If Isabel Segunda is where Vieques does its administrative business, Esperanza is where it relaxes. A single waterfront strip — the malecón — runs along a calm bay, lined with bars, restaurants, and a few guesthouses. The beach is mediocre by Vieques standards but the dining and drinking is by some distance the best on the island.
The malecón is the social heart of Vieques at sunset. Bring a rum punch from any of the bars, sit on the seawall, and watch the small fishing boats come in. Most of the bio-bay tour operators are based here, and Sun Bay is a short drive east.