. Vieques offers visitors a unique experience. However, navigating this beautiful island requires some understanding of its transportation options. Here are a few pointers for getting around on Vieques, so you can make the most of your visit.
Getting to Vieques
There is an airport on the island but we chose the ferry from Cieba, about an hour west of San Juan, because it was much, much, much cheaper. We bought our ferry tickets online a few days before our trip which I have read that it's not necessary, but it gave us peace of mind. The parking is pretty far away from the ferry terminal but there's a shuttle if you don’t want to walk in the heat. There’s a horseshoe-shaped drive where people coordinate drop offs and pickups with a shade canopy and a few benches where you can wait for your ride.
There's a food cart near the pick-up/drop off area at terminal but no real restaurants nearby. Before you board, they will line you up in rows of seating and call you by group. Then you’ll walk through the shipyard to the ferry which, when we went, was blazing hot and a longer walk than I would have expected. It could be challenging for people with really young kids or the elderly. The ferry ride is an easy and comfortable (but windowless) 45 minutes.
UTVs
A lot of people get around on the island in UVTs. There is a UTV rental place just west of Esperanza https://www.utvrentalpr.com/. UTV Puerto Rico will transport one person from your party from the ferry dock to their office to complete the transaction and check out the vehicle.
These “all terrain golf carts” are great for navigating the island's rugged terrain. Their versatility makes them a popular choice for both locals and tourists looking to explore Vieques, but obviously they’re not air conditioned and ride pretty low to the ground so some people might find that uncomfortable.
One concern I do have is safety, the roads on Vieques are narrow and you are very likely to come face to face with a horse in the road so you may need to swerve and I’m not sure how well a UTV would do in the event of a rollover crash.
Also some gravel roads were grown over with vegetation so you could be whipped by palm fronds as you navigate areas with overgrown vegetation. They are compact so good for narrow streets and easy to park! They don’t offer a lot in terms of cargo space. We had a bunch of luggage including our snorkel gear so we opted to rent a car instead.
TLDR on UTVs
Pros:
Compact
Fun
Cons:
No AC
Limited cargo space
Safety
Rental Car
There are not car rental agencies directly at the ferry terminal. The rental agency we used (Avis), has a driver that will take one person from your party to the office to complete the rental transaction (just like the UTVs). The kids and I squatted in a corner of shade just outside the terminal, and during the 15 minute wait while my husband completed the transaction, we spotted our first wild horse galloping across the hilltop. Technically they're not really "wild" but they are "free range" so expect to see them lumbering along in the streets. Also, be aware of the free range chickens, they are really the ones in charge!
Road Conditions
The main roads on Vieques are in decent condition but narrow so you have to scootch over to allow other cars to pass. There is no centerline or marking for passing zones. The landscape is curvy and hilly. Plus you must keep an eye out for those horses! There were several times we came around a corner only to find a handful of equines milling about in the road.
Keep in mind that you have to go off paved roads to get to some of the amazing beaches. The roads in the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge are gravel were in rough shape when we visited because Hurricane Ernesto had chewed them up few weeks before we arrived. We did see people using UTVs on those roads but it could not have been a comfortable experience for them as the roads were very bumpy and littered with vegetation.
Our four-wheel drive Jeep had no issues with the terrain and I did appreciate the AC.
Vieques is an amazing place to get close to nature no matter how you travel!
