Tiny Caribbean island that's still a secret to most tourists with famous bioluminescent bay
HIDDEN GEM Tiny Caribbean island that's still a secret to most tourists with famous bioluminescent bay
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DESPITE the Caribbean being one of the most popular long-haul destinations for Brits, there are still a few islands you might not have heard of.
One of those is Vieques, off the coast of Puerto Rico and while it should be on everyone's bucket list, it remains fairly uninvited by tourists.
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Vieques is home to the very famous Mosquito Bay
Credit: Alamy
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Popular activities include kayaking and exploring the beaches
Credit: Alamy
Vieques is a relatively small island in the Caribbean and is around eight miles away from the mainland of Puerto Rico.
The island's name is a Spanish spelling of a Taíno and it has the nickname Isla Nena, usually translated as "girl island" or "little girl island", alluding to it being as Puerto Rico's little sister.
Vieques is known for its untouched beaches and its wildlife refuge, which is the largest in the Caribbean.
The island has over 15 beaches which have both white and black sand bays.
Some of the most popular are Playa La Chiva (Blue Beach) and Playa Caracas (Red Beach) which are consistently ranked as top choices by visitors .
There are lots of wild horses on the island, the number of free-roaming horses, is estimated to be between 2,000 and 6,000.
The horses are descendants of those brought by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.
Vieques is also home to Mosquito Bay, the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world, and holds the Guinness World Record for it.
It's nicknamed 'bio bay' by locals and gets its bright lights produced by living organisms in the ocean.
To see the bioluminescence in the bay, you have to visit after dark. And for maximum effect, it's advisable to go during the dry season from December to April.
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There are many tour operators around Mosquito Bay that will take groups kayaking on a glass-bottom boat to see the phenomenon, and it's well worth the visit according to travellers.
One wrote on Tripadvisor: "The bay is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen; it shone brightly. It's a dream you have to live the experience because it's unique."
Another added: "It was so bright and the jumping fish on the water made it magical. Staring up at the endless sky full of stars was a bonus, but the guides, info and bioluminescent lights were the real stars of the show."
Other activities that are popular on the island include snorkelling and kayaking through mangrove forests as well as boat tours and sunset sails.
The Fortín Conde de Mirasol is another tourist spot on the island that's a restored art gallery.
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Compared to other Caribbean islands, Vieques is quiet
Credit: Alamy
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Mosquito Bay is bioluminescentand is lit up at night
Credit: www.theclio.com
It's notable as the last Spanish fort constructed in the Americas.
If you head up there, it's on a cliff top so you get incredible views across the island.
To get to Vieques from the UK, travellers will need to head to New York, to San Juan and onward to Vieques.
And don't expect many chain hotels too, with mainly B&Bs and home rentals on the island.
Here's the closest Caribbean island to the UK that has Maldives-like overwater villas.
Plus, the Caribbean island with UK flights and world's best beaches.
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