As mentioned in our previous post, during a week in Puerto Rico, we hopped on a getaway during our getaway to Culebra, a small island off the coast of PR. It was an absolute dream. We took a little tiny sea plane 30 minutes and we went from the city of San Juan to pure island simplicity. The flight was an adventure in itself as there were only 8 of us! (5 of us on the return flight) You could feel every move of the wind and basically breathe onto the captain's neck. We rented an Airbnb for a few nights as well as a golf cart as our preferred mode of transportation. On the docket: beach hopping and living our best lives.
Culebra is home to one of the top beaches in the world: Flamemco Beach, and I wanted to get there ASAP. It's truly just as nice as everyone says- full of that pure, white, silky sand that curves up and down the coast and that crystal clear turquoise water that just makes me go crazy. (In a good way.) The island isn't that big, so in the few days that we were there, we were able to hop around to several beaches, each with their own unique twist. One was famous for seeing sea turtles! I can't wait to go back and just park myself on Culebra for a week or two and explore and soak in more of its beauty. It is one of my new happy places. Small, simple, and not too commercialized.
How much trouble could you get in with a golf cart? Well, when you have a boyfriend who used to do extreme sports and jump off of large ramps for a living, his mind starts getting a little creative driving around the hilly island...
Even though it rained a bit while we were there, that didn't stop is. Moreso, we had the beach and the crystal blue ocean mostly to ourselves, which would be our paradise. That and coconuts and pina coladas, which there are no lack of. So, you must have them daily. It's your obligation. The view from our AirBNB looked over the harbor, and what's better than having breakfast with a view of sailboats slowly drifting by? Did I mention there was a hammock?
On one of the beaches we were walking down we saw what we thought was a person meditating in the distance. However, upon approaching we realized it was a couple taking a hundred selfies and we rolled our eyes and felt pretty awkward. How many selfies does one need? We brought a fancy camera on our trip and didn't really use it. We didn't come on the trip to have a photo shoot- there's so much more to breathe in than that. We had weather-proof phones and a GoPro, so we threw those in our bags and snapped a few things here and there and had some fun. I'm at a crux of wishing I took more pictures and wishing I didn't touch technology at all at the beach. Most of the snaps below are credited to Ray Mendez...especially his first ever slomo video, which ended up being my saltiest pina colada ever :) Oh and he made me hop up on the infamous tank on the beach and "dance" on it. This would be the most "working out" I did during the entire week. Unless you count lifting coconuts.
Notes:
- STAY: get an AirBNB with a good view. I think they all have one. it's affordable, cozy, and more intimate than staying at a hotel. hopefully, by staying there, you're supporting the good guys.
- TRAVEL: you can fly Air Flamenco from the main island to Culebra, or hop on the ferry from Fajardo. the ferry is inexpensive, but it is known for not sticking to the schedule, selling out, and having very long lines/waits. so there's a bit of a gamble there. the flight may have been more expensive, but it was 30 minutes with a killer view!
- RIDE: rent a golf cart for $40-$50/day. you don't have to plan this ahead of time, they'll have them waiting at the tiny airport and where the ferry docks. if you want something a little more sturdy, they have jeeps too :)
- EAT: at Dinghy Dock. chill and drink with the locals, have amazzinnngg food, and be entertained by the little sharks that may swim up to the dock after the sun goes down.
- GO: even if just for a day trip. it's worth it.
- DON'T: give any fucks what you look like in a bikini. not worth it.
