Powder white sand, warm turquoise water, amazingly star-studded night sky. These are the three things that I will remember most when I think about my recent camping trip to Flamenco Beach on the small Island of Culebra.
This is only the second time I have ever been camping, and I will definitely remember this trip for a long time. Flamenco Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and as soon as you cross over the ramp at the entrance you can see why. It is absolutely gorgeous, and when you step on the powdery white sand you just want to dig your feet in and pick it up in your hands, it is so soft and inviting. It is December and even though the water is a bit cooler than the summer months, it is still warm. The colors of the ocean are amazing. They start off at the shore clear, and then a light blue, and then they turn a beautiful turquoise, just a bit darker above the reefs.
Finding information was a little difficult before we made our trip, and the little we did find was not accurate. Therefore, I would like to share some important information about making your way to Flamenco Beach, so that you can enjoy it to the fullest and avoid any nasty little surprises.
GETTING TO CULEBRA
To get to Culebra you have can fly, or take a ferry, or ”lancha” as it is known locally. Previously you would take this ferry in Fajardo, this is no longer the case. The ferry now leaves out of the Ceiba terminal. They have a passenger ferry, and a cargo ferry if you would like to bring your vehicle. The passenger ferry is $2.25 per person each way. If you are bringing large items, such as coolers, beach chairs there is an extra charge. We had a cooler, a tent and a suitcase and they charged us $5 for all three items. Well worth it since our cooler was full of food and although you can purchase items on Culebra they are much more expensive. It is a fast 45-minute ride, but be sure to arrive early! We took the 6:30 AM ferry and arrived at 5:00 AM to purchase our tickets and guarantee our seats since we were a large group.
The cargo ferry charge is based on the vehicle. Our friends brought a van and paid $60. However, the cargo ferry is busy since it is he only way locals of Culebra and supplies reach the island. So this is not a great way to travel here, plus, our friends actually had a break down in their vehicle, and had to get a part flown in from the main island, not fun. Just something else to keep in mind.
GETTING TO FLAMENCO BEACH
As soon as you get off the ferry, you are in downtown Culebra. There are taxi’s and buses waiting to take you to your final destination. They all pretty much charge $3.00 per person for the ride.
CAMPING AT FLAMENCO BEACH
Before arriving, we were told that camping was $20 for 6 people per night for the campsite. We had a group of 18 so we had planned around this. Upon arrival, we were notified of the new fees. Now the charge is $30 per TENT per night. This was a significant difference for the group since we had many 2 person tents, and a 7 person tent. After a slight standoff with management, they agreed to lower our fees to $15 per night per tent. We also cut down on a couple of tents and some decided to just sleep in their hammocks. Still not great, but better than what they wanted initially. We honestly almost left, but all the kids had been lookig forward to this trip so we stuck it out.
The services are not up to par. Repairs after Hurricane Maria have barely started here. The result is only 1 area for restrooms open, and the outdoor showers. Both of these were open all the time and cleaned once a day. No water stations have been reconnected so you have to make your way to the entrance for your needs. We chose the first available site and the walk was about 5 minutes each way.
Despite minor inconveniences, we had an amazing time. The campsite is right next to the beach, and it was quite and safe. They have some tanks around the beach that were used for military training, they were interesting to see. The night skies were the most beautiful I have ever seen. We laid on the beach for hours in awe of all the stars and we saw a few shooting stars as a bonus. Falling asleep to the sound of the crashing waves was wonderful.
So if you are ever in Puerto Rico, head on over to Flamenco Beach in Culebra. It take a little planning and a little patience, but it is well worth it!
I hope you enjoyed this post inspired by #BeachWednesday - led by @lizanomadsoul and initiated by @uwelang
