Culebra is a small, arid island off the east coast of Puerto Rico, reachable by ferry from Ceiba or by a short flight from San Juan — the aerial views of the cays and reefs on approach are worth the fare alone.
The island is best known for Flamenco Beach, consistently ranked among the finest beaches in the Caribbean: a long crescent of white sand backed by low hills, with excellent snorkelling on the reef at either end. Beyond the beach, Culebra is a place of coral reefs, dry scrubland hills, the protected cays of the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge, and the tiny settlement of Dewey, which barely qualifies as a town. A bicycle is the best way to get around — the ride from Dewey to Flamenco takes about 20 minutes.
Beyond Flamenco, the eastern beach of Playa Zoni and the snorkelling at Playa Tamarindo are well worth the trip. Water taxis from Dewey reach the uninhabited cays of Culebrita and Cayo Luis Peña — for a few hours of solitude and the best snorkelling in the archipelago.