(The beach at the W Hotel.)
This October my husband and I wanted to get away for a long weekend but instead of heading to Miami, which we always seem to do, we chose the road less traveled and checked out Vieques Island. This small Caribbean Island just off the coast of Puerto Rico has been a little known gem for some time but the big selling point for me was the opening of the new W Retreat & Spa Vieques, the only luxury resort on the Island and the only other W Retreat in the world (the first is in the Maldives).
From San Juan we hopped a tiny Cape Air plane for a scenic 20 minute flight over the northeast tip of Puerto Rico. The airport, as you can imagine, was no frills but the W, geniuses that they are, created a private lounge where you wait for your W Jeep to fetch you. The hotel decor is luxurious without being stuffy and the food was excellent. Their main restaurant, mix, is from Alaine Ducasse and is the best on the Island. (We had dinner there twice in our five night stay.) The food at breakfast and the pool did not disappoint either.
(Red Beach)
The beaches of Vieques are some of the best I have ever seen. They are remote and, for the most part, untouched by modern amenities. In order to see them, rent a Jeep and explore. In most cases, you can drive right up to the dunes and park. Our favorites were Red Beach, Blue Beach, and Secret Beach.
(Me at Blue Beach in a Melissa Odabash bikini, purchased at the W boutique.)
Blue Beach is the biggest. As you can see the beaches are not manicured so the Palms grow right up to the edge of the shoreline in some spots. They are all ruggedly beautiful and never crowded. We were two of four people on the beach that day.
(Duffy's Restaurant in Esperanza.)
At the recommendation of the hotel staff, we went to Duffy’s for lunch. I was a little apprehensive because it doesn’t look like much from the outside but the menu was extensive and the food was fresh and delicious. To my pleasant surprise there are a handful of these types of restaurants on Vieques. Run by ex-mainlanders, the ambience is simple but charming, the food is creative and the service is friendly. We loved the sushi pizza at Coconuts and the shrimp and polenta appetizer at Next Course. We wanted to try El Quenepo but it was closed for the month of October.
(Me at the beach at the W in a Vix bikini. Final gratuitous bikini shot. Hey, if you've got it...)
The one thing you must do when in Vieques is take a tour of the Bio Bay. The hotel can make the arrangements for you but make sure you ask for the clear bottom canoes. The bay is bioluminescent, which means it has the highest concentration of phytoplankton of any body of water in the world and as such lights up like a starry night when the water is disturbed. The tour begins at dark and you follow a guide to the center of the bay in clear canoes so your trail is illuminated and then you stop at the center, learn a little about the ecosystem and take a dip in the uber-fortified water. It’s a magical experience. Vieques is also known for it’s horses. There are lots of them roaming around, semi-wild and half of the entire island is a dedicated horse preserve. While there is plenty to do and see on the Island, you can also just veg out at the hotel – get a massage on the beach and sip cocktails by the pool. I did that too.
