Also known as the enchanted
isle, Vieques is about 21 miles long by 5 miles at its widest point.
It is located between Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, just 6 miles
from the southeast coast of Puerto Rico. Its 52 square miles is
home to fewer than 10,000 residents.
Columbus’ arrival at Vieques in 1493 was the beginning
of a long history of failed colonization attempts that finally
ended in 1843. That year, the Spaniards began construction of
Fort
Count Mirasol—El Fortin Conde
de Mirasol—now a museum that
you can visit on the island today. During the latter half
of the 19th century, the island economy thrived on sugar production.
The major mills—Playa
Grande, Santa Maria, Puerto Real and Esperanza—live on
in the names of the barrios of today’s island.
The US took over Vieques in 1898 after the Hispanic American
War. From 1941 until February 2003, the island was used for military
training purposes. Today both ends of the island, which were
used by the Navy, are National
Wildlife Refuges. There are ambitious
plans to return the entire area to nature, but until clean up
is complete, some sections are off-limits to tourists.
This fortunate accident of history kept Vieques unspoiled when
much of the rest of the Caribbean experienced tourist booms and
over development. While there is excitement about new building
opportunities, two-thirds of today’s island is protected
from development. So there are still lots of unexplored beaches
waiting for you to discover.
For more information about Puerto Rican history and culture,
visit Welcome to Puerto Rico!
ISLAND ACTIVITIES | SIGHTSEEING | DINING | ISLAND MAP |
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