Bars

If partying into the wee hours is your idea of the perfect vacation, Vieques [1] may not be the place for you. There are no nightclubs, discos, or casinos on the island, and many of the restaurants close by 10 p.m. There are a couple of watering holes that stay open late, though.

Salty sea dogs gravitate to the no-frills Banana’s Beach Bar and Grill (Calle Flamboyan, Esperanza, 787/741-8700, bananasvieques [at] gmail [dot] com, www.bananasguesthouse.com [2], Sun.–Thurs. until 1 a.m., Fri.–Sat. until 2 a.m.). A sign behind the bar proudly proclaims: “This Is A Gin-u-wine Sleazy Waterfront Bar.” Ask the bartender what the drink special is, and she’s likely to respond: “A beer and a shot.” But it also serves a potent rum punch made with three kinds of rum. There are eight small guest rooms on-site if you drink too much and can’t drive home.

Apologies to Banana’s, but the real “gin-u-wine sleazy waterfront bar” in Vieques [1] is Al’s Mar Azul (577 Calle Plinio Peterson, Isabel Segunda, 787/741-3400, Sun.–Thurs. 11 a.m.–1 a.m., Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2:30 a.m.). Hanging right over the water, this pleasant dive bar is cluttered with a random collection of junk that looks as if it has been sitting around the place for decades: old lifesaving rings, an inflated blowfish, paper lanterns, the grill off a jeep, a huge plastic turtle, a carved coconut head. It doesn’t serve food, but someone will call your order in and pick it up for you at Mamasonga’s [3] across the street. It’s also home of the annual Spam Cookoff every May. There are some worn pool tables and video poker games if you’re compelled to do something besides drink and chat up the locals who hang here. And if you really get bored, there’s a dusty bookshelf filled with tattered paperbacks. It’s the perfect place to nurse a hangover with a spicy Bloody Mary on Sundays.