JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2127
Loc: Virginia
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This post was stimulated by a PM by another forum member who is going to Vieques so I thought I'd share my memories of our trip this past March. We flew Vieques Air Link from San Juan. We stayed at Hacienda Tamarindo which I would highly recommend. It's near the south coast tourist town of Esperanza. Definitely rent a jeep or high-clearance vehicle to get to the beaches. They are spectacular. Lots of open undeveloped land unlike most islands. Do the bioluminescent bay - great experience. Good restaurants (we liked El Quenepo in Esperanza and the one at the Inn at the Blue Horizon near Tamarindo), but don't expect St. Barts.
Nice people in Esperanza. Some of the locals do look rowdy but we had no
trouble. Usual precautions apply. Here are some photos:
Pool at Tamarindo
Horses roam freely
East end beach
South shore beach
Tamarindo pet
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georgedp
Reged: 06/22/04
Posts: 2713
Loc: Beautiful hunterdon county new...
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Hi Josh
I've been wanting to visit Vieques. Last year I was in touch with several hotels and they all seemed to have an anti-kid policy. Even though my two boys have been travelling with us since they were born and are well behaved, it seems like they were not welcome. As I looked through various Vieques websites for accommodations it seemed like many had kid policy with minimum ages 14, or 15 and even 18 years old. So, my question is, did you get the feeling that as far as tourists were concerned it was mostly couples without kids?
I am fluent in spanish so I would think that I might have it easier than a tourist with little or no knowledge of the spanish language, but curious if you found english widely spoken.
take care
georgedp
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JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2127
Loc: Virginia
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George: It does seem like the tourists on Vieques are primarily young couples. It might be because of the relatively primitive beach infrastructure (i.e none) and the rough sand roads. Tamarindo and many of the other places are relatively small B&B-style places where they may not be able to handle small kids. Some are also set up in a high-style South Beach vibe. I would think the one large hotel, Wyndham -> W, should have no problem, though. I know binnie felt uncomfortable with his kids there. Maybe he can chime in. We loved the wild feel but a family may see it differently.
Fluent English is widely spoken, just like in PR, although speaking Spanish will likely help at some of the local places in Isabel Segundo and environs. Not needed in the tourist-oriented places.
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georgedp
Reged: 06/22/04
Posts: 2713
Loc: Beautiful hunterdon county new...
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Thanks Josh
Last year I was trying to book something during the off season, late june after the kids got out of school and one of the hotels, I don't remember which one, was downright hostile when I e-mailed them inquiring about bringing out two boys.
I remember sending this person a message back essentially telling him that we would skip travelling to Vieques and continue going to sbh, where our children have always been welcome.
By contrast, a lot of the sbh hotels are also smallish B+B type places and they seem to handle families OK - so I don't really know why Vieques hotels seem to have a virtual ban on children. Oh well, to each his own, I suppose.
Hopefully binnie will chime in, as I remember his posts about going to Vieques and getting the hell out of there and going to sbh. I've been curious as to what the problem was.
take care
georgedp
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dwl
Reged: 02/12/04
Posts: 59
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Another option is to rent a villa in Vieques...we rented this one a few years back and had a great time (with the little one):
http://home.bellsouth.net/personalpages/scripts/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=22581&ck=&ver=3.0
Here are a few others which looks nice:
http://www.casacolumbia.net/
http://www.islandcharm.net/content.html
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georgedp
Reged: 06/22/04
Posts: 2713
Loc: Beautiful hunterdon county new...
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Thanks dwl - pretty nice villas and reasonably priced compared to SBH prices.
I will give that careful consideration. Cacimar House if appealing and at only usd 2,100 per week in low season and usd 2,400 in shoulder season, seems like a good deal. By the way, is dwl your initials? Reason I ask is that my oldest son is also a dw (Daniel William).
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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Puerto Rico = America
America = Chauvanistic Anti-women swimwear
Chauvanistic Anti-women swimwear = No Thanks
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georgedp
Reged: 06/22/04
Posts: 2713
Loc: Beautiful hunterdon county new...
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Quote:
Puerto Rico = America
America = Chauvanistic Anti-women swimwear
Chauvanistic Anti-women swimwear = No Thanks
But go to a secluded beach in Vieques, where there is no one around, get nekkid.
No problem.
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JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2127
Loc: Virginia
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Vraiment. I personally observed such nudity on a fairly secluded Vieques beach. Not that I minded ;-)
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Island Visitor
Reged: 12/19/02
Posts: 10396
Loc: Retraité
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george and josh: That pretty much applies anywhere.
I like places that dont go all nucking futs if a woman gets a good bronzage on a public beach.
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