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VIEQUES GENERAL INFORMATION

Here you will find facts and information you absolutely need to plan your vacation. Use the table below to jump to specific areas.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

    

   Vieques Island is 55 square miles and has less than 10,000 inhabitants and not many visitors. The beaches are just gorgeous. The Island is about 21 miles long by 5 miles at its widest point and it is located between Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, just 6 miles from the south-east coast of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico itself is located 1000 miles southeast of Miami, Florida and 2 1/2 hour flight.

   The currency is the U.S. dollar, major credit cards are accepted in most establishments. There is an ATM at the local bank in downtown Isabel II, another one at  La Viequense Panaderia & Deli also in Downtown.

   There is a 5.5% or 7% sales tax in Puerto Rico (depends on the Municipality), Vieques sales tax is 7%, and a 9% hotel tax, 11% if the hotel has a casino, 7% for paradores or short term rentals.

   The postal service is U.S. Postal Service.

   English is spoken by most locals (Spanish is the spoken language of choice although there are two official languages Spanish and English).

   Most (if not all) cell phone companies operate on the island. The coverage is weak on the extreme east or west sides of the island because the population is located in the center and that's where the antennas are located too. The signals are weak on the beaches beyond Sun Bay in the south. In my experience, Cingular, now AT&T, seems to have the widest coverage in Vieques.

   New travel requirements for U.S. Citizens, see the U.S. Department of State web site. Passsport is not required for Americans traveling from the States to and from Puerto Rico but it is required for foreign nationals (for more information call the Puerto Rico Department of State at 787 722-2121).

   The electrical current is the same as in the U.S., 110-220 volts, 60 Hz. The temperature does not fluctuate outside the 60-90 degrees.

   The average temperature has been quoted by different sources to be 79 F (National Climatic Data Center, 1994) or 82 F from November to May  with an average beach temperature of 80 F in summer and 76 F in the winter (PR Tourism Company, Feb-Mar 2005). There are constant mild easterly trade winds. Raisn season is from August to November although it seldom rains continuously.

   The time is Atlantic Standard Time (AST) all year. Daylight savings time is not observed. This is one hour later than U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) from October to April, and the same as Eastern Daylight Saving Time from April to October.

   The legal age for drinking in Puerto Rico is 18. It is illegal to have an open alcohol container in the car. Seatbelts are required for all passengers and the police are in the lookout for that. Observe posted speed limits, specially around downtown.

   The Police Station is in downtown, 787 741-2020 or 787 741-2121, next to the Middle School. If you have an emergency of any type dial 911.

   All health care facilities and pharmacies are located in Downtown Isabel II, in the north side. Farmacia (pharmacy) San Antonio 787 741-839, on Calle Benitez Guzman across from the Tourism Office; and Isla Nena Pharmacy on the main street across from the bank, 787 741-1906.. The local clinic, CDT Susana Centeno is on Road 997 close to the entrance to Isabel II. The clinic has a 24 hour emergency room and labor and delivery service.

    

2. WEATHER IN VIEQUES 

   Click weather  for more information or call 787 253-4586 for a current weather report.

   

3. HOW TO GET TO VIEQUES
   1. FROM SAN JUAN

      You can take a 25 min flight to Vieques from San Juan International Airport for about $165 round trip. 

      You can also fly to Vieques from San Juan Isla Grande airport with Vieques Air Link or MSN for about $90 round trip. A Taxi to San Juan Isla Grande from the San Juan International airport is about $20. You can save a couple of bucks going this way if there are two or more people traveling.

       

       

   2. FROM FAJARDO

      You can get to Vieques from the town of Fajardo by boat or plane. (Fajardo is about 1 hr drive from San Juan International Airport). The boat costs $4 round trip for a 1 hr 15 min ride. The ferry port is located on Road 195, in sector Puerto Real.  The flight from Fajardo to Vieques costs about $42 round trip for a 10 min flight.

       

      1. TO GET TO FAJARDO

         1. Take a Taxi to Fajardo.

            A taxi from San Juan International Airport to Fajardo will cost now $80. The maximum of people in a taxi is 5 in a car and 7 in a van, the first 5 are included on the $80 fee, any extra passengers pay $10 each. In addition, the first 3 pieces of luggage pay $0.50 each, any additional pays $1.00 each. When you get to the airport at San Juan, check with Ground Transportation Dispatchers and get the actual fee in a receipt. The taxis at the airport and the tourist zones in San Juan are called Taxis Turisticos and their rates are fixed when traveling to/from the International Airport or the Piers in Old San Juan. Anywhere else the rates are metered. For more information check with Jose J. Santana at www.taxituristico.com . Prices are subject to change.

         2. Rent a one way car.

            Most companies will pick you up at the San Juan International airport, you drive to their Fajardo branch, and they take you to the Fajardo airport or port. Or you can do this in reverse. Some seasoned travelers recommend flying to Vieques and on the way back driving and stopping at El Yunque, the only tropical forest in the U.S. National Forest System.

            Leaseway will rent you a one way car for $35 to $70 (minivan) in high season or $26 to $60 in low season, plus insurance $10-$12, and a drop charge of $25.  Phone 1-800-468-2647, in San Juan at (787) 791-5900, in Fajardo at (787) 860-5000 or email them at leaseway@caribe.net. The Fajardo branch does not open on Sundays.

            L&M has branches in Fajardo and San Juan and operates 7 days a week and have great service. Fajardo 787 860-6868.

            World Car Rental operates in the Fajardo area only. (787) 863-9696 or 860-4808, fax 860-9001. They have an office at the Fajardo airport and another at the Fajardo harbor. Very convenient. Rates are $35-45 per day for an economy car. Prices depend on the model year.

             

         3. Use the public car system.

            The public transportation system most used in Puerto Rico is locally called "carros publicos" (public cars). These are vans that can carry about 12-15 passengers and are set on specific routes. The whole trip from the airport to Fajardo including the taxi will cost about $26 per person. It takes much longer but if you are in a tight budget this is an option. You have to start in the morning any day except Sunday. Give yourself at least 4 hours to make sure you get to Fajardo on time. First, take a taxi from the airport to the town of Rio Piedras (about $20), ask the driver to take you to the Rio Piedras central public car station and to leave you at the station for the cars going to Fajardo "playa" (beach). These cars will take you directly to the Fajardo ferry boats or to the Fajardo airport. If the Fajardo playa cars are already gone (they leave the terminal about 1 pm), you can still take the cars on the regular Fajardo downtown public car station route. Unless the driver agrees to take you all the way to the airport or port (they are not supposed to do it) you will end at the Fajardo station where you will take another public car to the airport or ferry. The whole trip in public car from Rio Piedras costs about $5-6 per person. 

             

       

   1. FROM ST.CROIX, ST.THOMAS, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

      You can fly to Vieques from the U.S. or the British Virgin Islands. Check the airlines below.

       

4. TRANSPORTATION FROM PUERTO RICO:
   

   1. VIEQUES AIRLINES

      VIEQUES AIR LINK

      OTHER VIEQUES AIRLINES

       

   1. SEA

      FERRY  SCHEDULE 

      Click here to see the ferry schedule

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   Updated Sep 14, 2007

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