If you’ve been following my journey since arriving on this island, you’ll know I’ve been quite disappointed with the trip so far.
However, I’m trying to stay positive – it’s all about the adventure, right?
But let me tell you, shelling out over $500 a night for our stay here made it a bitter pill to swallow!
Our day kicked off with a stroll to the Golf Car Rental hut in the main area. They were supposed to open at 8:30 am, but it wasn’t too bad of a walk, especially with the wild horses keeping us company.
According to a local taxi driver, if you see letters on the horses, it means they are owned; otherwise, they roam freely as wild horses. They are not aggressive at all, just casually grazing along the street, and they are very calm.
Over the islands, you will see wild horses, chickens, and iguanas!
By the way, the taxi driver told us that chickens are just everywhere since Hurricane Maria hit in 2017!
Once we obtained the golf car (I wish I had recorded the process), the young guy at the hut rushed through it as if he wanted to finish in 5 minutes, he wasn’t busy but he just wanted to do it quickly!
When my husband asked about the business, he mentioned it’s slowed down. I have no surprises!!!
The rental fee for the golf car at Fun Brother was $140 per 24 hours, and we had to refuel before returning it.
However, the nearest gas station was a 25-minute ride away up to the North area. When we inquired about a charge for not refueling, I think it’s the best decision for us!
So we paid the total of $181.10 ($156.10 for rent, including tax, and $25 for gas) for 24 hrs rental.
With the $181.10 we spent, we stopped for breakfast opposite the road. My husband joked that he’s lucky to have me, as the breakfast we paid $36 for wasn’t as good as what I cook at home.
We then visited The 300-year-old Ceiba Tree, Mosquito Pier, and did some rum tasting before heading to Chiva Beach, Sun Bay Beach, and Black Sand Beach. While there were more beaches we could have visited, these three were enough for a full day out.
Our favorite beaches were La Chiva, followed by Black Sand Beach and Sun Bay.
Note: that Black Sand Beach requires a 0.5-mile hike to reach.
In the evening, we rode to the main area for dinner. I don’t recommend driving around the island at night; it’s too dark and looks unsafe.
There are many bars and restaurants offering dinner here, but Duffy’s had a very long line, so we went to Bananas, where we were satisfied with the food. I enjoyed my husband’s Pina Colada with rum, but unfortunately, I didn’t like my Banana Margarita.
The lady tried to convince us to try her homemade dessert, but we declined, although they did look good and big!
On this our second night, it started to rain (again), so we headed back to the resort and stayed in.
Our return boat ticket for the next morning was for 10 am, so it was perfect to check out around 8:30 am and then ride the golf car to the return spot as we arranged for the nicest taxi driver to wait for us there.
We took the passenger and cargo boat back to the mainland. While waiting for our ride, I walked to get some donuts at Panaderia Lydia, which was about a 5-minute walk from the ferry terminal. The shop looked like a pawn shop in Thailand with a security gate!
It was a bit of a wait, but it kept hunger at bay.
We wondered why they have built houses with cage gates/windows everywhere!
Remember, you can bring food on the boat, but you can’t eat or drink while boarding!
Once we arrived at the mainland ferry terminal (Ceiba), we had a hard time calling an Uber as they were too far away but it’s easy to get the taxi there! The taxi guy asked for $40 (cash) to ride to our next resort, El Conquistador in Fajardo. The ride took about 25-30 minutes.
It was a relief to be back on the mainland, where people were friendlier and I felt more at ease, unlike the island where I felt a bit stuck.
There are two things I wish could have happened on this trip:
- Considering the price we paid for the resort, they should have provided ferry/airport pick-up and drop-off on the island! (Or at the very least been more service-oriented!)
- At the main island ferry terminal, they should have lockers available for tourists to rent. This would allow us to leave behind some items that we didn’t need to bring to the island. It would be especially useful as the island seems ideal for backpackers!
But my husband? He seemed to have a soft spot for beaches in Vieques– go figure!
If you need the contact information for the friendliest taxi driver in Vieques Island, please leave a comment below! He also offers beach-hopping tours. Everywhere he drives, he shares interesting information or happily answers any questions we have (maybe it’s better/cheapter than renting the golf car?!?!?!?)
Read through and learn from our mistakes!
>> Trip Itinerary : Cost Break Down : Pros/Cons
– Condado Beach
– Old San Juan
– Pinones Beach
– Vieques Island
– FULL DAY IN VIEQUES ISLAND *You are here
– Fajardo at El Conquistador Resort
– Culebra Beach Day Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo
