Vieques National Wildlife Refuge

As mentioned, the little island of Vieques has much more to offer than just its glow-in-the-dark bays. Just take a look at the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, which is one of the most ecologically diverse places in the entire Caribbean.

The refuge takes up basically the entire eastern half of Vieques, along with a bit of the west coast, for a total of almost 18,000 acres. This protected area is quite sparsely populated and developed. It leaves plenty of space for wild animals and plant life to thrive and creates an awesome environment for the responsible visitor.

Some of the scenes found here are pristine beaches, dry forests, coastal lagoons, mangrove wetlands, and more. Another is where the beautiful manatees of the Caribbean live, and if you’ve ever had the experience of seeing one in Florida before, then you know how special it is to see this gentle giant in the wild. On the land, you can find brown pelicans, a species of freshwater turtle, and even wild horses! The inhabitants of this place are happy to share their beautiful home with you, as long as you pick up after yourself and don’t disturb them.

As for activities, you’ll have your choice of fun things to do and amazing places to visit on both land and sea. If you want to splash around, you can swim, snorkel, and scuba dive; if you prefer to stay dry, you can go hiking, biking or horseback riding. You can also check out the visitor’s center for cool exhibits of seashells and manatee skeletons. Lots of people wonder what to do in Puerto Rico, but only a few realize the potential of a destination just a bit off the coast.

• Tripadvisor Rating: 4.5/5
• Website: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/vieques
  
• Admission: Free
• Opening Hours: Daily
  
• Address: 4JR4+QXF, State Rd 997 km 3.2, Vieques, 00765, Puerto Rico