Culebra Blog | Culebra, Puerto Rico

Culebra Island is an amazing place to visit. We have incredible beaches, good restaurants, and untouched natural beauty the way nature intended it. However, we also know that you work very hard and have limited vacation time. When it comes to making a decision on where to go, you need to get this right.

To be sure, a Culebra island vacation is unique and not for everyone.

In order to help you and your traveling companions make an informed decision, we compiled a list of ten things  that you should know about Culebra.

1.  Most Culebra accommodation options are located in neighborhoods. They are not fancy resorts.

2. You will most likely hear roosters crowing (at ALL hours), children playing, people laughing, and loud music.

3. Most of Culebra’s treasures are outside in the natural environment, if you want a vacation where you can spend hours on end in your room then you might want to go elsewhere.

4. If you are coming from a large metropolitan area, think New York or Washington D.C., realize that hyper-speed does not really exist here. The “pace” is sometimes referred to as “island time.”

5. There are NO high-rise hotels or all inclusive properties on Culebra. A typical stay is like visiting a friend’s home.

6. Culebra has one bank, one gas station, and zero traffic lights.

7. As Culebra is a tiny island, almost EVERYTHING must come to the island via plane or boat (including YOU if you decide to visit). Thus, resources can be limited and therefore things might be a bit more costly. This includes things like water and electricity, so you should be prepared to try to help out and conserve Culebra’s resources.

8. The beaches are beautiful and natural. There are no cabana boys waiting to serve umbrella drinks. There certainly are much fancier islands in the Caribbean, but Culebra is very unpretentious.

9. The dress code is very informal, such that the 25 lbs allotted for baggage on the airlines is more than enough for what you’d need to pack for Culebra.

10. Culebra’s grocery stores are small, smaller than most 7-11’s in the United States. However, you can get pretty much everything you need right here on island. And the fruit and veggie guy comes every Friday.

If Culebra sounds like your kind of low-key vacation paradise then please get in touch with us at the Palmetto Guesthouse. Also, check out our F.A.Q. page if you still have questions.

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Our little island has always been a low-key paradise and hotels on Culebra are not much different.

Most people come to Culebra for the beach, nature, and to escape the hustle and stress of their everyday lives.

Culebra hotel accommodations tend to be located in neighborhoods (where you will most certainly hear dogs barking, roosters crowing, and children playing)  and are of the guesthouse, INN, and B&B variety.

If you are ready for a well deserved (and affordable) break, give us a call at the Palmetto Guesthouse.

We will pick you up and drop you off when you arrive, provide amazing complimentary coffee in the mornings, and include everything you’ll need for the beach (snorkel gear, beach towels & chairs, and even coolers).

Also, we are rated number one by your fellow travelers on – Palmetto Reviews on TripAdvisor.

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Went down to Flamenco Beach the other morning and grabbed a quick video! Can you believe Playa Flamenco is ranked in the top five beaches in the world and in the video there is not a sole anywhere to be seen…

Also, if you would like to experience any one of Culebra’s amazing beaches, the Palmetto Guesthouse is currently offering 10% off on stays of three nights or longer.

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According to Gadling, the second addition of Rum and Reggae Puerto Rico is now available. According to the official Rum and Reggae website, “Rum & Reggae’s Puerto Rico, Including Culebra & Vieques will help you find and experience all the best of “La Isla del Encanto.” From the pulsating nightlife of San Juan (both gay and straight) and the architectural wonders of Old San Juan to the rain forests of El Yunque, the surf breaks of Rincón and the serenity of Culebra & Vieques, we are there, giving our own brand of critique for the savvy and in-the-know traveler.”

The writer’s description of Culebra Island (taken from the online highlight section) is very interesting and he states, “Culebra is a small and simple island. Politically part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, it is light years away from the fast pace of San Juan. Although Spanish is the primary language here, English is spoken everywhere. The main village on the island is Dewey, named for Admiral George Dewey, an American hero of the Spanish-American War. This is where the ferry docks and where the post office and most of the commerce are located. There are only a few hundred guest/hotel rooms on the island, a few good restaurants, and no nightclubs, discos, or casinos. The pace is slow, slow, slow! Overall, one gets the impression that this is what the Caribbean used to be like. Indeed, Culebrenses – as residents are called – are very covetous of their way of life and are very suspect of any change.” I strongly agree with the last sentence of the highlight section where he says, “Culebra is one of the Caribbean’s best kept secrets.”

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