Playa Flamenco
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Named one of “America’s Best Beaches” by the Travel Channel, Playa Flamenco (north on Carr. 251 at dead-end) is one of the main reasons people come to Culebra. It’s a wide, mile-long, horseshoe-shaped beach with calm, shallow waters and fine white sand. The island’s only publicly maintained beach, it has bathroom facilities, picnic tables, lounge-chair and umbrella rentals, and a camping area.
You can buy sandwiches and alcoholic beverages at Coconuts Beach Grill in front of Culebra Beach Villa, as well as from vendors who set up grills and blenders in the ample parking lot. An abandoned, graffiti-covered tank remains as a reminder of the Navy’s presence. It can get crowded on summer weekends and holidays—especially Easter and Christmas.
Other Culebra Beaches
If Playa Flamenco is too crowded, take a 20-minute hike over the ridge and bypass the first small beach you encounter to reach the more private Playa Carlos Rosario, a pleasant, narrow beach flanked by coral reef and boulders. It offers excellent snorkeling around the long, vibrant stretch of coral reef not too far offshore. Other great snorkeling and diving beaches are Punta Soldado (south of Dewey, at the end of Calle Fulladoza), which also has beautiful coral reefs; Playa Melones, a rocky beach and subtropical forest within walking distance of Dewey; and Playa Tamarindo, where you’ll find a diversity of soft corals and sea anemones.
Excellent deserted beaches can also be found on two of Culebra’s cays—Cayo Luis Peña and Culebrita, which is distinguished by a lovely but crumbling abandoned lighthouse and several tidal pools. To gain access, it is necessary to either rent a boat or arrange a water taxi. And be sure to bring water, sunscreen, and other provisions; there are no facilities or services on the islands.
At the far eastern side of the island at the end of Carretera 250 is Playa Zoni, which features a frequently deserted sandy beach and great views of Culebrita, Cayo Norte, and St. Thomas.
Playa Brava has the biggest surf on the island, but it requires a bit of a hike to get there. To reach the trailhead, travel east on Carretera 250 and turn left after the cemetery, and then hike downhill and fork to the left. Note that Playa Brava is a turtle-nesting site, so it may be off-limits during nesting season from April to June.
Like Playa Brava, Playa Resaca is an important nesting site for sea turtles, but it is ill-suited for swimming because of the coral reef along the beach. The hike to Playa Resaca is fairly arduous, but it traverses a fascinating topography through a mangrove and boulder forest. To get there, turn on the road just east of the airport off Carretera 250, drive to the end, and hike the rest of the way in.
© Suzanne Van Atten from Moon Puerto Rico, 2nd Edition
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