City/Region: Fajardo. Dubbed 'the enchanted isles' Vieques and her smaller sister Culebra lie off of Puerto Rico's east coast, accessible from San Juan by air and from Fajardo by ferry. Both support a few thousand friendly, laid-back inhabitants who live life peacefully and slowly, enriching rather than impacting on the natural beauty of their home. Vieques is 20-odd miles long and five wide and consists largely of the biggest wildlife sanctuary in the Caribbean, protected by the United States Fish; Wildlife Service. Some of the world's most beautiful beaches, with azure clear waters and sugary white sand, are to be found in the sanctuary. If you plan to visit Vieques stay overnight to experience its premier attraction, Bio Bay.

On a moonless night the bay glows with the bioluminescence radiated by a microscopic one-celled organism called a dinoflagellate, providing an unforgettable sight. Smaller Culebra, just seven miles long and three wide, is a few miles north of Vieques and is renowned for the clarity of the waters washing its shores. This is occasioned by the fact that the island has no rivers or streams causing run-off: the arid island has to have water piped from Puerto Rico via Vieques. This quiet, unspoiled island offers unrivalled snorkeling and scuba diving in its magnificent encircling reefs, kayak expeditions and hiking trails for bird-watchers through the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge.

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