The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: Vieques Trip

My wife and I went back to Vieques last week. Our first visit was six years ago, while the Navy was still using it as a target, and we found that it had changed significantly, though mostly in good ways.

There is one large resort on the island (where there was none). It's currently owned by the Wyndham, but there are lots of rumors about it being sold. We stopped in the bar to watch the NCAA basketball championship and it was quite empty. I think that the hotel is really struggling. The staff that we saw were quite unmotivated and not real competent. (Stay away.)

The beaches are still great. They are a little wilder than SBH and the dirt roads to reach them are slower and bumpier, but the water is clear, the sand is white and there are very few people with you. (Tops stay on the women.)

The restaurants have improved dramatically. At least two places would fit right in on SBH (Cafe Media Luna and Uva, both in Isabel Segundo, the larger of the two towns). There are several other places that are adequate for food and have a great view of the water (Banana'a and Bili, in Esperanza). There is a gourmet deli/grocery called Chef Michaels Foodspace that offers a selection of nice cheeses, wines, meats and munchies. The prices are high, but it's the only show in town.

The island is slowly remaking itself from a military backwater to a tourism-based economy. The locals seemed more pleasant and slightly more prosperous, and the gringo expat community is growing quickly.

We rented a house, so I can't comment on the hotels or guesthouses. There are some great houses that are quite remote and still affordable. We'll go back to the house that we stayed at again.

In summary, it's a beautiful island with the services of SBH circa 1975 (I'm guessing...). It's easier to get to for us, they use USD and there's no customs to clear. On the downside, the ambiance is definitely Latin, not French.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

Jeff

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