Vieques hiking : Amazing hikes to do on the island

Vieques island is part of the Puerto Rican archipelago. It is one of many Caribbean islands. This island as plenty of things to do, but for all the nature lovers out there, you will be happy to learn that this island is full of hikes, wild animals and has many different bird species. This represent one of the vast ecological character of the united states. In this Vieques hiking blog post, I will tell you my top trails. The ones that are worth your time and efforts. This blog post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase, I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Do you need help planning your Vieques itinerary ? Check out these helpful resources:

• Flights
• Accommodation for all budgets
• Rental car
• Ferry tickets
• Activities, tours, and day trips
• eSIM for international data

How to get there?

There are two options to go to the island of Vieques. The first one is by plane and the second one is to take a ferry ride. 

By plane

If your are considering the option to go by plane, you can have a ticket from San Juan airport to Vieques. But, You should know that it is the most expensive option available out there. The ticket is around 300$ round trip. So, it will add up to the cost of the trip if you are on a budget. 

By ferry

The best bet, in my opinion, is to go by a ferry. Even more so, if you are planning to visit mainland Puerto Rico. You can buy your tickets in advance through the City Experience apps or directly at the ferry terminal. I recommend that you buy your tickets a couples of days in advance with the apps, because the most interesting departure times will sellout very quickly. The price for a one way ticket from Ceiba is 2$ and non-refundable. It is the most affordable option available. But, you need to know that, if you are not a local, you cannot bring your car to the ferry. 

P.S. the ferry schedule might not be optimal if you want to spend a whole day on the island and get up in the morning at a reasonable hour. The best way to enjoy a full day is to go to ceiba ferry terminal the day before, take a evening ticket and sleep on the island for two nights. That way you will have enough time to see everything. 

What about the hikes? 

Hike Tapón trail in Vieques National Wildlife Refuge

This hike is nested in Vieques National Wildlife Refuges, where you will walk in beautiful mangrove forest. About half of the park are made of restricted areas where people cannot go since it is a Vieques conservation area.  I got the information on site because we wanted to go to the farthest beach on the island, just for fun, but we learned really early that the roads available are not for the visitors. If by any chance you want to visit those beaches, they are accessible by boat only.  As a result, we discovered the Tapón trail hike. 

I really like this one, because it is so much different of what I’m used too in Quebec and even in the Adirondacks. It is an excellent hiking trail, but you need to know that it is a small trail, which would be great for a sunrise walk. It is around 1.6km long with an elevation gain of 30m. Beside one steep section, it is a perfect trail for beginners or people looking for something a little bit different without putting too much effort.

How to find the entrance ?

To find the trail entrance, you need to put these gps coordinates in your google maps. It will make your life easier : 18°06’38″N 65°24’35″W. You could also try to write Tapón Bay Parking Lot, but it did not work for me.  With the coordinates, you will be guided directly to the trail head. When you drive on the dirt road leading there, you will encounter many wild horses and if you go if April-May you’ll even see foals. There are some great spot along the road to stop and take photos of them. They are not that shy, as long as you do not get to close to the babies. 

What the hike looks like ?

As for the hike, you will walk through a mangrove forest with plenty of hermit crabs nests. It so much fun to watch them run around as you pass by. The directions are really easy to follow. You should not miss a turn, even if the trail might have some overgrown vegetation. Then, as you walk your way trough the trail, you’ll find some entrances to beaches leading to Bahia Tapón.

The Blue Beach is the most easily accessible and you will have a really nice view of the islands, you can relax on the white sand beach and dip your toes in the blue and crystal clear water of this bay. Additionally, it is a wonderful spot if you like snorkeling and you might be lucky enough to see sea turtles!! Also, you’re just a few minutes away from one of the most beautiful beaches of the island, playa Caracas. So,  if you want to hit two birds with one stone and swim in the turquoise waters of Vieques too, Caracas beach is a great place for it.

P.s. If you go during the weekdays, there are not many people on the beach and you will mostly have the trail all to yourself. 

Hike Monte Pirata

If you like hiking to the highest points when you travel, Monte Pirata is the highest of Vieques island and the view up there is well worth the efforts.

To find the start of the trail of this hike, you only need to write Mount Pirata Trailhead in your gps and you should be good to go. It is really easy to find and there are parking spot available too. So, no need to worry about it being full, there’s few people that do this trail. Just to warn you, this one is really steep all the way up and it is a more difficult skill level than the other one.

As you will find out, there is two way to do this trail, you can either take the rugged trails path or the paved path. I did the paved path for the climb and the rugged path for the descent. I did it that way, because, as I passed by palm trees and walk toward the top of the hill, I had breathtaking views of the blue waters of Vieques along the way. As for the rugged path, there is not a lot the see beside the animals, mostly lizards and insects. Which is absolutely great if you like photographing them.

When you reach the top, you will see that there is an observation platform just beside an helipad. In my opinion, this is the best place in the whole island to get a good view of the Caribbean sea. You will see all the shades of blue of the water. Despite the steep hills, it was worth every drop of sweat going up there, trust me.

Need help for your next trip? Check out some of my other posts.

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