Introduction to Vieques

41 miles (66km) E of San Juan, 7 miles (11km) SE of Fajardo

About 7 miles (11km) east of the big island of Puerto Rico lies Vieques (Bee-ay-kase), an island about twice as large as New York's Manhattan, with about 9,300 inhabitants and some 40 palm-lined white-sand beaches.

From World War II until 2003, about two-thirds of the 21-mile-long (34km) island was controlled by U.S. military forces. Much of the government-owned land is now leased for cattle grazing.

Unlike the U.S. military, the Spanish conquistadores didn't think much of Vieques. They came here in the 16th century but didn't stay long, reporting that the island and neighboring bits of land held no gold and were, therefore, las islas inútiles (the useless islands). The name Vieques comes from the native Amerindian word bieques meaning "small island."

The Spaniards later changed their minds and founded the main town, Isabel Segunda, on the northern shore. Construction on the last Spanish fort built in the New World began here around 1843, during the reign of Queen Isabella II, for whom the town was named. The fort, never completed, is not of any special interest. The island's fishermen and farmers conduct much of their business here. The Punta Mula lighthouse, north of Isabel Segunda, provides panoramic views of the land and sea.

On the south coast, Esperanza, once a center for the island's sugar-cane industry and now a pretty little fishing village, lies near Sun Bay (Sombe) public beach. Sun Bay, a government-run, panoramic crescent of sand, is the beach to visit if you have only 1 day to spend on the island. The fenced area has picnic tables, a bathhouse, and a parking lot. A resort, marina, and other facilities add to the allure of the many scalloped stretches of sandy waterfront.

Long the best-kept secret of local travelers and a few in-the-know visitors from the East Coast, Puerto Rico's island municipalities Vieques and Culebra are finally getting their due.

The towns remain blissfully undeveloped (without a fast food restaurant or traffic light between them) and both still retain the air of Puerto Rico back in the 1950s.

You will find sandy beaches and breathtaking coastal waters, as well as low prices. Vieques has a bit more action than Culebra, but both are places to kick back and relax.

Now known as the Spanish Virgin Islands, the two islands have created a buzz with their unspoiled beaches and stylish inns. When you spot Sandra Bernhard on the beach, you know the times are changin'.

Vieques, which has more tourist facilities than Culebra, lies 7 miles (11km) off the eastern coast of the Puerto Rican "mainland." It is visited mainly for its 40-odd white-sand beaches. Vieques was occupied at various times by the French and the British before Puerto Rico acquired it in 1854. The ruins of many sugar and pineapple plantations testify to its once-flourishing agricultural economy.

The U.S. military took control of two-thirds of the island's 26,000 acres (10,522 hectares) in 1941. The area was used for military training with live-fire maneuvers. After massive protests, the U.S. announced in 2003 that it was shutting down its Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, the site of the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility.