Playa Brava

Culebra


It's beauty lies in its isolation; with no road you have to hike about 30 minutes along a little-used trail that is often overgrown with sea grape and low scrub. The rewards are a stunning swathe of sand of wild but utterly enchanting beauty. Bring walking shoes and snacks. No need for snorkel gear – the water is too rough.

To get to the trailhead, take Hwy 250 east and turn north on the road immediately after the history museum. Follow it until the pavement ends and you come up against a chain gate near a few small houses. This is the entrance to a cattle farm, but it is also a public right-of-way; park your car or bike and head due north on the trail beyond the gate. The second half of the trail leads through a grove of trees that often attracts butterflies.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Culebra attractions

1. Culebra National Wildlife Refuge

0.64 MILES

More than 20% of Culebra is part of a spectacular national wildlife refuge, which was signed into law more than 100 years ago. Most of it lies along the…

2. Playa Resaca

1.17 MILES

A resaca is an undertow and a metaphor for a hangover, an allusion to the state of the water perhaps, or the way you'll feel after climbing up and down…

3. Museo Histórico de Culebra

1.33 MILES

Housed in the Navy's former munitions warehouse (El Polvorín), this compact museum is jam-packed with interesting displays on the history of the island,…

4. Playa Zoni

1.86 MILES

Head to the eastern end of the island and you’ll eventually run out of road at Playa Zoni. Many locals think this is a better beach than Flamenco and it's…

5. Playa Flamenco

2.2 MILES

Stretching for a mile around a sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay, Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach) is not only one of Culebra’s best beaches, it also makes a…

6. Playa Tamarindo

2.4 MILES

Snorkeling is the thing here; the beach shares the fish-filled waters of the Luis Peña Channel Natural Reserve, making it a popular spot for independent…

7. Playa Melones

2.55 MILES

This is the closest beach to Dewey; a tiny strip of sand with some shade trees and a smattering of picnic tables and a good spot to catch a sunset. The…

8. Playa Carlos Rosario

3.06 MILES

This remote thin, white-sand beach has one of the best snorkeling areas in Puerto Rico thanks to a barrier reef that almost encloses the beach's waters;…