Beaches, not bombs

No longer target practice, Vieques now boasts its shoreline

 Once used for target practice by the U.S. Navy, the Puerto Rican island of Vieques finds itself occupied again. This time it’s by troops of sun worshipers with less rabble-rousing objectives in mind, namely, the pleasure and primitive charm of their sandy beaches.

Unscathed and virtually virgin, with palm fronds and driftwood littering its sands from recent hurricane winds, the hazards of this 21-mile long, island paradise (population 9,000) are decidedly less duck and cover.

Vieques is a 75-minute, $4 round-trip ferry from Fajardo on mainland Puerto Rico. (Fajardo is about two hours by car from San Juan. Rent a car or take a taxi for around $80.) Flights also run between San Juan or Fajardo and Vieques.

Vieques is divided into touristic Esperanza and residential Isabel Segunda, and surrounding the island are about half a dozen incredible beaches. Our favorite was the secluded Green Beach, tucked down a forest-lined dirt road, which eventually opens to an isolated beach.  If you can find it, Secret Beach is worth the hunt. Even Public Beach, the only beach within walking distance of a stretch of B&Bs, is pretty magnificent.

When you’re done sunbathing, a must-see during your visit is the bioluminescent bay. By night Mosquito Bay becomes an underwater light show when microorganisms react to water agitation by glowing. Experience the world wonder only with Abe’s Snorkeling (www.abessnorkeling.com). Abe has done it the longest and is the most knowledgeable.

Land this unscathed is a huge draw for hotels and resorts who want a claim in the area. But for now, the anxious calm before a development storm continues as the promise (or threat, depending on who’s talking) of construction is still under construction. We recommend getting there now while the island remains a getaway gem.